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EPILOGUE
‘GOODLUCK!’
Flo’s eyes were a little worried as she wished her friend all the best for this most special day.
‘Can’t I be with her?’ Flo asked again.
‘I’m sorry,’ Kumu said. ‘Only family can be with the bride.’
And Maggie didn’t have any.
There were many things that were changing in Zayrinia, but this custom was carved in stone and so Flo left to get ready for the ceremony and Maggie was left alone.
Well, she had Kumu and many maidens but, no, it wasn’t the same.
Today, on this her wedding day, she missed her mother so much.
Maggie, Flo, Kelly and Paul had arrived in Zayrinia a couple of days ago. But only Maggie had fully understood the sweeping change and the glimpse of more to come when the car had pulled up at the main entrance to the palace.
There had been a formal greeting and she had smiled politely and curtsied for the king and queen.
Ilyas had told her that the king had accepted the transition as if he himself had thought of it. And that, if anything, his mother seemed relieved.
The queen actually had a small smile for Maggie, and was far politer in her greeting than she had been the first time.
Of course there was no Ilyas.
For two nights there had been formal dinners and stunning days spent in thehammamwith Flo, but today the pre-wedding celebrations and preparations had ended.
Maggie sat wearing a muslin slip. Her hair had been done and Kumu was attempting to do her make-up, but tears kept slipping out and she knew that today, of all days, it was imperative she did not cry.
She might never stop if she did.
Maggie wanted the wedding over with. She just wanted to be alone with Ilyas, for despite rehearsals she was terrified she might mess it all up.
* * *
Ilyas knew she would be feeling scared and alone.
‘Hazin is still not here,’ an extremely concerned Mahmoud informed him. ‘His jet is still in Dubai.’
But Ilyas had more on his mind than his wayward brother today.
‘I want you to find out how Maggie is.’
As Mahmoud walked off to follow his instruction, Ilyas called him back.
‘Not just a vague enquiry,’ he emphasised. ‘Ask Kumu. In fact...’ He gave Mahmoud more specific instructions.
It had been a very long two weeks.
Ilyas had not been making idle conversation when he had told Maggie that as soon as he asked her to be his wife they would be kept apart.
That time in the bedroom, that very precious night, had been their last real time together.
He had returned on his royal jet to get back to Zayrinia and put plans under way as Maggie had spent a frantic few days sorting out her rapidly changing life.
Now she took a break from the attempts to make up her face and tried to calm down.
