CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER FIVE – RELOCATION " Shall we " Bitaqir asked the Pashas They looked at each other and then at Bitaqir wondering if this frail young girl can really shoulder the responsibility of the states. In their opinion it is either the late King made mistake or Ibrahim Pasha is in cahoots with the new queen. "Pashas if you don't have anything to report then you may leave" Selim suddenly spoke after a while. "Apologies Your majesty, Your highness! The Minister of National Security will give the report" Abu Bakarr Pasha replied. "Princes Ozgur and Mohammad as the main rebels have been apprehended" Mahmoud Pasha started. "Good!, How many were injured?" I asked when what I really wanted was how many had died "Four, Majesty !! Princess Sierra, Serdar Agha, Sadika Hatun and Sultana Ayse were seriously injured and have been take to the Physicians". He paused again. Seriously what is wrong with him he should have just read everything in one go, instead of making unnecessary pauses. "How many died?" I asked the question I was trying to skip. " Two were killed, Knights Alpha and Ezekiel they stood as the sacrificial lamb so that Prince Aroald will escape." "Of course he did" I muttered to myself. "You let him get away" Prince Selim asked anger evident in his voice. "Prince Aroald made an attempt on the queen's life, so this is automatically treason" Abu Bakarr Pasha spoke. "As the Minister of National Security, I will make sure that Prince Aroald is captured and punished" Mahmoud Pasha spoke with such confidence that I would have been sure that he already knows Prince Aroald's whereabout. "Since that is clear, we need to formally crown the queen" Ibrahim Pasha spoke for the first time since he entered the chambers. Judging from the glances that the other two Viziers gave each other Bitaqir could fully understand that they do not want to accept her as their queen. But what can they do, their hands are tied together and binded by the late king's will. "Since the rebellion has been controlled and all royal members and noble men and women are still present in Shanara then I think the coronation should be held tomorrow" Selim suggested. "I think that will be wise. Pashas?!" Ibrahim Pasha spoke. And then everyone became quiet waiting for their new queen's order. But Bitaqir being a Princess is used to just being a listener and only pitching in on meetings when she is addressed. Forgetting that now all will need her consent, she too stood wondering why everyone was quiet but did not dare speak . Leaning near her Selim whispered to her " they're waiting for your consent Bitaqir" Startled Bitaqir blushed in embarrassment and sqeased out a 'ok'. "Pashas where is my mother?" Bitaqir asked all of a sudden . "Her majesty is in her chambers resting, I was informed" Ibrahim Pasha replied immediately as if that was the only question he was awaiting ****************************** In Azbedran the new ruler is always crowned at sunrise, as the saying goes "a new day bring new hope". This is what Bitaqir wished and prayed for, but she could basically hear her subconcious laughing at her. It was two hours to sunrise but the entire palace was wide awake as in two hours time a new ruler would be crowned, one that was already doomed from the moment she was named crown Princess, even the title crowned Princess sounded weird and strange in the tongue of all. Bitaqir lay in her new chambers looking around her, in just a few hours her father's chamber has been completely changed. The potrait above the bed that use to be of her father was now hers, the masculine scent of the room has been completely dissolved and now nothing but the sweet scent of grapes could be smelt, nothing to indicate that this was the palace where her father once resided was left in the room. All of her things have been moved from her previous chambers in her mother's quarters into the high chambers. Even her mother has been moved into the Chambers at the heart of the harem, that chamber has not been in use for the past 23 years, since the previous Queen Mother's death. Now both Bitaqir and her mother occupied the quarters at the heart of the harem. But now was not the time to sit and wonder, it was her coronation day and she needed to be prepared as in less than two hours just before the Fajri prayers she will be crowned Queen of Azbedran, the first of her kind.