Chapter 1: Nadia
It was early in the morning, it was time for fajr and Nadia could hear the adhan (call to prayer)but she was too sluggish to get out of bed. Her maiden kept on whispering in her ears "My princess it is time to pray" and she said " I will pray later", Then her maid said to her "Your father, I mean the emir wishes to have a congregational prayer with his family and everyone is there except you" She immediately jumped out of bed on hearing the word "the emir". She sprinted to the bathroom to get washed up and performed ablution, she dressed up in her hijab and rushed down the courtyard into the masjid and immediately joined them in prayer. After the prayer session was over, they all said their greetings to one another and everyone was about to leave when she heard "Nadia you missed a raka'ah and you thought I wouldn't notice" said her father "I got up late and I promise I won't do that again" she made pitiable face to show how sorry she was but he wasn't convinced and said "you better learn to be responsible, you will soon be someone's wife"
"The sultan of Sokoto is coming to seek your hand in marriage, You better behave" he stormed out in rage. She murmured to herself what she dared not say to his face "I don't want to get married to anyone!, It is my life and I love it like this" as tears dropped down her cheeks. She felt a familiar touch on her back, she turned around and saw her mom. She took her to her chambers and she began to sob "Mom I don't think I want to get married"Her mom rubbed her head and said, "Your father wants the best for you, I got married to your dad at the age of 16 and I am very happy with him and you can do the same too".She looked at her mom and said"Maybe you were lucky to have him as your husband and besides that, you know how much I have always wanted to be unrestricted and unburdened with royal duties" She continued "I can't be someone's fourth wife, I am just 17 how does he expect me to get married to that old hag" Her mom quickly covered her mouth and said "Be silent! don't let him hear that from you, if the emir arrives you have the right to refuse the marriage proposal" she moved away from her mom and said "That's the problem! Once the sultan arrives I won't be able to refuse the marriage proposal and dad knows that I would never want his image to be tarnished" she continues to sob even more "mom you should have known your husband by now, it is all a setup" her mom tried her best to convince her but she didn't have anything to say "I will try my best to convince him" she said as she left Nadia's room.