Altair by Marian Tee

You are probably unaware of this…
But my first glimpse of you was not at the royal palace, with you standing tall and proud while my father came bearing gifts, one of which included…me.
My father was of the old ways. He believed he was doing me a favor. I would be the envy of many, he told me, for I was to be bride of your cousin, the king.
Your cousin, who already had a queen.
But I digress.
As I said earlier, that day was not the first time I met you.
Our story, alshaykh, started much, much earlier than that…