Shedding ROYAL Blood

▪︎4▪︎Pt I▪︎My Decision Hit Me Back

▪︎Sultan Omar Khan▪︎

"You don't understand. My niece is a SLAVE-GIRL. She has a master who has purchased her and owns her. And she has already sworn her loyalty to him. And betraying him would be a punishable offence."

"What?" I asked in shock.

"Yes you heard it right Sir."

"I'm ready to pay double the price for her." There's nothing I cannot buy.

"I'm afraid her master wouldn't agree Sir. She along with her parents were captives of war when she herself presented a deal to the k-... noble. To take her as his slave-girl in return for her parents freedom and a good amount of money to be given to them to start a new life as simple, undiscriminated subjects. She has taken an oath to serve her master all her life. And she would kill herself before she betrays her own oath."

I was blank. Everytime I think I know her, I see a new shade of her. She is as intriguing as she is.

I didn't know what else to say. "This discussion isn't over." I told him and left.

***

I fell back on my bed exhausted. The old man's words still echoing.

In court sessions, I have discussed many times about banning of slαverγ but no! Malika-e-Jahan, all the members of the Diwan (Council), the traders and merchants thought it was economical to have slaves and that it didn't harm anybody. And I was convinced until now when my decision hit me back in the face.

If I had declared slαverγ forbiddeη by law, she wouldn't be a Slave now. Why did this have to happen? That is why she was so tensed about being seen with me all the time? She believed deep inside that her loyalty belonged to someone else. My blood boiled to think about it.

No way! I won't let this or anything else stop me from having you Amrit. This is the first time I am so serious about a woman and I can't let you go. You will be mine. And I will not stop until I make you mine. The amount of happiness your company gave me in just a few hours was something I had not seen in my whole life. And I want that happiness. Forever. I never knew a woman could be so powerful to capture my heart and when it did there is no way I am letting this Sun set and the darkness to spread around me all over again. You Belong With Me. Your body, your soul, your thoughts, your beauty, and your loyalty. I want everything. At any cost.

***

The next morning, I was happy as I walked around and saw the preparations for the ceremony going on all around.

'I hope you come Amrit. Among the thousands of eyes looking out for me, my eyes would only be searching for you.'

***

"Sultan, the Royal painter is here." A helper notified.

"Send him in." I've been waiting for the night to pass to call him.

The Royal painter bowed in respect and asked, "Sultan wanted to see me?"

"You have to make a painting. You brought your stuff?" He nodded and gestured to a man who carried a canvas stand, color bowls, feathers, charcoal etc.

"Now listen very carefully Munsif. I've always admired your talent and that's why I've called you for this. I'll keep giving you the description and I want you to paint the exact face that I have in mind."

"I won't let you down Sultan. This is my duty to the Royal household. To paint their thoughts on canvas and bring their imagination to life." He said rather confidently.

"Let's see."

I closed my eyes and let her image flow through my senses. If beauty had a face it would be hers.

"Let's start from the eyes." The painter said, holding the charcoal against the canvas and I started describing. I was amazed at how well I could do it. Within a few hours, it was like I had known her forever.

I could so neatly and minutely describe everything that the painter asked. The color of her eyes, the shape of her nose, the length of her hair, the color of her skin, everything.

And after the painting was completed, I saw her come to life in that painting. I could see her, exactly as she was.

"This is exactly it." I said dazed at seeing her blue innocent eyes stare back at me.

"You are indeed talented Munsif. You've done a great job. You deserve a reward for this." I pulled a long, two layered pearl necklace from my neck and gave it to him.

"The honour is mine." He said taking it and left.

I held the edge of the canvas. "Soon you will be in this room instead of your painting. Amrit."

▪︎Amrit▪︎

I couldn't help but smile thinking about Hussain? Who cares so much for a person they just met? Ok it was a mistake that he shot me but then he took care of me and did as much as he could, and then even dropped me to my destination. I don't want anyone to be suspicious about my intentions or the reason for my visit so I told him I was going to my uncle's house. It wasn't an uncle. It was another spy that I was supposed to meet. He, for our purposes, had taken the risk of settling down in Agra with his family. As Hussain dropped me to my destination, he asked me to call my uncle. I don't know what he has to say.

The man walked out and came back with a pale face. When I asked him what happened. He just shook his head and said, "you should leave in the morning as soon as possible." He handed me a few papyrus rolls, some of them were maps, one was a list of soldier names, a few were a counting number of elephants, horses etc. in the army.

I sat up all night with them. By morning, I memorized the data and gave the papers to fire. Now I'm ready to go back. But... the conversation with Hussain on the way kept me confused...

"Will you agree to one request?" He asked.

"Yes. But what can I give you?"

"Amrit you are so lucky to be around the kingdom at this time, when the Honor Bride ceremony is round the corner. It happens only twice in around 20 - 25 years and so the celebration is Grand. I think you shouldn't let this chance go. You should attend."

"But-"

"I insist..Attend it. Just as a spectator." He said, pulling out an astonishingly large gold ring and extending it to me.

"I can't take it. It looks extremely expensive."

"It's okay. Take it now. you can return it later."

"But why?"

"Actually the ceremony is held in the Palace and all the women have already given their name. So incase of security reasons, if you're not allowed to enter the main gate of the Palace, show them this."

I hesitantly took the ring and it was a blue gem in the middle embedded to small stones around the golden frame. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

***

I looked at the ring again. 'Was it real? Should I go there? What's wrong in just seeing it?' I thought. It won't do any harm to just attend as a spectator right? Besides I don't think the war would be anywhere around the ceremony. They will complete their celebration first and then think about all these.

More than that, nobody ever requested me anything before. It was always an order, which makes it all more special.

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