Khalil
The whole palace is silent but filled with tension. The Zahir was murdered two hours ago with the assassin successfully escaping the palace. The guards who were on duty have all been arrested and locked up for further questioning while the security has been doubled.
“Oh, Kamal!” My mother wails hysterically, a little drop of tears trickling down her face. ” Whoever has committed this great evil against you shall not go unpunished.”
As serious as the situation is I’m tempted to let out a scoff. Women and their theatrics. I for one know that my mother did not care one bit for the Zahir. Maybe she used to but she stopped when it almost put her life in danger. Which makes me wonder why she is being so dramatic.
Everyone knows the Zahir had a lot of enemies and that death would take him one way or another. It’s rather unfortunate he died brutally on this cold night. Although, I want to grieve like everyone else I cannot do that. The Zahir may have been a cruel king but he was a good father at least to most of his children to which I am excluded. A part of my life I do not like to recall.
However, whether it is out of filial duty or official duty I am bound to investigate and bring whoever it is to justice.
—-
I hear hushed whispers in the background as I try to open my eyes, but the brightness seeping in from the windows makes me close them again almost immediately. Waiting for a minute or two I open them again, more slowly this time allowing my eyes to adjust to the environment as I try to sit up but the pain at the back of my head makes it impossible and I respectfully lie back.
“My Lady you’re awake.” Says Giti rushing to my side. ” Thank the heavens! We were all worried about you.”
” We?” I ask confused.
” Yes My Lady. The other maids and I, even the Queen came to check on you.”
” The Queen?!” Now this has my attention and I try to sit up again slowly this time with Giti helping me up. ” How long was I out for?” I asked trying to process this new piece of information.
” Four days,” Giti replies curtly and my heart does a little skip. Four days?! That’s a lot of time. I rush down from the bed to the nearest mirror to take a good look at myself. “The physician said to rest My Lady.” Says Giti at my sudden reaction.
My hair is disheveled and my eyes a bit sunken but rather than that I look very much alive.”Tell me everything that has happened in the last four days.” I say still looking in the mirror.
” Well My Lady after we heard you scream, the guards and I rushed inside. You were found unconscious and Zahir murdered. We quickly carried you back to your chambers so I do not know a lot of what happened at the King’s chambers. You were unconscious for two days after that and then when you woke up you were screaming again, I didn’t know what to do so I rushed to get a physician. He gave you a sedative and you passed out again and didn’t wake up till this morning. He said you were traumatized by the incident. The Queen heard of it and came to check on you. She asked to be informed of when you regain consciousness.”
I let out a sigh as I took all the information in. Of course, I was bound to be traumatized, it’s not every day I walk in on murder scenes. I have never seen so much blood in my life. Just remembering it makes me shudder and here comes the haunting memories. I walk back slowly to the bed and lie down as the panging headache returns in full force.
” Where is this place?” I ask Giti as my head touches the pillow. I’ve only just noticed that the room looks different and even bigger than I remember.
” It is your new quarters My Lady. You shall stay here from now on.”
I don’t know how to feel about this information, my head is panging and all I need now is rest. Whatever this palace holds for me will be sorted out once I am fully recovered.
—-
It is the Janazāh al-Zahir (Funeral of the King). The fourteen-day mourning period is over and it is time to lay the King to rest. Zafiran culture requires all female members of the royal household to burn incense and offer sacrifices in the palace while the men and other officials lead a grand procession to bury the King. So here I am once more in the midst of these ‘lovely’ women doing my wifely duties and paying my last respects to the King.
All the King’s women are present, together with younger women I am guessing to be daughters of the king or wives of court officials.
We are all seated on mats in rows with the Queen at the forefront, followed by the consorts which include me and then the wives of court officials behind us. Each of us holds a small incense plate filled with burning incense while the priest chants prayers in front.
I don’t know how to feel about all of this, I am happy and sad altogether. Happy because I do not have to worry about pleasing anyone for the sake of my kingdom, the death of the king may have been a traumatizing incident I won’t forget so easily but at least it was a blessing in disguise. Sad. Well I’m sad because I am expected to be sad, I’m a young widow now who just lost her husband even though six more women fall into the category. With the King gone, I might finally find a reason to leave this place since no one would pay me much attention anyway
The prayer ritual has finally ended, even though I didn’t pay any attention to it. While the priest and the servants pack up the once silent atmosphere is now rowdy as condolence greetings fly around. The perfect time to retire to my quarters since I have nothing to do here.
“Not planning to escape are you?” Says a voice behind me stopping me in my tracks. I guess I will speak too soon. I turn around and suddenly wish I didn’t. It’s Saffiya, lucky me.
“Lady Saffiya,” I say with a small bow in greeting.
” Isn’t it too early to retire to your chambers?”
And aren’t you supposed to be minding your business? That is what I want to reply but it’s too early to pick a fight and all I want to do is avoid her she looks like bad news.
“The Zahir has just been buried. Come, we should assist the queen in any way we can.” She continues taking my silence as a cue to continue speaking that mischievous smile of hers dancing at the corners of her mouth. I want to be nowhere around her and her sudden interest in me is alarming.
” Actually I…..”
” She’s with me.” Says a deep voice closely behind me. The person comes to stand beside me and I can tell it’s a man from the delicious smell of rosewater and sandalwood tickling my nostrils. I turn to look at my savior but my whole being goes into rapid shock. A pair of piercing green eyes that are all too familiar stare down at me.
Did the Zahir come back to life or did someone make a reincarnation? This resemblance is too uncanny.
