Harem

Rania, Gulestan, Noorjan, and Maryam were all present at the harem of Qasr Jamil for a very special occasion: it was time for the King to choose a wife, and all the most beautiful, eligible, and wealthy women from the kingdom, as well as from the neighboring countries, were there.

Being the wife of Sultan Iman Hazar Khan was the biggest title a woman could hold at that time; even being his concubine would be a strong enough title in itself. But the man had never taken a wife, much less a concubine. A big reason behind that could be that he had spent very little time inside his lavish palace since he was crowned King. Much of his time was spent outside the city gates, at the battlefield, because any time a young king assumes his position on the throne, it always causes uproar around him.

In Al Dunya Sultanate, the killing of brothers was common in order to secure the throne. But in this case, there were no immediate successors fighting for their rights, only some distant relatives—cousins, nephews, and uncles. They tried to take the kingdom, thinking the young king incapable of ruling, but they failed time and time again due to his impeccable resilience. He was called Quicksilver for how quickly he could interpret any hidden attacks outside as well as inside the palace walls.

When all of that died down, the people believed that the King would settle down, find a wife, and give the kingdom new heirs. But he did something completely different. After reopening the investigation into the death of his father and Crown Prince Suleman, he found out that their death was indeed not a coincidence, and in fact, it was a murder. 

The murderer was none other than Queen Zaliha, the third wife of the king. But taking any action against her was almost impossible because she had already fled the kingdom the day after his father's burial, and also because she was the daughter of King Zohaib Ali, who ruled the biggest kingdom in the north. Although she was his thirteenth daughter and didn't hold a very high status, he would still defend her life and liberty. Everybody expected King Iman to let go of the matter, but he surprised everyone by announcing war on the northern kingdom of Al Kazr. Many political experts predicted that it was a naive move and would be the end of Al Dunya.

But he shocked everyone by not only winning the war but winning in a manner that made him victorious in everyone's eyes. It happened when they saw him coming back from the top of the mountain on which King Zohaib's palace was situated with the severed head of the fallen king. It instilled fear in people, as well as respect for the new king of Kazr and Dunya.

Queen Zaliha's voice was forever silenced behind the walls of Sangmarmar, and his son, the third prince Gafoor, for whom she allegedly executed this plan and who was also involved in some of the earlier attacks on the kingdom, was hunted and given the "justice of silver" (Quick death). All these actions made people see King Iman Khan with fear and respect; he became the supreme emperor.

And now it was his turn to take a wife. All the generals, nawabs, amirs, and subedars of his kingdoms and neighboring countries were seeking any opportunity to send their daughters inside the palace gates. Some personal invites were also sent by the King's mother to those relations and connections she deemed worthy of having a relationship with her son.

One of these formal invitations reached the lavish yet modest state of Subedar Chand Ahmad for his daughter Maryam. Maryam's mother begged her father for three days not to let her daughter go to the palace, saying she was too innocent for that world. Maryam's mother, Asra Begum, was a cousin of the late king, thus she knew the politics of the harem better than anyone else and didn't want her daughter to be involved in it.

She knew Maryam had a soft heart and it could not bear the cruelty of the courtly people's conduct. She didn't even believe in war, saying there was no way a human could hurt another human in such cruel ways. But her husband refused, saying a royal invitation could not be declined; she had to go. He was aware of Maryam's nature but also believed all women capable of changing at such life-altering events like marriage, and anyway, there was little hope she would be chosen as the wife.

Maryam's mother taught her daughter as much as she could in the few days they were given before her immediate departure for the palace, but even she knew it wouldn't be enough. Her only concern was for her daughter to be safe and sound. Unlike others, she wasn't looking forward to her daughter securing a match. She even wrote a letter to her sister-in-law, the King's mother, begging her to take care of her daughter. The King's mother, Mallika Zeenat Begum, found her letter to be a hearty tale of a mother's worry since she was sure Maryam wouldn't have any difficulty in the palace.

From the first day of her stay there, Maryam noticed each day at the palace was a different kind of festival. Activities spanned from day till night; there was no end to the flurry of activities happening all the time. In the first two days, she found it quite overwhelming, but by the third day, she got used to it. Perhaps that's because she made a friend, Noorjan, the most beautiful girl she saw in the gathering. She was also there for the King's season, but she was different than all the other girls who were either too sophisticated as to not speak a word to anyone or too loud to never stop talking.

Noorjan and Maryam related over the fact that they were both from smaller cities and of lower titles, which made them humble and closer to reality. On the fourth day, they were to meet the King, which was only announced on that exact day, and that made some of the girls very angry that they had gotten no time to prepare. They were all led to a scenic hallway in a line where the King was to meet them one by one.

Maryam was standing on the far left side. The King came up from the right side, greeting everyone. Everyone was focused on him, but Maryam was lost in her thoughts. Only when it was her chance to greet the King did she come out of her thoughts and hurriedly did her greeting. The rush of her own movements made her dizzy, and she was embarrassed, to say the least. But what she found embarrassing, the King found endearing. It was noted by all the women there; he held her hand the longest.

That little gesture became a reason for jealousy among other girls, and it didn't help that in all the other events, the King seemed to be closer to Maryam. Many times he would ask her something randomly about her life, her likes and dislikes, that would completely shock everyone since King Iman was known for not talking too much. To all the other girls, he talked the bare minimum, only as much as was appropriate. And to Maryam, he even bestowed his heart's secret. Maryam, taking his interest only as an act of kindness, didn't notice the raging jealousy that was projected on her. She was genuinely a humble person, and it was hard for her to believe anyone would be jealous of her, especially these girls—these princesses with more gold she had ever seen in her life and titles so long they could fill up six pages.

But the jealousy for her didn't manifest as ill behavior towards her but more like a sugar-coated behavior. Even those women who claimed to hate her sat with her at dinners and invited her to their every gathering, sharing with her all the gifts they got and offering her any jewelry she liked. Maryam obviously refused such monetary gestures but was delighted with the idea, thinking she was finally getting along with everyone. Rania and Gulestan were the two who had a special eye on Maryam; at every event, they stuck by her side to do their best to steer her away from any opportunity of seeing the King.

There were private meetings arranged for each one of them to meet with the King and leave a lasting impression; of course, a chaperone was assigned. A formal invitation was sent by the King to any particular girl at a time. When the first invitation reached Princess Zamila, there was no end to her constant chirping. But just two days after, another invitation reached Wafa Anjum, which put her down from her pedestal since she was the first choice but not the last. Despite these little troubles, the meetings themselves were very delightful for all. The King appeared to be more well-spoken and charming than he was given credit for. His earlier reputation of being scary and intimidating was surpassed; after each meeting, the women were left only with praises for the King and some priceless gifts.

Since by his conduct it was hard to tell whom  he favored the most, by these presents, the girls tried to measure up his interest. Shakila had gotten rubies, Dilshad diamonds, Fiza's gold necklace was of three layers with countless precious stones, Huma had gotten the best silks. Rania and Gulestan's presents were by far the most precious: rare blue and pink diamond necklaces, which they were sure to flaunt to everyone. One of these days, an invite reached Maryam, and she tried to hide it, but she was delighted to go.

The meeting was as the others had described, but maybe even a bit more. He chose the southern garden to meet her, which she first didn't understand why, but later realized that garden was less like a garden, more like a heaven. There were countless flowers spanned across miles upon miles, and there were different pathways and gazebos built across the lavish plane. The smell was heavenly, and all kinds of butterflies lived there. Maryam loved butterflies, a fact she remembered telling the King when he asked about her favorite activity, and she answered to catch butterflies in her garden. Of course, she freed them afterward; she cannot keep a prisoner.

But here, there were so many of them that they were practically bothering her; not a moment passed when one or a group of butterflies came to sit on her head and whispered in her ears. Maryam was smiling the whole time, probably a bit overwhelmed by happiness, but she noticed the King talked less, less than all the other girls' descriptions of him.

It seemed he was mostly staring at her and then finally said, "It's the first time I have seen butterflies chasing a person; usually it's the other way around." To which she replied, "There are too many of them." "Perhaps they recognize you," he said. Maryam stopped chasing away the butterflies to look at him in surprise. "What?" she asked. There was a big butterfly still on her head, sitting and fluttering its wings. "Because you used to capture their fellow brothers and sisters, they are probably getting revenge." To which she replied with utter astonishment that she didn't capture them, just caught some to look at them, then freed them afterward. She didn't harm a single butterfly, and at the end, shouting "she is innocent," hearing that, the King laughed but quickly recovered, saying perhaps he didn't choose the best place. Maryam assured him, he chose the best place.

After returning back to the harem, she noticed almost all the girls were there at the entrance, seemingly waiting for her arrival. Gulestan uttered the question right away: "What had she gotten as the present?" Hearing that, Maryam hid her hands behind her back on instinct. But that was not enough to stop them. Like hungry bees, they surrounded her and held her hand, noticing right away a very large ring on her finger. Many would have fainted right away at its sight if the same ring was on her ring finger, but the ring was on her middle finger.

On closer inspection, Zulaikha screamed that it was the same ring that was on the King's finger. Many others then also verified seeing it on the King's middle finger. It was his signet ring. "Why would he give that to her?" Maryam, noticing the environment getting more and more hectic, planned a quick escape but was stopped just at the entrance of her bedchamber by her best friend, Noorjan. Delighted to be stopped by Noorjan and not any other girls, Maryam quickly pulled her inside her room, and Noor didn't waste any time asking her all about what happened in the meeting with the King. Maryam narrated the whole story to her from the beginning, stressing the point that he made fun of her, and she wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Noor laughed at her silliness but was smiling ear to ear by the end of it. In her mind, she knew the King had a special interest in her, but it would be impossible to make Maryam believe that, so she didn't even try. But she was happy for her friend, happy that Al Dunya would get such a kind-hearted queen.

Maryam, feeling intrigued, asked Noor what she had gotten as a gift from the King. Noor replied, hers was a rare translation of a Hebrew book she liked very much, and she had shared with the King of her interest in reading. "Perhaps that's why he had given her that as a present. But all the other girls, they wouldn't have understood that." Maryam spoke. "Oh yes, they made fun of me." "What?" Maryam screamed. "Don't worry, I don't let these things bother me. It would be hard for these girls to understand actual sentimental values," Noor said, then added, "And I think only our gifts are real, they were actually thought about; all the others are just tokens from the imperial treasure." Hearing that made Maryam more calm, and now she looked at the ring on her finger a bit differently.

The next day, the dates of Nikah were announced. It was not surprising since the end of the season was coming soon. The first few Nikah announcements were made; they were of those women who were not even once called by the King, and their respective matches were top commanders of the army. All these affairs were settled by the King's mother, who had personally given the information to the women a fortnight before, and now, as everything had gone well, she was bestowing her blessings upon them. It was the last announcement that astonished everyone: it notified that the King had chosen a wife. She was one amongst the thirteen girls he had seen these past weeks. They didn't announce the name of the woman but announced the date on which the marriage was to take place.

It was chaotic inside the harem, all the girls cursing at the announcer, "How can that be? He had chosen a wife, but no one would tell them who?" At the end, beyond annoyed by all these voices, the head of eunuchs informed them, "This is the way it has to be, since announcing the identity of the future queen a fortnight before the Nikah can lead to many problems, and it gives a chance to many ungrateful, anti-nationals to play dirty tricks. For her safety, the identity of the future queen would not be revealed until the last moment."

That shut them up, but they were still fuming inside. Gulestan, gathering her wits, stood up and said with a calm voice, "It could be any one of us, so we must behave in such a manner, as a candidate for the royal throne. Maybe it could just be me; it wouldn't look good for me to now act in such a rash manner." Princess Zamila stood up as well, saying if it could be any one of them, it must be her. Now all the women started fantasizing themselves in the royal gown and went about their business happily. Maryam and Noorjan were the only ones left standing, and thankfully, closer to reality. Noor was sure in her mind it had to be Maryam, and Maryam wasn't sure who it could be, but she realized the thought of one of these women becoming the wife of the King didn't sit well with her. She almost felt bitter; it was the first time she felt that way, but she refused to think more about that feeling and took her leave from Noor.

The upcoming days were again filled with a flurry of activities. The Nikah of the chief military commander and chief of military affairs and information head was attended by everyone, including the King. But in these festivities, it was noticed by many that the King kept a distance with Maryam. When it first happened, the other girls thought it a coincidence, but later, his distant attitude towards her drew more and more eyes. Before, in events, Maryam's seat used to be closer to the King, only two steps away, but now they were seated in different lines. The first few times, the seat near the emperor was empty, but later Gulestan begged the eunuchs to let her be seated there. It was arranged since the King showed indifference to the matter. After that, Gulestan and King seemed to grow closer; they were seen together almost every time, which made Gulestan feel as if she was on cloud nine.

Gulestan was loud before; her bedchamber always carried her voice out, but now her voice could be heard from one end of the hallway to the other. Maryam couldn't understand the reason behind that and felt almost a little upset.

On one of these evenings, she was sitting by the window in Noor's room, reading one of her books, but it seemed like she wasn't really reading but putting her anger on the book. She was flipping the pages at a fast pace, which made reading impossible. At last, Noorjan interrupted her, taking her precious book away and asking what had gotten into her. She replied "nothing" but inquired from her what she thought of Gulestan and if she could really be the King's wife. Noor shrugged, saying it could be, but not to worry, even if they don't get the King as a husband, they will be well off. Since they had participated in the season, they would be surrounded by numerous proposals from very wealthy and capable men. Hearing that didn't bring any consolation to Maryam, but she managed a smile. A husband was far away on the list of things she wanted, but now suddenly all of that seemed to change, and she found herself wanting something she couldn't have.

Days passed; the Nikah date of the King was coming closer. There was a huge banquet announced on the day before the Nikah. By now, Maryam had no hope of becoming the wife of the King. She didn't even want it before. Now she desperately wished to go back to how she was in the beginning, with no expectations and full of life. She wanted to go home. She now realized what her mother was talking about: palace life can really be cruel and hideous.

She had noticed it herself: the people around her changing except for Noorjan. Now everyone treated her differently, like it would be an inconvenience to talk to her. Maryam ignored most of these behaviors, but one evening she couldn't help her tears when she was walking past a hallway and heard some of the girls make fun of her. They were saying how she used to flaunt when the King was benevolent to her, and she took it as interest, and now even he had realized she wasn't good enough, had no exceptional features or a noble background. These words were vain and filled with lies; she knew that, but at that time she just felt so tired to look at it with reason. Maryam just wanted to go home, and knowing that it would be the last function, she couldn't wait for it to be over.

If only she had known what type of behavior she would face today, she wouldn't have come. Now, used to the rule, Maryam was sure to choose the third line to sit, but she noticed the exact moment she was going to make her way to her seat was the exact moment the King and his main officials and friends came up from the other side. She stood still silently. She didn't hear the announcement, so busy in her head. Some girls laughed behind her; she knew they were laughing at her but ignored them. The King again didn't even look at her for once. He got seated in the middle this time, since it was a festive occasion, and he seemed to be in a good mood. He was talking with everyone, especially his companions, his trusted soldiers. The ambiance was natural and exciting, but Maryam felt completely out of place. In such a close gathering, it was hard to avoid a person, but the lengths the King took to avoid her all while smiling with everyone made her feel the greatest discomfort she ever felt.

Since it was his marriage the next day, his friends played some teasing games with him, many bragging that they knew exactly who the future queen was. Gulestan took joy in such gossip and asked them to tell her. They voted their opinions; many claimed it to be Gulestan, some even Rania and Zamila. Then one of the army officers said he didn't know which one would be the queen, but he was sure who wouldn't be. Many asked him whom he was talking about.

He pointed his fingers in a particular direction. Maryam didn't even notice it at first, since her focus was elsewhere, but the immediate silence that followed made her look up, and she noticed his fingers were pointing at her. Anger and shame both made her unable to say anything. In a moment of silence, even the speaker thought maybe he had said something wrong. 

He was about to apologize when the King laughed, and that was followed by many other laughs and shouts like it was such a good joke. Maryam had never faced such humiliation. She looked at the King, but he diverted his eyes from her. That was it for her. She stood up from her seat and turned to take her leave, since her mother told her it is vain to be in a gathering where there's no respect for you. But thinking better, she turned towards them again, pulled out the ring from her finger, threw it down, and then she was gone. If people were shocked or intimidated by her stunt, they didn't show it. Everyone's eyes expectedly turned to the King, who only smiled and continued drinking his cup, which made others relaxed as well.

Maryam decided to leave that night. She could not spend another moment here in this place. Without telling anyone, she booked a private carriage through her servant Nazneen, who at first requested her to at least wait for the morning, but she refused. The carriage was called, and she left with what little belongings she had come with from her home. Due to the banquet, no one saw her leaving, but Maryam knew nothing could be hidden too long from the eunuchs who would inform the King directly. She told the carriage master to take them as fast as he could.

The closest city from the palace was the city of Athura, very famous for its ancient roots and one of the most famous and safest cities in the kingdom. Safe enough for a woman to travel at night alone. She remembered the King talking to her about it, how the last crime that happened in the city was five years ago.

The carriage stopped upon a decent-looking inn, which takes in both male and female travelers, and there were separate buildings for both of their stays. Maryam's servant friend Nazneen made the reservations, and they were soon led to a decent-looking room. Of that night and that hotel room, Maryam recalls very little, because her heart was somewhere else; she was looking at things but not really seeing them.

At midnight, when things were starting to die down, Maryam was sitting in front of a window, a lamp's light shining on her features, and her eyes were deprived of any sleep. Nazneen was dozing off at the foot of a bed when there was a knock at their door, shaking them both awake from their dream-like state. Nazneen looked at Maryam, who indicated her to check it.

To both of their surprise, the person standing on the other side of the door was none other than the King himself. Nazneen was too shocked to even move. The King, taking advantage of her dazed state, moved inside the room. His trusted guards were still outside, looking anywhere but inside the room.

He moved towards Maryam, who was still thinking of him as a hallucination, but when he came forward and held her hands, she could no longer think of him as a hallucination. She asked him with surprise evident in her voice, "What is he doing here?" To which he replied, "He is, of course, here to fetch them both." At that, Maryam, finding a better grip on her voice, replied, "There's no need; they'll be leaving for home tomorrow morning." To which his simple but firm answer was that they were there for the whole season; they cannot leave before all the necessary festivities are done, including his marriage, which was to take place today.

Maryam found it weird: him being here at this hour convincing her to go back to the palace while in a few hours he was to be married to someone else. She had said it before that she doesn't understand the King, but now more than ever she can't understand him. Finding her silent for more time than what should be ideal, he reminded her that right now they were at a private inn, and they should leave before the owner realizes their true identity, otherwise it would be such a gossip: the King spending his night at a local inn with an unknown lady just a day before his wedding.

Blushing at the absurdity of his sentence, Maryam agreed to go back with him. But upon arriving at the palace, she felt like she had arrived at a different place. First, the King took his leave from her at the gate, saying he must complete some preparations for his wedding, from which Maryam didn't dare withhold him. She noticed he was back to his teasing self with her, and he bid goodbye to both her and Nazneen, which made her blush furiously. She even said that maybe in her absence, the King had a change of heart and her charm worked, to which Maryam replied dryly that she has no charm.

They had taken only two steps away from the entrance when they were greeted by the King's mother and her personal army of attendants. Maryam's first thought on seeing her was that she was there to scold her for leaving like that, but that thought quickly disappeared when she hugged her tightly, saying "silly girl" in her ear and ordering her attendants right away to take her with them.

It all happened so fast; Maryam had very little time taking it all in. She was forced into a bath which seemed to be prepared for a while. The fog was high up in the air. The quick and severe attendants of the King's mother didn't give her much time to contemplate. She was sooner in the bath that smelt like herbs and expensive perfumes, essential oils. But that much was not enough; a layer of different scented oils was put all over her body. 

Maryam could have felt overwhelmed by all of that, but she didn't even have the time to feel overwhelmed. After oils, it was time for different flower-scented lotions and soaps. After the end of it, Maryam's skin was left sparkling and her head a bit dizzy. Then came layers upon layers of silk and ornaments for both her hair and body; at last, not an inch of her was left without some type of jewelry. Maryam was about to scream at all of them to leave her alone when the King's mother arrived and, taking a look at her from head to toe, nodded at them in acknowledgment. Maryam asked her, "What's the meaning of all this? She knew it was the King's marriage, but for that she doesn't have to be prepared like this. She looks almost like a qu..."

"Like what? A queen?" She finished her sentence and said, "It's good that she feels she looks like a queen because she is about to become one." That sentence went over Maryam's head; she couldn't believe it. Dowager Queen kissed her forehead, gave her blessings, and then a flower veil was put on her forehead, blocking her vision of the world. It all felt so real, yet like a dream to Maryam.

But if nothing else, the huge diamond ring on her ring finger reminded her of it all being true. By the time the Qazi asked her of her consent to the marriage, she was sane enough to murmur a faint "yes." The Nikah completed. While everyone celebrated, Maryam managed to come to terms with her present situation. She had a thousand questions in her mind, but she knew she had to smile and save these questions for later.

Later that night, before the King even had a chance to look at his wife in peace, he learned that she was not even in their room. On the first night, it came easier to Maryam to decide between her husband or her best friend. She chose her friend and went to see Noorjan, fearing if she had already left the palace. But finding her in her room was a great relief to her. Noorjan, though, questioned her sanity for coming here on her wedding night and saying she would make a willful queen.

Maryam explained to her that she didn't know what to feel, but one thing she knew was that you cannot trust anyone here. The only person who matters is the King, and whatever he says becomes the fate of others. He holds all the power, and all other titles are meaningless. Noor explained to her that she had nothing to fear; she was the queen now, the King's wife, and wives do have a way of having power over their husbands, but it won't work if she would be running around other people's rooms on her first night.

Maryam turned red and told her to mind her words and that she had nothing to do with the King; he had greatly upset her. Noor told her to give it a chance before he comes here to search for her. Reluctantly and clad in a large shawl, she exited the room but got scared by the two large figures standing at the door. They introduced themselves as her shadow guards, who would be around her anytime she goes out. Finding it a nuisance, Maryam hurried over to her room, where she found the King looking out the window. In a moment of hesitation, she considered running away, but the thought of being followed by those two guards, she resisted the urge and moved inside the room.

Discarding the shawl that was her disguise, the King inquired if she was having a pleasant evening, running around? "The weather is perfect for a long walk." It was a jest which Maryam chose to ignore, saying in her mind anything would be pleasant than spending time with you. Smiling at her defiance, he moved closer to her, taking her hand and putting a ring on it again, on her middle finger. It was the same ring she had thrown away earlier. She was shocked to see it again, and to think he must have picked it up. Looking at the ring, she spoke, "I'm still angry with you."

"I expected nothing else, but I wish you'll give me a chance to explain," he replied.

"Perhaps you'll have your chance," she spoke, looking out the window at the pitch-black night and added, "We are stuck here for a long time." Their night was spent with impatient silence, honest explanations, and some gentle whispers.