4 ~ Meeting Zeenat Begum

Gulaab POV

I woke up and we all started our journey as usual. I had become tired of traveling now. It was exhausting as I never traveled this much.

Finally, we were only a day away from the kingdom. I was sitting in my palanquin and as usual, peeking through a small space in curtains. The convoy was very huge and all I could see was an army in black.

Suddenly my sight fell on something visible in the direction of the horizon. It was the time of the evening and I could see the redness in the clouds. The area seemed like a desert and it had a clear sky. The sun was setting behind a vast architectural structure which was covering till my sight was allowing me to. It had huge towers and there was a round Gumbad over it too. It seemed like a very huge kingdom where almost a whole village could live easily.

While I was looking there, I realized the sand now became huge stones and the path was like climbing a slant mountain. I felt as if my stomach twisted. I adjusted myself as I realized we were close. I heard trumpets blowing as we were climbing the path.

Suddenly, I felt Nagma near my palanquin as she said.

"Begum, we are close to the palace." I could feel the excitement in her voice that somehow scared me.

I didn't know what to expect or what now. I felt butterflies in my stomach not in good but in a bad way.

We moved closer and soon I was asked to come out of the palanquin. I lowered my veil and took a deep breath.

I was walking with the attendees following the steps that only I could see through the veil. I realized that I stepped into the Empire when the grey-colored stones of the floor changed to red ones. The trumpets blew again and I could feel that something was happening in front.

I stopped when everyone stopped and I realized suddenly the sultan came to me and said.

"Come with me," He said and held my hand. I walked with him. I could only see his feet as the rest was covered by the veil I was wearing. He stopped in front of someone and I heard him greeting her. His hand felt rough and big as he was holding mine.

"Mashallah, chehre pe gajab noor hai aapke"

"Oh My god! You have a really well glow on your face" He said to someone and then I heard a girlish voice.

"Welcome Sultan, I hope you had a great journey"

I didn't know why I felt her like his wife.

"Naqab to hataiye Choti begum"

"Pull your veil up, Choti begum" I heard a very sweet voice and I felt in a moment, someone pulling my veil up.

"Masha'Allah, Behud khoobsurat hai ye to"

"Oh My God! She is so beautiful"

I didn't know what to say and all I could think of was kneeling and touch her feet. She took a step back and looked at me awkwardly. She looked at the person standing beside me and he said.

"They greet like this"

And then my sight fell on her big baby bump.

She is pregnant.

Suddenly, I felt her coming closer and hugging me softly. I hugged her back awkwardly and felt a little uncomfortable with her big tummy.

"Kya naam hai aapka"

"What is your name?" She asked keeping her index lightly on my chin.

"Gulaab, I muttered."

She looked at me in shock and then looked at King.

"Bohot khoob, Gulaab pasand nahi hai sultan ko... Lekin hum dua karenge ki inki napasand me jald hi kuch badlaav aaye"

"Very Good! He doesn't like Roses at all... But I will pray that he will have a change in his dislikes very soon."

"Leave all that Zeenat. Let's go inside and how are you?" Sultan asked her but her all focus was fixed on me.

"No Sultan, You go and take a rest. I want to stay with Gulaab begum" She said.

I didn't know what was going on in her mind. She was a weird one as I couldn't believe how can she be so excited about her husband's marriage.

Suddenly she held my hand and said.

"Come, Choti begum... I will show you the Palace and your chamber"

She seems excited and I walked with her. My gaze was low as I was following her silently. The sunset was complete and the environment becomes dark while the weather was chilly. I rubbed my arms as I climbed a few stairs to enter a huge chamber. There was a different kind of smell in the environment completely unfamiliar to my empire. I walked inside her while noticing that she was walking while keeping a hand on her baby bump.

I walked silently as I didn't know whom I could trust or not. And probably I wasn't there to enjoy and trust anyone. I was there for something else.

"This is your Chamber, Choti Begum," She said throwing her hand wide in excitement.

I was silently following her and she stopped in front of a huge place. There were huge entrances that were open, I stepped inside and forgot to take a breath for a moment. The place was round and it has a massive bed in middle just in front of the door. The bed was also round and it was all covered with long and heavy curtains around it. The fabric seemed thin as I could see the white bedsheet and huge pillows slightly.

Just when I was noticing the maroon-crafted floor below me, My sight fell on the huge chandelier resting on the floor. It had a place to light almost hundreds of lamps together. There was a thick rope attached to it. I was amazed at it and there was one more in the huge bedroom on the other side. I looked at the walls which had space-like blocks which had small lamps lighting beautifully. The whole place was lighting with golden light.

Suddenly, I heard the bells of anklets as she walked towards the bed. There was a rope-like thing which she pulled and the curtains parted aside. She tied that rope at some lock and sat on the bed.

"Come here, Choti begum. This is the chamber. I hope you liked it well" She said excitedly. She was wearing a really long smile and I didn't know whether it was fake or real.

I did as I was asked and stood near her. I looked at the white soft bed sheet and said.

"I thought I would be thrown in jail."

Her smile vanished a little and she stood up.

"Aapko Kaal-kodhri me kese jaane dete. Aap hi to hamari aakhri umeed hai"

"How could I let you go to jail. You are my last hope" She said touching my hands.

"Means?" I asked suddenly.

She caught a little off guard and then replied.

"Leave all this, Begum Sahiba. You must be tired." She said signaling to the bed.

"I will send something to eat for you and there is Nagma who will there if you need anything," She said and Moved to get out of the chamber.

I looked from here and thereafter she left the chamber and I couldn't believe how fast time passed and I was here from my empire in just thirty-three days.

"Choti Begum"

I shivered suddenly as Zeenat begum called me all of sudden.

I stood alert as enters back into the room.

"Choti begum, I forgot to tell you something." She said smilingly.

"yes," I said softly. My sight again fell on her big baby bump which she was covered with her dupatta and long suit.

"Umm... Actually. All our elders want that this marriage should happen again. Because only you, the sultan, and a few friends of him know that you both are married. I am very excited about it. So, It's your Nikaah tomorrow." She finished and all I could do is a simple nod.

Nothing really affects me at all until my family was happy and healthy.

"Now you should take a good rest." She muttered smiling beautifully and left me alone.

I sat at the corner of the bed and felt the softness of the comforter and the bed.

I didn't know where I have to start. Sultan was definitely planning something against my empire and he didn't seem the one who would breathe peacefully after seeing his plan failed. I pulled my dupatta low from my head as no one was there now and lied at the corner of the bed. The place was warm as there were so many light lamps lighting and it also seemed beautiful.

My sight followed from the designed maroon marbled floor to the perfectly carved walls. The round room had a big door for entrance and I could see four small doors, two on the left and two in right. They were dark brown in color and smaller in size. I wondered for what they were made. There was a wall that had the design of rectangular spaces carved in chessboard design and it was all filled with lamps. And then my sight on the roof. It was a perfect round roof and there was a beautiful designed carved in it.

I tried to look sharply and I almost felt my breath hitched as there was the shape of four tigers roaring together carved beautifully in the floral and leaves design. I kept my dupatta aside as the beads in it were bothering in my comfort. I pulled my long and thick braid in front as it was hurting my back.

I felt my lashes heavy as the warmth and loneliness were soothing me and I fell asleep.

I woke up in a jerk when I heard a loud sound and a movement. My sight instantly fell on the open door and then on the couch.

There was a maroon color overcoat on it and I could feel that he was there a few moments ago. My heart raced fast and my sleepiness just swept away. I stood up from the bed and didn't know what to do. I quickly placed my dupatta back on my head and waited for him to show up again.

I waited but there was nothing, I sat back on the bed feeling tired again and lied back. In no time I slept back. I didn't know why he came to my chamber.

I woke up again arching my back and hands long. I opened my eyes and felt that it was morning as the sunlight was entering through one of the small doors right in the bedroom.

"Wake up begum Sahiba, please wake up otherwise sultan will kill me" I heard Nagma crying somewhere. I sat up followed the voice as she was sitting on the floor, keeping his knees close to the chest and burying her face in her knees.

"Why are you crying, Nagma?" I asked all of sudden.

She looked up and washed her tears, smiled, and instantly stood up.

"You are up, Thank God! I thought you died. Foolish me."

I was so amazed looking at her. What did she mean?

"I am sorry, I was in deep sleep. I didn't hear you"

"That's Okay... everyone is waiting for you. Please get ready fast." She said signaling me to wake up.

I didn't know why I feel very weird. I woke up from the bed and my sight again fell on that maroon-colored overcoat.

"Begum Sahiba... Let's go" I said Nagma calling me again and I followed her.

She opened one of the small doors and I walked behind her.

"You know Begum Sahiba, we all wake so early in the morning, and then the first thing we do is our morning prayers. I am very punctual for it and you know everyone here says that I speak a lot but I think is I am a very introverted type. Hahaha... "

I felt pity for my ears as she was a heavy spokesperson and I didn't want to hear her but suddenly my ear felt alerted as she said something considerable.

"You know Begum Sahiba, Sultan will be here soon to take bath in his hammam. This way... Please" She said and I looked in her direction as we were standing in front of five doors again. The door in the middle was the biggest one.

"Begum, this is sultan's hammam," She said signaling towards the biggest door. "Sultan will be coming here any moment and this is Zeenat begum's Hammam." She said signaling towards the right door.

"This is yours," She said signaling towards the left door.

"Okay," I nodded and said hurriedly.

"Umm... Nagma, Can you get me some clothes to wear from my trunk?"

"But... Begum, Okay... I will bring them. You go inside I am coming back in a few times." She said and left me almost running from there.

I looked at here and there and when no one was there I opened the biggest door and stepped inside the Sultan's Hammam.