"Lock her up at the widow's chamber!" The queen ordered.
"I will be very displeased if she doesn't learn her lesson soon. I want her to feel disgusted with herself so she knows how dirty she is! I want her to feel pain for smearing her lowly dirt on my innocent son! Her audacity is killing me! My son is not just any one! He is the emir of Maicki you flimsy little hussy! She dared to share his bed even knowing she is not worthy!"
"I will strive to do my best" the queen agreed with a reluctant sigh, celebrating inwardly at how worked up the dowager is getting. It is a rare, but beautiful sight indeed.
Strong slave girls were ushered in to take Aairah away. She didn't struggle. She just allowed them to do what hey wished. If this is the life she is bound for, she has nothing to live for anyway. She didn't even flinch when they grabbed her. These years past, she is learning quite a few facts of life. Degradation is an unsmiling part of life. But it is part of life.
"What is going on here?!" At some conscious level, the panicked voice must've belonged to Babu, her mind addresses.
"Aren't you gone with his highness to Oceane?" The queen asked with surprise.
"No! I..I..." His gaze keeps darting to Aairah who is held roughly like a criminal and he couldn't remember what he wanted to say. His highness will have his head, these women are so vicious! He got distracted for one moment, and they have already pounced on the poor girl. He didn't even know what she did to deserve this treatment. It seems she is always being held captive for one thing or the other. This girl is nothing but trouble for his highness who likes to keep a low profile!
"His majesty has ordered us to take her highness to the Sultanate and help her ease into her new life. Babu will be back tomorrow morning" the crisp icy tone of Madame Yula's voice floated Into the room.
She took one look at the situation and instantly understood what was going on. She hid a sigh and moved forward to offer her greetings to the dowager and queen.
"Let us talk privately Madame Yula" the queen stated darkly. Her mind is already adding two and two together and the result isn't very nice in her mind's eye.
"I shall listen to this rubbish first hand!" The dowager snapped angrily. She too, has begun to have an idea what is happening and she didn't like it one bit.
"Please, let's adjourn downstairs. I will have tea brought up" the queen offered graciously.
"Release her highness!" Madame Yula ordered sharply, her tone cutting down her manner outrageous making the slave girls want to drop Aairah like she is hot coal. Theylooked over at the queen hopefully. She looked away with a frown but grudgingly nodded her accent. They let Aairah go instantly. They managed to put her back on the bed and stepped back looking relieved. Aairah just stared back blankly at all of them. She didn't even blink.
"Dress her before I am back. We cannot be late" the Madame gave orders. A group of maid servants rushed in with different bags placed on a long rack. They each pushed their individual racks with gusto. Everyone else was silent for a while. Until one of the women touched Aairah in an effort to help her out of the bed so they can get her to her room and prepare the desired bath for her.
Aairah screamed. Everyone froze. They turned to look at her with varying shades of curiosity. "I don't want to be dressed! Leave me alone! Please!" She shouted in an unladylike tone, putting caution to the wind and behaving without care. She just knew, no one is bathing her again! These people are impossible! The very thought of stripping before more strangers makes her mind glaze over with pure panic.
What seemed like such a small thing slowly began to turn into a full pledged pondemonium. Madame Yula did everything to calm her down but Aairah would not listen. Short of dragging her to the bathroom forcefully, Aairah was not ready to listen to reason.
"Drama!" The dowager muttered angrily.
"She is still getting used to life at the palace. Perhaps she has issues with bathing in front of total strangers. We should under..."
"Please! The same girl who stripped for a man who isn't even her husband is talking about modesty! If she doesn't shut up soon, I swear it, it will not go over well for everybody!" The dowager warned. She is positively shaking from pent up frustration.
"I will handle this" the queen promised. She went over to Madame Yula who is still trying to talk some sense into Aairah and said "let her bath herself. If she is given enough time, she would adapt to the ways of the Royal life. Right now, she doesn't understand much. But much later, when she is used to our ways, she would come to understand. Let's not force her for now" the queen advised. "Of course, your explanation needs to be satisfactory so I don't have to punish her" the queen added pointedly.
Madame Yula sighed. Then she bowed with a stiff smile. "You are so gracious your highness" she stated.
"Are you saying she would change our ways? I demand that she follows all the rules of the inner house! Queen Neemah! What am I hearing? Wallahi this disgusting female must receive her just due! If she is pregnant, I want it washed out of her dirty womb! And if she is not, I don't want her to ever come close to my son" the dowager insisted.
"But mother..!" The queen argued weakly.
"No buts! Lock her up and send her into exile. The emir need not know!" She commanded hotly.
"You are angry your highness. Please calm down" Madame Yula implored.
"I will await the result of this stupidity!" The dowager added with an errant tilt of her biro thin nose. Then she swiveled around with graceful strides and left with a huff.
The queen his another smile. She motioned for the slaves to take Aairah, pointedly ignoring the emir's orders. She said to the Madame "you have five minutes to speak some sense into her" to the slaves, she said "prepare her for exile immediately after"
"Your highness, his majesty gave direct orders. Aairah is to start Sham university next week! I beg of you, think about the consequences!" Madame Yula pleaded.
With an apologetic looking face, she said "I have responsibilities. And one of them, is maintaining the balance in this esteemed house of ours. Remember, we are the number one house in Maicki. We will lead by example! So I will say this once, when a woman disgraces herself and shows no morals, she has no business marrying a true son of the emirate. Especially not the sovereign heir of Maicki!" She fumed, raising a daring brow and departing without waiting for any other complaints.
Madame Yula glared over at Aairah and said "at least there are no servants in exile!" She muttered.