Maan's broad shoulders were slumped, fresh blood ran down his fingers and there was a darkened look in his eyes, his chest was heaving slowly while he relived the memories inside his head.
A 4-year-old child doesn't remember much of their childhood but the moment his father died and the way he had died was carved in his brain, making it a core memory.
Jwala got up, quickly brought the wash basin, and submerged his hand under the cold water. Turning the clear water to crimson his warm blood cooled down but the turmoil in his head didn't.
The look of defeat on his face was familiar to her. She knew that pain of the past's shadow that would never leave your mind.
She grabbed the cloth that was placed beside the basin and wrapped it around his hand. There was a sliver of sympathy in her eyes when she looked at him. She recognized his helplessness; it was the same kind that she had come across when she had lost her father. She had won battles and brought fame to the kingdom and her family but none of that mattered when she saw her father suffer alone.
The same helplessness she felt when her mother sat by her husband's side, praying desperately, and when her brother was performing their father's last rites.
"Don't blame yourself." She said as she secured his wound after cleaning it. "You were just a child back then."
He smiled weakly, "You already knew that…"
There was a gentleness in the way she looked at him, it was new to him. He felt an ease take over knowing that his vulnerability wasn't being mocked.
"You know the answer to that." she put away the basin and the dirty wash clothes.
His arrogance to demand respect at their first meeting now made sense to her. His being a shitty king isn't because of his incompetency but because he was crowned by the Queen-mother for exactly that reason.
"He is being bullied," she thought and Jwala's nature to protect and fight for the weak made her feel guilty for judging him too harshly based on what little information she had on him last time.
Her gaze was soft when she said, "The weather seems nice. Should we go outside?" She got up all of a sudden, "You spilled all this… the room stinks."
She went outside and called in the maids to clean up the room while she marched straight out towards the garden. She had gestured Bano, who was standing outside with other attendants, to not worry and stay put.
Maan agreed with her, the room did feel stuffy. He followed her outside.
The royal guards, Arin, Bano, and other court ladies bowed upon seeing him, they were puzzled to see the royal couple wander outside on their wedding night. They were looking at each other contemplating whether to follow their masters when Maan answered and helped them out by instructing them to stay behind and not to bother.
"Pick up the pace, your highness," Jwala said as she strode through the garden toward the lake.
"We shouldn't go wandering at night," he replied defending himself.
"Why? Who is stopping us?" she turned and said. "Unless you are scared of me?" she was walking closer to him slowly, like threatening him.
"No," he said it firmly as he moved towards her.
"Why? I can kill you this instant?" she said standing close to him and joining her hands behind her, resting them on her hips.
Maan nodded with a serious expression thinking it over seriously, "You will not. It is against your morals. Devdurg's army is known for their morals, being their former commander, my queen cannot deceive and kill an unarmed man." He again gave a cheesy smile.
She smiled back unintentionally as she started to walk again and sat on the lush green grass at the lakeside, as did he. They sat under the open night sky sharing a few moments of silence and tranquillity.
He was right, she wouldn't do that. She took pride in those morals and values. And Maan being aware of that was making her see him in a different light and making her want to know him more before judging him and his actions.
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Next day:-
"What did you two talk about?" Jwala asked Bano as she sat comfortably in the big square bathtub filled with water infused with medicinal herbs and flower petals.
"She wanted to know about your eating habits, what you like, dislike, or any allergies all that," Bano said pouring water over Jwala's dense hair while she soaked herself in the herbal mix of water wrapped in a white cotton cloth from her chest to hips.
"Did you tell her?" Jwala asked with closed eyes, as the cold water hit her scalp.
"I didn't want to…" Bano said in a low mumble-like voice. "…But I did."
"Hey, Don't be too hard on court lady Arin. She is only doing her job…"
Bano poured the cleansing mix on Jwala's scalp. "Are you favoring her?"
"No!" Jwala said promptly, pressing her lips.
"Why do you even need her? Am I not taking good care of you?" Bano's round eyes stared at the back of Jwala's head as she paused massaging her scalp.
Jwala could feel her staring at her, "They will lose their job if I let her and the others go…"
Bano was upset to know that Jwala was planning on keeping the court ladies at her side. She expressed her disapproval.
"Don't be like that. Do you want me to be labeled as the mean queen who fired her attendants as soon as she stepped inside the palace?"
Bano went quiet, she wouldn't want any negative rumors to get associated with her mistress. Never.
"Your Highness, this humble court lady greets you on your first day after marriage." Court lady Arin said standing behind the curtain separating the bathtub from the whole bathing chamber.
Jwala oddly turned her head, "Where were you?"
"I was at the Queen-mother's residence. She had…"
"Do you work for her?" Jwala cut her off.
Bano smirked to watch her rival get scolded while she continued to wash Jwala's hair.
Arin closed her eyes as she sighed. "I serve the Queen." She bowed a little.
"Then you should have come to me first, then anywhere else. Isn't that right?"
"Yes, your Highness. I will keep that in mind." Arin added in a passive-aggressive way. "What should do if not obey when I am given a command by the Queen-mother or the King?" She glared through the translucent curtains at Jwala.
"Did she just…" Bano gasped hearing Arin's words, Even though she said it politely her annoyance was still evident.
Before Bano could put her thoughts into words Jwala said, "Court lady Arin, there is only one rule from now on. You answer me and obey me. Everyone else comes second. Understood?"
Arin was tongue-tied. "Yes, your highness."
Arin waited there until Jwala was done bathing to tell her about the post-marriage customs of the palace. The reason why she had to go meet Queen- mother first thing in the morning and the schedule after that.
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The people in the palace, from the maids, attendants, clerks to ministers and officials were making assumptions regarding the latest development, the marriage. No one knew the exact reason behind the marriage only that the queen brought an army and heap load of gifts with her.
Many were assuming her to be an ally because she had gifted 51 cows to ministers of the palace and 21 cows to the palace. Cows were expensive and cow milk was an even more expensive item only the rich could afford, given that Hanna was a cold and mountainous land with harsh weather. It was hard to feed a cow unless someone had a big piece of land and good money to buy the cow's feed.
But for some, she was a potential enemy since she didn't bow to the king at the wedding ceremony and even refused to wear any of Hanna's traditional wedding attire. They believed she had a hidden motive and couldn't be trusted.
Queen-mother was also pondering over the same matter, to understand if the queen was going to work with her or against, while she waited for the queen in the meeting room of her residence.
.As soon as the queen walked in, Queen Mother was flaring at her, who was again dressed differently.
Jwala wore a red long flowy skirt with intricate golden embroidery around its hem paired with a long blouse and a bright red fabric wrapped around her torso starting from her waist then following her curves to the chest then falling off from her shoulders and ending to be wrapped around her forearm. Her half-open hair adorned with flower-engraved gold hair accessory sat like a crown and a similar proudly hung from her long neck ending at her abdomen as did thick wristbands on her wrists.
"Welcome to the Queen, Did you sleep well?" Queen-mother said in a sarcastic voice.
"Yes, Queen-mother, How was your sleep?" Jwala said sitting in lotus position in front of Queen-mother in the meeting room. Her spine was straight and her face exuded of confidence and her hands rested on her knees.
Arin let out a silent sigh standing at the entrance of the meeting room with Mitra and Bano, to see Jwala totally miss the aggression in Queen-mother's voice.
Queen-mother sized upJwala, "The wedding is over." She was referring to Jwala's clothing which was in complete contrast to hers.
Queen Mother was dressed in lightweight clothing made out of fine silk. She wore a long-sleeved light green blouse with small flowers stitched with gold threads that ended at her hips with a grey fluffy skirt with thin thin lines weaved to form a pattern at the hem. Her hair was neatly tied in a low bun and a headpiece of an eagle figure in gold was sitting on her head. in the name of accessories, she had jade rings, trinkets hanging from her blouse, and a hairpin.
"A queen's clothes should reflect the elegance and grandeur befitting her royal status. And above all, she needs to still be humble and kind. You must embody elegance and grace."
"I believe a queen should embody herself with confidence and authority," Jwala replied in the most polite way she could. "And I am graceful and kind. You'll see in time." she flashed her most formal smile while darting arrows with her eyes.
Queen-mother was the one to read between the lines, she had been doing that since she was young, she scoffed at Jwala's remarks, "You have a lot to learn about the palace's ways of living, Young queen."
She put emphasis on the word 'young' indicating that she had way more experience than Jwala. She had seen kings rise and fall right in front of her.
"I will adapt. I always have." Jwala said boldly.
Meanwhile, Mitra and Bano couldn't keep from smiling at the witty replies from their queen whereas Arin was mortified.
"As you should, Hanna is the nation of culture and tradition. You must abide by that."
"We will see…"
'How dare she challenge me…'
"You don't seem to understand the cues… then I will have to spell it out," Queen-mother continued. "Your clothes, queen. You can't keep wearing those and your hair. A queen should be poised and the epitome of femininity. A role model for the women of the nation. Well-kept hair is the symbol of a healthy mind and character."
Jwala nodded, "You talk like Arin. She was just saying all those things an hour ago but I ignored all of that." Jwala laughed.
Meanwhile, Arin held her breath staring at the green carpet laid floor that she wished would engulf her.
"Mind your tongue. Queen." Queen-mother's nose flared in anger. "How dare you compare me with a servant?"
"This won't do. You," she pointed at Arin. "Get her to learn the ways and manners fit for a queen."
"Yes, your royal highness." Arin kneeled and prayed that her ordeal to end soon.
Jwala let out a frustrated breath. "I will take a leave. I have other pressing matters to attend to."
"Have a good day, Queen-mother." Jwala got up not wanting to waste her breath on unimportant quarrels of authority, gave a quick bow, and left.
Arin, was quick on her heel to follow behind Jwala to save herself from the queen's mother's wrath. But Bano and Mitra made sure to spare a good second sizing up the queen-mother letting her know that they weren't too fond of her either.
Queen-mother was scoffing at the audacity of the mere servants who were just as arrogant and rude as their queen. "She needs to be taught a lesson." She said with determination while fuming in anger. Even the past kings never dared to talk to her like that but this arrogant girl had the nerve to provoke her.
"I will make you beg, rude girl."
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