One Thousand and One Nights (It so happened...)

The Eleventh Hour

    Dilruba got a letter the next day from the king of Zeraliya. The paper crinkled in her hands as she moved towards the window.

     Dilruba,

    I would like to apologise for taking you away without your knowledge for I genuinely thought that act would benefit you.

   My happiness lies in your happiness and I would just like to convey that the doors of Zeraliya is always for you if you wish leave.

   One of the maids named Sienna can help you if you ever want to write to me.

  Your loyal friend,
       Zaroon

    She folded the letter and kept it in a safe place between her clothes. Her maids had already visited her, she was dressed to the nines but nowhere to go. She wondered what would've  happened if she had left yesterday.

  Shrugging her thoughts she decided to explore the palace. The guests had departed and the palace was empty just like it had before.

  The palace was a catacomb. It made her dizzy. She turned around a corridor and found a old woman who looked lost .

     "Young lady. Can you help me find my chambers?" Her voice shook.

   Dilruba was puzzled. Was she a guest? Who was this woman? "Yes Ofcourse. Just tell me where your chambers are?"

   "It's the Eastern Wing."

From what she knew from her maids, the Eastern wing held the royal chambers and even servants were barred entry in those chambers. Even her.

      Once she walked with the old woman, it seemed like she was being guided by the old woman rather than her. She saw the dark and looming corridor which lead to the Eastern wing.

    "Ah. Thank you, your majesty."

   Dilruba frowned. How did she know that she was the queen? An eerie feeling slid down her back. The old woman's eyes had a strange glint. She felt like she knew this woman and that she knew her too.

     Beware of the man with beard as blue as a raven's feather, Beware of the door great and looming oak...

    The old woman hummed as she turned to walk into the Eastern wing. She felt her chest constrict. She knew the song. It was a song about The Man with Blue Beard, one who killed his wives. Her breath came out in puffs as her eyesighg blurred and she found the ground tilting and darkness closing in around her.

***

    When she opened her eyes, she was in her chambers and moonlight streamed in. Dilruba sat up, her vision wavring. She drank water which didn't seem to quench her thirst.

   She opened the door as she found emptiness looming all around her. She needed answers so she walked to the Eastern Chambers. She was thd queen now so why wasn't she shifted to the Eastern Wing?

  There was something there. The dark corridor loomed and seemed like a giant monster ready to engulf her. Shivers crawled her skin.

   Taking a deep breath she grabbed a torch and walked into the corridor. She knew why the corridor was so dark, no servant was allowed in here, no one came here to light the lamps, to clean up, except him.

    The darkness twisted and crawled around her. The walls were adorned with the finest paintings and pieces. The pillars were lined with velvet and vases adorned the corners.

  She didn't know how many turns she had taken or how deep inside she was or what she was seeking but before her loomed a large oak door.

"Beware of the man with beard as blue as a raven's feather, Beware of the door great and looming oak..."