Shatranj | D. Al Ghul

[03]

Mayrah was curious to see the rest of her cousin's family. She had heard that a woman and a young girl had come along with him and they had been escorted into the Zannan Khana beforehand. A young boy had been with them too but he was at the court, as was the custom for all male guests and travelers.

So when she returned to the Zanaan Khana at night, she finally met the two women who had accompanied Saahir.

Apparently, the elder woman was Saahir's wife and as he was the long-lost prince who had just been reinstated on his former title, all the female servants treated her with the utmost respect. She did not seem accustomed to it and was quite flustered. The younger girl was a bit older than Mayrah and just as surprised at the lavish treatment they received as the woman who she was staying close to.

Seeing the princess approach, the servants welcomed her in as well and she dismissed them shortly after. She noticed that the rooms given to the newcomers were close to her room in the royal chambers. 

Mayrah did not mind that instead, her curiosity took the better of her as she approached them.

"You must be the princess," the woman with kind features and hazel eyes spoke up, "we do not know the formal way of addressing a princess here so..."

"My name is Mayrah," she had pushed back her veil, her eyes locking with those gentle hazel irises, "you must be brother Saahir's wife."

"Yes. I am Veruna and this is Habiba," she introduced herself as well as the girl standing beside her, "we are honored to meet you."

Mayrah smiled, noting that they weren't fluent in the Persian language, unlike Saahir. But she had heard they could speak Arabic so turning to the young girl, she spoke in Arabic, "do you understand me better now?"

Those brown eyes lit up and she nodded, "yes."

"Good," Mayrah let a gentle smile crease her features, "Welcome to Persia. I heard you've come from far so please rest yourself well. As for addresses, I think simply calling me Mayrah would suffice. After all, we're from the same family now."

"We are most grateful, Princess," Veruna replied, still being cautious because even if the princess allowed them the liberty to call her by name, there were certain rules to living in a royal palace. And as the newcomers there, all attention would be on them already so Veruna didn't want to take any risks.

Besides, she was accustomed to living in conditions where the power balance tipped unfairly over one side, leaving the other helpless. It was a drastic change for her to receive all that royal treatment from the servants because she had married the lost prince of Persia.

Veruna didn't know what the future held but she could only hope that things wouldn't take a turn for the worst.

Mayrah's voice shook her out of her thoughts, "I will ask Nazneen to wait on you. She knows Arabic as well and she will tell you all there is to know about living here. It might feel overwhelming at first but with time you'll get used to it."

Veruna nodded, knowing that if she were to hold the position of a prince's wife, then she had to be familiar with all the rules and etiquette.

"Tomorrow you will be meeting my father," just as she was about to leave, Mayrah added with a hint of caution, "he's the closest Brother Saahir has to a father figure now. If he approves, he will bless your marriage."

Veruna paused, her brow furrowing slightly on speculation, "If?"

"Yes, if... He might even hold the ceremony again but that's not something to worry about now. If he asks me, I'll vouch for you."

The way her eyes twinkled as she said it despite her regulated voice and mannerisms that made her feel much older, she was still just a child, younger than Assam even.

However, being a royal demanded her to live a life that was devoid of the bliss of childhood. She seemed much older than her age because her status as the princess had matured her rather soon.

"And if he doesn't approve...?" That question lingered in the air still, making Veruna worry about the outcomes.

Mayrah paused but then shook her head, "Brother Saahir will convince him. You shouldn't worry at all."

"Oh... I see," Veruna wasn't fully convinced because she doubted the Shah would accept a daughter in law with a common background. She didn't even have the status of a commoner back when she was living with the League as her father had been a prisoner up for execution.

Whether or not the Shah found that out, it was still seemingly impossible to think that matter would solve as easily as the young girl had implied.

"Please don't trouble yourself," Mayrah remarked, her hands gently clasping Veruna's which took her by surprise, "you have traveled from so far and it wouldn't do well if you stay awake the whole night worrying about this. Make yourself at home and I'll send Nazneen to help you."

The elder woman could see that the princess was trying her best to make them feel comfortable. Despite her young age, she had impeccable manners and seemed very hospitable. If Saahir's uncle was like that too then she really shouldn't have worried.

But a foreboding feeling had settled in her heart which she couldn't shake off.

"We appreciate your hospitality, Princess. Thank you."

Mayrah quite liked Veruna. The woman was beautiful and held herself with such grace that most noblewomen would mistake her to be a royal herself. Her hazel eyes were gentle and her voice even more so, reminding the princess of a distant memory of what she thought her mother was like.

She had only heard about the queen from her father and the noble ladies. She couldn't get the chance to meet her as Sheher Bano, the former queen and Nourez Shah's wife, had died when she was very young.

Seeing Veruna and the gentle way she spoke reminded her of a brief glimpse of her mother. That resemblance was probably what made Mayrah soften toward the guests immediately.

"I'll join you in the morning at breakfast," Mayrah told them and smiled at Habiba as well with whom she hadn't interacted much, "I hope everything here is to your liking."

She left in a while but Veruna was still caught up in a torrent of worrisome thoughts. Their fate would be decided the next day and for some reason, she had a bad feeling about it.

***