AMRAPALI: the beauty of heaven

Ch 8 - The Queen's Secret

The queen of Vaishali became restless after hearing Kapala's words. She suddenly became so worried that her face started to turn pale.

Then her eyes fell on Amrapali who was looking at her with suspicious eyes. The queen composed herself and said to Amrapali, "You can go, if we need you, we will call you again."

Seeing this strange behavior of the queen, Amrapali did not think it appropriate to stay there. She bowed to the queen and left the room. A very handsome young man was standing outside the queen's room. As soon as he saw Amrapali, he bowed and greeted her. Amrapali also accepted his greeting with a smile and left from there, but then that young man stopped Amrapali and said, "Devi, can I give you a gift??"

Amrapali looked at him and said, "But I don't know you??"

The young man said, “But the whole of Vaishali knows you, you are the respected courtesan of this kingdom and hence I want to give you a gift.”

“Okay, but what about your introduction?”, Amrapali said.

The young man introduced himself and said, “I am a jeweler.”

Then the jeweler took out a priceless red ruby studded ring from his belongings and presented it to Amrapali as a gift.

Amrapali looked at the ring and said, “This seems very precious.”

“This is nothing in front of your unmatched beauty,” the jeweler replied.

Amrapali was very impressed by the jeweler’s words. She asked the jeweler, “Why have you come here?”

The jeweler said, “I have come to meet the Queen”

Amrapali thought to herself whether this is the person whose arrival has made the Queen's face pale. And if yes, then what is the matter that the presence of an ordinary jeweler is frightening the Queen? Is it right for me to ask him this question???  Many questions were arising in Amrapali's mind but then she herself put a stop to her questions and thought that whoever this person is or for whatever reason he has come to meet the queen, what does it matter to me, this is a personal matter between her and the queen!"

Amrapali was still lost in her thoughts when the jeweler said, "If the courtesan wants to see or needs even more precious diamonds and jewels, she can call me any time, I will immediately present myself at your service."

Amrapali said, "Of course!, are you the city jeweler?"

The jeweler said, "No, I am the jeweler of the king of Samastipur, I have come to stay in this Vaishali city for a few days, the queen of Vaishali has called me."

Amrapali said, "Of course the queen has to buy some new jewels, that is why she has called you."

Hearing Amrapali's words, the jeweler started laughing and said while laughing, "Will the queen buy more new jewels??  Either you are joking or you are still unaware of the truth of this palace.”

Amrapali was surprised to hear such things from the jeweler.

Amrapali said, “What are you saying? What truth are you talking about?”

Before the jeweler could answer Amrapali’s words, Kapala came there and said angrily, “You are still standing here, you have not left from here. Don’t you know that standing for so long in front of the queen’s room is a crime.”

After listening to Kapala, Amrapali thought it best to leave from there. As she moved ahead, Sarna was standing at a distance. Seeing him, Amrapali gestured him to come with her. Both of them were going out of the palace when they heard the conversation between the maid and the jeweler coming from behind. The maid was saying that the queen needs some more time, to which the jeweler replied, "I don't have much time, I have already given a lot of money, now if there is not so much money in the treasury of Vaishali, then on what basis is this kingdom running??"