If

the dress

Padmavati looks at the mirror one more time, but she can not recognize herself in the outfit Khilji made her wear.

She's covered in layers of clothing, a gold, shimmery petticoat hides her skin from her neck to her wrists and a burgundy kaftan with delicate golden embroidery glorifies her feminine figure more than anything she had worn before.

The way the kaftan hugs the curve of her waist, fits her broad shoulders is magnificent. The fabric suits her body like a second skin, she almost feels naked. Indeed, she's naked in a sense; because this dress uncovers her power while hiding the body underneath.

Padmavati is very aware of this effect and she gets shivers everytime her glance meets her reflection, thinking of who could have made such a dress that defines her so well in every possible way.

"I feel that you are liking this dress, Ranisa." says a maid who is bringing the headpiece which is going to complete the attire.

Padmavati nods, running her hands over the silk fabric.

The headpiece matches with the dress perfectly, thin chains of plain gold frames Padmavati's face and layers of red fabric that reaches around her waist, covers her hair completely. She didn't think this could get any more beautiful than it already was, but it did. Now, she wanted to know who thought of this dress, this delicate patterns of embroidery and the unique combinations of the fabrics.

"Mashaallah, Ranisa. May God keep you from evil eye. You look like a dream."

Padmavati turns away from her reflection, facing the maid. "I am not a Rani here." She says nonchalantly, her insides twisting with worry as she walks to window that sees the palace's great doors.

While she is deep in thought about recent days' events, Gulnar compliments her look multiple times but gets ignored by Padmavati until she blabs something out that makes her blood freeze.

"Our Sultan has great taste of dressing... He also knew your measurements perfectly. The tailors made their best, well, not like they had any other choice; no one wants to face his anger after what happened with the door... Umm... But now I am sure Sultan will be satisfied with the result."

Padmavati jumps to her feet from the divan she was sitting at, taking the heavy headpiece off and throwing it behind. "Did Khilji make this dress?"

Gulnar leans forward to pick it up, but she gives up when she meets Padmavati's furious eyes.

"Tell me the truth now, Gulnar." She commands calmly but sternly at the same time, unaware the fact that she's scaring the life out of Gulnar even with her presence.

The maid takes a step back in return to Padmavati's every step, her voice is lost somewhere in the darkness that flows from Rani's eyes. She is a girl who gets scared easily and most of the time unnecessarily, but this time what she's experiencing is so tough and solid that it screams danger. And so does Gulnar.

"Sultan designed the dress, Ranisa. He told the tailors how to do it and they did." She blurts out, her eyes closed and her face turned to the side as a result of Padmavati's cornering her to a wall.

Padmavati's tensed shoulders and balled fists find relief the moment she gets what she wants. She lets go of the breath she didn't realise she was holding. As if her rage is a dark cloud that hangs in the air, it rains down on its target until the thunders in her mind is silenced by the right words.

The confused Rani steps away and lets the scared girl catch her breath, shocked about what just happened. She almost felt like her feet lost the ground while she was towering over Gulnar with the kind of fury she had never experienced before. This is not how Padmavati reacts, she thinks to herself. Can pregnancy cause this?