The Mughal Princess (Completed)

15.

Five days till Mrunal would marry the King of Udaipur. The ladies of the harem had taken it upon themselves to make sure the first wedding of the new generation in the family would be one of the best wedding seen in history.

Although the functions were going to be small and intimate the best would be put out for the Rajput Princess' wedding. Maheen and Mrunal had been to Noor's chambers to check the fitting of their lehengas, the festivities of the wedding would be starting in the next two days.

"Tell me honestly did I look good ?" Mrunal asked her sister as they walked towards their chambers from the harem.

"Good ? Why are you underplaying ? You looked absolutely gorgeous, if I was Prithvi I would marry you twice." Maheen said winking at her sister who pushed her playfully.

"Well I'm sure even if I look like Noor-e-Jahan you will outshine me, yellow is your colour."

"Eww yellow. I looked like a sunflower I had told phupho to make me a green lehenga but -."

"You looked breathtaking Mahi."

"Meh."

They walked up the stairs, through the marbled corridors, the white and blue marbles shining in the moonlight.
The guards had rotated and the shift had changed, the night guard, who were more vigilant and quick had secured their posts.

Maheen and Mrunal kept nodding and smiling towards the guard who wished them on their way.

"Did you .. did Abeer talk to you ?"

"He hasn't spoken to me since." Maheen replied. "It's .. he has never done it before. I know I made a mistake but -."

"He will talk to you soon." Mrunal replied giving her a small smile.
They had reached Mrunal's room, which was a few doors away from Maheen's.

"Have you spoken to him ?" Maheen asked wishfully, she knew Abeer could never say no to Mrunal.

Abeer was her brother and he loved her the most she knew but the bond he shared with Mrunal was entirely different and special and she never understood the depth of their relationship.

"I did." Mrunal smiled at her sheepishly.

"You did ?" Maheen squealed. "Thank you, thank you." She said hugging her sister tightly making Mrunal laugh.

"No problem now go sleep." Mrunal said patting her cheek and headed inside her room and Maheen towards hers.

Maheen felt lighter knowing that Abeer would now talk to her and she trusted herself to ease his anger towards her.

It was close to midnight she knew as the moon was straight up in the sky.

She entered room, her ladies in waiting had lit the lamps in her room for her, the warm glow of the oil lamps brought her comfort instantly.

Maheen walked past her sitting room into her bedroom, she was tired of the heavy lehenga she had worn, she sometimes wished that wearing cotton dresses wasn't looked down upon.

Maheen tugged on the dupatta covering her torso and threw it on the bed and then unfastened her heavy earrings.

She moved towards the room holding her trunks of clothes between her bathroom and bedroom to find herself a comfortable dress to sleep in.

"You should look around before you start peeling layers of clothes from your body."

The voice made Maheen jump and her mouth had opened to scream but before she could she was pinned to the wall, a hand had covered her mouth.