The Hollow King

The replacement Queen

Ipaphan waited at the Garden of Early Delights, willing for Primrose to escort her to her fathers office. He was late. She wished she had spent more time with Zehra, she needed all the assistance she would get. The warning about the King worried her. Her whole life she was told that Nahar's kings after the fall of the Golden Emperors were Arcaned, a ceremonial holder to preserve tradition and prevent one of the Three Families from gaining too much power. She knew her family had the dominant position within government, her Aunt was the Grand Dowager and a powerful Arcane while her father held the Grand Viziers position for three decades. Ipaphan often wondered whether her father or her Aunt headed the family, but due to the Royal Palaces isolation policies for female courtiers, royal or maid, Ipaphan had rarely met her Aunt.

Primrose entered the women's quarters and bowed, "My Lady, your father will see you now". The keys on Primrose's waist jangled, as they walked. The courtyard was brighter in her fathers garden than the woman's place, the white marble steps on black raked sands. The Garden of Earthly Delights was sections into quarters, each representing a Season. Currently, the high summer quarter was in full bloom. Cypress trees, Apricot and Cherry blossoms brightened the inner courtyard. Her father sat under a red silk pavilion, dressed in thick gold silks. His Gold turban adored with a large yellow diamond a white ostrich feather, the turban long tail wrapped under his eyes. Thick khol underlined his dark eyes, which watched her intensely. Farrok stood when he saw his third daughter. Ipaphan was short, with his own black eyes and hair with skin the colour of soft sand. He noticed that her hands had no henna and her eyes unadorned by khol. Ipaphan bowed before her father, taking his right hand and placing it to her forehead. "Father, you wished to see me?" She asked, sitting on the white silk sofa beside Farook. "I hear you visited Zehra before coming here" Farook stated, drinking a cup of mint tea. Ipaphan poured herself aa cup, noting that her mother must have been here earlier. The tea was tepid.

"Yes. I haven't seen her in years. I was worried for her" Ipaphan said, watching her fathers face for a trace of emotion. "Yes, I am afraid her life had been secluded at the palace" Farook returned, he dismissed the eunuchs on duty. "What did Zehra tell you" He asked again, his voice harder than she had ever learned. Ipaphan knew the answer he was expecting, he was taking the time to remind her that her new life would be under constant surveillance. Ipaphan swallowed, nervous.

"Zehra wanted me to reject the role of Queen. She wishes to be reinstated, or for Nulifer to take her place rather than me" Ipaphan said, wary. She wondered how much of their private conversation was overheard, and by whom. Zehra's handmaiden seemed terrified of Zehra, but perhaps that too was an act.

"Zehra also mentioned the king, what about him" Farook asked coldly. He drank more tepid mint tea, his black eyes never leaving hers. Ipaphan sighed, "Not much, just that she wondered if he wasn't as Arcaned as she was led to believe" Ipaphan replied, dripping information slowly wondering how much of their conversation Farook already knew.

"Zehra wasn't as gullible as she seemed. It is true, Ipaphan that our families control over the government has slipped over the last few years. Now that the King is of age, a regent is no longer needed so we need this rebel king replaced soon. His younger brother has no ties or love to this family. Rustem was raised by the Grand Dowager, but he is not a finial son. We need you to birth a heir, to regain control. Our whole families future depends on you and your actions" Farrok held her hand, gentle and fatherly as if asking to hear her sing on a national holiday rather than marry a man who hates her, and to help relace him with his own son. Her own son, she realised, would face the same fate as his father. Worse, he would be completely indoctrinated and Arcaned unlike her husband to be. Ipaphan paled.

"You know as well as I, that I cannot guarantee a son. Or even if my husband would consent to make one with me. Surely you have an alternative?" Ipaphan asked, removing her hand from her fathers grasp. Farook smiled, she could see the hint of teeth through his thin veil. "There will be a child, Ipaphan. Do not doubt. But your first duty is to this family so if you need to make certain acquaintances in order to facilitate this duty, I will allow so long as they do not cause dishonour" Farrok picked up a red grape and bit into it. Red juiced ran down his finger. Ipaphan swallowed, all men inside the palace were eunuchs. Boys taken from Nubia or Sudeen, taken as slaves to castrate and deafen in service of the crown. Surely, they cannot father a child. Then Ipaphan startled.