Inscribed In The Stars

Part 2 - Balqaas (Chapter 9)

The young king of Balqaas hovered by the doors to the Harem. He had not visited this new quarter of the Palace since it had been refurbished by his mother, lest he be reminded of its function.

Harun knew that the princess was waiting and he also knew his reluctance was keeping her. His hands hovered over the round handles as a battle of reluctance and sympathy raged on in his troubled mind. If the guards had been posted here, they would have surely found his hesitance amusing, but Harun had ordered them to clear the Harem until he had entered.

Taking a deep breath and pushing the thought of his beloved wife to the corner of his mind, Harun gripped the ice-cold handles and entered.

What greeted him was impressive interior design. A pool of glimmering sapphire welcomed him as he entered the courtyard, surrounded by magnificent stone archways draped with gossamer curtains. Each arch led further into the Harem, the left side leading to the gardens, both indoor and outdoor, and the right to the bathing suites. On the opposing end of the pool was a larger archway directed towards the private rooms and chambers. And above, was a roof of crystal clear glass that displayed a portrait of stars against the pitch-black sky. The space ensued an air of elegance. His mother had done a splendid job of bringing back to life the courtyard.

The space was lit up the same way as the glasshouses; bordering the pool was a metal tray of oil and clasped within it was a soaked string that fuelled the fire. The light that emanated from the flames cast a warm glow on the water which bounced off shimmers across the stone pillars and walls. Baskets of smoking incense hung from the corner of four pillars, fragrances of sandalwood and musk enlightening Harun's senses as he crossed the distance.

When he got to the large archway, Harun paused once more, gulping back the lump in his throat before withdrawing the curtains and venturing in deeper.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Dalia listened intently as she heard footsteps approach her chamber. Her mind was an entanglement of emotions as her hands fiddled to arrange her hair and clothes to ensure that she was an image of perfection.

After Meera had led her into the Harem, a group of maids awaited them to begin their magic. They had spent the entirety of the day preparing multiple soaks and scrubbing her skin with clay, ground coffee, and salt. Then they removed any body hair that had grown over the course of her travels and massaged sweet-scented oils into her scalp and skin. The whole process had been so gentle she had dozed off to sleep during the massage. She was then guided to her rooms and dressed in fine silk attire, her hair dried and combed before they gave her a quick introduction to the rooms that made her chambers.

To say the least, Dalia was dazzled by the beauty of the Harem, but she couldn't help but feel pitiful for herself, for the place she once hated back in Rughad was now her new home in Balqaas.

Her quarters were made up of multiple rooms all with unique functions; from a personal library to social tea rooms and lounge spaces, and even her own private pool which was decorated with the most stunning arrangement of stones and mosaic tiles. Her slumber chamber which was at the end of the rooms was organized with plush velvet cushions sitting above a raised cot, and surrounded by sheer drapes. Dalia awaited atop the ruby red sheets of silk another lace veil pinned over her face and hair.

But as much as she enjoyed having a space ten times bigger than her old room, Dalia felt the space only exaggerated her loneliness. She wished Yasmin and Tarek were here to share the space with her.

"Marhaba," came a deep voice that startled her out of her thoughts. Through the curtains surrounding the cot, Dalia spotted a tall figure hovering by the entrance to her room.

"May I enter?" the voice spoke again.

"You may," she stuttered, her voice coming out so small she worried he had not heard her response. But the figure nodded and entered. Dalia kept her gaze lowered but snuck glances, aware of the temperature rising around her.