SULTAN {Preview}

Chapter Seventeen.

Specially dedicated to xieykhalil, send my warm regards to Khalily Khalily...

                 ~~~

"Assalamu Alaykum"

"Wa Alaykum mussalam, who is there?"

"It's me Sultan" I waited in front of the Queen's chamber as I heard some shufflings before she asked me in. I walked into the room and sat at in a corner waiting for her to round up. It was after tarawii prayers and she sat on a prayer mat reading Arba'una Hadith, an Islamic book.
She finished praying and turned to where I sat

"How are you Sultan"

"I'm fine Umma, Alhamdulillah" she studied me for a while before saying "You look dull and stressed out, is it the Ramadan fast?"

"Yes Umma, this fasting is giving me tough time" I hastily answered

"Well, if you say so. We have one or two days left to fast, we will see after then" she sounded unconvinced. Mothers!

How I wish I could open up to her, tell her everything, confide in her my worries, but that will be too much to ask.  It will be as though I'm asking her to choose between Batuul and I, of which of course, I wasn't ready for. We chatted for a while before I ask her where Batuul was "Umma where is Batuul?"

"She is in her chamber, you can go see her, she's not alone " she replied. I stood up after a while, picked the bag I came in with, then I bade her good night and left.

***
Few days ago, Sameer convinced me to get a Sallah gift for Batuul, I wasn't really interested in it, I was even clueless as to what to get for her.

And so he helped me go to the market with Maryam, with strict warnings from him not to tell Batuul about it. She heed to his warnings, it was Sameer after all.

They bought a beautiful cream colored  gown with a pair of black shoes and golden bracelets, Maryam told him those were her favorites.
Today being the 28th of Ramadan, he decided it was time to give her the gifts, and once again, he refused to come with me.

"Assalamu Alaykum"

"Wa'alaykum mussalam, Khalil is that you, when did you start asking for permission before coming into my... "

"It's not Khalil, it's Sultan" I cut her short
"Oh, Ya Sultan, come in please" came her excited voice. Batuul was always happy and full of life, except when she was with the servants that is.

I walked into the room as she pointed at a single arm chair for me to sit, opposite from where she sat. One maid was braiding her long black curly hair, while the other was designing nalle henna designs on her feet and yet another, was fanning her. The maids all greeted me simultaneously, Khairi was the one designing the nalle.

"Cover your hair Batuul, you can continue after I go"

"Ok Yaya" and raising her head, she said "Excuse me for a while, I will call you back when he leaves, and you too" she said to the maid fanning her. They both nodded their heads, bowed and left. It's was only the three of us remaining in the room, Batuul, Khairi and I. How I wish it was Khairi she sent away, I wouldn't want her to be here during this meeting.

"Finish up Khairi, my feet are beginning to cramp"

"Yes my princess " she picked a scarf that was beside her and knotted it around her head.
I was carried away observing Khairi, the way she held the nalle cone alone showed she was an expert, Batuul's foot was on her lap while she sat on the floor. She was very fast and her whole attention was on it, she did the design with her left hand, she is a left handed I guess. The design was beautiful too, she would look beautiful with the design on her hands and feet