Ruia watched the time keeping candle. Dulari ushered the maids in, one came bearing a tray of dry fruits, and the other a jug and glasses. Other came bearing her cotton night dress. The other lower maids put out the lamps leaving only a few lighted.

    Dulari helped her with her jewels and her dress.  She slipped on a robe while a silver basin was brought in, one maid filled it with rose water. Ruia washed her face and her arms and patted her skin dry with the towel. She removed her robe and Dulari helped her slip in her night gown.

      Dulari them unbraided her hair, combing it free of knots. The other minor servants, lighted oudh incense in order for her to relax.

   Ruia made a pretense of yawning and being sleepy as Dulari massaged her scalp. She knew Dulari shifted her eyes and nudged her head. The maids moved out one by one after bowing to her.

      "I have to go." Ruia said suddenly alert. It was exhausting to go through this pretense but weekly twice she had to escape the palace walls to look after the club.

      "Gustaakhi maaf, you seem tired, huzoor. Why don't you stay in tonight?"

     "I can't." She said hurriedly putting on a muslin Navy dress over her body. "Fatma and I have important matters to discuss."

   She and Dulari had stitched it in secret. It was a Islesian style of dress, she had modified according to her interest. The blue silk flowed to the ground. Dulari pinned a sheer malamal veil on her head.

     Dulari took out the box under her matress. It contained the jewels of Empress Nilija, who was a Islesian princess, who came to the Great Empire and married her uncle, the former emperor Salim. Her story didn't end well and she did not  know what exactly had transpired. Just that, she had thrown herself off the roof.

   But a maid of hers and saved her jewels, they were exotic, and sold them in the Meena Bazaar a few years back,  she had eyed it but didn't have courage to buy it.

     Turquoise. The shopkeeper had told her. It was a stone associated with nobility.

    "Shehzaadis, it deserves to be in possession of someone like you. In the Isles, only the nobility and royalty are allowed to wear these stones and this shade of blue."

      "How interesting!" Razia said touching the stones.

    Razia had liked it too and was vocal about her choice. She waved the emperor over like he was a common man and not a ruler of the vast empire. And the emperor so loved Razia that he had come to see what she was excited about,

   "Baba! They look so pretty. Please please buy them for me?"

"Do you like it, my dear?" He had asked placing his hand on her head affectionately. The emperor's ring glistened in his thumb.

    "Yes, Baba! Please...Your majesty." She pleaded.

    The Empress shook her head. "Razia..." She had warned but the Emperor had told her to let it go.

     "If you like it then I'll buy it for you." He had said. Razia not caring that they were public hugged her father. Ruia stood there with her eyes downcast in fury and shame.

    She had liked it first. How had Razia gained it?

      "Oh Ruia? You're here too?" The Empress had asked noticing her finally.

   "My dear, do you like something? You can tell me, I'll buy it too. Your baba is not the only one with money!" She had said the last part aloud and the Emperor laughed throwing his head back, his voice booming.

    "Hmm? Yes, Ruia? Tell me, child."

   Ruia only shook her head in negative. The one that she liked, was packed away and handed over to Razia who cooed in awe over the stones.

      "What about these opals? They would look lovely on you." The Empress, Ruh Begum raised an opal necklace to her neck while she stood stiff.

      "No, your majesty....I don't like Opals." She stepped away. A hurt expression passed the Empress' face but she didn't dwell on it.

     Her majesty placed the Opal necklace back on the table. "Okay, beta. Let me know if you like something."

     "Hmm...are you both going to just shower the whole empire's riches on these daughters or can I ask for something too?" Crown Prince Zahir leaned in and said.

     "Zahir! My son!" It was the Emperor who spread his arms to embrace her younger brother.

       The attention then shifted, the royal family moved along, Razia and Zahir teasing each other. They hadn't noticed that she was left behind.

        Weeks later, at night. Dilara had made sure the maids had left and she pulled out the turquoise necklace tucked inside her blouse.

     "Dilara! Where did you even..."

     "It was bestowed to a maid by Shehzaadi Ruia. I brought it from her knowing you were eyeing it, your highness."

     "You shouldn't have." Ruia said taking it. It was hidden deep within her chests until she needed it for the ruse.

     The club was said to be managed by an Islesian madam who was exclusive, many minor princes, lords, had promised her gold and riches to spend a night with her.

  The mask was too enchanting for them. She was veiled but she always covered her eyes with an English mask studded with diamonds. An English merchant had presented it to the princesses and the Empress. They apparently used it in their parties. A masquerade, he had called it.

    She pulled out her sack bag which had a set of loose shirt and pantaloons, a cloth for a turban.

      "Where's the girl?" Ruia asked pulling on a cloak and a shawl covering her hair.

       Dilara clapped once and a girl came in dressed in a cotton night dress. Her nanny snuffed the candles and the oil lamps except the lantern. The girl took her place on the bed. The maid had been bribed with 5 gold coins every week to impersonate her until she came back. The night guards were bribed too to let her in and out.

She kissed Dilara's cheek and took the lantern from her.

     "Please come back safe, your highness."

       "I will."

      ***

          The Empress, Ruhlekha helped The Emperor shrug off his coat. It had been 25 years since their marriage and around 35 years since that they knew each other.

      They were both in their mature ages now. Ruh lekha noticed that her husband's hair was salt and pepper now. Her hair was not better, her maids meticulously dyed it with Henna every sennight.

     Jellal groaned and cracked his neck and sat on the diwan. She dismissed the servants with a wave of her hand.

       "Your majesty...you seem tired today." Ruh said. Her husband, her lord, her emperor said nothing except pull her to sit beside him.

       She sat beside him and he pulled her closer with an arm around her shoulder. Ruh sighed leaning he head on his shoulder. She felt his lips brush her forehead.
  
        "I thought we promised that in here, we'll just be Jellal and Ruh, hmm, didn't we?" His tone was teasing.

       "I forgot, your majesty. I'm old now, my memory fails me." She teased him back. Ruh raised her palm to his cheek, touching his stubbled cheek. Her man had grown older. His beard grew in salt and pepper hair too. He was in his fifties, yet she adored him. He was most handsome to her.

      "You should be punished for your insolence." He nudged her nose with his. Ruh giggled like a teenage girl. He bent his head tasting her laugh.

      "Jellal! Stop that! You have children of marriageable age!" She playfully shoved him but he didn't give away.

       "What does that have to do with anything? You don't look like you have children of marriageable age. Your beauty is to blame."

      "How shallow, you majesty. In your big age that too!"

     He laughed and tried to kiss her again when his chief eunuch coughed indicating his presence.

       "What is it now, Halim?" He groaned standing up to go meet him. Ruh waited patiently. Even though all news reached to her, she knew Jellal and her had no secrets.

      "What is it?" She asked once he came back.

       "She's going out of the palace again."

        "Oh right, it's mid-week." Ruh said. Jellal walked to the jharoka which overlooked the back gate and she stood beside him too.

      "There she is. Stubborn child." He pointed to a flicker of light which was travelling towards the back gate.

       "Let her be, Jellal." She said hugging his waist.

         "I'm worried. It's dangerous."

       Ruh rolled her eyes, "You have three guards tailing her."

       "And I still worry. She's a child. I don't know what else am I supposed to do for her to stay put."

         "If we confront her, she'll get moody again." Ruh warned him.

        "This girl..."

        "She's her father's daughter..."

        "I can assure you that I never worried my parents like this."

       "Oh liar! You were a hellion in your youth! Drinking and enjoying."

      "That's what princes do."

      "And Princesses escape the palace once in a while so that they can feel less stuffy.'

      "What I find strange is she visits a club? She doesn't drink. I don't know what she does there."

         "Maybe she likes watching the performances? Or maybe, your majesty , she has a lover." Ruh teased.

      Jellal looked at her flustered, "Do not even joke about it, my dear. I'm not ready to accept my little girls act this grown up."

      "They're of age."

     "I'll find the best prospects for them! Princes, Kings, Lords, they'll not have to worry even a minute post marriage! That's the kind of men I want them to marry. I'll not accept them marrying anyone below their status."

      "And what of love? Hmm? You'll deny them what we have?" Ruh moved away from him, coming back into the quarters, sensing a quarrel brewing. She poured some water in a glass and sipped it.

     "Ruh...I won't force them, ofcourse not." He walked to her. "They've grown up with all the riches around the world. I want them to be more comfortable in their marital lives too. I'd hate for them to compromise. I want them to be happy ofcourse."

    "Well, Jellal..." He wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her kush against his chest, "Hmm?"

      "We are celebrating our 25th Anniversary this year so I was thinking that..."

    "Hmm? What?" He whispered in her ear.

     "Maybe we could hold festivities for 25 days commemorating our marriage. And ofcourse, invite all eligible princes, kings, lords all over to take part. It'll do good to the girls to intermingle with sucha crowd. Who knows, maybe they'll take a liking..."

     "As you wish, my dear. Anything you wish." He kissed her cheek and she smiled.

    ***

A/N: Vote and Comment.