In the twilight, Nazneen quickly walked past the Royal Hamam (bathing room) to reach the maids' quarters. She was wearing the harem guards' uniform. Those unfortunate castrated men.
She quickly changed into her royal robes and hoped that no one had recognized her at the stable. The eldest daughter of the kings favorite wife, there were restrictions on her deportment, dress & behavior that were just too much to bear for the hot blooded 16 year old princess.
She often wished that she had been born male for then she could have roamed the palace grounds freely, conversed, argued or consorted with whomever she chose. She would have had a 100 nubile maidens around to do her bidding. How unfortunate to have been born a girl was her constant grouse in life. And she always felt it the most when she wanted to visit the stables.
The young Madhavan called & beckoned to her even in her sleep. He was so handsome & virile. His smell was intoxicating & better than all the ittars & flowers sprinkled around the harem.
Madhavan could not come into the harem & so she was forced into donning the guards' uniform whenever she could get away for an hour or so without being detected.
She walked into her favorite maid Lalitha's room & saw that Lalitha was trembling on the floor too scared to look up. Nazneen turned right, to stare straight into the Maharani's furious gaze. “Ruin upon the royal family. That is what you have brought upon us, you filthy wretch!” She commanded the guards “Off with Madhavan's Head”
The next morning when the Maharani went to the Hamam, she found the body of her beloved daughter floating with the head of a black stallion.
Monday, February 13, 2006
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