23 Chapter 23: Glances that calm mankind

Shirazad was trying to forget the night she had spent in the dungeon. But there was a certain heaviness in her heart as she realized no peace was to be had -- if Mehrnaz had gone to such lengths once, sooner or later she could do something similar. Of course, Shirazad would do her best to ignore her... Normally Shirazad was not a person who would not protect herself when she was in the right, but in this case the situation could only escalate and get ugly...

As for Mehrnaz, she too never got any explanation as to why Shirazad had been freed from the dungeon after the winter solstice incident. So Mehrnaz finally decided she should ignore all of this; she could enjoy her life and didn't have to care for the queen. And the first method of enjoyment she came up with was... a beauty contest in the palace.

There were often all kinds of feasts organized there, but having a beauty contest would be refreshing. Mehrnaz took care to invite all renowned and beautiful ladies... except Shirazad... for she had decided she would pay no more attention to the queen.

Shirazad's handmaiden was most disturbed by the fact. But Shirazad was relieved -- if she had to go, she would be worried that someone may as well give her a glass of poisoned wine.

"Your Highness, you are so very beautiful! Maybe Mehrnaz is afraid you're going to win this contest and that's why she didn't invite you... I am sure this must be it! I am sure you would win if you went there," Gisi tried to sound cheerful, but could not hide the fact that she was annoyed by the lack of invitation.

"When Mehrnaz acts like that it is precisely because she wants to vex you... Anyway, why are you so disturbed by the fact that we aren't invited?" Shirazad said.

"Hm," Gisi smiled. "I just wanted to enjoy the nice show. I hear many rich ladies will come and showcase their most beautiful attire..."

"...To be honest, I think it's better she didn't invite us. Had she invited us, we would have to go. But right now, there are so many people at the palace whose motives toward me are unclear. I wouldn't like to catch the attention. Mehrnaz openly attacks us, in that she's less dangerous than some people who might be acting behind the scenes."

"But, Your Highness, you have been restricted in so many ways. You hardly leave the queen's quarters – I mean unless it's to go to the king's quarters. Sometimes I feel you must be very lonely. It would be so nice to interact with some other people. You deserve a bit of fun!"

"Who said we can't enjoy them?" Shirazad shrugged.

"But you said you don't want to catch the attention. If you attend the feast, wouldn't you draw all of people's looks on you? Especially because you're not among the contestants."

"I guess so. But we don't have to attend the feast to see it... It's going to take place in the main hall, right?" There was a corridor on the upper floor with small windows overlooking the main hall. When curious women were not invited to attend assemblies of men, they would gather there in order to peep into the hall. The people in the hall could only see their shadows but could not recognize the women's faces.

"I bet these windows were created with that thought in mind," Gisi said.

"Of course. And other women will probably go downstairs so it would be only the two of us there. We could laugh to our hearts' content and say anything without fear of being overheard."

So, Shirazad did not intend to ask Mehrnaz to participate in the contest. The day came when the hall was well decorated, and the tables were laden with food. Young ladies had prepared their dresses and were ready to compete. Shirazad and Gisi brought some small refreshments from the kitchen, ready to enjoy the show. They were already in the notorious corridor when suddenly a messenger reached the queen and told her,

"Your Highness, His Majesty has summoned you. Are you ready to go downstairs?"

Shirazad looked at Gisi as if she expected to find an answer... She had thought that Shahryar would be prudent in that respect and let her avoid the event as he too did not like rumors.

"Yes," Shirazad nodded and turned to the messenger, ready to follow him.

"No, Your Majesty. They told me," the messenger said, "you will need five dresses to display."

Then it struck her. It seemed the king hadn't invited her to simply go downstairs... he wanted her to compete with the other women. But she didn't have any attire prepared. She didn't even know what kinds of clothes she needed. The other ladies had bards write poems for them and they came on stage to the quiet sound of a harp and a poem dedicated to their beauty...

"Excuse me, I would gladly come to observe the contest, but as for taking part in it... I am not prepared," Shirazad said.

But the messenger just asked her again to take five dresses and to hurry.

And so, when she went downstairs, she wore the first dress and waited for her turn to come.

Ladies went on stage in beautiful garments, some sewn especially for this contest; while Shirazad had just grabbed some clothes from the wardrobe room.

When the first lady came up, a bard thus described her:

~~A desert mirage in a hot summer day,

~~Clad in her golden veil of sundrops bright as rays of light.

~~Her honey lips are fresh like morning dew.

~~And with her smile she quenches the traveler's thirst. ...

And then a second lady came up on stage, who was thus described:

~~She comes appareled in azure and silver,

~~And her rosy cheeks can melt all hues of ice.

~~And as I viewed this unparalleled sight,

~~I stared in wonder – 'tis a spring flower blooming in a winter night! ...

When it was Shirazad's turn, she went up on the small stage at the center of the room. All this happened so quickly she didn't even have time to be nervous before that... And a bard thus described her:

~~She comes like fullest moon on happy night,

~~Taper of a waist with shape of magic might.

~~She has an eye whose glances quell mankind,

~~And ruby on her cheeks reflects his light.

~~Enveils her hips the blackness of her hair –

~~Beware of curls that bite with viper bite!

~~Her sides are silken-soft, that while the heart

~~Mere rock behind that surface 'scapes our sight.

This was the first time Shirazad heard that poem.

Some people in the audience started whispering and exchanging looks because the poem was somehow unusual; Shirazad was rendered speechless. Then she was asked to leave the stage and just went back to Gisi.

"...Which bard has written that poem for the contest?" she asked Gisi as if she was some kind of a person bound to be informed about everything.

The handmaiden smiled a knowing smile, "Well, Your Highness, from the apt description... I would guess..." and she glanced at the king himself. "Can't you guess?" Gisi teased her.

Shahryar? ...Since when did he write poems?...

There were many people around and Gisi returned to the handmaidens and personal servants at one side of the room, while Shirazad joined the nobility a bit further away. But she kept looking at Gisi, perhaps pondering on her last words. Mehrnaz, who happened to be near Shirazad, said politely,

"Your Highness, how is your handmaiden, Gisi?"

"She is very well. She is in good health. She is truly a blessing. I don't know what I'd do without her," Shirazad replied, a little surprised at Mehrnaz's politeness.

Due to the fact that Shirazad was summoned at the last moment and was not on the list of contestants, she did not win any official reward.

When the competition was over, Shirazad was back to her room... She stared at herself in the mirror.

Black curls that bite with viper bite... She could understand that.

Silken-soft sides while a heart – mere rock lurks from sight... She could see that. But...

Glances that calm mankind? Why would her eyes calm mankind? Could this really have been

written by the king?