[3] AMNA

AMNA

"Come on...let's go...hurry." Dalia's excitement is evident in her tone as she drags me by my arm. All the maids find their way to the entrance of the palace, leaving their various chores behind. Their happy laughter and voices fills my ears as they push me from both side. I seem to be the only indifferent one here.

The tintinnabulation becomes louder as more people rush out. It's not every day the town crier has something to deliver. Anytime an information is passed through the kingdom's town crier, it's always huge.

"Amna move faster, or we are not going to get a good spot." Dalia shoots me a look which makes my leg follow her instruction instinctively. She holds me by my forearm as we continue pushing through the swarm of people also making way to the entrance.

Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah.

The wide gate leading out of the palace comes into view. I'll finally breathe properly. We get a spot in front of everyone because Dalia practically dragged me out of the kitchen when she heard the first clinking of the bell.

The town crier who is in a black robe with a white turban over his head continues ringing the black metallic bell in his right hand. He continues until he is sure everyone is settled. The crowd becomes silent as we all anticipate the big news he has this time around. Few people who aren't part of palace's staff, but resides close to the palace also joins the crowd. The town crier visits every part of the kingdom, but the palace is always the first.

"Concentrate Amna...he's about to talk." Dalia whispers into my ear, bringing me out of my trance. I turn my gaze to the crier squarely.

"Assalamu Alaykum," the town crier says in his loud voice. I guess having a loud voice is a criterion for being selected as a town crier because all the town criers I've seen have loud voices, or maybe it's from a gene in their lineage since they are all picked from the same family.

The whole crowd replies his greeting, then silence ensued again, but some are still murmuring. I glare at the group of girls standing close to me, who are snickering close to my ears; they shut their trap immediately they see my angry glare. I like that. I bite my lip to hide my smile.

"I have a message from the sultan." the town crier's voice makes an impact on everyone; I can't even hear the birds chirping. He drops his giant bell on the floor, and then fixes his hand in his pocket. It looks like he's searching for something. After ransacking his pocket for about 30 seconds, he brings out a brown folded paper.

The people's gazes fell to the paper, then back to his face. I just made an observation, the crowd is more of female than male. Not surprising though, Women live for information. I stifle my laughter, which made Dalia shoot me that 'are you mad?' look. I shoot her an apologetic look then turn back to the town crier who has already unfolded the paper in his hand.

"I hope you all are in good health," the crier begins reading. "As you all know, my son 'Jawad' is yet to be tied in the holy matrimony," I and Dalia give each other a knowing look when we hear that line. "I'm calling unto all the beautiful maidens of this kingdom to come forth, to participate in the bridal selection that'll take place upon the sighting of the new moon. I want you all to give in your best, and the best of the best shall emerge the winner. May Allah bless you all, and make the event a peaceful one."

The town crier looks up to take in the whole crowd, and then he continues, "from your sultan." He folds the paper and puts it back into his pocket. "That's all Masalam." He says then starts to walk away clinking his bell.

Loud murmurs and giggles from the female population breaks out. I assume they've begin practising for the competition.

"Will you participate?" Dalia asks as we make way back to the kitchen, where we were kneading bread dough before the commotion broke out. I haven't really thought about it, will I participate?

"I'm not sure yet, what about you, are you participating? You don't look that excited." I speak out my observation.

"Umm..." she shrugs, "I'm not participating."

"Really? Why?" I ask expectantly. I'm surprised because I know Dalia is the Amir's number one fan-note; we are not allowed to call the royals by their name.

"I like the prince, I admire his braveness and strength, but I don't see myself being married to him. Moreover, I won't want to compete with the whole female population," She giggles. "It's ridiculous; I don't even stand a chance." Dalia holds me by my hands while staring directly into my orbs. "But I trust you Amna..." she tightens her hold on my hands, "I trust that you'll win insha Allah, you're beautiful, smart, intelligent... you can do it... though I've never seen him but from the way he is described... you sound like a perfect couple."

"I've...seen... him," I say reluctantly. A blush creep to my face when I remembered how his face looked that day. I made sure to store and stamp the image deep in my brain.

Dalia's hard slap on my arm throws me back into reality. "Ouch... what was that for?" I rub the stinging pain I felt on the lateral part of my arm.

"That..." she points at my arm, her eyebrows quirks and her face morphs into a frown. "That is for keeping such... enormous information to yourself."

"I wanted to tell you, but it skipped my mind." Truly, I wanted to break the news to Dalia immediately I saw him, but one thing or the other interrupted. Like earlier, I was about to gift her ears with the blessed news when the town crier hullabaloo started.

"Now shush..." she places her index finger on her plumpy pink lips. "How does he look... is he like they described?" she whispers into my ear. The blush I managed to conquer creep back into my face. I know my face will be all red now, my cheeks are hurting, and it's mortifying to know Dalia is watching how my body is reacting to him.

"Uhhm...uhmm... he is as described... even better," I whisper back into her ears. Her lips form an 'o' shape,

"Your face says it all... you're all red." she traces the contour of my cheeks with her thumb. I slap it away.

"Shut up... I'm not red," I retort, though I know she's saying the truth.

"Yes you're...and that's why you should participate... unless your heart doesn't want to go with what your body wants." she wriggles her brow.

"Shut up." we continue bantering as we walk to the kitchen.

****

I put the kneaded dough into the hot oven and close the iron door. I wash the plates, and Dalia sweeps the floor while we wait for the bread to bake. I recite some verses of the Quran while still washing. Dalia goes out through the door leading out of the kitchen. I'm about to check what Dalia went out to do when I hear a loud thud behind me, followed by the clinking of pots and utensils on the floor.

My face and whole body turns to the direction. An expensive pink sequence clothing sprawl on the floor, but wait it's not only a clothe-there's a human underneath it. I move hurriedly to the person, her net veil covers her face. She is struggling to get the veil out of her face, so I step in to help her. I remove the veil from her face, revealing the person. I didn't expect to see the Amira sprawled on the kitchen floor.

"Amira! Are you okay?" I offer her a hand, which she grabs. I pull her up. She dusts her hands and body, then turns to me.

"I'm fine... I just wanted to get water," she says, but there's something off about her beautiful face. It isn't glowing like it always does. Her brown eyes look dull and her well groomed long hair is scattered all over her body.

"You don't look fine, Amira. Are you sure you're okay?" It is not my place to interrogate a royal, but I don't think I have a choice. I have to make sure she's well, that's part of my duty as a maid. From what I've heard, the Amira is gentle and calm, unlike Tahira.

"I came down with a small fever, but it will be fine. It's nothing much," she struggles to keep her eyes open as she speaks. I bring the back of my hand close to her skin. She doesn't stop me, so I continue. I jerk my hand away from her neck when I feel how hot she's.

"You're burning, Amira," I half yell. "You have to see a physician."

"That's what I don't want... I don't want a physician... I don't want anyone to know," she says with finality in her tone. I know better than to disobey her wish. I think of what I can do to help her when a thought crosses my mind.

"Okay, Amira, please allow me to prepare you a medicine. I promise it'll work insha Allah. You just have to give me your permission," I say cautiously, so I won't annoy her. I know very much that one has to be careful with the royals.

She stares at me for a long time, it is scary. She looks scary when she stares...like that. "Okay," she says after an eternity. "Bring it to my room when you're done, make sure no one knows about it and..." she stares at me again, I wait to hear her complete the sentence, "don't worry... just bring it to my room," she says. I lower my head, then she leaves.

****

I'm done making the green tea medicine when Dalia walks into the kitchen. I pour the medicine into the bronze kettle. "Where were you?" I question Dalia, My gaze fully on the medicine I'm pouring from the pot to the kettle.

"I was-" she's about to say something, but I cut her off.

"That doesn't matter now... please check on the bread I need to give the Amira this." I pick up a bronze tray from one of the drawers. I place the kettle and the cup on the tray. "I'll be back now." I throw a smile in Dalia's direction. I pick the tray in my two hands, then leave the kitchen area.

I'm not really familiar with the Amira's chamber because I'm not one of her maids. I'm Tahira's maid. I see a passage leading to a chamber. It must be this one. I tighten my hold on the tray, then proceed to the passage.

Something feels wrong when I reach the passage. Two guards stand stoically at each side of the passage.

"The Amira asked me to bring her this." I raise the tray up, so they can scan what I'm holding properly. They both look at each other, exchanging glances I don't understand. They gesture with their hands for me to go in. I thank them then proceed.

I knock on the door, but get no reply. I try again three more times but still get no reply.

She must be asleep.

I push the door open, revealing the room. I didn't know the Amira changed her interior décor. It looks darker now, I've been here once or twice, but the décor was lighter than this.

"Amira," I call out, but the words after that dies in my throat when I see Jawad in front of me. My eyes widen, and the tray would have fallen if it wasn't for my tight grip on it.

"What are you doing here?" we say together, but his voice overthrows mine because well, mine is tiny.

"I came to see the princess... what are you doing here?" I ask. It looks like he just got out of the bathroom. He has a white robe on, small droplets of water were on his face and his black hair is sticking to his forehead.

"This is my room," he says, and realization hits me. I mistook his room for Amira's. Oh my Allah, I'm such a fool. "And why are you going to see the Amira holding that." he points at the tray I'm holding.

"She's sick, and I made her medicine." I finish making my sentence before I realized what I said. What's wrong with you, Amna? I watch as his plain expression changes to worry.

"The Amira is sick, and I don't know. I've to check on her." he starts making way to the door, but I stop him by blocking the door.

"Don't see her," He arches his brows. "Please don't see her. She made me promise not to tell anyone."

"They don't tell a prince what to do," he says, but he has stopped attempting to make way for the door. That's good.

"That's why I added 'please'," I grumble incoherently under my breath because I won't want to spend the rest of my life in one of the palace's dark dungeons in the basement.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing..." I smile nervously. "I said I'll leave now." I turn towards the door,

"stop," He says, but I didn't turn back. I'm already distressed right now, I can't control my erratic heart beat, and I won't want to add to it by looking at him again. "Take good care of the princess." My hearts melts when I hear the amount of emotions his voice carries. He must love the princess so much. I nod my head, but I'm uncertain if he sees that, then I leave the room.

Now that I know Jawad's room, it is no longer hard to find my way into Amira's chamber. I still can't believe I was talking to the Amir-the great Jawad. Like seeing him the other day isn't enough. Why am I having contact with him, and why I'm I behaving this way?

"Come in" the Amira says in her tender voice when I knock on the door. I push the door and the room comes into view. Yes, this is the room I know of, not that. Oh! God.

The Amira sits up then places her leg on the floor when she sees me. "What took you so long? I've been waiting."

"Sorry I..." I what? I can't tell her I was in the Amir's room. How will that sound. She looks at me expectantly when my mouth remains open, but I'm not talking. "I..." I think of another thing to say. "I made another medicine because the first one spilled." I hate lying, Astagfirllah.

"Okay, bring it over." I take the tray to her bedside drawer, and then I pour a little quantity into the cup. I hand it to her, but she pushes it back to me. "Have a sip first." it hurts a little to know she didn't trust me, but that's how the royals live. They trust no one. I don't expect her to trust me-I'm not even her maid.

I take more than a sip. I take two gulps to show her, I haven't put any poison in her drink. When she sees my action, she gestures for me to hand her the cup. Her face scrunches as she takes a sip.

"It's bitter... so bitter."

"It's... but it works well," I encourage. She empties the whole content in the cup, and then lay back on her bed. I adjust the covers over her properly. She looks at me with something I can't decode playing in her eyes.

"Thank you." She says.

"You're welcome." I pick up the tray in my hand, "I'll check on you when I'm done with my chores." She nods, and then I leave the room.