Chronicles of the Crown: Preparing for Romance.

“Seduce him”, Empress Indira told a wife, as she looked through clothes needed to seduce her own husband.

“What, my Queen?” The woman gasped in disbelief, as she blushed. “I cannot do that!” She exclaimed.

“And why not? Is he not your husband?”, Indira queried.

“Well yes, but…that is not proper!”

Indira arched her brow, “Not proper? Says who?”

When the woman kept stammering, trying to find a proper answer — Indira presumed, as she set aside a set tinkling breast net made of jewels. Finding it hard ignoring the ignorance of the young wife, she faced her.

“Look. If you don’t move fast someone who has no problem seducing your husband will get him. And not because he’s willing, but because his own wife is unwilling to love him, as he needs to be loved.”

She raised her freshly painted hand to silence the blustering wife.

“You came here seeking for the counsel of your queen, did you not?”

“Aye, your highness.” She replied a bit timidly.

“Now go to the market. Purchase the most scandalous dancer’s attire you can find in your husband’s favourite colours.”

Indira turned back to her chest of treasures and pulled out a glass-like anklet, “Prepare and serve him his favourite meals in the attires.”

Indira glanced up from admiring the anklet that had been part of her wedding gift from her husband, the king. “Surely, you can afford such luxury considering all you say your husband has provided?

“Yes, my lady”

“Ah. Before all that, have your maids prepare you as a girl about to wed.”

“If you really appreciate the love you say your husband has shown you, this should not be a problem. Can you dance?”

“Yes, my Queen.”

“Then do just that. Serve him yourself and dance for your husband in those attires for one week — starting today.”

She looked at the anxious looking wife and smiled in understanding empathy. “Just put your soul, spirit and body into it. Now off with you. Your assignment begins now.”

“Long live the Queen, beloved of the King.” She said in obeisance and Indira smiled fondly when she said “beloved of the King“.

She was indeed loved.

And she intended to reciprocate not just with words but with her actions.

“Greetings Indira”

Indira looked up and saw her lovely sister in law with some maids carrying covered trays behind.

“Well Tickles.” Indira smiled in warm welcome.

“Tickles” was the nickname she gave her sister in law. Because her laughter always sounded like someone was tickling her.

“What brings you to this side of town?” Indira teased referring to the sprawling palace as a “town”

Tickles giggled. “An errand of love and the palace is not that big.”

“My brother, the king has put together a celebration in your honour tomorrow evening.” Tickles gushed.

Indira was touched. “He need not do that. I am humbled by the honour he bestows me.” She whispered.

“He also sends you these”, she signalled to maids.

They came forward, bent before Indira and uncovered the trays at once with fanfare.

Indira gasped. And so did her people that came to her new home with her.

It’s because the trays contained the clothes, jewels and sandals made in colours and designs of a female monarch from her father’s empire.

He must have picked up the idea from how her mother dressed.

But, it was unique in how Indira liked to dress herself. It was like he composed a description of her in the details.

“Indira? Why are you crying? Don’t you like them? My brother says it can be re-designed as you wish—-“

“Nay Tickles. I love everything here. Tell your brother I thank him. From the depth of my heart” Indira sniffled and smiled.

“A warrior queen crying.” Tickles shook her head in mock disbelief, “Never thought I will see that day.” She teased.

Indira gave a watery laugh, “Blame it on your brother.”

“As for thanking my brother. You will have to do that yourself. I’m done running errands between you two.” Princess Tickles said cheerily on her way out, as the maids bowed again to Indira before hurrying after the Emperor’s sister.

Indira touched the attire reverently. So beautiful… She thought as her cousin said the same out loud.

All Indira could do was nod in agreement. Her eyes fell on a dazzling brown gem pendant.

She squeezed and it clicked open. What she saw in it brought a huge smile to her face.

In her mother tongue etched in platinum:

…to many sentimental celebrations in the flying future, my Indira. Yours alone, •Sergei•

https://puttingmyfeetinthedirt.com/2021/01/01/january-2021-writing-prompts/ 11. Sentimental celebrations, 7. Ignoring the ignorance, 10. The flying future.

Advertisement

Chronicles of the Crown:…

“Welcome my Lord!”, Indira smiled as she ran into her husband’s…chest.

At her puzzled look, he brought his hands forward, to present her…the most breathtaking bundle of flowers, she’s ever seen.

“Tis beautiful….” Indira whispered as she held the flowers to her chest.

He relaxed and smiled. “I knew not what flowers you preferred—“

Indira stopped her husband with a smouldering kiss. He had been tenacious in loving her.

T’was time.

Weekend Writing Prompt #192 – Tenacious

Chronicles of the Crown: The Storm

Indira was in deep thoughts. Not unlike the dark clouds gathering. It looked like it was going to rain. Her first rain in her husband’s empire. 

The wind breezed through the palace, stirring her red-gold hair and her clothes as she lounged on a plush couch. Looking at her, with hair gently billowing, it would look like she was the mistress of storm.

Except Indira felt less mistress of anything, though you couldn’t tell just by looking at her.

Brunnie as Indira’s cousin called her, babbled as she toddled to the window couch. 

Indira watched her adopted daughter grunt with determination as she struggled to climb the couch.

Indira smiled as Brunnie knelt on the couch, peering outside longingly as she babbled “Papa” in reference to her husband.

Ah yes, Indira sighed remembering the main subject of her morose thoughts. Her husband.

The man was not listening to her where his safety was concerned.

She looked at her daughter who often made her way to the window watching for her “papa“, whenever he had been out for long. 

If that man made a widow of her with his continuous liaison with the enemy, she doubts she will forgive him — even if he had a beautiful soul.

“Beauty flows from the queen’s hair like the threatening of a storm” a husky male voice whispered.

Indira eyes fluttered open and blinked, as she looked into her husband’s eyes. She didn’t realise she had fallen asleep.

Brunnie babbled in her papa’s arms. As he shifted her to his side, she noticed the sun was out, though the air was still cool. 

As she got up, and hugged him around the neck, she had a relieved smile on her face. 

“You were not worried were you?” He hugged his queen’s waist. 

“I was. Was that a poem?” Indira asked in amusement.

“It was”, he declared with a serious face though his eyes were alight with merriment.

Indira couldn’t help herself. She laughed. 

It’s good to hear her laugh. The king thought, as he smiled.

https://puttingmyfeetinthedirt.com/2020/06/01/june-2020-writing-prompts/ #8.A Hint of rain 

Chronicles of the Crown: Misunderstanding

Indira!!!

Birds merrily chirping at the palace grounds took off in fright.

Indira and her cousin jumped, as the Emperor thundered.

“What on earth did you do, I’ra?” Her cousin looked at her in wonder.

Before Indira could respond — so perplexed she was — her husband stormed into her rooms.

“Privacy!” He ordered in an angry voice. All the servants scurried out of the Queen’s Quarters.

Indira and her cousin stood, both in anxious wonder.

“I’m sorry Princess MayRose, but I need to speak to my Empress alone.” 

“I understand that, your Highness, but I don’t feel at ease leaving my sister, while you are in this…..mood.”

“I would not assault my own wife, if that is what gives you concern, Princess.”

When MayRose didn’t look convinced, Indira gave her a reassuring smile, and she reluctantly left.

As she was wondering were to stay to be close enough should the Emperor turn violent, she saw the Emperor’s brother coming warily towards the Queen’s Quarters.

“Greetings Princess”

“Greetings your Highness”

“What brings you here? ”

“My brother is quite vexed, though he’s not violent outside the battle field and he honours women, I just want to make sure…..” He shrugged helplessly.

Obviously he’s not used to seeing his brother this angry. A realisation MayRose found the least reassuring.

“Very well. We might as well stay here just in case. Hopefully we worry in vain.”

“Hopefully”, He said.

In the inner room, Queen Indira stood calmly as her husband paced infront of her.

Finally he spoke in a strained voice, “Where were you the night before, my Lady?”

“Right here, my lord”

“All night?”

Oh dear.

” Nay, my lord”

“Nay? Very well then. Let me rephrase. Who were you with, Indira?” He asked in a dangerously quite voice.

Indira looked into his eyes, now fiery gold and asked, “Am I being accused of something, my lord?”

“Indira.” He looked like he was ready to explode. “Just answer the question.”

“Very well. I went out to see my brother, your highness”

“Your….what?”

“Your brother in-law, your Highness, or is that no longer permitted?”

Her husband looked shocked and confused.

“But Aunt Omra said….” He whispered

Oh the snake!

“Said what? Your majesty?” Indira was beginning to get angry herself.

“Never mind. Why did you have to sneak out to see him?”

Never m____! 

“Because that’s what he requested!” 

“And you couldn’t tell me where you were going?”

“I did not see the necessity. He said to tell no one.”

“I see”

“I realize how this looks to you. But I hope you can trust my sincerity.”

Her husband looked perplexed. Indira knew he trusted her. But the situation looked suspicion especially with his aunt stirring the brew. 

She really understood her husband’s dilemma. 

To believe her means his “aunt” was wrong. 

To completely believe his aunt, means to belief his queen was an adulteress.

I’m going to “properly” introduce myself to Omra.

Her husband was about walking out, but she blocked his path. He looked at her with a startled frown. 

Well my lord. No one may never have dared to block your part, but no one has dared accuse me of such a vile thing even if it was implied.

“We are not finished, my lord.”

“What am I being accused of? And who is my accuser?”

“No one has accused you____”

“No one, my Lord?”

“I am Indira, princess of Amfyre Empire, queen of Xenia and Empress of your empire, your Majesty. I will not tolerate any falsehood implied against my person.”

“Indira calm yourself. I did not think you capable of falsehood.”

Indira smiled in grim amusement.

“You did not? Then why did you come in this room in such a fashion, my lord? Did you know what my cousin asked me, What did you do?. Now if my cousin could ask me that, by now news has spread that I have committed such an offence that made you loose your temper. Rumours would be rife by now.”

Indira continued in a much solemn voice, “If  we do not discuss and resolve this openly, you will not like how my family will take it. And by then I will not interfere.”

The Emperor looked at her in calm understanding and took a deep breathe while running a hand through his midnight dark hair.

“What do you want from me, Indira?”

Indira walked up to her husband,  held his strong hands and looked in his eyes, “Be sincere and open with me, my lord, as I will you. Otherwise, we will have a divided kingdom on our hands and that is dangerous for all concerned”

The Emperor slowly nodded and squeezed her hands in agreement.

via Your Daily Word Prompt – Sincere -September 3, 2019

Chronicles of the Crown: The Proposal

“My Lord! I have something of importance to discuss with you”, Empress Indira said almost breathlessly, as she more or less flew into her husband’s rooms.

The emperor who was ready to explode at the reports his closest chiefs were relating to him, calmed considerably at his lovely queen’s voice.

The chiefs who had been fidgeting before, gave a collective but discreet sigh of relief.

 For one, the tense secret meeting was becoming almost unbearable. The emperor was upset — and rightly so. The news wasn’t good news. And they sure weren’t happy about the news, not to mention having the unenviable job of relating it to his Highness. The queen bursting in, was life saving indeed — even if that was out of character.

For two, no matter what the naysayers had to say, Queen Indira was the best thing to happen to the Emperor — and the empire — as far as they were concerned. 

She had a positive influence on the empire and a pleasant effect on the Emperor. Of course the naysayers wouldn’t like her. They had little excuse to overthrow the man. She had done a lot to endear the people to their king.

“You may be excused”, the emperor said to his chiefs, with a slight trace of amusement at his queen’s unusual entrance. 

He can imagine how their daughter will be like — when his queen will allow him to be that close to her for a daughter to be born — fierce and unpredictable, among other things.

He should be concerned because his Indira was usually calm and hardly ruffled. That she bursted into his rooms — of all places — gave him secret delight. That she almost shouted was quite interesting indeed. That she came to him with her concerns, made him feel capable and strong. After all she had been a queen managing her own kingdom before he married her.

The chiefs bowed slightly to him, and gave his queen a respectful bow on their way out, which she returned with an equally respectful nod. 

He looked at her closely. She was unveiled! Her hair was mostly covered, but she always covered her face anytime she was in public. Interesting. 

Not that he blamed her. Some of the men in the kingdom had been openly gawking at her, when she arrived as his new queen few moons back. When he had asked why she began veiling herself, she had told him she didn’t like how some of the men looked at her. Well, he didn’t either, but he would never have veiled her. He would have found a way, to handle the situation. She insisted she wanted to veil herself and he respected her wish.

She was wearing a lovely green dress, white linen veil trimmed with golden thread and yellow stones.

And he liked green.

“Have a sit, my Sweet. While you tell me who dared to trouble my queen”, he said as he guided her to a white and gold couch that could easily sit four people.

She smiled. He had always had a way of making her smile or laugh. As he sat at the other end of the couch in his white and gold apparel, he looked very angelic, which further relaxed her as she told him about her estranged cousin’s trouble.

“Please my Lord. Help me find him and extend a hand of friendship to him”, she concluded.

“There’s more, isn’t there?”

She was a bit surprised at his intuition.

“Well yes, it’s a suggestion and a favour I want to ask of you”

“I’m listening”

“Could you please have him wed your sister? I know it might be too much of me to ask. And I don’t want it to seem like I’m taking your generosity for granted, my lord. But my brother needs someone to care and look out for. A good reason to settle and make good use of his talents. He a very good man, a seasoned warrior, loyal, well educated, honest and honourable. You remind me of him, because you two have so much in common. I can vouch for him. He will treat your sister well. Not just because of who she is, but because he has the qualities of a great husband. Your sister will grow and blossom with his care. Your sister needs someone who is gentle, loving and strong. Someone strong enough to protect her, and what is hers, but will not bully her, or abuse the privileges. That someone — if I may be so bold, your Highness — is my brother.”

As she concluded she held her breathe praying he would agree. 

She had come to love her sister-in-law as if she were one of her own sisters. She was gentle, humble, bubbly and delicate. She couldn’t bear for her to be passed as a gift to one of the generals for meritorious service, when in actual fact most of them were too interested in the throne. 

Her gentle sister-in-law will be devastated should she be married to someone whose only interest was her brother’s throne. 

It was indeed urgent to divert his Highness to a more suitable person, who wasn’t covetous — before it was too late.

Her brother-cousin and sister-in-law will make a great pair. Yahweh, please please let my husband agree to this match. The vultures are circling, Father. Especially that aunt of his with her horrid scheming. She wants her son, LORD — her son! To succeed the throne! She’s planning for her son to marry the princess. Hmmph. I wouldn’t be doing this if her son wasn’t cruel and as over ambitious as his mother. Please God help! 

“Fine. Consider it done.”

Indira sucked in her breathe in shock.

 What!! Just like that?!

 Thank you Yahweh! Thank You!

“My Lord? Thank you, thank you! I am most grateful.”

She goshed as she grabbed his hand with both of hers, in gratitude.

“There’s something I will like you to do for me, my queen”

“What, my Lord?”

He held her eyes with his, as he kissed her hand.

“Please from now on, call me by my name, Indira”.

The Impromptu Swim

“Could you not talk so loudly?” Princess Baneeka whispered fiercely at her sister-in-law.

Queen Indira rolled her eyes and gave a delicate snort.

“Well, I thought you didn’t hear me when I asked you about your interesting appearance.”

“What interesting appearance, Indira?”, Baneeka stalled trying to find a way to shake off her not-usually nosy sister-in-law.

Indira sighed impatiently.

” You’re drenched, Banee. Since when did you start going for a swim and not prepare for the said swim?”

Indira gasped

“Did someone hurt you? I’m telling my brother right away. I told him to take better care of you…..”

“NO!…..errr…no”, Baneeka nearly screeched.

Indira narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

” Are you going to tell me how you got drenched or not?”

“I….err….went towards the river. Then I saw your brother….”

When Indira arched her brows, Baneera quickly corrected,

“….. my husband swimming. I, hmm, got distracted and I fell into the river….”

Baneera stopped when she saw Indira struggling not to grin.

“Indira.” She whined, “Must you laugh at me?”

“I’m sorry, Banee”,

Indira coughed to cover her silent laughter.

“Do continue.”

“There’s nothing to continue.” Baneera blushed prettily.

“Really? So how did you get out of the river then?”

“Your brother helped me out. Happy now?”

“Yes, yes. Very happy”

“At this rate, I’m positive my niece or nephew will soon make appearance”, Indira smirked

Baneera gasped and blushed furiously.

” Indira! Just don’t tell my brother.”

“Don’t tell me what?” Indira’s husband the Emperor asked as he caught his wife and sister unawares.

“Brother!”

“My lord!”

Indira and Baneera exclaimed at the same time.

“Well, little sister. What is my queen not to tell me?” His highness asked in mild amusement at the caught-in-act look on their lovely faces.

“Or should I not ask?”

“It’s women matters, my lord”, Indira finally found her voice.

“In other words, I should mind my business, I see”, the emperor teased.

” Well, that’s not what I meant….”

“Brother, why don’t you take Indira for a swim?”, Baneera interrupted with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Indira’s jaw dropped as she gasped. Why the sneaky imp! Indira thought, as she glared at Baneera, who winked at her in merriment.

” Well that’s not a bad idea.”

He gazed at Indira as he asked, “My Lady?”

Indira who couldn’t bear to disappoint him, knowing he was trying so hard to please her, replied,

“Of course my lord”

“In an hour?”

“In an hour”

He pinched his sister’s chin in brotherly fondness.

Then raised Indira’s hand for a kiss as he gazed into her eyes with tenderness.

“See you soon, beautiful”, He whispered as he gently returned her hand to her side and walked away.

Indira watched her husband walk away.

She turned back, before she could open her mouth, Baneera said,

” I need to change clothes and warm up “, She turned and walked away hurriedly.

Coward, Indira thought as she too went to her rooms to get ready for a swimming with her husband.

https://wp.me/p9YJOH-mr