MISAE II

MISAE II

        As the feast night passed, Misae's heart wanted a cheerful sun in the Capital. She had been praying to the Gods for the safety of her family since the morning. The fatigue of the last night was glaringly visible on her dull face. She was dissapointed with the Gods that they didn't have mercy on her. After living under no sunlight, in the freezing cold, she had wished only for a fine amount of sunshine. But the nature had other plans with the day. The sky was full of clouds, which were stopping the sunlight to reach out to Misae and providing negativity to her distraught mind. She barely had sleep last night because of her missing daughter,  her absconded sister and the sugary guest. Her magnificent blue eyes needed more sleep but her discomfort had overpowered upon her sleep. Still she was walking gracefully with a stolid face as she had been told that the Princess had been found asleep in the royal stable. For her, when it was about her children, there would be no reasons not to reach the spot, leaving every important and unfinished work behind. She would stop every emotion and state of her mind from overpowering her will. That is why she was walking along with Ser Arthur, the Lord Commander of the royal Army, who was accompanying her to the stable. Her mind was entirely focused on her daughter. She didn't care about Ser Arthur or her appearance. Soon, she realized she should break the silence and said, "Thank you for coming with me Ser Arthur. I can't remember when I was in that filthy corner last time." She said it in a way that the man would understand the disgust she had for the stable. "You don't have to be thankful for me, Your Grace. I'm honored to be by your side.", said Arthur with pride. Misae looked at him, and smiled, "Yes. That's true." She didn't want the silence to come again. So she added, "Were you in the feast last night ? I couldn't find you there."

 - "We were looking for the Princess, your Grace. We couldn't attend the feast.", said Arthur with a disillusion.

     Misae taunted, "Oh yes! All the credit goes to you for finding her." Arthur replied without any hesitation, "We wouldn't have been able to find her if the guard wouldn't have informed us about her." Misae suddenly started feeling interested in this matter. She would always look for ways to tease Ser Arthur. "So, do you want the guard to be rewarded for this? ", asked she by pretending as if it was a serious interrogation. "He's the one who found her in true sense. If there's a reward, then it belongs to him.", answered Arthur confidently.

- "What is his name? "
- "Berke, I guess."

        "So you forget names too, Ser Arthur. Don't you ?", said Misae as it was another tricky question for Arthur. "I mostly remember the important people, your Grace. People who matter to me.", said he. "Berke, or whatever his name is, doesn't matter to me at all." Misae found this answer unfair. Yet she ignored and asked, "Don't you want this reward, Ser Arthur ?" She examined his face if he would show any shrink. "Everyone wants to be rewarded. But reward is for the person who earns it.", said Ser Arthur after a moment of thinking. Misae smiled as she understood that he was bragging about his mighty thoughts.

           The guard was waiting for the Queen at the gate of the stable. Misae saw him as she was about to reach. She could listen to the neighs of the horses. She could smell the stinky air around her, which was kind-of unbearable for a queen living in aromatic atmosphere. The guard greeted, "Welcome, my Queen."Misae asked not caring about the greeting, "Is she inside there?" and suddenly changed her expression into seriousness.
- "Yes, your Grace."
- "How long has she been in there?"
- "I think she has been here since the last evening. I saw her when I returned from the feast."
- "Well !"
           
        Misae was examining the awful atmosphere there. That is when she suddenly remembered that the guard was supposed to be rewarded. She looked at Ser Arthur and gave him a look, which seemed as a taunt again. She faced the guard and asked with a great confidence, "What should I call you?" "Berke", he replied with a hesitation. Misae smiled appreciatively and said, "Now that you have found my precious daughter, Ser Arthur thinks you're the righteous man for the reward. Hence you should get your reward, shouldn't he, Ser Arthur ?" "Yes, your Grace. He must.", said Arthur. "Very well. Now Ser Arthur is going to value you and your name.", she said and started walking into the stable. Ser Arthur was unable to speak anything. He just followed her quietly.

     Misae  knew well about the dirt around her. She didn't wish to watch any of the horses. She was walking straight and wondering how a princess could sleep in such a place. As she realized that Ser Arthur had joined her and was walking along with her. "Don't you think your men would make a mess against your idea of justice and honesty ?", she asked Ser Arthur. "I can convince them. Don't be worried about that, your Grace. Our men don't create chaos.", said Arthur. Misae's heart disagreed and so did her eyes. She said tauntingly, "Are you going to take the charge for this consent ? What will you say?" She tried to trace dilemma on the Commander's proud face. As Arthur failed to find a convincing answer of her question, she added, "Just to let you know, the things you said earlier with pride, aren't going to help you in this. People hardly perceive honesty. They fail to let honesty take over their rights." "I'll try my best", Arthur said after a moment of deep thinking. "But you can't succeed", Misae said looking at his troubled face. She continued, "Ser Arthur! I disagree with your idea. I have to be." Arthur's eyes were opened wide, as he realized his words couldn't work out. "But the guard !", he asked curiously. "Oh! He will get that undoubtedly. But your men spent the entire night searching my girl. They missed the feast, even though they needed it. Sometimes a prize is also meant for the one who lost his right.", said Misae in a calm voice. She was merciful. Hence she added. "Don't you worry yourself about all that. You too will receive a reward."

           Hennah was thirteen. She had dyed her natural brown hair into shining red and had vivid blue eyes. Misae was never fond of red, her own hair was brightly blonde. Though her siblings were red-haired, blessed by their mother. She used to look so different from her siblings in her childhood that she would always think she was a half-daughter of her Lord Father and her mother might not be her real mother. Misae was more like her father, while her siblings were more like their mother. Although she grew up looking similar to her younger sister, Musae, she had always thought she was never a true Rosewatcher. She once told her grandfather about her misconception. Lord Ian Rosewatcher, made her believe that she was indeed a true Rosewatcher and a trueborn of her father. Misae and her siblings would believe everything he used to tell them, as if he was a judge pronouncing a verdict. Anyhow she never liked Hennah's dyed hair and scolded her for dyeing it without her permission. She had asked Miss Meera to find out a way to regain Hennah's brown hair, but the Mistress never succeeded. She saw Hennah with that creature, deep in sleep, leaned on the apple sacks. The princess was lying in the dirt, her shoes were at a distance from her feet. Her radiant scarlet hair was well-spread across the apple sacks, which were brought from the North. Few fresh red apples were scattered on the floor edging her hair, matching with its color. Her lips were pink, soft and swollen. She was playing with the dog and fell asleep, gripping it with her soft hands last night. After all, she had met her dearest friend after so long. It was perhaps obvious that her affection would shower spontaneously at the furry white animal. 

          Misae confronted Hennah and Sharry with Arthur and strictly glanced at her darling daughter. She was ashamed that a princess was sleeping recklessly in front of the Lord Commander. She made a quick sound, narrating Hennah to wake up. The dog opened its eyes, sensing multiple humans' presence and found the Queen standing with the Lord Commander. It tried to free itself from Hennah's grip. Arthur suggested, "She's deeply asleep. May I wake her up ?" Misae admitted the fact and nodded. She saw Arthur kneeling down and touching the Princess. She didn't like it. Hennah woke up and  felt a man's touch on her skin. Sharry finally freed himself and looked viciously at the Commander. Hennah searched for the dog, "Sharry !" as if she was separated from it again. Sharry came nearer and rubbed his head on her hand. Hennah was unaware about her mother, looking at her grumpily. As she found her staring at her, she screamed in shock, "Mother!" She had never thought that her Queen Mother would be seen in the stable. Arthur distanced himself from Hennah and joined Misae. Misae knew she was angry and she would say something disgraceful in Arthur's present. She said, "Ser Arthur ! Take Sharry with you and feed him. He looks horribly feeble." Hennah came to her senses truely and raised her voice, "He wouldn't be looking feeble if you would have permitted to take him with us." Fire inside Misae got some fuel. She still pressed its flame inside her and gazed at Arthur to remind him what she said. Arthur appointed Sharry to follow him and vanished from the stable. Hennah saw Sharry following the Commander. Once the place became lonely, Misae started, "The Northern weather was unbearable to us. That place is a hell. And you wanted to accompany your dear friend to the hell ?" Hennah knew her mother was absolutely mad at her for not joining the feast, for not listening to Miss Meera and most of all, for sleeping there with Sharry. For Hennah, it was hard to recall when Misae was pleased with her last time. 

       She tried to fix her scattered hair with her hand and failed. Misae drew her attention, "Hennah !" Hennah opened her mouth,"I could bear everything for Sharry. I'm not as fragile as you." Misae interrupted, "You are a princess. A noble Lady is never impolite. And you ..." She was afraid if anyone would hear the princess getting scolded by the Queen. But no-one except the horses were there. She continued, "You are getting insolent. Remember who you are. I think you lack decency. Looks like Miss Meera doesn't teach you proper etiquette." She dragged the Mistress into their discussion. She knew Hennah never liked the embroidery lessons or the lessons that would make a girl "lady". "She is old and boring", said Hennah. "She is your teacher", Misae shouted at her. Hennah made a grumpy face and made fair eye contact with her mother. "You don't like this place, do you ? Then why would you urge to make a conversation here ?", Hennah spoke with an utter desire to argue with her mother. "Hennah ! Be careful. I am your mother.", Misae had the same desire, but she knew how to abstain. She carried on,"When I was your age, education never fancied me. I would hide somewhere and my father would send men to find me. I used to speak like you. I was absolutely indecent . And how foolish I was ! I never knew that one-day I would lose in this game of hide and seek. My father won without even being a part of this play." She was looking regretful, thinking about her past. Hennah was confused. "I don't understand", she expressed her dilemma. Misae smirked and said, "Yes. You don't. You're a child." Hennah disagreed, "I'm not a child." She was still playing with her hair. Misae looked at Hennah, head to toe. She reached for her hair and started fixing it. "Yes, you are not a child.", said she.

  

               Somewhere behind, a horse neighed as if it was the end of the mother-daughter scenario.