The Two Kingdoms (Completed)

19.

"Malika, Queen mother has requested your presence in her quarter." Hania said with a bow.

"Hmm." Meera hummed closing the book she was reading and setting it aside.
She got up from the bed and straightened her dupatta.
"Kanika would you like to come ?" Meera asked Kanika who was in the balcony feeding the peacock.
It had been four days since Kanika had given Meera a scare, there was a lot of improvement in her health, although the shine in her eyes and her bubbly personality wasn't alive anymore.

"No, I am good here, I'll wait for you." She said giving Meera a small encouraging smile.

"Okay I'll be back in some time, don't exert yourself and don't step out of the room till I'm back, anything you want, anything at all just call for it, Gul will take care of you." Meera instructed her best friend and left her chamber heading towards Ammi Be's.

The wedding was in three days but the pre wedding rituals would start from tomorrow.
All preparations were done, Noor was extremely elated, she was getting married to the love of her life and Meera was happy for her.
The Agra palace radiated happiness.

"Haye Malika e Alam, kaha khoyi hui hai aap ? Ammi Begum ka kamraa aa Gaya hai." Jamila said stopping Meera from walking further down the corridor.

"Dhanyvad Jamila, I was a little distracted."

"I figured that out." Jamila smirked.

Meera knocked on the door and pushed it open, Ammi Be's chamber was as big as hers, as she entered she saw Ammi Be sitting on the diwan with Noor and Zulekha a dozen jewellery boxes were kept open and huge chests of beautiful clothes.

"Oh thank god you are here." Noor said rushing towards her and pulled her along and pushed her down onto the futon next to her's.

"You summoned me Ammi Be ?"

"I did my child, you need to pick up your jewellery for the nikkah and Walima."

"But Ammi Be, I do have a lot of jewellery already, I can wear one of them." Meera said.

"Oh you poor unaware child, I bet it's going to take you this entire lifetime to learn about our culture and traditions." Zulekha said clicking her tongue, these jabs weren't anything new, they started since the first dinner they had together and still continued. Although it did not bother Meera much she wondered why was Zulekha so bitter towards her.

"Meera bete, these are our khandani jewellery, they have been passed down since generations, it is to be worn by the daughter-in-law on every special occasion, since you couldn't wear them at your own Nikah I thought it would be great if you did for Noor's."

"Now Meera pick one quickly, and pick one which will go along with this." Noor said waking to a huge chest and pulled out a golden yellow coloured Anarkali, it was beautiful.

"Now I know you don't like a lot of embroidery on your dress so it's simple but I've made it with love." Noor said with a smile.
This was too overwhelming for Meera, no one had ever done something so special for Meera. Meera got to her feet and hugged Noor, she was holding back the tears which were desperately trying to escape from her eyes.
Meera never imagined to find people who loved her in this foreign land, but Ammi Be and Noor had showered her with so much love and respect which if she was to say the truth she had never had received even at her fathers home.

"Thank you Noori." Meera said pulling away. "This is so beautiful."

"I know." Noor smirked. "Now pick up your jewellery my queen and then help me pick my outfit for tomorrow and day after."