I had not moved from my spot in the sultana's studio. My eyes were still fixed on the princess's empty seat when my privacy was destroyed by Ambassador Bhushan hammering on the studio door and frantically shouting, "राजकुमार धीरेन? तुम्ही तिथे आहात का? मला तुमच्याशी बोलावे लागेल ते तातडीचे आहे."
I wanted to ignore him. I was in no mood for his toothless apologies or platitudes. I had gotten enough of such things from his manservant, so the ambassador would have to wait.
However, he did not wait. The ambassador flung the door open without my leave to do so.
"Ambassador Bhushan," I growled without turning around. I refused to look at him. My emotions were too high. "You know I do not like to be disturbed during my luncheon."
The ambassador closed the door behind us. He did not apologize or even acknowledge the displeasure in my voice. He spoke with authority and an edge of panic as he announced, "मुजुलाईनचे एक मंत्रालय नुकतेच शहरात आले आहे!"
And with that, my luncheon was over.
*****
Now I was standing in another familiar spot, in front of the main mirror in my rooms. Vinit fussed over me while I inspected his work with a critical eye.
"You look very regal, Rājakumāra," Vinit tried to assure me.
I met his gaze in the mirror. How many times had he uttered this or some similar token statement? Every day since my first real night as a prince, I suppose. That meant we had been doing this for nearly three weeks.
Any other day before this, I would have accepted such trite praise from him as my due. However, this evening, Vinit's compliment felt like a poorly veiled insult.
"You flatter me," I replied simply.
"Of course," Vinit said, in ready agreement. Without a hint of remorse, he added, "You deserve to be flattered, Rājakumāra. You are regal and noble at all times and tonight it is especially apparent that you are of the purest Mujulaai blood. No one can doubt that."
I controlled my expression.
Vinit was just a servant. It was not personal. He was only doing his job.
My reply was civil enough. I said, "My exceptional appearance this evening is thanks to your excellent work, Vinit. Thank you for your continued service. Now please, inform Ambassador Bhushan that I am ready."
The manservant fidgeted nervously. There was something in his expression that I did not like and that was before he tried to speak.
Oh no. I refused to be countermanded again today.
"Vinit," I said coolly with something like a smile on my lips. "You linger here unnecessarily. Leave me. Now."
"Of course, Rājakumāra," Vinit said, remembering his place. I watched the servant bow his head and scurry off to go find his true master.
After he left my rooms, I sighed.
Should I replace the ambassador's manservant?
Though I had originally intended to keep him as a sign of favor to Ambassador Bhushan, it might be for the best if I abandoned that plan. My relationship with both of them was not what it ought to be. They had grown insolent while I was unconscious. I too was...not the same as before.
I could not forget my transgressions from earlier today. I had acted so horribly. I could have ruined everything. If Ambassador Jamal hadn't shown up, I might have been mired in a scandal right now. The very idea of it haunted me, but such musings were not appropriate for this auspicious occasion. I examined my reflection instead.
It truly was perfect. I looked like Prince Alagan Dhiren Rajaram at his best and my subdued countenance would serve me well until the moment I was officially recognized.
Then I would be happy. I would smile because after today there would be no going back. I would finally be returned to where I belonged and everything of importance that I had ever wanted would be mine at last.
I could not wait.
My gaze drifted over to my balcony. The sky was colored with the beginnings of a sunset.
It really was time.
*****
When I entered the throne room, I found myself in a dense crowd. It seemed that many had heard the news and wanted to be here to witness this. Ambassador Bhushan and his followers cleared a way for me and for once, I did not bother to acknowledge any of the onlookers before me. I stoically walked up to the Agrabah golden elephant thrones. Despite how full the room was, one key player was still missing.
Grand Vizier Gagan nodded at me from his place beside His Highness's throne and His Highness actually waved at me. "Good evening, Dhiren," the snake said with a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "It is good to see you. This is all quite exciting, isn't it?"
"Indeed, it is, Your Highness. Today will be quite momentous," I replied placidly as I took my place beside Jasmine's throne. I had more pressing issues than plotting a politically advantageous way to murder the princess's father, so I kept my hand off my knives and made do with the satisfaction of watching His Highness's face fall at my carefully chosen words. He was no doubt disappointed by my indifference to his manipulations and the fact that today would be the last time he'd be able to get away with such schemes.
Before His Highness could recover and goad me further, his daughter, the princess of Agrabah, Jasmine finally appeared. She glided out of a side passage with a trail of servants and guards in her wake.
Now there was a regal presence.
The princess was truly magnificent in a red and gold Grecian gown. She had probably broken off from her preparations for the Galafem dinner to be here and now her focus was on me as she approached her throne.
For the first time today, a smile came easily. "Princess," I said, coming forward.
Jasmine graced me with a small smile of her own before she replied, "Good evening, prince. I see you finally decided to join us."
I knew she was teasing, but I still felt bad. If she had missed me as much as I had missed her... "I am sorry for my extended absence," I said truthfully, "I did try to see you for lunch."
"Well..." Jasmine relented, "I don't actually blame you."
The princess held out her hand to me.
I took it in mine and bestowed a kiss on it as was our custom these days. Then I escorted her for the few remaining feet that lay between us and her throne. While I did all that, Jasmine continued, "The first two missed lunches are father's fault, but today, it's mine. I'm sorry that I couldn't wait for you earlier."
"It is of no consequence," I lied. It was true that I didn't need her apology, but her statement confused me. I had only missed two lunches: today and yesterday.
What was the third absence?
"It was of some consequence," Jasmine said, shooting her father a look.
"Come now, Jasmine," he said. "It was only two days."
Only two days?
"Only two days!" Jasmine hissed, echoing my thoughts. "It was closer to two and a half. Father..."
As she sat down on her throne, I made myself return to my place and assume a neutral expression.
Jasmine and her father continued to bicker, but my mind was too full to hear them.
Three lunches?
Two days!
It wasn't possible.
I couldn't have been asleep for nearly two whole days.
Surely, someone would have said something to me before this.
I must have spoken with over 50 people this afternoon. Not one of them had mentioned I had been gone for that long. And yet...
I had thought it was cruelly excessive that my meetings for the entire week had been rescheduled due to a missed afternoon and late morning. And Shalin's report had seemed almost impossibly long. I had also been stunned to hear that the princess's dinner with Vizier Alia and the Galafem delegation was today and not later this week.
Going back further, I awoke feeling like I'd been asleep for a lifetime and it had been a struggle to remember my last moments of wakefulness. Vinit had also seemed shocked to see me up. He had mentioned he could not wake me.
I had originally assumed he had been under Bhushan's orders, but what if he meant it literally?
What if he had tried to wake me and failed?
That would explain why Vinit had gotten Bhushan and the sultan involved and why they had pushed all my meetings back and concocted that cover story for me. It even explained why I had woken up in my bed instead of at the table where I had lunch. The small manservant must have gotten help to move me.
Gods, I hated how much sense this was making. I hated what questions remained. For if this was true, then why had no one told me? And more important than even that was the question of:
Why had I slept for so long in the first place?
Was it possible I had really been that exhausted?
Had I been poisoned?
Was it magic?
Or...
I was so preoccupied by my horror at these revelations that I missed the announcement for what might be the most important event of my life. I had to fight to maintain composure when it seemed as if the grand doors of the throne room opened suddenly of their own accord.
This was really happening.
I stood at attention and did my best to remove any trace of weakness from my being. Now was not the time to panic over unsolved mysteries. I needed to focus.
The Mujulaai Pandit Commission had arrived.