Lovely Concubine

by Misha Anderson

  -Excited about the wedding, my dear?

  - Yes, a lot.

  He put coffee in my cup and I thanked him.

  -You make a beautiful couple, if there is anything more beautiful than love, I don’t know it, don’t you think Thurayya?

  - I do. Aren’t you late for the horse race?

  Horses race? Who is the madman who will participate in a horse race, precisely today?

  -Horse racing, who will run sheikh Karim?

  - Nahan challenged Jafar and I will be the referee.

  What kind of man makes up an idiot horse race, right on his wedding day? There are hours that I think Nahan looks like a child, and if he falls down and gets hurt, I'm going to have to cuddle him on our honeymoon, on crutches?

  I decide not to participate to this foolishness, I go to my room, I have more important things to do. Nahan leaves cheerfully down the hallway and I walk past him, he is wearing his riding pants and white T-shirt, talking to Hafiq. Jafar enters the room all excited, too, saying the horses are ready. Nahan hugs Jafar by the shoulders and plays with him, messing up his hair.

  -Jafar, are you prepared to eat dust?

  Jafar responds, returning the provocation.

  - Me? Eat dust, old man? I find it a bit difficult.

  Nahan pretends to squeeze Jafar's neck, already leaving the palace.

  -So, you're old too, Jafar, as far as I can remember, we're the same age, are you already with amnesia, you idiot?

  I hear their laughter implying one another, as if they were not grown men, ah! In the background, these two are just big kids.

  Want to know something? I'm going to see this horse race. I reach the front porch and there I meet Brenda, Antonia, and Nahan's fan club: Fatimah, Nair and Jasmine, all the women cheering and bristling with the blessed horse race.

  Brenda as soon as she sees me, plays with me, teasing me.

  -I hope Youssef doesn’t listen to me, because I love my husband, but my favourite is Jafar, even though Nahan is so fucking beautiful, we have to admit, don’t we? Jafar ... My goodness! Ah! God was very unfair when he made that man, he's hot Bianca, very hot.

  Sapphira approaches and Antonia cleared her throat, beckoning Brenda to shut her mouth. But Brenda is not at all worried about plugging the filter that connects her brain to her big fucking mouth, she talks to Sapphira, waving her hands to get her closer.

  - Come here, stay here with us. I was talking to Bianca, who with all due respect, I support Jafar, don’t be jealous, my dear, because I'm crazy about my Youssef, but you're a tremendous one of a lucky girl, Jafar is so handsome, it irritates.

  Sapphira shrugged her shoulders and let out a laugh that caught all of us.

  - With all due respect, Queen Antonia, if sheikh Hafiq was in the dispute, I would cheer for him, he is a charm.

  Antonia nodded, pointing at him.

  -And he is Sapphira, but he’s got such a bad genius that it comes out from underneath.

  I notice in the distance Nahan and Jafar already mounted on their horses and ready to begin. Sheikh Karim is further away, positioned on arrival, near the stable, blows a loud horn and one of the officials gives the start.

  They run like the wind, leaving a trail of dust along the way. The intense sun punishes them both and for a fraction of a second, Jafar defeats Nahan.

  Jasmine, as always, so helpful with other women’s men, has returned from the kitchen with icy pomegranate teas for Nahan and Jafar. But they apparently went to put away the horses, because until now they have not yet returned from the stable.

  SHEIKH KARIM

  Nahan and Jafar walk towards me, playing with each other.

  -Are you sure, sheikh Karim, that Jafar won, I think you may not have timed this rightly.

  I play with Nahan saying:

  -You lost Nahan, but if I were you, I'd demand a rematch from Jafar.

  Jafar agrees and tells him that as soon as Nahan returns from the honeymoon, he may have his rematch.

  The scorching sun is even stronger, Nahan and Jafar lead the horses to the stable, and Jafar brings an iron bucket full of water.

  He takes off his shirt and dumps water on his face and torso, refreshing himself.

  Nahan does the same and takes the mug from Jafar's hands, he and Jafar cool themselves like two boys.

  They turned their backs to me and my eyes followed their bare skin.

  To my mind for a long time, I look at the body of these boys in front of me and my blood freezes in the veins.

  Nahan has a birthmark just below the ribs and Jafar has the same spot at the back.

  I look at one and another, the same physical features, the same dark and deep eyes.

  The emotions take me like a whirlwind that drags everything around it and I see myself again young, receiving with eyes full of tears, the news of King Abdullah that Thurayya was pregnant with him, and that even she being his wife's sister, he would keep her at his side as his concubine.

  Why did he lie to me like that, why did this man who claimed to be my friend be so mean and distanced me, out of sheer evil, from my boys?

  Without me being able to control myself, a dizziness takes over, blurring the view.

  Nahan runs to me and protects my arched body, asking me what I'm feeling, if I'm already better.

  I affirm that yes and he concludes that my sickness was caused by the heat.

  He and Jafar hold me in the palace, Thurayya watches me climb the stairs beside them and her face turns tense.

  I stare at her and growl in a cold and angry hiss:

  -I want to talk to you now, Thurayya.

  She fumes at the words, looking at Nahan and Jafar at my side.

  - Karim, I have many details to sort out about ...

  -Now Thurayya, Nahan, could you give me the office to talk to Thurayya, just for a moment?

  Nahan agrees, stating:

  - Sure, make yourself comfortable.

  I follow the hallway and Thurayya leads me to Nahan's office.

  I go in and I lock the door. Thurayya's eyes widen in alarm as I take off my shirt and place it on the couch, pointing to the family spot I have just below my chest.

  I want to yell at her, I'm furious, but my voice comes out like a low, trembling wheeze.

  - Look at this spot Thurayya and now tell me looking right at me, what is the reason for Nahan and Jafar to have the same birthmark I have?

  Thurayya's eyes fill with tears and she speaks softly, throwing her body in the chair in front of me:

  -Karim, please, I beg you, today is not the day we will have this discussion, it's Nahan's wedding today.

  I leave behind the table and pick it up, holding it by the arm.

  -Are you going to deny the truth to me, again, Thurayya?

  She denies, murmuring in defeated air:

  -No, I will not deny it Karim.

  -Today may not be the right day to talk about it, but tomorrow I want you to tell me why you spent all these years without telling me the truth. Listen to what I'm telling you, Thurayya, because my word is worth a writing: as soon as Nahan returns from honeymoon, I'll talk to him and Jafar, about all this, get mel? Not one more day. Meanwhile, I'm going to stay in Manama and stay at a hotel as soon as they travel. I'm not leaving Bahrain without talking to my children, Thurayya.

  -Then for our children, what I ask of you, why go back in time? Leave everything as is Karim.

  I raise my finger, pointing at Thurayya.

  -No way, Thurayya, they have the right to know that I am their father and I have the right to be able to live with my children.

  Thura tries to convince me otherwise, but I vehemently deny it.

  -I just want to understand why you never told me the truth, you always let me believe that Nahan and Jafar were Abdullah's children."

  -Because that was the condition that Abdullah and my sister imposed on me, so that I could continue to have a roof where I could live and raise my children. Abdullah and Yasira were already married and my sist
er could not get pregnant. When I returned from our meeting in Qatar and discovered that I was pregnant, Abdullah was furious because his chances of convincing me to be his mistress fell to the ground, so he talked to Yasira and managed to convince her to take one of mine boys as her son, for our kingdom needed an heir. They took Nahan from me and adopted him, making him the heir to the throne. I was left with Jafar and so that my image before our society would not be tarnished, Abdullah paid a good dowry to Faruk to marry me. Faruk raised Jafar as his son, but he was never my husband in fact, we were just friends.

  I clench my fist to hold the anger, Abdullah unhappy, took my children from me, he poisoned me against Thurayya, lying by saying they were lovers, the course of my life would be totally different.

  I would not have married Farah and lived all those unhappy years.

  If it were not for the perversity of Abdullah, I would be living today with the woman I love, alongside her and my children.

  BIANCA

  Thurayya opens a jewel box and carefully removes a pair of diamond earrings and rubies, helping me to place them. Wow! It was fantastic, she helps me wear my sari, wrapping my body through this delicate and exquisite fabric, in a lively cherry hue, richly embroidered with gold and studded with crystals. The tip of the fabric rests on my shoulders, reaching down to my feet.

  Thura explained to me that it is a part of the Bahraini religious tradition that the marriage ceremonies last three days, but that given the delicate moment in which we are living and the fact that I am not a Muslim, she thought it was more appropriate to make some adjustments to the religious ceremony, so my marriage to Nahan will be celebrated in a single event.

  My eyes are heavily inked with Kohl, a type of eyeliner, the rest of the makeup is smooth. The final result was perfect, gave me an air of mystery and candour at the same time.

  At last Thura took a thin red veil of brocade with gold threads, and asked me to hold it in my hands.

  -Wait a minute, I'm not going to put your veil on.

  I remain amazed, touched, looking at me as if everything I see in front of my eyes is just a dream.

  Thurayya enters the bathroom and I look through the mirror, my mother is staring at me with watery eyes. I turn to her and the two of us stand for long minutes staring at each other, absorbing the joy of this moment, all our quarrels, disagreements, it does not matter, she is my mother and I love her above anything, our Love of mother and daughter is far beyond these small contingencies. I don’t understand, how did she get here?

  I say excited:

  - How?

  -Brenda interceded, her husband asked her to talk to us, they persuaded us to forget those silly quarrels and come to your wedding. He handled all the details this week and we arrived an hour ago, I came to give you my blessing, my daughter.

  What to say facing such emotion? I could just wipe away my tears and hug her enjoying that moment and then put up with Thura fighting with me, she applied more compact powder to my face, mumbling that I'd spoiled the makeup she'd done.

  -Now enough with the tears, Malika Bianca, otherwise I'll never be able to finish cleaning you up straight.

  I laughed at her, remembering that she always called me that way, malika, today I suspect it's not a curse, I ask her curiously,

  -Thura, since you've known me, you've always called me malika, what does malika mean?

  She smiled, squeezing my cheeks as if I were a child.

  "Queen," Malika means queen in our language, since I first saw you, lying in this room, I knew you would be the queen of my Nahan.

  Mom put on my veil and Thura finished packing it as it should, before we went to the mosque, she instructed me how to behave.

  - The religious ceremony will be in our central mosque, after you have received the blessing of the celebration officiant, Sheikh Raj Abdarnejad, you will go out in a royal procession through the main streets of Manama, leave the window of the car half-open, smile and greet the people who Will be waiting for you in the streets, especially our children. Just be as you always were, this sweet and gentle girl. This are now your people, I know you will be a kind and considerate queen to your subjects, you are very special, Malika Bianca.

  I hugged Thurayya, thanking her for the affection with which she always treated me. Half an hour later, the car was leading us to the central mosque of Manama. Nahan's car stopped in front of the crowded mosque and a cordon of insulation was made for him to pass. After a few minutes, our car stopped in front of the mosque, Thurayya and mom went downstairs, helping me down and straightening our clothes, and at last we walked to the entrance of the mosque. I smiled and waved to some people throwing coins and flowers as we proceded.

  Before we entered, Thura directed my parents and the other Western guests to remove their shoes and the women to cover their heads and shoulders with veils.

  I walked slowly through the human corridor made by the guests. And I stopped in the prominent area of ​​the mosque next to a small pulpit. Few chairs were placed in the back of the mosque, for elderly guests or with physical limitations. Enormous columns emerged around us, and the floor was lined with a carpet filled with geometric designs, where the guests would sit or kneel to hear our vows.

  Nahan came toward me and approached with the air moved, unbelievably even more beautiful than yesterday. Wearing a tobe, a kind of white silk tunic studded with crystals, and a discreet black turban. A rather old gentleman in noble Arab dresses approached and Nahan introduced me to him.

  -This is sheikh Raj Abdarnejad, the imam who will formalize the ceremony of our marriage.

  I greeted him with a nod and he too, smiling subtly afterwards.

  - Beautiful, your bride, my king.

  -I know, I'm a lucky man, Raj.

  Before reading a passage from the Muslim holy book in the presence of two witnesses, Sheikh Raj asked me if I was satisfied with the agreement of my dowry and whether I agreed to marry Nahan. Nahan whispered so that only I would hear:

  -Your father and I have solved dowry issues, respond to the sheikh Raj dear.

  I said I agreed and sheikh Raj asked the same question to Nahan, who nodded. At last he read a fragment of a sacred text and made a quick speech about the importance of marriage, as well as our duties as husband and wife. After Nahan and I uttered our oath and he kissed my forehead and hands, we signed a book marking the wedding and left the mosque with the greetings of the guests.

  We got into one of the cars, he took my hand and kissed my lips with modesty, saying,

  -Happy to have become my queen, Mrs. Bianca Tarif?

  I brushed my lips against his, agreeing.

  - Very, sir, my husband.

  -Oh, don’t talk to soon as I get excited, I want to hear you call me sir, my husband tonight, while you take me in your arms.

  I smiled, amused at Nahan's daring.

  -You look so good, King Nahan.

  -It's because of a beautiful blonde who drives me crazy.

  The car led us slowly to the palace and as Thura had told me, I waved affectionately to the people who greeted me on the streets, the amount of children was enormous, many parents placed their children on their shoulders to wave to our cortege. At the door of the palace, a small group of subjects waited for us with some children too, I opened the window of the car and received flowers from a beautiful little girl who shouted cheerfully:

  Malikat alshshams alshshaer.

  I asked Nahan what she said and Nahan waved to the girl, smiling, explaining to me later:

  -Looks like the kids liked you, she called you a" beautiful queen like sunshine.

  Ah! So beautiful these children, in thinking that in a few months I will be with my son in my arms, it makes me excited.

  Some heads of state attended our dinner, as soon as we entered the ballroom, I embraced my father and mother, as well as Brenda, Youssef, Hafiq and Antonia, who wiped their eyes very discreetly.

  - Congratulations my friend, I wish you all the happiness of the world, Nahan
is a special man, he will make you happy, but what I advise you is to have patience, our kings are torrents, short wicks, but they love us Truthfully, and in the end, it's all that matters: love and being loved.

  Nahan greeted Hafiq and sheikh Karim, touched, shook his hand, giving him a long and strong hug.

  -Treat Bianca as if it were the rarest of jewels, she is a precious, Nahan, I am glad you have found happiness after so much suffering.

  Jafar approached Nahan and the two hugged each other excitedly, Nahan pointed at Sapphira, taunting Jafar.

  -From what I see, you'll be getting married soon, am I right?

  Jafar nodded, whispering so that Sapphira would not hear him:

  -I won’t go past this week, I go to her house to bring her bags here, for better or for worse.

  Nahan encouraged Jafar, speaking:

  -That's the way to talk, Jafar, if you want, I'll talk to Raj sheikh and ask him to celebrate this wedding later this week.

  -Well, I thank you if you do, Sapphira will not go back to that house, she'll just leave here for our honeymoon.

  Mohamed approached Nahan, greeted me for the marriage, and asked him to speak privately.

  Nahan apologized and followed him down the hallway, leaving me talking to Sayd and Rosa, who told me about the recent discovery of her pregnancy.

  -My Sayd and I were blessed after all these years, I'm three months pregnant, Bianca.

  -What good news, Rosa, may this child bring many joys to you.

  Mohamed asked to speak to me quickly in the office and I was dissatisfied, because today I am not willing to listen to his poisonous comments.

  -Nahan, I'm glad you're happy for marrying your foreigner, but I want to let you know that your attitude of welcoming the Hassans has left some of our allies very dissatisfied. How could you host the man who is suspected of attacking your family? This act was received as a completely incoherent attitude, just in that delicate moment our government is going through, I honestly do not know what to think. Why do not you take the chance that they're on low guard and get revenge for that scum? I can take care of the men who can do this service, your name does not have to appear in this whole story, no one would suspect you if I were to get rid of these worms.