Then there was sudden silence.
Like an eagle, the carpet flew into view and hovered above the platform. Azhar stood, dressed as a shehzada in a gold brocade coat and curled shoes. Jewels on his turban sparkled in the sunlight. He nocked an arrow and trained it on Pir Zal. ‘Let her speak,’ he called.
‘Sekandar Khan.’ Dagar Khan’s mouth fell ajar as if he were watching a ghost. ‘I ordered you to be killed twelve summers ago.’ He roused himself and ran across the platform to Azhar. ‘Kill her! Kill her now!’ he shouted at Zal.
Jahani stood her ground, facing Pir Zal, but she could not help glancing at Azhar. Their eyes connected and she saw the worry in his face as he made to shoot. The pir swiftly positioned himself behind Jahani so she was in line of Azhar’s fire. Dagar Khan jumped up trying to catch a corner of the carpet, but the carpet rose higher.
Jahani turned and heard the crowd gasp as the pir loomed behind her, raising the sword in both hands.
‘Shamsher,’ she whispered, ‘save the kingdom.’
The scene around her seemed to still as the pir stood, the sword midair, pointing at her head; then all of a sudden it swivelled in his hands and Shamsher plunged into his chest. Jahani could see the terror in his eyes as Shamsher took his life.
Dagar Khan stood, stunned, then shouted for his men to take Azhar. ‘Kill him! Kill him!’
The crowd roared as Jahani searched for archers, but none of his men moved. Meanwhile Azhar trained his arrow on Dagar Khan.
Taking a deep breath, Jahani took control of her nerves and turned to the people of Hahayul. ‘I am Jahanara Ashraf Shaheen Khan, Shehzadi of Hahayul, the rightful heir of this kingdom—’
From the corner of her vision, Jahani saw Dagar Khan nod to someone and a man appeared on the platform. He was tall and dressed completely in black with the tail of his turban covering the lower half of his face. He had a long straight sword.
Dagar Khan grabbed Jahani and tied her hands behind her back, careful to keep her as a shield from Azhar’s arrow. Jahani’s eyes filled. It couldn’t happen like this – it mustn’t.
Kaniza called, ‘You cannot do this! She is allowed to speak. It is her right!’
Jahani raised her head and saw Ali Shah draw out a dagger from his boot. He stared at Jahani as if waiting for her command to fight. She knew that he could easily tell his men to retaliate, but she shook her head. There were too many of her people, children and babies included, amongst the warriors; they would all be trampled.
The crowd erupted. ‘Bey ya! Let her speak!’
Dagar Khan gave a nod to the executioner. ‘Kill her! Kill them all!’ He glanced up at Azhar who still had his arrow trained.
Jahani turned her head a fraction and saw the executioner raise his sword; the blade glinted in the sun. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There was so much she had wanted to say.
Just then she heard a clatter, followed by a thump. Through her tears she saw the executioner fall to the ground beside his sword, an arrow protruding from his heart.
Dagar Khan shouted. ‘Nay!’ but stood away from Jahani when he saw Azhar train an arrow on him.
Jahani watched Azhar lower the carpet to the platform. Then Kaniza appeared beside her and untied her hands. Jahani wanted to cling to her grandmother, but Kaniza whispered, ‘You have a job to do, Amis.’ She pushed Jahani forward as Azhar landed and bowed to her.
‘Seize that man!’ Dagar Khan pointed to Azhar. At first none of his men reacted and Dagar Khan’s face contorted. ‘Seize them, you fools!’
A few red-turbaned men turned their mounts toward the platform.
‘Leave him!’ Jahani’s voice rang out. ‘Azhar Sekandar is the rightful heir of the Kingdom of Nagir and loyal to Hahayul.’ There was another uproar from the crowd.
Dagar Khan shouted to his commander, ‘Contain the crowd, you fool.’ The cavalry moved through the crowd.
Jahani shut her eyes. The time had come to put the hardest part of her plan into action. She calmed herself, blocking out the noise. She remembered Chandi’s words in the snow: Think of the kingdom. Think of your friends. Think of love. She made her mind open as far as possible and, with all her heart, thought: Rise up, horses of Hahayul. Rise up for your shehzadi. She could hear Chandi, Kaveh, Shaheen and another horse – Rakhsh? – echo her thought: Rise up, unseat your masters. Be free. She opened her eyes. Rise up. Rise up.
As one, Dagar Khan’s cavalry horses reared in the air, neighing and turning in circles. Dagar Khan screamed for his soldiers to control them, but they could do nothing as they were bucked off. Some men yelled as they fell into the snow, but others continued toward the platform on foot.
Suddenly there was a snarl. Jahani looked behind to see Yazan leap from the roof of the fort to the balcony, then down to the platform. He padded to the front, stood next to Jahani and snarled again. Jahani bent to hug him. You came.
Certainly, Shehzadi.
Two more leopards jumped onto the platform, joining Yazan – his mother and sister, Zadi and Bili! Together their snarling was formidable. Jahani stared at them through tears of joy.
The approaching soldiers backed away as Azhar walked over to stand beside Jahani.
Azhar yelled to the crowd, ‘With leopards the shehzadi came!’
Spittle flew from Dagar Khan’s mouth as he shrieked, ‘Get up here, you imbeciles!’
But by now the Makhfi and her uncle’s men were disarming Dagar Khan’s soldiers and Jahani could see more of Ali Shah’s men riding into the area, nocking their arrows to catch any soldiers trying to escape. Dagar Khan took a step toward Jahani and Azhar, but Yazan snarled and he stopped short.
The noise from the crowd was deafening. ‘Shehzadi! Shehzadi!’ Her people chanted as they kneeled and threw their arms in the air.
Jahani watched in amazement. She felt so faint that she staggered and Azhar swiftly put his hand under her elbow. ‘What did you do?’ he said in her ear.
She smiled at him. ‘I used my gift.’
He shook his head in amazement. ‘This is your kingdom, Shehzadi Jahani. It is time for you to fulfil your true destiny.’ He held up his hands to the crowd and gradually the clamour calmed.
‘Good people of Hahayul, please rise,’ Jahani said, barely controlling her voice. She nodded at Gulzar, Hafeezah and Anjuli and they walked over to stand beside her with Kaniza. ‘I am Jahanara Ashraf Shaheen Khan, Shehzadi of Hahayul, the heir of this kingdom. I am thankful that so many of you supported me, keeping alive the hope that the lost shehzadi would return. My father, Tham Ashraf, ruled this kingdom fairly. And now I, his rightful heir, will follow in his footsteps.’ She emphasised ‘rightful’, which caused more excited shouts from the crowd.
‘Ju na,’ she said when they had quietened. ‘It is my desire to join the kingdoms of Hahayul and Nagir as my father and Azhar Sekandar’s father willed it before they were maliciously massacred by this man, Dagar Khan.’ She pointed at him.
Just then there was a howl and Dagar Khan jumped up with a dagger. ‘I will kill you myself!’
Azhar drew his sword and moved in front of Jahani while Yazan growled and his companions crouched, ready to pounce. She could see the madness in Dagar Khan’s eyes fuelling his energy as he rushed toward them – he would kill them all!
‘Shamsher,’ Jahani cried. Instantly the sword leaped into her hand. Then she lifted her arm and opened her palm.
For Jahani, it felt as though the next seconds froze. She watched as Dagar Khan bore down on Azhar’s sword, but Shamsher was swifter. The sword sprang from her hand and sliced Dagar Khan mid-step. He plummeted to his knees on the platform and Yazan pounced, bringing his body to the ground with a sickening snap.
There was a sudden silence. Azhar raised his sword over Dagar Khan’s neck, but the man didn’t move.
Into the quiet a horn blew. Then the first herald called, ‘Behold the true Shehzadi Jahanara who will soon be crowned Ghenish of Hahayul.’
‘Laaooo, hear ye, hear ye!’ s
ang the second herald.
The crowd erupted as the people shouted their allegiance, but they soon quietened when they saw Kaniza stand beside Jahani and Azhar. She touched their heads in blessing, then turned to the crowd.
‘Good people of Hahayul,’ Kaniza addressed them. ‘Today you have seen the fulfilment of a prophecy. It is a tale we all know well: the story of a little red-headed girl who survived a massacre. For almost twelve summers she has lived in exile to escape the Demon King, Dagar Khan. Now, after discovering her true identity, she has travelled to this northern part of the empire to restore her father’s kingdom. We have all suffered at the hands of Dagar Khan, but Jahanara will rule as her father did, with my guidance and that of her wazir, Bilal Abdul.’ She indicated the well-dressed man who was now beside her.
Bilal bowed to Jahani.
Then Ali Shah spoke from the steps below the platform. ‘May I speak, Shehzadi?’ he asked Jahani.
She inclined her head and he faced the multitude. ‘Good people of Hahayul, I, Ali Shah, former commander of Tham Ashraf’s army, wish to also declare that, standing before you is the true ruler of Hahayul. I knew Shehzadi Jahani as a child and I can see this is truly she.’ He blinked, ‘I have longed for this day—’ He stopped suddenly, his voice constricting and, after a moment, Jahani filled the gap.
‘There will be a boon for you. All who come to the fort in the next two weeks will be given money to buy barley seed. We will have our Bophau in two weeks’ time at the beginning of spring. Today we have seen the awesome power of a people who have waited many long summers to see a prophecy fulfilled. We have accomplished an incredible feat and overturned an evil ruler without a war.’
The crowd exploded into cheers and Jahani’s eyes filled. Her people would no longer be destitute or without hope.
‘There is much to be done together to restore this kingdom to its former glory,’ she added. ‘After my long journey my wish is to fulfil my destiny of making the Kingdom of Hahayul the Valley of Happiness once more. There are people I wish to confer with later: my army commander, Ali Shah; my uncle, Kabeer Yazeed; his commander, Qadi Ghulam; the prince of the nomads, Rahul Tafeeq; Yasmeen, my nomad mother; and,’ she turned to catch Hafeezah’s and Anjuli’s eyes, ‘my family. But first I wish to greet you all.’ She paused and the heralds burst into a song joined in by the people:
‘Laaooo! The shehzadi has come!
Hear ye! Our freedom is won!
No more sorrow and no more shame.
The leopard princess has saved our name.
Hahayul! Valley of Happiness!’
She held out her arm to Azhar. ‘Now I must meet my people. By the way, whose army arrived at the last?’
He grinned. ‘Nagir’s. I have an army, too.’
They stood on the carpet and floated down to the crowd. It hovered a hand’s breadth from the ground so she could step off. The leopards leaped from the platform and stood beside Jahani. Then people and horses alike separated as Jahani and her leopards walked between them. Men and women reached out to kiss her hand, children touched her dress and babies patted the snow leopards. And when she leaned close to the horses, they nuzzled her face.
Chandi stood close by. Well done, Shehzadi. The thought was full of joy.
Jahani hugged Chandi’s neck. Ju na, Chandi, I couldn’t have done this without you. She turned to Yazan. Nor you.
When Jahani finally returned to Azhar at the carpet, Rahul was there embracing him like a brother. Rahul turned to see Jahani and laid an arm across his heart.
‘Thank you, Rahul, for doing all you could to help make me ghenish,’ she said.
Rahul bowed. ‘It was my pleasure, Shehzadi. I have also taken your advice.’
Jahani smiled as he walked over to Kamilah and took her hand.
Then Jahani and Azhar stepped onto the carpet and faced the people. As it rose she waved to them, enjoying the singing and dancing.
There was a shout, ‘Long live Shehzadi Jahanara!’, and before long the whole crowd was chanting the words.
Azhar leaned close to her ear. ‘They love you already, Shehzadi.’ He said shehzadi the way he had when she went to the nomads: soft, like a lover.
‘Ju na,’ she whispered to him.
35
Baltit Fort
Kingdom of Hahayul
First Moon of Spring
It was early when Azhar spoke from outside her window. ‘Jahani,’ he whispered.
She rose quietly from the charpai so as not to wake Anjuli. He stood outside on the balcony.
‘Azhar! What are you doing? What time is it?’
‘Nearly dawn. But I must take you to the sea. I don’t want to break a promise.’
She put on her mended travelling cloak as birds chirped in the blossoming cherry and apricot trees outside her window. Her new room – the one her mother had slept in – had carved window frames displaying the mountains surrounding Hahayul in all their glory. All she had to do was walk through an archway to Azhar and the carpet waiting on the balcony.
Jahani turned to Azhar as they rose into the sky; he was so close: bareheaded, armed with his bow and arrow and smelling of the fennel he liked to chew. She put her hand in his.
They flew over the Hahayul River and she lifted her head, enjoying the wind as Azhar was wont to do. Snow had melted from the lower reaches of the mountains and trees were bursting into fresh foliage. The crisp morning air smelled to Jahani like the colour green: new and rejuvenating.
‘I saw Yazan near the Haramosh Mountains,’ he said.
She smiled. ‘He refuses to live in the fort with us, even though we’ve rid it of the snakes, but he brings Zadi and Bili when he visits.’ Then she added, ‘Chandi’s happy in the pari meadows near the fort with Kaveh and the other horses. Anjuli is so excited to see the fields blooming already.’
They headed east toward Mount Rakaposhi.
‘Why aren’t we going south? Aren’t you taking me to the sea?’ Jahani grinned at him.
‘I want to show you something first.’
In moments they lost altitude and landed softly on lush green grass. They were in a garden surrounded by trees with white and pink blossoms and a view of the mountain.
‘What is this place?’ she asked in wonder.
‘This is the palace garden of the Shehzada of Nagir, Shehzadi.’ He gave her a bow as they walked under the trees. ‘And when you officially visit we can take chai on a table covered with lace while we decide on important matters to better our kingdoms.’
The rising sun sent sprays of pink across the sky above Mount Rakaposhi. Azhar took Jahani by the hand. ‘Run with me to the carpet. I have more to show you.’
In the air again, the carpet rippled so that its woven animals looked alive. It curled a corner toward Jahani and she stroked it as they flew west through the mountains, then south. She lay her head on Azhar’s shoulder until they saw the sun beginning to rise, glinting on the water.
‘But we saw the sun rise already,’ Jahani cried, leaning forward.
Azhar smiled. ‘The carpet makes time lengthen.’
‘How does it do that?’
‘I don’t know, but the further west we go the longer the day will be.’ He bent his head closer to hers. ‘We will have more time together.’
She wasn’t sure how to respond and said instead, ‘I will never get used to how fast the carpet flies.’
‘If the stories are true, my great-great grandfather took the carpet for rides of joy.’
‘So it is a family heirloom?’
‘Awa. The Rani of Sheba gave Rana Sulieman such a carpet. Flying can’t be such a sin if he also flew.’
The carpet glided over rocks and settled on the beach. ‘Take off your slippers,’ Azhar said before he stood.
‘Why?’ Jahani thought of her damaged toes.
‘So you can feel the sand.’ Azhar gently removed her shoes, then paused.
‘The blizzard—’ She stopped, mortified.
With gentleness
in his eyes, he said, ‘There is no shame in being wounded for your people.’
She stared at him. Yazan had said a similar thing. Her gaze shifted to Azhar’s chest where the arrow had struck. He had been wounded, too.
‘Come.’ He stood and held out his hand.
Jahani shrugged off her cloak and walked barefoot with Azhar along the shore, jumping out of the way as a wave tickled her foot. ‘The water is huge, even bigger than Lake Saiful Maluk,’ she said in awe.
‘When we first came to Jask I used to play here, wondering if I’d ever see you again. I pretended you were a ghenish and I was a mir and we would rule wisely together.’
‘Together?’
‘Would that be so difficult?’
She thought a moment. ‘Why did you say we needn’t marry?’ She swallowed, wanting to ask him how he felt. No well-brought-up girls did this, but she wasn’t just any girl. ‘Was it because you don’t want to marry me?’
‘Bey ya, a thousand times, no.’ Azhar stopped and drew her to face him. ‘I want us to marry, but only if you wish it also.’ He looked serious and she feared he didn’t care for her – only for their parents’ treaty.
‘Why?’ she whispered. It was as if her heart had stopped beating altogether.
He glanced at the sea and when he looked back at her she could see the waves in his eyes, bright and glistening. ‘Because I love you. I always have.’
She gazed into the depths of his soul as he took both her hands in his. How did she never see the love there before?
Just then his eyes flickered. ‘Do you not think I’m suitable?’
‘My father thought you were.’
‘You would marry me because of your father’s wish? For the kingdoms?’
‘Bey ya, no.’
His face clouded and he turned away.
She touched his arm and drew him toward her. ‘I will marry you not only for the kingdoms, but also because I want to. We can be crowned Mir and Ghenish of Hahayul and Nagir. It will be a huge tamasha and bring joy to the people.’
‘And to you and me.’
The Leopard Princess Page 22
