Sultan Jamal looked as his janissaries all took their seats except for general Sodeeq who wasn’t around. Other prominent people of his sultanate were also in their seats. Some of Roksna’s people were there too, all tied with ropes and some guards stood behind them watching to make sure none of them tried to rebel. He also saw Roksna’s friends among the serving maids and smiled, knowing that they hade to cheer their friends on in their little ways. A guard announced Lady Miriam’s presence and Jamal watched as she walked in, swaying her hips gently. And as usual, she was dressed extravagantly. The otherdies in the harem followed after her all in a single line, each bowing before him before moving to their positions. Jamal felt a bit angry when he saw that Roksna was absent despite his threat. Does it mean that she thought he wouldn’t go through with the threat?


    “Flog that man. And don’t stop unless Lady Roksna shows up,” Jamalmanded, pointing to Asleem.


    A guard made Asleem knelt down and began the beating. He was about to deliver the third stroke when a guard announced Roksna’s presence. Jamal raised his right hand to stop the beating as he watched the door for Roksna. When he saw her, his jaw dropped and he eximed. He heard everyone in the room do the same thing and knew he hadn’t seen wrong. She was putting on a ck dress and her hair was exposed and tied into a ponytail. He knew that she had worn it to act rebellious against him, but he felt aroused by her choice of clothing as it reminded him of the first time they had first met.


    Roksna walked into the hall, not minding the gasps and furious look on everyone’s faces. She bowed before the Sultan and made her way to where the other concubines were. If the Sultan was displeased with her clothing, then she could find an excuse to leave. It wouldn’t be her who didn’t show up, but the sultan who sent her away. Then her people would be safe, she thought looking at Asleem who was looking everywhere except her face. Roksna felt someone tap her and turned. She felt somethingnd on her cheek and realized that she had just gotten pped by Lady Miriam. No one felt surprised or spoke up, probably because the woman was the leader. Roksna lifted her hand to retaliate and watched as Lady Miriam arrogantly lifted her face, daring her to try it. Roksna dropped the hand and vowed in her mind to be the next harem leader so that she could pay Lady Miriam back in her coins.


    Jamal watched as Roksna seemed to be fighting an inner battle within herself, probably contemting if she should return the p Lady Miriam had given her or not. Jamal hoped that she wouldn’t, as it could be considered treason which could lead to either stripping off her title and punishment or worse, her death. He had to find a way to separate the two before Roksna did something she would regret. He cleared his throat loudly and spoke.


    “Let the ceremony begin.” Hemanded. Lady Miriam smiled before walking away from Roksna.


    One after the other, thedies entertained them all as they disyed their skills in dancing. Some of them moved elegantly, some of them gracefully, others only tried because it was mandatory of them. When it got to princess Azeezat’s turn, everyone in the room except Jamal and Roksna nearlyughed their heads off. Even Asleem and Aabdeen had chuckled loudly. It was very obvious that the princess knew next to nothing about dancing. All she kept doing was waving her hands in the air and turning around like a fish lost onnd. When she was done, Jamal exhaled loudly. If he had to watch that again, he would dly cancel the dancingpetition.


    Thankfully, Lady Miriam came out next, bowed to the Sultan, and began to sway her hips gently to the beat. Encouraging her hands to follow the rhythm of the beat, she turned and twisted them around in the air. Her feet turned of their own ords in alignment with the sounds of the drum. By the time she was done, everyone in the room was captivated by the beauty of her dance and the graceful way she had moved. Little wonder she had been the leader of the harem for years. No one had ever been able to beat her at eachpetition.


    Jamal watched as Roksna walked to the drummer, took the drum from him, and showed him the beat she wanted. It sounded like beats for war and Jamal wondered why she would choose such beats as they seemed more fitted for war than dancing. He watched as she walked to one of the guards and asked if she could borrow his sword. The man looked at him and he nodded slightly. He wondered again why she needed a sword as he watched her stride to the center of the room. But knowing Roksna as he did, he was sure that she was up to something that would leave every one of them speechless. Jamal’s curiosity rose and he adjusted his seating position.


    Roksna moved into position and brought up the sword in her hand. Using two fingers from her left hand, she tapped the hilt of the sword, before she turned the sword sideways. She grabbed the hilt with her two hands and brought the sword forward and backward while swaying her body gently. She took the sword and passed it from her belly to her back and back to her belly thrice using her hands as guides. Holding the sword in her right hand, she swayed it around while moving her legs backward. When she bnced, she jumped up andnded on a knee, making the sword look like it shed through the floor. She turned around, still on the floor, pointing the sword in every direction like she was fighting an enemy. As thest of the beats sounded, she got up and pointed the sword up like a winner of a war would.


    Jamal was startled by the sound of pping that filled the room and looked around. Everyone present in the room except Lady Miriam and her followers was pping and they all had smiles on their faces. He was surprised by the type of dance Roksna had just finished performing, but he had to admit that it was refreshing and even better than Lady Miriam’s dancing steps.


    As Roksna heard the people’s apuse for her, she rxed. She bowed slightly before them all, before walking away from the center. She returned the sword back to its rightful owner, then walked to where the other concubine stood and stopped in front of Lady Miriam. Roksna looked at the other woman with a look that said beat that before she stood beside princess Azeezat who smiled at her. Her eyes fell on Seyiddah and her other friends and she waved slightly at them. Seyiddah gave her a thumbs up and the others smiled at her.


    “I’ve never seen that type of dancing before.”


    “It’s so unique.”


    “No wonder she was dressed like that.”


    “And, she’s so beautiful too.”


    “She’s the winner if you ask me.”


    Jamal listened to all the people murmuring to themselves. After five minutes, Aabdeen whispered to him that it was time to choose a winner. Jamal looked at every one of the concubines and saw that Roksna and Lady Miriam were the only ones eagerly waiting for his verdicts. In fact, Lady Miriam looked down already like she had epted her defeat this time. Roksna’s eyes promised retribution at Lady Miriam if she became the new leader. And by right, she should be the winner judging by the performance she had given. But Jamal wouldn’t give her that satisfaction of gloating about her victory when he had practically forced her to participate.


    “Lady Miriam is the winner,” Jamal announced.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    He heard everyone’s surprised exmation. Some of them even looked at him subtly like he had lost his mind. When he looked at Roksna, there was no reaction to whatever she was feeling in her eyes. Jamal knew that was even worse than her showing what she felt. And if he had to guess, he would say that she was thinking about a thousand ways she could murder him and get away with it.


    “Thepetition hase to an end. All can be dismissed now,” Jamal told the people.


    “I can’t believe he did that.”


    “It’s because Lady Miriam is his favorite mistress.”


    “He was partial to her.”


    “That new concubine deserved to win.”


    “I wish I could buy that sworddy from our Sultan and have her dance for me all the time.”


    Jamal heard as the people gossiped among themselves as they walked away in pairs of two and three. Lady Miriam bowed in front of him and thanked him for his kindness. Jamal ignored her and looked among the crowd for Roksna but he couldn’t find her. Where had she disappeared to in such a short time? Was she already nning his funeral when he was still alive? He would have to be careful of her