"What do you do in the palace all night?", asks Maa. I was feeding her a custard apple.

"I am teaching the Shehzada politics and training him to take up the throne".

"You stay all alone with the Shehzada for the whole night?" She looks at me shocked.

I just roll my eyes. "Maa, it sounds so wrong when you put it that way. I just teach him and he hasn't even seen my face". She relaxes.

"From where did you get these custard apples?"

"Allah has mysterious ways of rewarding people for their good deeds".

"And what are you going to do with the rest of the basket?"

"Give it to the Shehzada". She gave me a strange look.

"What less does a Shehzada have? Has his kitchen been looted that you are taking him fruit?"

"He isn't eating a single morsel except for the food I take him. His life is in danger. And I happen to know he likes custard apples. It will be a nice change from the naan* and daal* I usually take for him"

"From when have you started caring so much for a boy? The last time I checked, young men irritated you".

"They still do Maa. But Shehzada is not just a random young man. He is my student at present. And I am helping him just as I would have helped any other person in his place".

"So you say", Maa says closing her eyes.

I make sure to clean the backyard of all the poisoned food. I give the cat some milk and water and put her under a shelter in the backyard. After closing the gate and reading my duas* I carry the basket with me to the forest.

Crawling in the god forsaken tunnel was enough of a trail, pulling the basket along just added to the difficulty. Not to mention my sandals that might break anytime soon.

I try to tidy myself as much as I can in the cupboard. What will the Shehzada think of such muddy clothes? I can't do much so I just knock and walk in. I find him among papers and ink. We greet each other.

"Food first", I say preparing the table for him. I place the naan, daal, fruits and water I had carried all the way on the table.

"I am starting to realize the value of every single morsel and every single sip of water. I had to drink calculated amounts of water from the sheepskin bag you left me yesterday to make it last the whole day. My stomach rumbles with hunger and my mouth waters at the sight of the Shahi dishes. Yet I remain patient and eat only what you bring". He washes his hands and approaches the table.

"Saeed", he calls slowly turning to me. "Who are the custard apples for?"

"Since the table has been set for you and I have already had my dinner a sane person would presume they are for you Shehzada"

"Did you just get a random fruit or custard apples in particular?"

"Custard apples in particular"

"Why?", his voice barely a whisper like as if he was afraid of hearing the answer.

Why was he questioning so much and embarrassing me? Can't he just be thankful that he got his favourite fruit and eat it? It's making me look over thoughtful and over caring towards him which I am not by the way.

"Because Shehzada I happen to know for a fact that you love custard apples and pistachios. Not because I have done a research on you but because I saw lots of them on your table on my first visit. I would have got you pistachios as well had they not been so expensive. Let me clarify here that I did it only because I really appreciate the way you are working hard".

Did I say something sentimental? Then why is the Shehzada all glassy eyed and eating his food quietly like he was a very obedient person? I just give him his time while I re-read the tapestry on his wall which I love.

"Shall we start the lesson if you are done with admiring my tapestry?"

"It intrigues me Shehzada. I feel like it has secrets to tell me"

"I felt the same way Saeed. That is why I had it taken to my bedroom". He comes to stand beside me. For a few moments I just stand there looking at the tapestry while Shehzada stands looking at me.

"Let's start I say", coming back to the present.
For hours I teach him the ways to run a kingdom, administrative issues and how to solve them. In the end I give him scenarios of my own and ask him to suggest solutions for them. He sits through my hours of lecturing without a minute sign of being distracted or bored. He still didn't write down a single word but I have got used to his way of learning now. Sometimes in between I became extremely uncomfortable when he looked at me with intense concentration. It was unnerving. I was happy to end the class for the night.

"Just two more classes and we will be done with politics", I declare happily.

"I suggest you take it a little slowly Saeed. We still have 13 days to go".

"The sooner we finish preparing the better. We will have other things to take care of after that".

"Oh, then I don't mind finishing politics. I don't care what we discuss as long as you turn up every night".

"Whether I like it or not I will have to come, for even if I have nothing to say to you I still have to give you food".

He nods smiling. This is the first time he has smiled since I came. How often do you come across people whose smiles you could count?

"So did you dig the wells?"

He nods.

"Train with Ali?"

He nods.

"Ask Hazrathji* to teach you religion?

He nods.

"Have an anger tantrum?"

He nods.

"Great! You need to work on anger management ".

"I am working on it. Hazrathji told me the same", he says.

"What is it with you today, you are barely talking", I say.

"I am coming to realize a lot of things Saeed. I had been such a thoughtless person. I never understood the purpose of my life. I knew I was a Muslim, I just did a few routine Islamic things and ended at that. I have realized that's not enough. Living life like a Muslim is a lot more than just praying five times a day".

I feel like hugging him. Alhamdulillah. If he is coming to realize these things then he is perfectly on track. This is what I wanted! If he followed Islam exactly like it should be followed then success in this life and the hereafter was guaranteed.

"Shehzada, mind if I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead"

"You had money, time and freedom at your disposal. Yet you never indulged in alcohol, dancing and entertainment which is frequent in the palace. Why?"

"I did indulge in them Saeed. 4 years ago. It's not easy to stay away when it's so easily placed before you. I still remember the night I was drunk and came lumbering back from one of the entertainment halls after a dance. I happened to meet my mother outside the Harem. She gave me a tight slap and dragged me to her chambers. For a week she counselled me on sinning and how bad it was. She taught me a hadith*:

" Alcohol is the root cause of every other sin"

Though I understood what she wanted to tell me she knew I might slip again. So she used to take me with her to the Harem whenever there were gatherings of men and alcohol. It's all thanks to her that I have abstained for all these years. I just enjoy halal* poetry now"

Truly mothers shape their children. Awesome mothers make awesome kids.

"May Allah bless your Maa", I say.

"Saeed, you always ask about me but never reveal about yourself", he accuses.

"My father is no more. Even have a loving mother. She is very ill and bed ridden. I have no siblings. I live at the edge of the Shahi Jungle so I have no neighbors. I have a few family friends and Saira".

"Is she your best friend?", Shehzada asks.

"Yes"

"I never had a friend in my life until you came Saeed".

"You consider me as your friend?"

"Of course I do. Don't you take me as a friend?"

"Well....", I don't want to hurt him so I choose my words carefully. "It's better for us not to be friends. Once you are on the throne Shehzada I will never return. What sort of a friend will I make?"

"Who said you will never return? It's my life, I get to decide who stays in it and who leaves" Oh oh, I can sense trouble. His anger will be back any moment now.

"Since we still have a long time for that let's talk about it later".

He chooses not to reply. So I continue the conversation myself.

"Shehzada, a cat is very sick after eating your palace food. It's being tampered. You should pretend to be sick so that there are no doubts".

"If I pretend to be sick, how will I learn and practice?"

"Do both. Consult a Hakeem, rest and continue your training as well. It's better to confuse the opponent than give him a clear picture of our position"

"I'll find out who is doing this job for Mir Jafar. It's one of the servants I am sure", Shehzada says.

I nod.

"I still don't understand why you never had friends", I wonder out loud.

"I am a very picky and fussy person. My anger is always ready to erupt. I do what I want to and never compromise because of which no boy tolerated me for more than a week. Every boy in the palace slowly drifted away from me and I did nothing to save our friendship. I had got used to my own company".

What a lonely fellow. It certainly explains his current psychological condition.

"What about the girls? Don't you have female cousins?"

"I do. I never talked to them except to irritate them. In course of time I lost interest in that as well. People are scared of my anger and that prevents them from approaching me".

"So you spend time with no one?"

"Only my mother and younger brother"

"I see".

"What about you Saeed?"

I tell him all about Dayima, her family, Hakeem Hamid and Seher Khala. I tell about the time I and Saira spend together and he smiles. That smile...! If he smiled often I am sure people would never leave gazing at him.

"Even I would like to experience the joy of swimming in the river, climbing trees and eating mangoes on a swing", he says.

"Point taken and recorded Shehzada. Once you are done training I'll take you out myself", I say.

Happiness is evident on his face. I get up preparing to leave. I empty his palace food in my bag. Refill the sheepskin container and bid him goodbye. I have difficulty in walking due to my almost broken sandals but I manage.

6 November 2016

**************************************************************************************************

FOOTNOTE

*Naan- dry bread
*Daal- lentils
*Dua- supplication
*Hazrathji- respectful term for a religious head. Here it refers to Hazrath Fakhruddin Mulla
*Hadith- sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
*Halal- permissible

A/N

How is the story so far?

Any comments or suggestions, let me know.

For people who asked if Saeed portrayed me, I would like to say : I wish I was her but I am not!

Lots of love,
Dr Mystic