Salim Sultan's POV

I was curious and impatient to meet the women who had the guts to slap my Vazir and call me Coward. Even though it was not required, I decided to accompany the Vazir while he "teaches" her a lesson. However, I was doubtful.

As soon as we reached the streets, Vazir pointed out her house. It was a small house attached to a vast land. I was told that her father was a landlord and earned through farming.

Soon we were surrounded by curious neighbours and seemingly relatives of the girl. I saw a middle-aged couple crying inconsolably.

"Please pardon my daughter. She is foolish to have insulted you." Begged the lady as she attempted to kiss my hand.

"Your daughter is meant to die a painful death" laughed Vazir. And I felt disgusted. Why did my father hire a man as cruel as him? Suddenly I got goosebumps. Were the other women in my harem treated in the same way?

"Please Your Highness, spare my daughter." Cried the man. He seemed to be her father. Before I could reply, I heard the wooden door open with a bang.

"Mother, father, no need to beg these barbarians! " she shouted.

And I looked at her. Though she did not possess a moon-like face or grace of a lady, she had eyes to kill for. There was a certain gleam in her eyes and her expressions were murderous.

She suddenly looked at me, scanning me as if trying to figure out my identity.

"Hey, you! Are you the Sultan?" She Shouted.

"This is how you talk to the Ruler of the nation?" Shouted the Vazir as he ran in her direction. Probably intending to slap her.

"Come close to me, I will break your bones!" She Shouted and the Vazir suddenly stopped. Shocked by such audacity.

"Soldiers capture that little devil!" He Shouted!

The soldiers captured her, despite the helpless protests of her parents and presented her to us.

"Oh! Who are you?" She looked at me with a hateful expression.

"Bow before him!" Shouted Vazir.

"Why? Is he Some kind of Sultan?" She asked.

"Why can't I be sultan?" I asked her. For some reason, she seemed to detest the idea of me being a sultan.

"Well, I know that the Sultan is a short fat man with a huge belly and his eye towards beautiful girls. You seem to belong to a nice family." She said. Unfortunately, despite my anger; she was right. She was describing my father. Unknown to the fact that I had now taken over the throne, unofficially.

I noticed that she had shut up after looking at her father. Perhaps he motioned her to be quiet. Telling her that I was, indeed a Sultan.

I couldn't help myself but smile. She was this innocent fearless lady with no sense of danger. Or perhaps was a wild rebel.

"I refuse to give you permission to take me away from my family." She folded her hands and looked away, breaking the eye contact.

I laughed to myself. Here I was. With an army of soldiers. The most powerful man of the Sultanate. And there she was. Without any support. Totally at my mercy. And yet she didn't wish to acknowledge the fact that she was in a dangerous situation.

"What if I don't allow you freedom!" I asked her. Trying to hide my smile.

"Oh, then please execute me. I do not
Wish to be a your sexual object." She spoke without any hesitation.

"What if I don't make you my sexual object? What if I just want your presence in my palace?" It was an interesting conversation. I was curious to enjoy more of her reactions.

"Well then what do you want me to do? Be the clown of your court? I am of your no use. There are girls in this kingdom who are more beautiful and intelligent than me. I am a simple village girl, living a life of freedom. I won't be your any use. " she said.

Perhaps she was right. I mean she was an ordinary-looking girl. If she didn't have such an amusing personality, I wouldn't have had even glanced at her. I had the most beautiful women in my harem. She was not even close to any of them. I wondered what my mother saw in her?

"But you insulted my Vazir and me," I told her.

"Well, imagine yourself in my place. if I try to take you against your will, won't you get angry and badmouth me?" She asked.

She sounded right. Besides her innocence evaporated my anger.

"Girl, don't you have any manners? You should call him "Your Majesty!"

"Your majesty!" she tried to look calm, "can you please not take me to your harem.? Trust me, there is nothing I can offer to you. However, if you are planning to kill me, I would prefer anything fast and painless. " she said as if she was mentally prepared to face her fate.

"The death does not scare you?" I asked her. Being a Sultan had always made my life subject to unknown dangers.

"Na. Humiliation scares me. Death is okay provided does not hurt my self respect." she crossed her hands and said matter of factly.

I didn't know whether to applaud her courage or laugh at her imagination. Whether to be angry with her or be amused by her antics. But I was impressed by her bravery and clarity of thought.

"What if I make you Sultana?" I asked her. I wanted to know more of her thoughts.

"Na I don't wish to be one." she smiled while the whole audience gasped with surprise.

"May I know why?"  I asked her.

"Because I do not wish to be part of a group of women dying for the Sultan's attention and then rot with their children, hoping to get political mileage. Besides, you people do not respect women. You just want some satisfaction," she said as a matter of fact.

"So you think that I force women of my harem to fulfil my desires?" now I was feeling angry. Everyone was listening to our dialogue.

"Yes. That's what I have heard,"  she said.

She was not wrong. All that happened during my father's reign. I wasn't cruel like him. I respect the opinions of my concubines. Never forced them to do anything against their wishes. Agreed that I never allowed them to go out of the palace,  but they were treated with respect.

I need to educate the general public that I was not a heartless brute like my father. And this was the perfect opportunity.

"How about this? I take you to my harem and you stay there for a few days. Just observe things. You can leave it after two fortnights" I offered her.

"And why should I believe in you? What you refuse to leave me later?" She asked.

"Well, I can take you by force. Do you have any other option but to believe in me" I smirked.

It hit her. But she tried to hide her terror behind a calm exterior.

"Fine. I will accompany you to your palace. Provided you give a promise to my father, in midst of these people. That you will leave me. After two fortnights." She Laid down the condition.

That was very smart of her. There were at least 50 people around us. All of them heard us. If I prove my point, the word about my kindness will spread and will provide me with leverage to gain the public's favour.

"Here!" I Said fishing out a parchment and a feather. I dipped the feather into the ink and wrote the terms in a very plain language. The wax stamp was placed and the paper was handed over to her father.

She hugged her parents and told them calmly.

"Take care of yourself and our lands. Take care of Zee."

She whistled and a guy emerged out of the bushes holding a gun. It seemed like he was her brother. Both of them shared red hair and identical dimples.

"I have controlled the situation. No need to shoot him." said calmly.

I was just shocked. Had she plotted my death with her brother?

The boy just grinned and stood next to his father. He read the parchment and seemed satisfied.

"Okay goodbye everyone." she waved at her neighbours.

"Take care of yourself and your baby!" she smiled at a pregnant woman who timidly smiled at her.

Everyone around me was shocked at her bravery. She was not scared of anyone. Just behaved normally. As if I didn't exist.

"Let's go,"  I told her as she mounted the horse all by herself.

While everyone rode behind me, I was leading the army. However, she carelessly threw her footwear and started riding ahead of me. My Vazir looked at her angrily. No one ever dares to ride ahead of me. Only my family members were allowed to ride beside me. But there she was. As cool as ice. In midst of the way, as the people made a way for us, she happily waved at people, called them by their names, wishing them a great day ahead.

She fascinated me. Most importantly, her popularity would help me to improve my image in the public.