Princess Anna

Spring is at the tips of my toes. Blowing at the hem of my dress. Slipping along the folded layers of my hijab. Riding along with the melting mountain snow into new rivers. Dressing the earth in a fresh layer of green. Singing with the birds as they return from the south. Laughing with the animals as they rise freshly from deep hibernation. All around us, spring is waking up the earth. It feels like morning after a long night.

I have taken more walks this one month than all of last year in the Red River. I have finally seen what makes this Kingdom a worthwhile and amiable home. After the frozen lands thaw there is a real world of nature exposed. Even the gardener Francis and his wife Isabelle have begun their work.

Isabelle is tending to specific plants. She promised me rose water and lip stains and varying rouge face colours. I eagerly hope to use make up to show off my skill to my husband. This was a hobby I developed with a few friends I gained back in my Kingdom.

Today, in my walk I have the King with me. Of course, King Adam has much to do, but even he has to give time to his wife. Also, I am happy to say that after the feasting and gourmet experimenting with my new family during my first months of winter I have considerably slimmed to enjoy my summer dresses. Fortunately, Adam didn't notice.

I glance at his beautiful grey eyes and our intertwined hands. He smiles.

"You look radiant," He says.

Maybe he did notice after all.

I feel my face glow under the warm sun and I pull Adam along to the river. Another one of my more peaceful and less-destructive hobbies in my kingdom would be to rest my feet in the Red River and day dream. Today I will share that with Adam. It's a meditation of sorts.

I pull off my shoes and he raises an eyebrow at me.

"Mhm, alright. Now, Your Majesty, you aren't thinking of swimming are you?" Adam is still, like a statue, as he examines me slide my feet down the small grassy hill towards the water.

"Of course not Your Majesty. Now take off your shoes and come on," I scream.

Adam throws off his shoes and runs to meet me at the tips of the bank.

"Can you swim?" He says and takes my hand firmly.

"Why do you ask that?" I say and sink my feet into glorious cool waters.

Adam laughs as the cold snips at our toes. I quickly pull the hem of my white spring dress away from the layers of water.

"Well, if needed I will save you. I just want you to assure you."

I wave my hijab back in mock stuffiness.

"I grew up in the Kingdom of the Red River, not the Kingdom of Deserted Sands. Maybe, it is I that shall save you."

"I apologize for insubordination, Your Majesty."

"Yes, well, I suppose I will have to let you live," I sigh and turn up my nose.

I spot a blue bird swing low and fly over the evergreens.

"I should hope so," Adam says and turns me towards him dramatically.

He holds my hands.

"A-and why would that be?"

"I suppose because I wouldn't want my child to be without me."

"Ch-child....? What are you talking about?" I put my hand on my face and then quickly pat my waist.

Maybe the walks need to be runs?

He snatches my hand back and stares me down.

"Well, I suppose what you mean is...eventually," I say waving my toes in the water.

"Yes, eventually, my dear, we need an heir. But more than that, children just liven up the world. Don't you think so?"

I smile guiltily and let my face fall.

I have ingrained a thought in my mind that I never have been fond of children. The idea of following them around and dealing with unending bargaining with toddlers to have them behave sounds quite troublesome. However, the only child I really knew was my cousin from my mother's side. My Aunt Faris would try her best to get Ruben to obey her, but he wouldn't sit still. Not for an hour and certainly not for a meal. He was restless.

Eating with Ruben in the dining hall was tiresome, well, for Aunt Faris mostly. Mother would try her best to get him into good behaviour through bribery. She would let him sit with her on the far side of the table and whisper secrets to him. Ruben loves secrets. Often Mother slipped apple tarts under the table to him.

No doubt though, Ruben was a handful.

At the same time, I did find it amusing the way he would pull me into the whole charade with just his sweet brown eyes. It was quite charming. Also, he never did tell anyone my secrets. He would solemnly lock his lips in promise and giggle if anyone demanded what silly stunt he had up his sleeve as his eyes sparkled with mischief.

I really miss Ruben. He was a sweetheart.

I sneeze.

"Alhamdullilah," I say in Arabic: All praise is for Allah Almighty.

This is the Islamic response to sneezing. Allah Almighty likes the act of sneezing and dislikes the act of yawning. shaytaan, the devil, likes the act of yawning as it shows laziness. It is best to suppress yawns, but not sneezing. Sneezing allows the vapours inside the body to be released and gives us relief. Also, our body shakes like an earthquake as we sneeze and we are still in one piece and thus, we praise God for this blessing.

"Yarhumukhillah," is Adam's response meaning May Allah have mercy on you.

"Shall we head back?" Adam nudges me.

"It must be half-past by now. We have many things to attend to finish these records," I say.

"Indeed, we are almost half way there my dear."

"Shouldn't we assign this task to someone in our kingdom?" I say.

"Oh no, my dear. I think you are the most lovely partner for this work. Also, you can learn more about our people," Adam says with a knowing smile.

"I suppose for now we can clean this financial mess and assign a citizen at some time in the future," I sigh.

I would like to know more about these people. They don't seem to shy away from reading or thinking or facing problems. I shouldn't shy away either!

A few weeks later Adam and I finish the financial work. I summarized it and we packed it away. Now we can hire someone new. With the missing inheritance properties rightfully bestowed Adam and I have been reading about Islam's beginnings.

After Adam and I finish lunch we head to the library. Michael strides towards Adam and hands him a cream envelop sealed in wax. Usually royalty only seal with emblems.

Adam snaps the seal and rests on the couch. He reads intently and a small smirk begins to form on his face. I plop beside him and glance over his shoulder. He tilts the page away and begins to laugh.

"I knew it!" He says, "that boy would find his girl yet!"

"Who are you talking about?" Madame Asmara says striding into the room with a cup of tea.

"He's been too disciplined, as if he had not a human sentiment in the line of duty, and now look what we have!" Adam tells us enthusiastically.

I grin, finally understanding. Madame stares at Adam with a smirk of her own. She rests on a chair and sips her tea.

"So, who is she?" Madame says nonchalantly.

"Yes, who is my new sister to be?" I say.

I stand and follow Adam as he strides across the room and reads the letter again.

"She's none other than our inheritress from Winsor!" Adam says and I laugh.

"Well, now he has a home and a wife." I say.

"The Palace is Usman's home too, we have the entire east Wing for his family." Adam states.

"I don't doubt your fairness with your family. Now tell me. When is the wedding I must prepare my gowns and make up and my slippers! Oh and gifts!"

"Oh, Anna," Adam stops pacing and slides his gaze towards me when his mother speaks. "You shouldn't wear enhancing paints and perfumes when other men will be present."

"Oh Madame, I know that I shouldn't hug men. I won't be immodest like that, but it's just make up." I say striding towards her.

"My sweet, you see, modesty goes beyond just actions, it also how we present ourselves. As a Muslim women we can wear whatever we like in our homes and decorate ourselves for our husbands, but we should never allow others to see us like this. It shows loose character. "

"Loose character?"

"Adam and you are married. You wear the hijab and long flowing clothes to conceal your figure when you go outside. These are your coverings for displaying modesty.This modesty allows the world to focus on the real you, not your body but your mind and character. So, when you put on makeup and smells you are attracting other men, that is what those are for. Creams for clear skin is one thing that I am fine with, but nothing further."

I glance at Adam and he has turned red, in either frustration or embarrassment. Frustration from the thought that I wanted to go out in front of men against modesty or embarrassment that I was being lectured by his mother.

"Madame, but I love my eye pencils, please may I use those at least?"

"Anna, please respect my mother's wishes. She would never tell you something that is bad for you." Adam says.

Madame smiles.

"Oh dear, surma, or the black lining around the eyes is Sunnah. That is, something that the Prophet would encourage. I will just have to order you bottles from Madina." Madame cheers.

She wraps me in a hug and I laugh. All my worries for nothing. Clear skin and eye pencil, that sounds beautiful enough to me. All my other makeup and beauty transformations will just be for Adam. Which, really, they would've have been for anyways.

"Oh dear Anna, that reminds me! I have yet to show you henna. Henna, or mehndi as I usually call it, is also Sunnah." Madame says and pulls me out of the room.

As I stumble to keep pace with Madame I laugh at myself and my dramatic reactions. Nonetheless I am eager to see this mehndi. My red dress and her blue gown flow effortlessly behind us as we tipper and tap across the marble floors.

"Muslim ladies have a whole other way to be decorated for weddings and even on a daily basis. Everything too attractive we avoid outside, but the simple beauty of surma and mehndi are permitted and encouraged. There is a hadith, or saying in Islam that is supported by evidence that goes like this: Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) has related that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that, 'Apply antimony (surma) regularly, as it clears the sight, makes the eye lashes grow and is the best of things beautifying the eyes.' So there you have it."

"It will make my eye lashes grow?" I touch the tips of my eye lashes and feel the curl, "That would be really good, they were thinning out in winter."

"Olive oil is also very good for moisturizing your body, even the hair, eyelashes and eyebrows." Madame says and pulls a bottle from her dressing table, "Come here my dear."

I spend the rest of the afternoon with Madame Asmara being pampered with oil smoothed into my hair with an accompanying head massage. I began learning how to draw simple flowers on my palm with the soft pasty green mehndi. Madame even told me how her mother was an artist. She would spend time with women from across the Northern Kingdom in the simple act of teaching them about mehndi and how to use it. I can hardly imagine my mother, the Queen of the Red River, spending time with commoners for any amount of time. But Madame married into royalty, so her mother was closer to citizens than others.

But in Islam there would be no difference between me and my
Sister. We are both responsible for our actions and deeds and words on the Day of Judgement.

But perhaps my mother has changed now. I miss mother.

Before leaving Madame, she insisted I wash the green leaf paste of mehndi off. I scrubbed at the dried green design and saw a soft maroon design underneath. It looks beautiful! My hands feel smooth and the upside of drawing my own flowers is that they will fade in at most a few days!

I hardly expected to get a beautifying makeover by Madame Asmara. But I feel refreshed and more at home than ever.

Alhamdullilah.