The seafarers

The Nilambori royal palace had its own harbor, big enough even for seafaring ships. The hubbub of the port didn't reach this far, and it seemed like a world apart. It was a world apart. There wasn't any crowd of half-naked, sweaty dockworkers; neither was their incomprehensible ruckus nor their endless scuttering. The dock wasn't a dirty wooden platform with a jumble of boxes, baskets, and sacks either. Instead, the ship docked at a wide stone platform that was mopped spotlessly clean. The dockworkers, clad in simple shirts, were swift and methodical without being frantic or noisy. As soon as the ship was tied, the gangway was set. The ebony-wood gangway was heavy; it took ten workers to carry it, and it had delicate carving along its length. 'The First Prince, at your service', the young man at the end of the gangway welcomed the guests. He was in his prime; the broad shoulders and the muscular hands spoke of immense strength, and the scars on the hands and face told that his strength has already been put to tests, while the cold, blazing eyes said he isn't one to shy away from any in the future. In a land where every house has a sailor, he was the youngest to go on a voyage, and on that voyage, he earned his first scar. He looked strangely out of place in this surrounding; he looked like a man meant to be on a stallion charging across the plain or at the helm of a ship crashing against the waves.

'The Second Prince seeks your audience, the young maid politely informed Labonno. Though not exactly stiff, the palace of Nilambori had a number of rules and customs, and the most revered one was that all males required either an invitation or permission to enter the Ondormohol (inner palace) where the ladies resided. Though rather puzzled, Labonno had the wit to give a courteous nod as suitable for palace etiquette. Soon, the maid returned with the prince. He gave a little bow, followed by the customary 'I'm humbled'. Though bursting with laughter, Labonno returned the bow and managed to say, 'I'm honoured' with a straight face. He then gave Suborna a low bow and asked, 'May I take the Princess for a tour of the palace?' without looking up. 'You may'. Though Suborna sounded dignified, she too was pretty flustered by all the etiquette. It's been a day since they arrived, and though the general atmosphere of the Ondormohol was warm and welcoming, she and Labonno hadn't yet come to terms with this new culture. It was more intriguing than awkward. Only the maids kept their faces exposed; the royalty kept their faces veiled to the nose-tips most of the time and would only expose their faces to intimate company. This would create a wonderful aura of mystery as Labonno and Suborna would keep guessing about their hosts' appearances and expressions.

'Why would you need permission in your own palace?' Labonno blurted out the moment they were out of earshot from the Ondormohol. 'Ladies need their privacy', the prince explained in his familiar calm, matter-of-fact tone. 'Isn't it similar in your palace too?' It was more of a comment than a query. Now that he had mentioned it, Labonno realized that although their palace isn't organized into separate quarters for males and females, only his father visits the part where she and Suborna live. 'Well, I and Rani-ma roam around the palace so much that no one actually needs to visit us', Labonno gleefully informed, and the prince smiled too. 'Where are we going?' she asked after they started to climb a wide staircase. The prince just gave a you-will-see smile, Labonno grimaced but continued without debate. After climbing a flight, they appeared on the palace roof. The vast roof was largely deserted aside from a bunch of servants and guards, and it gave a good vantage point for the surrounding area. In the west, beyond the palace, beyond the fields and villages, beyond the city and the port, gleamed the sea. Numerous ships and boats dotted the seascape, barely discernible from this distance. From this afar, no noise or movement was noticeable, and it looked like a huge and magnificent painting hanging from the sky.

'Those are fishing boats, returning from the sea', the prince pointed to some tiny dots near the shore, 'and those merchant ships are heading for the western lands', he pointed to some bigger dots further into the sea, 'and that battleship is on patrol', he pointed to a barely visible smudge in the south. Labonno kept watching in a trance. 'Raise the sail! Her sudden, sharp shriek startled even the calm prince. She giggled a little, looking at his bewildered face. 'Don't just stand there; row hard!' she yelled at the nearby guards. The guards stood still in shock. 'How dare you set foot on my ship?' She took out her blade and charged at the servants further away. The servants screamed and ran down the stairs. The morning air kept ringing with her shrieks, yelling, and laughter as she ran riot on the roof. After a while, and now panting heavily, he came to the prince and punched him softly. 'You would have been dead by now if I weren't here', she managed between some heavy breathing. She squatted on the roof and started to catch her breath. The prince sat in front of her, watching her with an amused expression. 'Now that the enemy has been defeated, perhaps the princess would like to rest a while', he said after her breathing had become normal. Labonno nodded, got up with some effort, sheathed her blade, and they went downstairs.

Just like their dresses, the dishes at the Nilambori palace were exotic and exquisite. Most of the dishes were similar, but the array of spices, most of which were alien to Labonno, gave the foods such magical flavours, colours, and aromas. Yet the mealtimes were boring and suffocating. She got so used to being hand-fed by Rani-ma that having to eat by herself made half the flavours go away. But even if that was tolerable, what was absolutely maddening was eating in silence. Oh, how she missed those hearty meals back in her palace. Her hosts were masters of hospitality; somehow they would know if she wasn't full yet and would coax and cajole until she had had her fill. Her misery during the meals hadn't gone unnoticed, though. 'They put so much effort into preparing the meals, it's worth putting some effort into savouring them', Suborna said softly while holding Labonno with one arm and gently stroking her hair with the other. Labonno sighed a little and gave her a little squeeze. 'Are you having a good time, Rani-ma?' she asked after a while. Suborna nodded gently. Even within the bounds of palace etiquette, her hosts were inquisitive and engaging company. On her part, Suborna had swept them off their feet, then pulled them up, and then took them on a ride from the snowy slopes of Subornorekha to the dappled lights of Jongolmohol.

After setting foot on the ship, Labonno immediately went to explore every accessible corner of it. By the time she finally appeared on the deck, the ship was many miles into the sea. 'Hey, how come we are going this way?' Labonnon pointed to the west, 'When the wind is from the north?' The little prince explained the workings of the ship in the simplest way; satisfied, she went into a trance, watching the endless expanse in front of her. 'How many days will it take to reach a shore?' she mumbled from the depths of her trance. 'We aren't far into the sea, the sombre voice of the First Prince replied, and we can reach your shores in a day or two.' 'In a day or two!' she thought quietly, but the vastness made it seem ridiculous. It was a while before she finally came out of her musings. The First Prince and the King were talking about the trade routes, and Labonno listened intently. 'Why do you always cruise along the coast? Can't you just sail across the sea?' she asked after they finished. 'There is much trading to be done at the ports along the coasts', the prince explained, but he understood what she meant: 'and the southern ports are too far away to sail across the sea; our ships can't carry enough supplies for such a long voyage.' For some moments, the prince looked downcast. Then he brightened up, saying, But we will be sailing across new seas once the Second Prince finishes building the new ships.' As four pairs of eyes turned to him, for the first time, Labonno saw him being awkward. 'It's the craftsmen who are doing the work; they are just trying some of my ideas, he managed to say with some degree of composure. Even in his awkwardness, his eyes shone with determination and intelligence.