The king's first wife

Ma?

She was scared. Her most favorite woman in the world was in pain for the second time. The last time that happened, Pari found her next to a very small that she would spend her entire day playing with and Sohit just found it irritating. But it happened again and this time, it wasn't a night when she was fast asleep with Sohit on a bed to care about anything. It happened in the day when they were all making food. Her ma just suddenly stumbled down and started screaming in pain. All the vegetables were on the floor but the old woman really did not seem to care. Pari could only see as women went around her ma and helped her walk to her room while she kept sweating and she kept asking her if she was fine all through it. 

" Ma? Ma? Ma?" she kept saying it like a chant till her mother-in-law was in front of her eyes but soon enough, she was taken into a room filled with women, and Pari was left out. They said that she was very small and even when she kept banging on the door in fear, no one opened it. In the end, she just sat there, by the wall while holding her doll and tears all over her face. 

" Pari," he hit her shoulder and she frowned in her sleep. She didn't know when she fell asleep there or even how long she was there. All she knew was that the doors were still closed to the room and there was no sound coming from it. 
" Ma," she pointed at the door and immediately stood up 
" Yeah, I know. Amma is inside. Now will you get up?" he asked her and she looked at her with her worried face 
" Ma...!" she stamped her feet on the floor, making her anklets jingle and everyone around her just noticed her presence there. 
" Ajji is going to hit you if you do that," he whispered to her kept his hands on his hips when suddenly the door opened. It was the first kid of the king but this child was as important as the others... That's why, all the court ministers, brothers, everyone important including the king and his second son in his arms was present there.  
" Maharaj," the maid immediately bowed to a man who stepped between Pari's view and she frowned. She needed to go inside but only now was she noticing the many people that were standing outside the door 
" What is it?" that was the king's younger brother. The king then had 3 younger brothers and 1 sister. All other sisters were milked. Only the first daughter was ever left to live and that was the system under the current rule that was going on for eons. 
" A girl," the woman didn't dare pick her head up after saying that. It was their first deadline, no more girls in the family, and now, the king had to remarry. 

In ancient times, kings were allowed to have countless wives and with those wives, they needed to have the most boys they could produce. If a wife dared to birth a girl, her position would be stripped but the times and traditions had changed a little now. Kings or even common people were allowed to have only 2 wives, not more than that anymore. But on a more serious note, if a queen birthed more than one girl, the second daughter would be sent to Raniganj, a place meant for breeding and educating princesses on the art of seduction. It was a dirty place that began prevailing only after the current Rani ma decided that it was the best if her own half-sister's daughters were sent to those dark places that served for services much worse than you could've ever thought about... 

And after listening to that, there settled a feeling of remorse among the men outside. Sohit held Pari's hand tightly and she, being clueless about everything just kept looking at everyone with curiosity and wonder. To her small world, everything elders did was fascinating but Sohit didn't think so.

" I'll still meet her," the king declared and walked into the room with his second son, Shaurya in his arms. So, she thought that she could follow him in too but, the moment she took a step forward, Sohit pulled her back 
" Shut up and standstill," he ordered her and she blinked
" Ma," it was like that was the only word she could even take in her entire life. Ma. She was stuck on that word especially that day. She wanted to meet that woman immediately and make sure that she was fine. But no saying no to Sohit. She didn't want to get smacked on the head by that old woman who came out of the room within a few minutes in utter anger. She along with the many maids, and aunts the new baby had got out and just straight up left. It felt like something agitated them and when finally, there was no one in the hallway except Pari and Sohit, she heard the call. 

" SOHIT! PARI!" that was her ma and she got so excited over it that she started running to the door while dragging her small little and cute husband along with her. 

When she got into the room, she could feel the gloom so easily but nevertheless, she did not stop her feet from moving forward and after a lot of attempts, she was successful at climbing the tall bed. Sohit's had already been left by then as her main point from the start was to meet ma and she did not stop till she was right next to the woman who had a very small baby in her arms, just like she had the last time. But this time, the baby just looked so much cuter than when Pari first saw Shauyra. Mind you, she and Sohit were both 5 at that time and the Shaurya was just 2. 

" Ma," the woman looked at her with a smile. She had sweat all over her face, she looked very tired but she was smiling. Why? Because she had been successful at keeping her own daughter. Plus after seeing Pari next to her, the queen just felt like she had 2 daughters of her own. She was happy. And the king was smiling too. He was happy too and his sons could see it. Why would he be happy after getting a daughter? Because he'd have to send her off someday or the other. Right? None of his sons understood it then. No one except the queen even understood it...