The Royal feud✅

[1] A M N A

'بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

DHAHAB KINDOM.

A M N A.

My palms are already turning red because of the intensity I used in scrubbing the floor-I'm starting to doubt if this floor is made only of mud or maybe Tahira's wickedness is part of why the black stain which coated the floor refuses to fade out. A loud intense sigh makes way from my mouth. I deflate the air accumulated in my cheek, causing the exposed tendrils of my hair which was sticking on my face to dangle.

"Are you tired?" Dalia's question jolts me out of my little mental rest.

I drop the sponge made from palm frond. It was already covered in red mud mixed with water. Gross. "Not really... I'm just annoyed... this black stain won't come off," I point at the stain which made a spiral design on the muddy floor "I don't even know what it is." I protrude my lower lip.

"Asf ya amna..." Dalia drops the linen she is about to sprawl on the cotton made mattress before taking light steps towards my direction, "sorry Amna, you look so tired..." She snakes her arm around my neck, "should I maybe help you, so you'll take a rest."

My eyes widen in its socket when I hear the 4-letter word 'R-e-s-t'- which I never get. Though the offer is unlike Dalia, I will still accept it wholeheartedly. "Yes please, my legs are numb already... I'm exhausted."

I look up into Dalia's eyes because she is a bit taller. She's biting hard on her lower lip. I part my lips to ask if her offer is still on, the next thing I know, she burst out into fits of laughter. I know she is up to no good.

"Your look is...," she releases another wave of laughter, "your look is priceless Amna." she finally breathes out.

I continue staring at her, not giving out any hint of emotion,
"Amna...Amna," she tugs on the brown hand sewn baggy shirt I am wearing, "Amna-"

Her last utterance of my name triggers the giggle I am holding down my chest. I turn to look at Dalia, and she has an apprehensive look on. "That's what you get for giving me an empty offer." I stick my tongue out.

"We are even now." she rolls her eyes. She crouches down close to where my folded knee lay. Her index finger strokes the black stain lightly. She brings the finger-on the stain a few seconds ago-close to her nose. Her eyes shut close while sniffing it. Dalia scrunch her nose repeatedly, her eyelids flutter open "this is henna..." she turns to me "I can see why you're struggling to clean it ever since. Let me get you something to neutralize the stain."

Dalia ambulates toward the wooden drawer close to Tahira's bed. The furnitures in every room in the palace is made of extravagant and expensive materials. The beds, drawers and door handles have gold-real gold-glued to them. One will make a fortune if it's sold, but no one will risk getting their hands chopped off. Dalia checks the third row, bringing out something like a glass bottle.

"What's that?" I point at the transparent bottle she is holding. The brown liquid inside coats every corner of the bottle as she approaches my position, she gently opens the cap before sprinkling a little of the content on the black stain.

"It will neutralize the stain," she fastens the cap, "try scrubbing it now." Dalia saunter towards the drawer.

"You're a genius, Dalia." I smile. Just two scrubs and the stain vanished completely. I can't believe I've been struggling with the stain when there's an easy remedy to it.