This Woven Kingdom

Alizeh is a servant in a large estate; she lives in a small, meticulously cleaned room that was once a storage closet. Although wearing the snoda marks her as being of a lower class, it also gives her a sense of anonymity that she values. Late at night, she often prepares for bed, she feels an ominous presence and experiences a paralyzing fear of darkness. Despite her fear, however, she is meticulous and orderly in her personal space and strives to create a sense of home in her small room. One night, she suddenly senses a more tangible presence. The devil, who has haunted her since birth, appears now as an eerie figure. He communicates through riddles, and the current one is about a man with snakes on his shoulders. Despite her desperate pleas for him to stop, the devil’s voice is inescapable. As she struggles, a new figure appears: a young man, human but strangely different, with an intense, captivating appearance. As this man reaches out to touch her lips, Alizeh screams.

Iblees (the Devil) and his people, the Jinn, were once the dominant beings on Earth. Originally celebrated and elevated, Iblees becomes a symbol of disgrace after his fall from grace, which dramatically impacts all of the Jinn. His descent to Earth marks a calamitous turning point for the Jinn; his world, once vibrant and thriving, descends into chaos as celestial bodies turn against them due to their association with Iblees, whom the universe sees as an enemy of the All-Powerful. This shift results in Earth being cast into an icy exile of perpetual night, setting off a series of catastrophic events that decimate the Jinn’s civilization, including floods and freezing temperatures. Despite this devastation, the resilient Jinn survive, their fiery nature sustaining them through an otherwise unbearable and dark existence. They subsist on water, enduring until the arrival of beings of clay—humans—who are foretold to inherit the world. The re-emergence of the sun heralds the rise of these new beings, and it painfully scorches the Jinn, who had adapted to the cold and dark. In the end, the Jinn withdraw to remote cold regions and attempt to blend into the fabric of the world, surrendering Earth to humans and living in a bitter, poignant reminder of their past glory and the ever-present shadow of Iblees.

Alizeh prepares hastily for her day, prioritizing her professional commitments over her personal comfort despite lacking proper winter attire. The commissioned gown she has made is due for delivery, and payment is expected. The cold, snowy morning paints a serene yet chilling backdrop as she steps out into a seemingly magical world. She lives a grounded, laborious life that contrasts starkly with her parent’s wishes and her early upbringing. Her adherence to cleanliness is vital, stemming from her parents’ teachings and her essential connection to water.

When she is attacked by a desperate, knife-wielding boy, she demonstrates both her physical strength and her emotional empathy by disarming him, sparing his life, and suggesting a place where he might find food. Later, she encounters the mysterious, well-dressed man from the previous night, who seems to have been watching her. This man, whose clothes indicate that he is wealthy and well-connected to elite circles, triggers alarm within Alizeh. She perceives an ominous connection between this stranger and the unsettling, devilish whispers that have haunted her life. These whispers have historically heralded significant and often tragic changes in Alizeh’s life, and this reality adds to her fear. The chapter ends with Alizeh fleeing in terror.

Kamran, who is later revealed to be the prince of Ardunia, witnesses Alizeh narrowly escape the dangerous situation with an assailant. When Alizeh exhibits signs of nobility and unusual poise, Kamran’s suspicion is aroused, and he believes her to be merely disguised as a maid. He notes that she wears a snoda to partially conceal her face, even though it is not customary for servants to wear this garment outside of work hours. Kamran suspects that she might be one of the spies infiltrating the empire, especially due to her unusual behavior and apparent training in self-defense. In an encounter with the young male assailant, who is far from his native region and is now severely injured, Kamran’s interrogation reveals that Alizeh not only disarmed him but offered him kindness and mercy. This unexpected twist deepens Kamran’s fascination. The chapter ends when the young assailant, overwhelmed and fearful of facing the magistrates, tries to take his own life in front of Kamran. Despite his vast experience with death, Kamran is shocked and deeply affected by this act. He finds a pristine handkerchief that Alizeh used earlier, further solidifying his belief that she is a remarkably clever and skilled individual, likely a spy. Feeling a storm of emotions, including shame, Kamran is left pondering Alizeh’s true identity and his responses to these dramatic events.

Prince Kamran is deeply troubled by the politically charged backdrop of the Ardunian Empire, which is on the brink of a water crisis due to diminishing groundwater and contentious access to the Mashti River through southern neighbor Tulan. Driven by anger since his father’s death and freshly returned from a duty tour that exposed his country’s disconcerting realities, Kamran is becoming increasingly paranoid. He is consumed by violent fantasies and is resistant to introspection about his emotional turmoil. Despite his cold exterior, there is a complex, tense dynamic between Kamran and his minister, Hazan, who serves as both a confidant and a bold critic of Kamran’s decisions. This tension escalates when Kamran suspects a servant girl (Alizeh), possibly of Jinn heritage, to be a spy from Tulan: a suspicion that Hazan challenges, but Kamran staunchly defends. The relationship between Kamran and Hazan is further strained when Hazan candidly compares Kamran to his late father, prompting Kamran to instinctively draw his sword. Amidst this personal and political turmoil, the chapter ends with Kamran’s mother urgently calling for him. Her summons suggests impending familial conflict or significant news, but Kamran is so lost in thought that he initially fails to hear her.

Alizeh endures a particularly challenging day. First, the Lojjan ambassador’s housekeeper underpays her for a dress commission, suggesting that she might not be paid in full unless the dress pleases Miss Huda. Struggling with cold and fatigue, Alizeh feels belittled and rejected after her confrontation with the housekeeper. Later, at Baz House, Alizeh is entranced by the banter of the other servants, revealing her unfamiliarity with such social dynamics due to her sheltered upbringing. Despite her attempts to blend in, Alizeh’s accent and manner of speech draw unwanted attention, and Mrs. Amina, the housekeeper, suspiciously questions her education and upbringing. Following a harsh reprimand, Alizeh is given the immense task of cleaning all 116 rooms in Baz House, a grueling chore with a faint promise of permanent employment.

Meanwhile, Prince Kamran faces his grandfather, King Zaal, and is confronted for his actions involving the dying street boy. Despite the public acclaim he earned for his benevolent act, Kamran’s behavior stirs doubts among the Seven Houses’ nobility regarding his future reign. King Zaal, sensing his own impending death and the imminent threat of war, stresses the need for stability and the essential trust of the nobility. To regain this trust, Kamran must present himself with decorum, host a ball, and engage with the influential Seven Houses. However, beyond these immediate gestures, the king emphasizes the deeper necessity for Kamran to marry and produce an heir, ensuring both the continuity of his lineage and the security of Ardunia in these uncertain times. Recognizing the weight of his duties, Kamran pledges his unwavering commitment to the empire’s future.

Alizeh endures a taxing day of arduous labor, with physical pains like scalded skin, raw palms, and thoughts of the traumatic events that have occurred. Foremost in her thoughts are her memories of her recent encounters with the devil, the hooded stranger, Miss Huda, and the boy who accosted her in the street. These memories and her own bleak existence constantly plague her, and she feels that death might be her only reprieve from this grim reality. As she takes a moment to step outside, she is reminded of her past, particularly the brutal murders of her Jinn parents. She suspects that she might have been the real target of those violent acts. Amidst her fatigue and memories, there is a glimmer of hope when Mrs. Sana, the housekeeper from the Lojjan ambassador’s estate, commends her for her dressmaking skills and commissions her to make five additional dresses for Miss Huda. Overwhelmed by the rare positive turn in her life, Alizeh breaks down in tears.