Chapter 19 : Words From a Wise Moon The First Minister was untroubled. “Wait. It will pass,” said he. The Second Minister was concerned. “They’ll never be wives — hide her away!” The Third Minister, who a moment before would have suggested the same thing, slammed down his fist and bellowed “Hide her?! Why, send … More The Fourth Princess of Bengal: Chapter 19

Part 4 The Unmoving Cat Chapter 18 : The Bitter Shadow Each feline princess in her beauty and skill was much admired by each suitor who gathered now in Chang. Of those who came — and hardly a man in Bengal had not, it seemed — only a handful were eligible (according to the princesses … More The Fourth Princess of Bengal: Chapter 18

Chapter 17 : The Light of Bengal To describe beauty is to describe subjective values based on things held dear in the heart and clear in the memory, yet the beauty of the Bengal princesses has been written hundreds of times in hundreds of ways, with varying similarities but always the same conclusion. Setting eyes … More The Fourth Princess of Bengal: Chapter 17

Chapter 16 : The Fourth Princess of Bengal As her sisters were dark, the fourth princess was light. As the elder princesses stood tall and confident, the youngest shuffled her feet in corners and in shadow, for she was mindful of her appearance and shy towards all but her family. Hiding behind her pale eyes … More The Fourth Princess of Bengal: Chapter 16

Chapter 15 : The Daughter of Moon For three days the fourth queen of Bengal labored in childbirth, until at last, when the moon was full at its zenith, the babe was born. The other queens had held her hand and cried encouragements through the long ordeal, and at its end, all sighed in relief … More The Fourth Princess of Bengal: Chapter 15