Memories
To love is to lose.
His soft words haunted her, she did not want to know of his existence, his being.
To forget him was her wish, her one desire.
"He's gone."
Her eyes closed in desperation.
Without even a goodbye.
"He will die." Balqees hesitated as her eyes began to water. "He is not a bad person." She almost pleaded, as though she would drag Laila to stop Usman herself.
"Was he good?" Laila asked, seeming to force the words on her tongue.
She had seen his gentleness, his kindness. But she had suffered his evil.
There was no balance.
He would have always chosen the same path, filled with hate.
"He betrayed me-"
"At what cost. His life?!" Balqees stormed towards Laila, tormented by her indifference. She held the girl by her shoulders, turning her around.
"He will not die!" Laila shouted, refusing to believe that such a powerful warrior would succumb to death. Balqees shook her head, raising her palm to caress Laila's cheek.
"He no longer has anything to live for."
"What?"
The woman before her wept; Usman would die one day, but not like this.
"The sultan has hidden the truth from you. I... have hidden the truth from you." Laila stopped.
"What do you mean?"
Balqees took hold of Laila's hand, moving her towards the door.
Their walk was silent, heavy footsteps leading towards a corridor that Laila had once found. It was where she had been confronted by Sultan Amir and scarcely managed to escape.
A door.
A door which had called her.
Balqees stopped, reaching inside her dress pocket. She bought out keys to unlock the abandoned entrance.
Silent, bar the single creak of the door as it opened. A damp smell overcame them as the forsaken room was found again.
Laila willed herself to look around. Cobwebs covered the walls, the stray light from a partially covered window allowing some sight.
There was a bed in the centre of the room, sheer curtains circling it. Carefully carved furniture patterned the room, dust carpeting its surface, untouched.
Laila turned to Balqees, confused.
The old woman understood.
She approached a cupboard, opening it to find a small locked box.
"This is your mother's room." She spoke, wiping the dust from the intricately decorated item. Balqees coughed, bringing the box forward as Laila identified the writing carved into the wood.
س٠ÙØ©
Sumayah
Balqees looked towards the pendant around the girl's neck. Laila clutched the jewellery.
"It was a gift from my mother." she informed, removing the key.
"Your mother was very bright" Balqees looked away, shame in her gaze. Laila clasped the key, seeing how it fit perfectly into the box. She opened it with caution.
It was a book.
A diary.
Laila stilled, holding the leather clad item in her hands.
The first page,
"This diary belongs to Sumayyah, dare not touch it lest you value your life."
She turned the page as her mother's story was told.
"My father has found me a match and I fear that I have fallen in love."
She felt her eyes well up.
"Ahmed is trying to send him away but Amir insists on staying. I fear my brother's greed will destroy us. Can he not see how much we need him?"
There were pages missing, she noticed the tear marks on the worn, fragile papers. Evidence of her mother's disdain.
Some dates were abandoned as the tone of the writing began to change.
"Ahmed has passed, and I fear I know who has done it."
Laila shook her head, afraid for what was to come.
"How I miss my beloved. I can no longer live here."
Perhaps, her father?
Blank spaces followed,
Till the last page.
"I will betray my tribe, and so he shall seek my life. Just as he has taken the life of Ahmed and Khadija. And just as he will take the life of their son, Usman."
Laila felt a tightening in her chest.
Their son, Usman.
Their son,
Usman.
Her purpose was now clear. They were both merely pawns in this game.
But Usman had cheated, he did not complete his mission.
Usman fell in love.
And when one cheats, he must be ousted.
They wanted to kill him.
"No" Laila fell to the floor, clutching the diary tightly in her hands. The air was warm and thick as she attempted to stand, to breathe.
Her mother knew this would happen; she knew of the vengeance in her brother's heart.
His thoughts were filled with evil.
He had no use for salvation, he thirsted only for blood.
Revenge was merely an excuse to feed his lust.
A man like him did not seek redemption,
He sought only destruction.
"Laila..." the sound of her name caused her to turn towards the door where Balqees stood.
"You knew," she whispered, betrayed. The old woman's shoulders dropped as she slowly nodded, her sins now showing as the burden on her back.
"Where is he?" she asked, silently at first. Balqees did not reply, stepping forward and closing the door to anyone's ears.
"Where is he!" Laila asked, louder this time. She creeped forward, sadness on her face.
"To the Al-Shujae."
Laila was on her feet before another word could be spoken.
"Wait Laila! What will you do?!" Balqees asked in horror, taking hold of her sleeve.
Laila threw off the touch. "I will find him and stop him."
"You cannot go alone-"
"I have always been alone!" The harshness in her voice was enough to force Balqees to retreat.
Laila shook her head, leaving the room, clutching the diary to herself as she ran to her abode.
"Laila! What happened?!" Wafiyyah stopped her, noticing her tear-stricken face.
"I have to find Usman." As though in a trance, Laila entered her chambers and sought her weapons. Her single dagger, and the trusty bow and arrow Usman had gifted her.
Why did that time seem so long ago now?
Wafiyyah panicked as she watched her once friend run around her room.
"I know a secret passage out of here. It will take us out of the city." The thoughtless words spilled out of her mouth as Laila turned in gratefulness.
She bit her lip, attempting to stop a sob from escaping.
"Thank you," Laila whispered. Wafiyyah nodded, escaping under the pretence of gathering her own things.
Amir must have known a time like this would come. His orders were too concise to be absent-minded.
.
"You shall inform me when the girl escapes. You will take her through the abandoned region, where the tribute to the sultan stands."
.
She had seen the proud falcon on her journey here. It stood tall amongst the silence, evidence of a once righteous ruler.
Wafiyyah knew nothing of what Amir planned, only that her actions would allow his crimes to be committed.
A promise had already been made, and it was too late to turn back now.
Wafiyyah dragged her legs to the sultan's quarters, stopping only when barred by a strong figure.
"Where are you going?" Firdaus eyed the maid in caution.
"I-I was summoned... by the sultan." Wafiyyah gulped.
Firdaus stared at the girl, catching the fear in her eyes.
"Why would my father summon the maid of his enemy?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. Wafiyyah's eyes widened. She began to stutter when a low voice suddenly interrupted the confrontation.
"It is no concern of yours, daughter." Firdaus turned as her father appeared before them.
He moved his head, instructing the maid to enter the throne room. Wafiyyah did not hesitate, quickly escaping.
"Father I-"
"Do not cross your limits." Firdaus clenched her hands, forcing herself to stay silent.
"I was only concerned as she is not of our tribe." She bowed slightly as her father mockingly shook his head.
"It will take more than a weak slave to harm me." Amir almost laughed at the thought.
Slave.
Firdaus felt her nails digging into her skin.
We are all slaves here.
She bit her lip, watching her father leave.
-
Laila clung onto her weapons, staring into the servant's quarters as she awaited her friend.
It was quiet, eerily silent.
She sighed, growing impatient as the time to escape was coming to an end.
When the first light hit, the stillness of the night would no longer cover them.
She felt a presence behind, turning to find Wafiyyah smiling, a distant look in her eyes whilst she gestured towards the door.
"Come Laila, it's time." Laila nodded, taking hold of Wafiyyah's hand.
They were careful, quiet as they tip-toed against the sandy floor. If not for the adrenaline which pushed her towards her husband, Laila would've almost found it suspicious that no guards were present at this time.
She paused as they reached the part of town where Laila had once faced Nasir.
"This passage is not safe." She whispered.
Wafiyyah blinked, pulling Laila forward. "It is." She replied heavily.
Laila shook her head, willing herself to move forward as the darkness around them became very well known.
"Laila." Wafiyyah called her, stopping as they reached the powerful falcon.
She turned, confused.
"You-" Waffiyah breathed in. "You were my greatest friend."
Footsteps.
They were surrounded.
"No" it was barely audible, the sound of disbelief.
Laila shook her head, stepping back. It couldn't be.
"Wafiyyah?"
She could hardly hear the sound of her own voice, only staring at her friend before her.
The soldiers around them dispersed, allowing space for a larger figure to come forward.
Amir.
She felt a hand on her back, pushing her forward as she fell to the ground. Her hands were held behind her as Wafiyyah shook her head, distraught.
Sultan Amir sniggered in joy.
Two targets with one arrow.
He was a genius.
Laila looked up to her friend in agony. She screeched her name. Clawing at the hands which held her down.
"Why!?" Laila bellowed.
"Suffer like your mother." Amir kicked the dirt beneath him, rarely dishevelled.
His happiness was short lived as an arrow just missed his shoulder, hitting the soldier holding Laila down.
Laila looked up in hope.
Usman?
There was nothing but darkness.
"Who dares?!" Amir shrieked, ordering his guards to find the culprit. Laila took the distraction to release herself from the dead man's hold.
She grabbed her dagger, powerfully waving her arm to deter those around her. More arrows flew forward, killing those in her way.
"Get her!" Amir screeched, his men falling. The sound of a running horse caught their attention as a masked figure rode into the circle.
There was no time to think as he offered his hand to Laila, helping her board the animal.
She hesitated, looking towards Wafiyyah with such hatred in her eyes.
As though she would burn the world as it is.
They rode away with Amir crying for retribution behind them.
"Who are you?" Laila asked as her saviour stopped at the walls of the city. There was a doorway, leading into the desert.
"I must lure them away, this is as far as I can go." The man ignored the question, urging her to leave. Laila nodded, using the last of her adrenaline to push her feet forward.
She was left alone, looking upon the glistening city of Gold.
In all its wonders, had she also left behind her soul?
-
"You did well."
"Well, I am not my father." Firdaus looked away. Admitting the words was confessing her true feelings for the man who raised her.
'Betray yourself, but do not betray your lineage,' he had always said.
Firdaus felt her gaze harden.
Amir had abandoned his blood first.
Balqees held onto her, perhaps proud.
"Where will she go?" Firdaus asked as the old lady shook her head in emptiness.
"When she returns, our world will change forever."
Firdaus sighed. "It already has." She whispered, preparing for her father's retribution.
He would find out, and then there would be nowhere she could escape to.