Prey of the Storm

(I'm back. Chapter dedicated to the sweetest @mesmerizinglove

Just to clear some things. Al-musawwir is the shaper of beauty.

Other terms used were in Arabic

'La yamsha Lil nisa'- means women are not allowed.

'nisa' - women)

I did not return to the Manor for days. I did not accompany my family for lunch as well, mostly grandma would stay behind with me. Gradually to my dismal, I grew depressed.

Fateh would talk on and on about the Elahim Brothers. I found no interest in them.

Maybe I should apologize. I wasn't the kind to answer back but I've been handled by such rough hands at life that I've grown almost vex in uneasy situations. Mrs. Kasheefa had asked me to take the job but for days as I was mentally unavailable, I have no answer.

After one clear morning,I told myself that I shouldn't let the dirt off my past pull me down and if I am here then it is clear that HE wills for me to be here. And that reminded me of the lines that Souffian recited 'indeed there are signs for the ones who reason'

I crossed my way to the Mansion after lunch and entered the library.

Shizad saw me entering. The rest were further inside.

I looked around to find some work. At one table were books scattered, I started on them. I overheard Wais speak " I heard the door, who is it?"

To which saltily Shizad replied " nisa' "

I worked for a good hour,Fateh was glad to see me around. I placed the books where I found a vacancy and sat at a table near the window with what seemed like an old book.

Souffian proceeded to the table "is there any chance you have seen the books I kept over the table" he said with his finger pointing at one I had just cleaned.

"Yes, I've kept them at their pl--"

"No" he spoke sharply.

I gulped. "I'll get them..ju--"

"No" he stated again.

He walked and slammed all the books back at the table with a bang that shook me. Pierced his eyes through me and walked away.

And how will I work here with these men!?

A while after Wildan cross smiles at me. Should I smile back? After an entire minute, I took the decision to smile back.

But when I did smile back, he laughed.

"you have a ridiculous taste Miss. In the entire library that my father has set, this has to be the most distasteful book that has been accorded in the shelf" he smirked.

I just had to put my head to the other side.

I felt I had to apologize, feelings that come to me whenever things just don't go well! Though I believe I've known people who do not belong to their names but yet they convince me for an apology. An apology that is not needed but one I yearn to make. I placed my foot one after the other with a book in my hand and approached their circle.

They all at once shot their sights at me. Men make me nervous. Not as much as earlier but still...It's still in there.

"I'm sorry for whatever happened that day" I spoke anxiously.

"Forgiven," Wais said easily.

No no no. This shouldn't be his reply. My eyebrows gathered. I turned around and heard him again

"Never work for an apology when you don't mean it"

"I mean it" I retaliated.

"You don't. Do not lie to your own self. Such deception to one's own self can seclude your soul from your own words" He stated and again so easily, he returned to his book.

But I've secluded from my own soul years back.

"Miss would mind me showing the Mansion?" Wildan asked with a warm smile.

I smiled back and this time contagiously.

I could hear Shizad sighing loud enough for myself to witness him rolling his eyes.I walked around with him. It felt like a good decision and it felt almost like he was Fateh and Fateh himself walked around with us.

Wildan with his hands back and his ever smiling face and big doe eyes were warm, his warmth could pull a smile from even the most ruin soul, I was smiling with him.He took me around and spoke of nothing. He adores the place half as I did.The place was so exquisite that my eyes could not carry any weight of it but yet I looked at everything with my eyes wide open.

Wildan walked straight and then we halted at one hallway. I looked ahead of me; Hassan, I wonder what Al-musawwir thought of as he was sculpted. The Mansion was beautiful but this man, he was something beyond that. He walked along and now my eyes could not concentrate on the walls or the paintings or even the flowers in the garden,Hassan could surpass all that with his eyes alone. He spoke softly to Wildan "I shall take over"

With that Wildan left. They are so formal in their speech. He took me around, his company is unlike Wildan's. Wildan is warm and he...He is cold. I could feel chills run down at the edge of my neck. He intimidates me.

He walked with a straight head, something they had their spine never relaxes. And he never looks at me. Shouldn't I be glad, for I do not know what would happen to me? He took me upstairs which I climbed against my will. It was the largest balcony of the mansion. Wish I had words, phrases to describe but I had none. I stared along with my mouth half open because of the view and half due to Hassan shining against the moonlight. There has been no man so beautiful that had captivated me and now the idea of such beauty stealing heartbeats that I once accused as false stood true to me.

"You are against the wall of our House. Had not anyone told you that you don't belong here." He spoke.

"I know..... We would leave once dad is stable enough--"

"You have mistaken me. I don't intend for you to leave" He said making me feel left.  "what do you mean exactly?" I asked confused.

"May I know. You shall work elsewhere. Baba disapproves a woman entering the house. Shall allocate you other work in a few days. It is best you should find a place to stay outside" he calmly said the words that meant to destroy my peace.

My head was low, where would I go?

"Is, therefore, something that you would like to prefer" he asks.

"No thank you," I said with tears filling up. I felt insulted.

"Falaq-Naaz, I apologize" he stated with pity. I'd roll the pity and throw it in the well outside the cottage they have granted us.

Why? Why is Allah testing me!

Where will I go now!?

I could not sleep in the night, however, in the afternoon I was dizzy.

I had planned to leave alone this time, they only have problem with me. Gradually dad would escape too. Grandma would have to bear, I fear alone this time.

In the afternoon Dad and Mr Elahim left for the city for business dealings. I was spared the opportunity to run away. Far as far as I could. I kissed Fateh over and over that day.

I waited for the night to fell again at the feet of the ground when my eyes closed.

It was a dreary cold. My hands were locked in the blanket. I saw a deep well in my dreams a deep dark well. I was going inside the well. It murky and the walls were green with fungus. I had no one around but inside the well, I could hear a voice calling my name. The would be a familiar one but my head was spinning, I fear a rush of wind harming me, a spinning breeze wrapping me, slowly and harshly I felt suffocated. I hear the muffling sounds of my name-dropping into a meek fading silence. I could fell my feet wet somehow. There were loud sensations that thrilled me but in moments all of a sudden something inside me fell dead.

All was blank.

I opened my eyes after the dark had replaced by the light.

I saw Mrs. Kasheefa standing beside me.I felt strange.

On looking around I saw myself in some other place.

"where am I?" I asked.

"Dar-Al-maqamah. There was a calamity last night, the storm destroyed the cottage. You fell unconscious! Dear Allah but you were rescued!" Mrs. Kasheefa said sighing.

"Fateh!" I stood upright!

"Fateh is alright. He sleeps with the Masters" she held my panic.

"Grandma?" I asked looking at her beside me.

"she is well. ALLAH is extremely generous, not a scratch from the great storm" Mrs. Kasheefa restores my Faith. I thanked Allah and got back to leave, I must see my Fateh first.I looked for Mrs. Kasheefa and Mrs. Salma but could not find them and then proceeded to upstairs. I saw multiple doors and the sounds were dim. I did not know which room had my brother.

I felt uneasy yet to encounter any of them.Perhaps I should find Mrs. Kasheefa in the chambers.

"Miss!" I hear Wildan and I smiled seeing him waving with Fateh.

"Thank you Wildan!" I stated as I hugged Fateh.

"My pleasure. Brother Al-Wais thought you might want to see him."

"Yes. How are you? How is everybody else?" I asked impatiently.

"Very well. Oh yes, brother Al-Wais suffered an injury on his right arm when he tried to lock the windows last night. The wind was wild"

"I hope he gets well soon," I said smiling.

"In shaa Allah. Why don't you join us in the lobby area? We are having a good time, aren't we Fateh?" Wildan embraced Fateh and Fateh laughed cheerfully.

"No you guys continue. I'd pass"

"No! Please come! Please...Al-Hassan is opening his gifts! Come with us...please..." Fateh began with his stubborn requests and Wildan joined him.

I walked with them. The lobby was warm and the fireplace was burning with blue smokes. I saw Wildan taking a place with Shizad and Fateh on his lap. I stood behind them.

Wais had a bandaged arm, he rested on a large day bed. Souffian on the right sat across the window and Hassan sat on a grand sofa in the center. There were gifts scattered of all kinds around. Large packages, some couriers and a pile of cards. Two servants were arranging them. Hassan with his one leg over the other was commanding his aura over them.

One by one they would bring a package to him and he would shake his head and they would fill them in a sack. Hassan seems to be very loved, so many gifts...

For half an hour I stood there. My legs were breaking. I was tired and yawning. Don't they get bored of this silence? At last Hassan said, "That red package" he pointed at one.

They brought a tall red package with no identity on it.

"Open" Hassan commanded as all the men tilted with their attention.

The package was opened and there were dead red flowers in it. Red roses.

"Keep them in my room and distribute the rest among the poor," he said and walked away.

They are so strange. What interest have these dead roses, that he pulls away from them to his room and throw away the rest.

I asked Wildan "is it Hassan's birthday?"

"It's Al-Hassan" spoke Souffian in between.

"I'm sorry" I apologized immediately.

"No Al-Hassan's birthday was last week. We don't celebrate birthdays " Wildan said scrunching his nose.

They all left, Wildan came to the room I was allotted to drop Fateh.

He smiled, I smiled back.

"Call them by their right names and respect them. My brothers are living marvels but it would take time for them to accept you but those things would only happen when you would accept them" he calmly said.

That won't be needed as I would leave tomorrow.