Longing For Paradise

Chapter 15

Only if I could scratch my eyes open,
only if I could scream my ears deaf.
Only if the raging thunder wasn't just a moment's shock,
only if the vicious seas weren't so far away.
There is no light in the darkness you cast,
there is no paradise in the lies you tell.
The white walls against the red roses bleed,
but they can never go back to the sweet nothings.
The heart that prayed for paradise for so long unknowingly
was but a game defeated by forever's metal net.
There is no light in the darkness you cast,
there is no paradise in the lies you tell.

~ Makhawi al Layl

The Emir's emblem is a golden eagle stitched onto the green background. Any such emblem would mean it is an order or an issuance from the palace. However, the Emir's personal emblem, the one that represents himself as an entity is the same eagle on a red and green background with a sword and scroll attached to it. It was the latter everyone on the streets saw.

Their breaths were drawn. The booming voice thundered down the streets and the soldiers shivered in their boots.

Noor looked up. She looked around and found that man, Ahmed, who was talking to Firdous. Her eyes went back to meet Firdous'.

As he gazed down at her eyes, he could see the shade change with each question. They flickered, wet from fresh tears, they were even more piercing, and Firdous felt as if a knife had been drawn at his throat. His hands did not leave her shoulders, they were stuck, unable to grasp the next moment or what it would bring. He swallowed. With each breath he drew, he tried getting a hold of Noor's eyes dancing from him to his friend.

"It is me," he finally whispered.

Noor couldn't move, her feet had forgotten how to. His hand on her shoulder grew heavy, almost hostile, like she couldn't bear its weight, like she didn't want to. His gaze became dark, almost acidic, and like an acid spilling over the floor, she jumped away from him, breaking free from his grasp.

"Noor," he began, his hand still extended. The soldiers had fallen into formation, awaiting their orders.

Noor couldn't breathe. It was a moment later that she realised what it was, as a burning sensation fired through her feet all the way to her head. Firdous watched a thick layer of frost grow around her.

They stared at each other for a while, the pair of them, as if the world behind them faded into nothingness.

She wondered if she was going mad.

He knew she shouldn't have found out like this.

She knew what she saw and her head hurt. She couldn't just let it go like that. Who was this man standing front of her?

Suddenly Layla's words came gushing back to her.

How well do you truly know this man? This man that you claim must be the one for you, have you ever inquired into who he was or what he did? At that time Noor had thought love was enough. Love could conquer it all, no?

How foolish of him to think that love could conquer all in the end? How could he have overlooked this slight? It is me, he wanted to yell, it is me, your Firdous, Noor. Don't you recognise me? His throat closed in. Noor.

She looked around and started walking away, following the people seeking refuge. She didn't know that behind her Firdous was being held back from following her.

"Noor you once said that if the Fates entwined us like they did shouldn't we count it as a blessing that we share one heart rather than hate each other? Why let that hate build in your heart Noor?"

Noor looked at him, her eyes a shade of brown he'd never seen, crisp and cold.

"I could never love a man like you," she spat, gathering her cape and shrouding herself and she began walking away. Firdous wanted to run after her. He just had to get his hands released from Ahmed.

"Let go," he commanded. Ahmed looked around and came closer.

"The people are watching. They know your identity." Firdous looked around. Ahmed was right. The people were soon going to realise who he actually is and it would scandalous if they learned that he was having a tryst with a woman on the streets in broad daylight.

Ahmed kneeled in front of Firdous.

"I place myself in the hands of His Grace the Emir Akeem of the highest branch of clan Hakeem. Command me as you see fit, for I, General Ahmed of clan Hasem, pledge my loyalty to you."

The declaration was heard loud and clear. No one present could interpret the declaration as anything else other than what had been said in front of them. If the Hasem clan, one of the land's mightiest military power pledges to the Dukedom of Hakeem, then it could only mean one thing. Trouble was brewing, everyone was sure of it.