QAIS

Chapter 14: Conquer and Relinquish

"Advisor Shehbaz has denied any conviction for the kidnapping and assassination of his fellow council member. Says he was with Lieutenant General Jafar at the time of the murder. The General on the other hand has denied the alibi. Forensics too have found the Advisor's finger prints at the site of crime. The Advisor has henceforth been issued a house arrest until further notice as the late Minister's family has registered an FIR against him. Governor Mir Jahan who is currently on an official trip to the Capital has yet to make a statement about the assassination and conviction of his respective council members." The large screen broadcasted the breaking news.

They were in a military safehouse. Currently in the costly, guarded room sat General Jafar, Nawab Shah and opposite to them sat the debonair Qais.

General Jafar looked away from the news, perturbed. "I've denied the alibi as you said but I don't understand how this makes any difference; Mir Jahan is still on his seat, one man died, the other gets convicted. The matter is swept under the rug. What does this get us?"

Qais side eyed the military officer with his assuring blues. "The first step in taking down a ruler is to strip him off his loyal ones. A ruler is nothing without his loyal men. Its important to cripple him of that."

Jafar's brows furrowed intently, getting the gist of the younger's words but he wanted elaboration.

"With both the Advisors gone, there remains two empty seats in the council." Qais's shining eyes met his meaningfully. "I'm sure you're more versed on the art of infiltration than me."

Jafar leant back in realization.

His voice darkened a shade as he continued, "And the second is to push him to a corner of no escape. This is the hard part. Because taking down wicked ones is easy, but taking down honest men is a hassle. And sadly, Mir Jahan is an honest ruler."

"Too honest." Jafar remarked spitefully.

"And the 3rd step?" Nawab raised an eye of interest. He wanted to take down the royals more than anyone.

A dark look danced on the lord's ocean eyes, coupled with his smirk of mischief. "The third step is the easiest one... To takeover."

A heavy silence spread in ripples in the dark room, broken by the echoing laughter of Nawab Shah.

"Easier said than done." Jafar was still unsettled.

"It's no fun if it's easy." Qais chuckled confidently.

Jafar glared at him. He still couldn't understand what could've provoked Qais to be so merciless. What was his motive in all this? Or was it really just hunger for power?

Just then Pasha marched into the room after taking permission. Ignoring the other two esteemed personalities there he only addressed Qais. "The car's ready, sir."

"Do you have somewhere to be?" Nawab asked.

Qais slid on his coat. "I'm going to look around to buy some estate. I enjoyed the landscapes here."

Jafar shook his head at the prospect of this havoc-wreaking lord living in his region. "Don't you dare start living here."

Qais chuckled, voice deep and husky. "Don't worry, it doesn't even come close to the beauty of my city."

The beauty of his city that went by the name of Layla. God knows every second he spent away was a test to his patience. Where Qais had wanted his revenge to be the slowest and most painful there was, now he wanted nothing more than to go back to his Layla. He guessed he could compromise on the "slow" part and double on the "painful" part.