KING OF THE NORTH

10: New Home

Oman stood in her bedroom, surrounded by half-packed suitcases, her heart heavy with anger and sadness. Malik had ordered her to move to the palace and stay with his other wives, and she was not happy about it.

Malik walked into the room, his regal presence looming over Oman. "What's taking so long? You need to hurry up and get ready to leave."

Oman turned to face him, her eyes burning with resentment. "I can't believe you're doing this to me, Malik. You're sending me away like some unwanted burden."

Malik's face remained stoic as he replied, "It's not about sending you away, Oman. It's about fulfilling my duties as a ruler and a husband. You know that we must maintain good relations with the other tribes, and this is one way to do that."

Oman snorted in disbelief. "And what about my feelings? Don't they matter to you?"

Malik's tone grew impatient. "Of course, they do, Oman. But sometimes we have to put aside our personal desires for the greater good."

Oman shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I can't do this, Malik. I can't pretend to be happy living with your other wives. It's not fair to me."

Malik's voice grew stern. "You will do as I say, Oman. This is not up for discussion."

Oman felt a surge of anger rise within her. "So, that's it then? I'm just supposed to obey you without question? What about my happiness? What about my life?"

Malik took a step closer to Oman, his voice low and menacing. "You are my wife, Oman. You knew what you were getting into when you married me. This is the life we lead, and you will accept it."

Oman's resolve broke, and tears spilled down her cheeks. "I can't accept it, Malik. I can't pretend to be happy living like this. I need more from you than just orders and duties."

Malik's expression softened, and he reached out to wipe away Oman's tears. "I understand that it's difficult, Oman. But sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the sake of our family and our people. I promise you, I will make it up to you."

Oman shook her head, feeling defeated. "I don't want you to make it up to me, Malik. I just want you to understand how I feel."

Malik took Oman's hand, his gaze locked on hers. "I do understand, Oman. And I will always try to make things right between us. But for now, you need to pack your bags and prepare to leave."

Oman nodded, her heart heavy with resignation. She knew that she had no choice but to obey Malik's orders, but she couldn't help feeling like she was losing a part of herself in the process. As she continued packing her bags, Oman knew that her life would never be the same again.

*~*

Oman's heart sank as she stepped into the palace where Malik's other wives resided. She had been dreading this moment ever since Malik had given her the order to move in with them. As she was led to her new room, she couldn't help but feel like an intruder in someone else's home.

The maid assigned to her was a quiet, middle-aged woman who didn't speak much. Oman couldn't remember her name, but she seemed friendly enough, showing her around the room and helping her unpack her bags.

As the maid left, Oman sat down on the bed, feeling overwhelmed by her new surroundings. She didn't know what to do or where to go. The only person she had spoken to happily since arriving was Malik's grandmother, who had welcomed her warmly and given her a hug.

Suddenly, the door opened and in walked Kauthar, Malik's younger sister. Oman's face lit up at the sight of her, grateful for the company.

"Oman, I'm so glad to see you!" Kauthar exclaimed, running over to give her a hug. "I'm sorry you have to be here, but I'm happy to have you as a sister-in-law and staying with us."

Oman smiled gratefully, feeling a sense of relief at having someone to talk to. "Thank you, Kauthar. It's nice to have someone to talk to. I'm feeling a bit lost in this big palace."

Kauthar nodded sympathetically. "I know how you feel. It can be overwhelming at first. But don't worry, I'll show you around and introduce you to the other wives once again, I am sure you must have forgetter their names."

Oman's heart sank at the thought of meeting the other wives once again. She didn't know how she would handle being around them, knowing that they were all sharing her husband.

"Thanks, Kauthar. I appreciate it," Oman said, trying to hide her discomfort.

As Kauthar continued to chat with her, Oman couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Kauthar was free to come and go as she pleased, to have friends and a life outside of this palace. But Oman was trapped here, forced to live with the other wives and share her husband.

She knew that she had to find a way to make peace with her situation, to accept her role as Malik's wife and a member of his household. But for now, all she could do was take comfort in the small moments of happiness, like the warmth of Kauthar's company.

Oman wandered through the palace, still feeling lost and overwhelmed. She needed to find the kitchen to make herself a cup of tea, but she didn't want to bother her maid, who seemed busy with other tasks.

As she turned a corner, she almost ran into Hameedah, one of Malik's wives. Oman immediately felt a wave of discomfort wash over her. Hameedah had always been cold and rude to her, and Oman knew that this encounter would be no different.

"Watch where you're going," Hameedah spat, giving Oman a dirty look.

Oman felt her heart sink at the sound of Hameedah's voice. She knew that living with these other wives was going to be a nightmare if they were all as hostile as Hameedah.

"I'm sorry," Oman muttered, trying to step around her.

Hameedah blocked her path, looking Oman up and down with disdain. "What are you doing here, anyway? You're not one of us."

Oman felt a pang of anger at Hameedah's words. She knew that she wasn't Malik's first wife, but that didn't mean she didn't belong here. She was Malik's wife, and that was all that mattered.

"I was just looking for the kitchen," Oman said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Hameedah rolled her eyes. "Well, good luck with that. It's not like you know your way around here."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Oman standing alone in the hallway. Oman felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes, and she quickly blinked them back. She couldn't let Hameedah see her cry.

As she continued down the hallway, Oman felt a sense of despair wash over her. She didn't know how she was going to survive living with these women, who seemed to hate her on sight. She felt like an outsider, unwanted and unwelcome.

Stopping in the middle of the hallway, Oman closed her eyes and whispered a prayer to Allah. She begged for strength and guidance, for the ability to make peace with her situation and find a way to make things work. She knew that she couldn't do this alone, that she needed Allah's help to make it through.

With a deep breath, Oman continued down the hallway, determined to find the kitchen and make herself a cup of tea. She knew that it was a small thing, but it was something she could control in a situation that felt entirely out of her control.

Authors note:
What do you think of this chapter?