Married To A Captain

chapter 3

The soldiers were finally heading home. Muhammad, although eager to see his mother, had no desire to return to the palace.

He despised everything about it, especially the people who thrived on tearing each other down, not even sparing their own children.

As he stood lost in thought, his phone rang. A smile crossed his face when he saw his mother's name-Sarauniya, the most important person in his life, his first love.

"Assalamu alaikum, Mama," he greeted warmly. "Wa alaikis Salam, Babana. How are you?" she asked.

"Alhamdulillah, Mama. We thank God," he replied, but he knew whenever she called him "Babanta," it meant she wanted something.

"Muhammad," she began, "I want you to come home by next week. Don't make me repeat myself."

"But Mama, you know how I feel about the palace and the people in it," he protested.

"Whether you like it or not, you're related to them. Do as I say," she replied firmly.

Muhammad sighed. "Insha Allah, Sarauniya. I'll be back next week," he agreed, hanging up before she could respond.

Back in the palace, Sarauniya sighed as she set her phone aside. Her chamber gleamed with shades of gold and white, a testament to her royalty.

"Your Majesty," her loyal servant Jakadiya began, "don't you think His Highness should marry soon?"

"You're right, Jakadiya. But you know how stubborn my son can be. He only listens to me occasionally," Sarauniya said. "Still, I'll make sure he marries by the end of this."

"Call Hauwa for me," she instructed.

Hauwa, Muhammad's younger sister, entered the chamber with a greeting. "Assalamu alaikum, Mama."

"Wa alaikis Salam, my baby. I need your help. Khadija likes your brother, and I want them to marry. Let her know she'll be staying here when Muhammad returns next week."

Hauwa smiled, thrilled that her brother would marry her best friend. "Insha Allah, Mama. I'll let her know," she said before leaving.

Meanwhile, at Amina's house, Fatima had been staying for a week. Abba and Umma had welcomed her warmly, and they were even considering sponsoring her education.

"Amina, go call Fatima. We need to talk," Abba said.

Mino, Amina's nickname, found Fatima praying and waited until she finished. Together, they went downstairs, where they sat before Abba and Umma.

"Fatima," Abba began, "Umma and I want to help you with your education. We've talked to Mino, and we've decided to sponsor you for university."

Fatima's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, Abba, Umma, may Allah bless you. This has always been my dream."

Umma smiled. "You deserve it, Fatima. You've shown dedication. We'll support you every step of the way."

Fatima could hardly believe her luck. She had always dreamed of attending university, but financial difficulties had stood in her way.

"Thank you so much. I promise to work hard and make the most of this chance," she said earnestly.

"We believe in you, Fatima," Abba said gently. "You'll succeed, Insha Allah."

With tears in her eyes, Fatima hugged Abba and Umma, overwhelmed with gratitude. This opportunity wasn't just a dream come true-it was the start of a brighter future for her and her family.

♡♡

Fatima and Amina were at the local market, buying supplies for school. The atmosphere was lively, filled with the sounds of traders calling out prices and customers haggling. Fatima clutched a list of essentials while Amina led the way through the crowded stalls. As they crossed the street, Fatima's attention wandered to a shop window displaying colorful fabrics. Distracted, she didn't notice the car speeding down the road. A loud honk snapped her out of her daydream just as the vehicle screeched to a stop, inches from her.