If Only- A Tere Bin Story

The Reluctant Ally

The wedding preparations in the Khan mention were on full swing. Meerab and Murtasim both were super busy in their respective chores. Meerab had been going through all the preparation for Mayun ceremony suddenly she had a flashback of her own Mayun day. She agreed to this marriage because all other options were made invalid for her. Her identity was taken away from her, her house where she grew up was made off-limits, she was trapped and then during an intimate moment between her and ALLAH she asked for strength for what to come. In that moment, she found courage to face the disservice done to her and decided to go through with this marriage. But, even then she sat through all the marriage functions with reluctance and disinterest.

Meerab also thought about how despite having no love interest in her life pre-marriage, how difficult it was for her to trust Murtasim, to let him in. She made a Goddamn contract as an act of self preservation. Of course, there was something that pulled them to each other, CHEMISTRY- if you may call it, but a relationship needed more and it takes time. This realization made her even more sad for Marium, because Marium loved someone deeply and yet, she is being send off to a literal stranger for the sake of family tradition- or whatever. Meerab, felt annoyance towards this 'Khandan's' utterly mindless rules once again.

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The day passed with hustle and bustle in the Khan Haveli. Meerab didn't even realize when the sun sat. It was was 6.00 pm, and she kept looking towards the entrance door, anticipating Murtasim's arrival any minute and there he came.

Meerab's heart catches at his sight. His coat hung from one shoulder, his one hand loosely holding the coat in place, the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to elbows. He looked tired, dishevelled and ridiculously handsome. 

Murtasim came in the living room and the sight that welcomed him was nothing short of breathtaking. There, his Meerab, draped in the most beautiful shade of pink which matches her cheeks. It was a plain shalwar kameez with a printed dupatta but somehow, Meerab was making it look like 'couture'. The thing that makes this whole sight more appealing was her smile as she walked towards him.

"AssalamOAlaikum.." Meerab said dazzling Murtasim with a smile as she came to stand close to him.

"WalaikumAssalaam" He replied with a matching smile while looking deep in to her eyes.

For some reason, they both didn't move or say anything for the next few seconds. This moment, them together, happy in each other's presence, content in their hearts; it was a moment none of them wanted to move away from. They wanted time to stop, and may be it did.

They didn't come out of their trance until Maa begum announces her presence with a loud clearance of her throat. They both moved away from eachother with a jerk. An adoring blush creeping into both of their faces. Maa begum felt her heart warming up but didn't really show any reaction. 

"Murtasim! bahar Phool aur sajawat waly ae hain, Zara sara intezam dekh lo." (Murtasim, the flower and decoration people are waiting out side, please go check the arrangements) then, as if noticing his tired state added softly, "janti hun tum bas abhi ae ho lekin, Behen ki Shadi hai tum nai karo ge to kon kare ga." (I know you just came but, its your sister's wedding, if you won't do it who will).

"Ofcourse I'll do it Maa....don't worry about it." Murtasim answered, then gave a small nod to his mother and a reluctant smile to Meerab and left.

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It was almost 10.30 and Murtasim hadn't returned. Meerab came to know from Mari bi, the maid, that Murtasim had left the haveli with Anwar Khan , Meerab's birthfather (someone she still had  alot of beef with), for a meeting with the lawyer about Malick Zubair. Oh! That horrendous character. Malick Zubair is the name she had frequently heard in this house after marriage and especially after he kidnapped her because he was Murtasim's arched enemy. The Khans had family rivalry with the MAlicks since ages. Meerab had previously tried to convinced Murtasim to put an end to it but they soon realized that Malick Zubair is not the kind of person one would expect any good from. Despite hearing about him so much, Meerab had never seen him, Meerab sudddenly thought, he must look like the monster that he is.

She was still waiting for Murtasim when her phone binged, she had a text from Anas. She straightened her back, now alerted. 'why is he texting me now'., Meerab thought while opening the text to read, the text was simple but made Meerab extremely anxious.

it said "Go to Marium's room".......It made no sense, why would he say this? what's in Marium's room? Meerab's mind was racing so were her feet as she ran towards Marium's room. She realized that the Haveli is mostly quiet. Maa begum and all the servants, after having a hectic day, had retired to their rooms. Haya was no where to be seen. Yes, Haya, Murtasim's cousin who is obsessively in love with him. Her thought always leave a distaste in Meerab's mouth but right now Haya was the least of her concerns. Meerab rushed in to Marium's room and Froze.

              *******Trigger Warning- The scene ahead may contain suicidal content*****

The scene unfolding in front of her eyes was horrific. Marium standing in the middle of the room, her hair in disarray, her face stunned and her eye dead on her. Then, Meerab's eye flickered slightly downwards to seen Marium holding a sharp knife in her right hand which was pressed aginst the wrist of her left hand. Meerab felt the ground had been snatched away from under her feet. 

"Marium....yeh kia...?" (Marium....what is this....?) Meerab barely let out.

" Meerab, Please listen to me carefully" Marium said, her voice calm and eerily. "Anas is waiting for me at the back door of the Haveli, I can not ask for the keys from the guards as Maa begum has restricted my motions. So, you go and fetch the keys and then open the back door.....Thats it, Anas will manage the rest" Marium concluded.

Meerab was stunned at this whole scenario...."But...BUt, I thought you had your last conversation with him this morning. I thought you two had said your Good-Byes." Meerab was trying to make sense of the whole thing.

"No we didn't....we made this plan to escape on that phone call.....Meerab! Please do it for me. You asked me if you can do something for me, well this it...or I'll just kill myself rightnow." Marium took a pause then continued, "I am sure dying would hurt less than spending my whole life with someone I don't love, especially when I finally know what love feels like."  

Meerab is feeling dizzy, her head spinning. She thought about Murtasim, God! she just accepted him as her husband, they just started their new journey of love.....No, No,NO...I can't deceive Murtasim. Meerab was fighting a war within when Marium exclaimed,

"MEERAB!" with this, she pressed the knife to her wrist and a tiny drop of blood erupted from her skin.

"Marium, For God's sake STOP!!" Meerab shouted but not too loudly. She is getting hysteric now. "Don't do this Marium...."

"Are you going to help me or not" Marium challenged and Meerab nods in agreement very reluctantly.

*********************************************************************************************************************** Oh well, that's it for now. Heavy duty Drama ahead!

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