Qubool Hai (MeeraSim FF)

53 - Pagh

The crowd watched, suprisingly silent as Murtasim took his seat amongst the men outside, Amir and Anwar and Anas stood at his side as his trustee. It felt uncannily chilly for autumn, the cold pinching at his fingertips, his nose and ears as if snow blanketed them, not crispy amber leaves. His lips were set and neutral in pretend that the loss of his father didn't burden him so heavily that it often threatened to pull him under.

A couple of the other prominent leaders of the panchayat came to their home.

The space outside their home was plentiful and still bustling, the commotion causing a white noise that fell hush on the signal of a faint cough.

Anwar pulled his waist coat pulled taunt and he poised to address the crowd, ''Aaj se, is ghar aur goan ka sarbara Khan Murtasim Khan hai. Is goan ke hifazat ke liye, aur har faisla lene ke liye, humari gaddi ke jaanasheen.'' The messenger's voice was booming, carrying far and wide for all the spectators to hear and witness. It was an oath of loyalty, a declaration and a indisputable fact. (From today, the head of this house and this village is Khan Murtasim Khan. For the leadership of his village, to take every decision, the successor of the family.)

They watched as history was being written. Murtasim listened to every work with a stoic silence. His plain white collared kameez was deceivingly simple for his newfound status, his crowning that deemed fit for a local king.

With that declaration, Anwar lifted the ivory turban and turned towards Murtasim. He sat tall on the throne, jaw set, looking out with a stern and cold gaze, as was a show of his power. His gaze lifted to Anwar ; the uncle and nephew conveyed a wordless message of reverence and understanding that the time had come - and Murtasim gave a nod.

Anwar's hands lowered with the crown like turban onto Murtasim's head like a weighted crown, burdened with creating justice, for the stability of endless people and miles of acres to his name. In a single instance, the crowd came to life. A wave of 'Jiyo Khan,' erupted from them. In acceptance of the respect, Murtasim's hand lifted, showing his open palm. It was a sign, causing the wave of joyous commotion to fall flat and instantaneously frozen.

Sliding like sand through his very fingertips, Murtasim father has passed the threshold of this life, washing away the tiresome efforts to battle the cancer. His mother was broken, Rohail was half way across the country in a sort of hiding, and Meerab was out of sight with the women inside. It was all wrong, and yet he persevered into claiming his dues by pushing aside his emotions which were unfitting for his role. The shoes dug into him, he craved his father's shawl for warmth and his skin felt strange from being scrutinised so harshly from the crowd.

His leg's straightened out, the oversized regal turban heightening him handsomely, and shading from the overhead sun that loomed and peered down over them - all his responsibility.

His voice was deep and thick, aimed to resonate with every rival and accomplice in the crowd when he announced, ''Khan Shah Nawaz Khan ke usool pe chalenge, unke miraaz aur unke raaste pe. Yakeen hai ke gaddi sambhalunga aur poora haq ada karunga.'' His words were glossy and refined, yet completely candid, his father being the ideal he aspired for. (We will tread on Khan Shah Nawaz Khan's principles, after his legacy, on his path. I hope to take on the family seat and ensure that everyone's rights are fulfilled.)

There was a brief pause for thunderous claps, tumultuous 'Khan' chanted like wind rolled over them. The harsh sun blared down, and aged him a couple years before their very eyes. ''Yeh gaddi, yeh log aur yeh zameen ab meri amaanat hain. Aur khuda ke di huyi amanat mein main khayanat nahi karta,'' he assured, looking out to the sea of people, shades of brown that he had grown up seeing, and somewhere along had matured into their authority figure - he was floored with wonderment, an almost out of body experience. (This family seat, these people and these lands are all my responsibility for safe keeping. I will not breach this trust that god has bestowed upon me.)