Zainab bint Farouq
Thirteen years ago, a girl with fire in her eyes and love in her heart escaped the clutches of war.
Thirteen years later, she brings war.
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Asad ibn Malik
It takes him ten years to learn of the Great Betrayal. Ten years of bl...
Tears in her beautiful eyes evoked storms in his love bound heart
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His father had proposed to his mother with a large diamond ring placed in the hollwed out center of a blood red rose.
He'd apologize with the bud in his palms, tuck a bloom in her hair and whisper how he loved her a little more every day and have rose stuffed pastry prepared on every occasion, because the rose was the love of his love.
It's fierce and bold, vibrant against a dying background, his mother told him when he'd enquired about her love for the flower, It's delicate but not defenseless, soft but not weak.
And then she'd laughed before telling him she loved it's smell and colour.
The limp girl in his arms reminded him of his mother's red roses as he raced towards where they had set up camp.
She was everything his mother had loved.
Her head lay on his chest and her vulnerability twisted a dagger somewhere in him.
Guilt.
She had taken care of every minor physical affliction that befell anyone- the bee stings and the bruises, his wound and sore muscles, fatigue and blisters.
She had taken care of everyone.
Except herself.
And none of them had noticed.
Guilt sat heavy in his chest. It pressed down on his lungs and twisted the muscles of his heart into a painful knot.
He did not hear Sahar and Faris run up to him. He did not see their expressions as they rushed to get Abu Dharr. He did not sense anything but the girl in his arms.
'ASAD'
The voice pulled his gaze to Abu Dharr's wisened eyes. The older man's hands were on his shoulders.
Was he shaking him?
'Lay her down here'
He did.
'She will be okay akhi'
Faris' form was blurred as Asad looked up to him.
'Get me water' Sahar told Faris who ran away nodding.
'Ointment' she told Abu Dharr who went away with a nod.
'Pray Asad' she said' her words threaded with gentleness.
Asad understood what she was asking.
Zainab would have wanted the privacy.
And so, he forced his muscles to move away.
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He spent the night begging his Lord for the well-being of a singular person.
