𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧

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☾ E L E V E N ⭒

The news of his best friend's disappearance had reached him sooner than expected. After having waited many hours for the arrival of Mirza and his family and then being welcomed by just his soldier and only half the members of the Arafat household, worry bit at his heart.

He'd sent one of his guards to venture out for them, only to be greeted by half the family, wounded and soaked to the bone. The king was furious as the guard explained the massacre that had taken place on his harmonious land.

How dare these men kill on his soil. He was furious. But even more furious as no one knew of these men's whereabouts. Where they came from, what their motives were. Nothing. Except that they adorned ajeeb attire, informed by almost every witness that came to the kings men and relived their weird encounter.

[Weird]

King Sulayman sent the family to their respected chambers, where the royal physicians would tend to their wounds. Only the best healers of the empire would care for Cyra and Shahzad's' needs.

The king ordered for the guards to go back to the land and clean the mess up before anyone else ventured through that path. And if anyone was suspicious, ease their hearts, and tell them nothing had occured towards which they would need to worry about.

Their king pledged for Mirza's family to reside with them until there was news of Mirza and Barakah. This was the least he could do for his friends loyalty towards his throne.

"My King" one of the returning soldiers greeted, hand over heart in deep honour. King Sulayman waved his hand slightly, a sign for the man before him to state his claim. "Nothing as of yet has been found regarding whom took Sir Mirza and his daughter, Barakah, but rest assured, only the best in the entirety of Meskin has been appointed to find them"

Mirza was not too surprised at the information presented before him. He had a vague feeling that these men were smart. And sly. They'd covered their tracks and done their dirty work in broad daylight. They were indeed audacious, to commit their crime without fear of vengeance. The Meskin empire would breath down their neck once they were found.

All it took was a wave of the hand and the remaining words on the guards tongue died down. The king had heard enough. Now it was time to wait patiently and pounce when least expected.

Meanwhile, the Northerners were further away from Meskin with each passing minute. The horses were built for speed, and much to Kazimir's delight, they were excelling all praises bestowed upon them.

It was soon to be dark and they needed a place to reside for the night. He held the girl sat in front of him upright, as she kept wobbling around on the horse. Barakah had been moved from Anton's horse, much to his relief, and now rode with Kazimir. The girl made sure to sit away from him so that she wouldn't be touching the man in the slightest, but with each gallop of the horse, her body helplessly nestled against his front, causing her to repeatedly slide down the horse and away from him.

It remained like that for a couple of hours as Barakah's back protested in pain and just when she least expected it, sleep befell her, like a blanket of sun rays enveloping the body on a cold night. Her father needed rest, and it gave her heart much contentment that he was getting any form of it. She feared for her father, she truly did- especially whenever her thoughts allowed her to drift from the man situated behind her-so any chance she had she would take to check up on her father.

Unbeknown to herself, her head wobbled about in sleep and Kazimir feared it would fall off with the way it bobbled around, till he couldn't take it anymore and jutted her towards his chest. Even sat down, she reached just below his shoulders, and more than it should have, the sight stirred something within him. He would've admired the cherub in his arms, but alas time didn't allow it as he could feel the horses losing their stamina. Night had befallen them much quicker than anticipated. He could do more of that later on, after all, she was his warprize.