His Harem, his women and his WOMAN

Chapter 2

Not Edited

Omeed's heart skipped a beat as she took in the sight before her. She wasn't sure of what it was that drew her to Hafez but she'll be damned if she fought the attraction.

"As-Salaam-Alaikum,(Peace be unto you) my lord." Omeed greeted with a mock bow. As Hafez stared at her captivated by her eyes and beauty. Something that had haunted his sleep the night before. He tried to say something but words failed him, he couldn't get a word out they seemed stuck in his throat.

Why does he loose himself when he sees this incumbent brat? Amir thought to himself? Has she perhaps bewitched him? Prince Hafez before now had taken no notice and interest in girls and women in general. Though he had an outgoing personality, he was shy and stayed away from the opposite sex.

"We are on our way to the government hospital to do some volunteering work." Omeed said hoping Hafez and Amir might be interested on helping. Hafez was taken aback at her words. He was beyond impressed by the little spitfire. "If you haven't gotten a more pressing matter, perhaps you want to join us?" She looked on with a hopeful glint in her eyes.

Before Amir could turn down the offer, Hafez spoke abruptly. "Wa-Alaikum-Salaam,(And unto you) it is very kind of you to offer my lady. We'll be joining you." He spoke giving Amir a stern look that left no room for an argument.

Thinking how interesting life has been in the last two days since he stepped out of the palace for the first time going around incognito, he was tempted to keep the façade going for as long as he could milk it. "My name is Amir. And this is my servant Emad."  Hafez's words had left Amir stunned.

Amir couldnt believe what he had just heard, how he suddenly went from being Amir the eunuch to Emad the servant in minutes baffled him. And prince Hafez became Amir? He thought to himself as he looked on exasperatedly at Omeed and her little party.

Omeed knew they had lied about their names but played along. If they were going to hide their identities then she was going to as well. "I am Zoya, this is my handmaiden Afra and my good friend Atash." Hafez and Amir knew like them, she hadn't been entirely truthful. But they had all hoped individually to someday become true friends if Allah permitted.

As they walked through the busy street market, Hafez took in the state of his people with a solemn look on his face. He watched as little children not more than seven years of age begged on the street for bread and spare coins. Stopping abruptly, he thought of ways to improve their livelihood. But nothing worthwhile sprang to his mind.

Omeed was livid as she watched a young boy being beaten up be a merchant who had accused him of stealing bread from his stall. Without putting much thought into her action she pushed forward through the crowd that were gathering. With some demanding retribution and that the little boy's hand be chopped off for stealing.

Hafez though having been sheltered his whole life stood motionlessly as he watched this barbaric act about to unfold in his presence.

"Let him go this minute."  Omeed ordered authoritatively. "He is but a very hungry child." She said to the crowd that were assembled. "It was nothing but a mere bread." She said standing next to the little boy who was crying his eyes out and looked petrified. He had urinated on himself being so scared.

"The law is the law, my lady." The merchant curtseyed recognising Omeed as the daughter of the Nazir. Omeed hated the laws of the land at times like these. She had often argued with her pedar that these laws were made not considering the state of the poor and less privileged. "I am sure my lady knows what the law states." The merchant finished with a smirk on his face.

"The laws were written by men, and it's our duty as citizens to redress it where we deem fit." She spoke courageously as Amir and Hafez looked on with wonderment shining through their eyes. "This law you speak of does no favour for the poor and helpless children and at such let the boy go."