Sa'eed - The Warrior

Shehzada Firoz Shah

I run to the aid of the Shehzada forgetting all about my own safety. I jump right into the water, grab hold of him and pull him out with me in a minute. I have a good look at him. He isn't harmed in anyway just shaken up from shock.

"It was very irresponsible of you to run behind a ball, Shehzada. You could have drowned", I scold him.

He doesn't reply, just stares at me with wide eyes. His cute innocent face fills my heart with love. He was too adorable!

"You are a malak (angel)", he stutters finally, still looking at me with wide eyes and dripping wet.

"No, I am not Shehzada. I am as much a human as you are", I reply.

"You saved me. You jumped out of nowhere. Maa says Allah sends malaik (angels) to protect us", he says.

"Well, malaik do protect us, but in this situation Allah sent me to protect you", I say. I am getting edgy from the fear of being spotted. I quickly pull out the golden ball from the fountain with the help of a stick, gather the Shehzada in my arms and move beneath the mango trees for more coverage.

"Where are your gaurds Shehzada?" I ask.

He gives me a mischievous smile. "I gave them the slip".

"That was a very dangerous thing to do. You could have been killed", I say angrily.

A sad and guilty look overtakes his face and his eyes well up with tears at my strict tone which immediately melts my heart. Little boys and their charms!

"Its OK now sweetheart, you are safe. Come let's find your guards or your Maa", I say extending my hand towards him. He takes my hand and I carry him lovingly in my arms.

"Point the directions to me Shehzada", I say and he nods.

"What's your name malak?" he asks.

"Saeed", I reply.

"Saeed", he repeats. "Can I see your face?"

"Yes, you can", I say facing him. He pulls off my veil.

"Pretty", he comments. I smile back at him, kiss his forehead and put back my veil in place.
"But remember Shehzada, you should keep me a secret", I say.

"Secrets! I love secrets!", he says jumping in my arms. "I keep lots of secrets. Don't worry Sa'eed, I never tell my secrets to anyone except Monu."

"Who is Monu?" I ask in wonder.

"She is my kitten, she sleeps, eats and plays with me".

"Where is she now?"

"I hid her in the cupboard and ordered the gaurds to look for her. I ran away while they were looking". He gives a merry laugh.

"Now the gaurds will be in deep trouble for the mistake you did", I say walking in the direction he had pointed keeping to the trees and shadows. I have a sudden sensation of being watched. It's the same feeling I had got on my first night in the palace. I look all around but there's no one here as far as the eye can see. I shake off the feeling and continue.

"They are bad guards. I want them to go away", he whispers. "What do you mean Shehzada? Guards are meant to protect you". He shakes his head like as if I was a dumb student unable to understand a simple equation and he was my intelligent teacher. "These guards don't want to protect me Sa'eed, they don't like me".

I look at the little boy in wonder. "And what makes you think they are bad and they don't like you?"

"They are bad because they like to hurt. They don't work to protect me, they work to keep an eye on me. They don't allow me to go anywhere. They are afraid of Vahash (beast)"  I look at him dumbfounded. He was much too intelligent for a four year old boy! Or maybe he was just too imaginative.