Sa'eed - The Warrior

Meher

"I feared you would never return", says Mir Jafar's wife. She is overjoyed to see me.
"How could I not Khala? I had promised you I will".

She looks a lot better. Her wounds are healing well. We are sitting in the garden. She invited me through the door when I had knocked on her window to seek permission.

"Few who visit me ever return, especially after they find out who my husband is", she says with nervous anticipation.
"He works right next to the king you had said", I remind her.
"He does", she replies.
"Then he is the Wazir-e-aala" I say.
She nods. I smile.

"Aren't you scared?", she asks still anxious.
"I am not"
"Not even if I tell you he is a man with no patience and a cruel heart? A beast who could bury you alive for having entered his house?"
"Mir Jafar doesn't scare me Khala", I say.
She is so happy she comes up to hug me. "I finally have a friend! Someone who cares for me, who comes to visit me and is not scared of my terrible husband!"

"If we are friends now then it's just right that we know each others names", I say.
"My name is Meher"
"Mine is Saeed"
"Saeed? But that's a boys name!"
"Maybe I am as good as a boy could be", I tell her with a wink.
"I don't doubt that. A girl not scared of Mir Jafar must be brave".
"So when did you get married to him?"
"When I was 16, I am almost 18 now. Its been 2 years". I look at her surprised.
"You are just a year elder to me and I have been calling you Khala", I smack my head. She gives a sad smile.
"Pain makes people look older than their years", she says.
"Tell me about your family", I ask trying to change the topic.

"We are a family of 8. My father is the Shahi Hakeem. I have 5 brothers all younger to me"
The Shahi Hakeem! Here was my key for solving the mystery of the Shehenshah's murder. It was the Shahi Hakeem who had treated the Shehenshah during his illness. If anyone knew what truly happened, it would be him! I had hit a jackpot by meeting Meher. I could use the situation for the benefit of all of us. Meher would be free of abuse and I would be free of my mission and the kingdom would be free of a villain.

"Tell me about your family", she asks.
"My family consists of just me and my mother", I say.
"I am sorry to hear that Saeed"
"You don't have to be Meher, we all have our dark clouds", I tell her. "What about Mir Jafar's other wives?"
"I rarely see them. They have a separate house in the Shahi housing. Of the two I like the second one better. She is a kindred spirit. But the eldest wife is a female version of Mir Jafar. She is not someone you can cross easily".
"How many children do they have?", I ask.
"2 sons from the eldest wife. Mir Faseeh and Mir Tabrez. 1 son, Mir Saleem from the second wife".

The garden we are sitting in is beautiful. It has flowering creepers crawling all over. A small pond in between is overflowing with Lilies. The sweet smell of Jasmine is intoxicating. We are seated on a divan with numerous cushions. I look at Meher, a pretty lady sitting among such splendor. A stranger will consider her to be the most blessed woman on earth. She has a powerful husband, a palatial house, servants at her command and a face to be proud of. Truly appearances can be deceptive. What is the use of having blessings when you couldn't even enjoy them? Peace of heart and happiness are everything. The happiest man on earth is not judged by materialistic things but by satisfaction and peace. I drink the tea placed before me.

"If you are the daughter of Shahi Hakeem then you have lived in the Shahi housing all your life?"
"Not all my life. We shifted here when I was around 7 years old. Before that we lived in the Gharib Kothri. Where do you live Saeed?"
She had shifted in a year after we had moved out.
"I live right at the edge of the Capital where the city ends and the forest starts"
"Don't you get lonely with no neighbors?"
"It's kind of peaceful. We do get visitors though"
"You must be used to quiet life. How did you find me Saeed?"
"I heard your moaning and followed it"
"Were you in the Shahi housing at that time?", she asks.
"No I was outside the wall, I jumped in after climbing a tree".
She looks at me aghast. "Did you come the same way today?"
"Yes I did", I tell her.
"Whoever heard of a girl climbing trees and coming to rescue people in pain?"
"Whoever heard of a woman who tolerates her abusive husband day after day?" I hit back.
"I am helpless Saeed. If I try to resist him or fight back he will hurt my family. And if they try to stand up against him he tortures me. We are trapped. Neither are they happy nor am I. Our life has been cursed since my father accepted the job of Shahi Hakeem", she says in desperation.
"Do you trust me Meher?" I ask.
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be taking the risk of allowing you in my house and accepting you as my friend"
"If you trust me then listen to me, I have a plan"