Sa'eed - The Warrior

The broken home

"Father, that boy has been hanging near our house since morning", observed Daniya while serving her father Hammad Khan his dinner.

"Do you know him?", asked her father.

"No I don't but I have a good mind to go and ask him who he is and what he wants".

Her father smiled at her agitation. "Don't worry Daniya, he is here to keep an eye on me and not on you".

"Keep an eye on you, but why?"

"Because Mir Jafar suspects me. And he has sent Abdul to see who comes to visit me"

"He is called Abdul. How do you know that?", she asked surprised.

"I know a lot more than what you see".

"Right. What if he notices Saeed coming here?"

"That is only the problem with Mir Jafar. He doesn't keep an eye on women. He thinks it beneath him to think of women as powerful beings. Saeed will face no danger by coming here"

"Good, I am looking forward to seeing her tomorrow", replied Daniya with a smile. "What did you do for so long at the Jamia Masjid Father?".

"I went to see Shehzada Sher Shah start his first lesson with Hazrath Fakhruddin Mulla today afternoon".

"Shehzada Sher Shah! He came to the Jamia Masjid. When? How come no one noticed him? People are desperate to see him as no one has seen him appear in public. God bless the rumours that are flying around about his looks".

"He came to the Jamia Masjid dressed as a commoner and for once I must say the rumours are true. He certainly is good looking".

"A million hearts will shatter when we finally have a Malika* then"

"Let him become a Shehenshah first. The poor lad is barely 21 yet. All you girls ever think about is pairing"

Daniya blushed red at his words. Just to change the topic she said. "I would like to visit Hadiya tomorrow. I heard she is unwell"

"Sure go ahead. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) always visited sick people. It's a very virtuous act". And thus their dinner came to an end.

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"Someone is knocking", said Nilofer sitting up on bed. Her husband jerked awake as well. He sat on the bed looking at his wife too afraid to move. They were under enough danger to be scared of an untimely visit from someone. It just meant trouble.

The knocking just became louder and more urgent. The Shahi Hakeem got out of bed, pulled a robe over him and opened the door. The figure outside immediately entered in and banged the door shut behind her.

"Who are you?". He quivered, while his wife watched from behind him.
"Father, it is I" said Meher, lowering the hood.
He stood transfixed taking in the face of his daughter whom he hadn't seen since two years.
"Meher", screamed her mother. She ran and circled her daughter in her arms. "Meher my child, my daughter, my princess", said her mother holding her tightly to her chest. Tears flowed freely from both their eyes.

Meher freed herself from her mother's hold and went to her father who looked at her with pained expression. New bruises clearly showed on Maher's face.

"What have I done? Oh what have I done?", wailed her father. "I handed over my daughter in the hands of a beast. My delicate flower is living in death. It was all my fault! Oh what have I brought upon myself?"

"Father, it's OK", said Meher wiping away the tears. "It wasn't your fault. It was our destiny. What was meant to happen will happen no matter what. The choices we make are guided by unseen forces"