Sa'eed - The Warrior

Greed

Zakwan stood outside the gates of Shahi housing waiting for Raheem Miyan, the poultry farmer who had gone to deliver eggs inside. After half an hour he came out carrying a huge basket on his head.

"Raheem Miyan, wait", he yelled running to him.

"What do you want Zakwan?"

"What can I want from a poultry farmer? Eggs of course!"

"But I just sold all of them"

"You are lying to me"

"No little one. You can see the basket for yourself", he says placing the crate on the street.

Zakwan opens it and peers inside. The basket is lined with cloth and is empty. He lifts the cloth and finds the letter below it.

"Shukran Raheem Miyan", he says running away at top speed.

"But.... What's that paper?", asks Raheem Miyan at his running figure.

************************************

"Maa, how is the pain?", I ask sitting by her.

"It's getting worse"

"As soon as we get the letter we will know if the neighboring Hakeem can help us. With his vast experience I am sure he will suggest a cure". I lightly massage her limbs.

"What did the Shehzada say to the basket of custard apples?"

"He seemed to be a little emotional. I am starting to understand his business side but his personal side is still a mystery to me"

"When you understand a person too much Saeed, you either fall in love with them or go mad"

I look at her shocked.

"I neither want to fall in love nor do I want to go mad!"

"You don't have a third choice"

I think over it. Should I try not to probe further about his personal life then? Just teach him kingly stuff and step back? What about his punctured soul? Didn't that need help as well?

"Maa... What should I do?"

"Falling in love is not a bad thing but going mad will be of no use"

"I don't want to fall in love with a non-mehram*. It's not right"

"Then make him your mehram"

Before I can ask how, there is a knock on the door and Zakwan comes bursting in.

"Here it is", he gives me the letter with a flourish.

"And here is your reward". I hand him jalebis.

He is gone as fast as he had come. So Meher had summed up the courage to act. I open the letter she has written me and scan the contents.

Mir Jafar is poisoning Shehzada's food. I know that. He is trying to find out more about the guiding force behind the Shehzada. I know that as well. He is keeping an eye on Mahmood Hassan and Hammad Chachu! This is new. He goes out in the night. Even this is new. Meher's father, the Shahi Hakeem will come to meet me? I need to prepare for that. I had told Shehzada to meet him after breakfast on the pretext of being ill. Little did I know I will be meeting him myself shortly after that.

"Maa, Shahi Hakeem is coming to pay a visit".

"Javed Ansari? Why did you call him? His brother Hamid is enough to look after me!"

"They are brothers?" I can't believe this.

"Of course they are. You were little when he left so you don't remember him. Both of them used to run the matab together."