Sa'eed - The Warrior

Battle

I caught up with two hours of sleep before praying tahajjud (the night prayer). I asked from Allah with all my heart. Today's outcome of the war will shape the future of the kingdom. It could either be a new dawn or another dark age. I hoped with all my heart it would be a new dawn. I wondered where Shehenshah was? What tactics had they come up with? Had they already camped outside the fort or where they waiting for the dawn? I would soon find out.

People were still helping with the pounding and soaking. Huge sheets were drying all over grounds and fields. Some boys stood guard at the fields lest a curious passerby should touch the clothes. May Allah bless all the people who hadn't slept the whole night and had worked really hard. The limits to which they could go to help their kingdom showed their patriotism and loyalty to their Shehenshah.

The Shehenshah himself knew nothing of the plan yet. I hoped to tell him about it as soon as I met him. As the dawn approached I collected the dried sheets in a basket and rode with Hakeem Hamid to the fort that bordered our kingdom. I had left instructions to bring the rest of the sheets as soon as they were dry enough.

As we neared we saw the soldiers had already taken their positions, just waiting for the sunrise before they launched the attack. Shehenshah stood right at the front. There was no time to talk to him, I had to go ahead with the plan without informing him.

The enemy's army was not visible to my eye. Both the army's will have to ride a few kilometers before they met in between. I got off the horse and carried the basket to the top of the fort with Hakeem Hamid's help. I bumped into Ali.

"Saeed! Where have you been?". He sounded hysterical.

"I was getting this ready". I pointed at the basket. He did not look pleased. "Shehenshah was in a fine temper when you did not turn up for the whole night! He was waiting for you. Every time someone entered he would look up hoping you had returned. He looked crestfallen before he set off to the battle field. He said there was no way we could win this war through swords. He wanted to see you one time before he went lest it should be the last time. He has already made his will and asked me to give him a respectful burial".

"No!" The scream just left my lips. "He is not dying so soon and we are certainly not losing! Go! Protect Shehenshah from all sides while I do my part!". I pushed Ali and ran to the platform from where cannons were fired. I had already lost one important person of my life! I was certainly not losing another!

I thrust the gauntlets in the hands of soldiers who were not already wearing them.

"We do not require this", one soldier told me. I glared at him. "Just put it on before you are poisoned".

They all looked at me skeptically not ready to take orders from a girl dressed like a soldier. The cannon chief spoke up. "Hammad Khan has given us specific instructions on what to do"

"Well, now the plan has changed and you better do what I say, or else..."

"Or else what?". He stepped in front of me.

Argh! Why did they have to make this more difficult than it already was? We had no time!

"Or else we will be subdued even before the war is halfway through and killed even before we can say shahadah!" I stepped even more closer to him and looked right in his eyes. "As the Malika of Shehenshah Sher Shah I command you to obey me without question".

I did not know if it was the anger and power in my voice or the hope that this new plan might be more sensible than the last one or that there was no time to argue, the chief moved behind in surrender. He knew nothing of Shehenshah's nikah yet he did not question my words though he doubted them.