Shirk in Disguise

PART TWO >>>>>CHAPTER 18

A/N
I present to you the story of Azeema, Fanna and Yusuf's daughter. Read on...

Ten year-old Azeema just sat there, brooding. Her previous normal life had disappeared almost in a flash, leaving her befuddled. She almost couldn't believe that she, who'd hitherto been her father's little princess, was now treated like a pauper. She sighed as the reality of her situation dawned on her. It was her fate – she was an orphan with neither a father nor a mother.

The rasping, commanding voice of her grandmother broke through her reverie, "Where's that little imp?" she bellowed.

Frightened out of her skin, she quickly perked up. She knew more than anybody else who the imp was and she knew better than to ignore the old woman's summons.

However, Azeema's haste to answer the call clearly didn't meet her grandmother's expectations, for she met her standing in the doorway, hands akimbo. Azeema glanced in her direction, shuddering, before lowering her eyes respectfully.

The old woman eyed her from head to toe. "So you've been right here while I was shouting myself hoarse looking for you, right?"

"No, Ma. I didn't hear you..." came the feeble reply.

"I never knew you were deaf as well as the daughter of a witch!" exclaimed the old woman, feigning surprise. Of course this was an unjust accusation but the old woman clearly enjoyed the young girl's misery.

"Ma..."

"Shut up! Will you get out of my sight to do your duty immediately or are you waiting to be prompted first??"

Without a word more, Azeema scurried out of her grandma's way to the kitchen, wiping away tears in the process. She really couldn't understand the sheer hatred which her own grandmother never ceased to display towards her. And what was that about her mother? She had only heard good tales about her late mother from her father but the old woman clearly thought otherwise.

Azeema's grandmother, who was also Yusuf's mother, couldn't be bothered. She had taken it upon herself to mete out untold hardship on the poor girl, as if trying to take vengeance on the girl's mother. For all she cared, she truly believed that Fanna had only bewitched and thrown herself at her beloved son and therefore deemed it fit to call her a 'Brown-Eyed Witch' and countless other despicable names.

True, she'd once mellowed down when Fanna had gotten pregnant but when the Brown-Eyed Damsel gave birth to a physical replica of her own self, the hatred in the old woman's heart resurged even though poor Fanna had died in the process of giving life to her long-awaited grandchild. The resentment had increased and gotten compounded over the years as Yusuf refused to remarry after his wife's death and instead chose to dedicate his life to serving his 'Princess'. She therefore channeled all her frustration to young Azeema.

Since the tragic death of her son when the ten-year-old Azeema had started living with her, the poor girl been literally transformed into a slave in the house. During her short stay, Azeema had emaciated by the day as the hardships took toll on her but her grandmother didn't care. Instead, she wanted the girl to suffer for her mother's so-called crime, which was marrying her son.

As she passed the door of the kitchen where Azeema was dutifully washing plates, she heard the young girl crying and singing a dirge at the same time but still, her heart wasn't touched. Instead, she barked at the girl to hurry up and face her work before she marched away to her room for a long nap, leaving the poor girl wallowing in misery.

A bit short I'm afraid...
However, the next chapter is just a click away!

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