From the stars, to the stars

The magic of the book

Khalid opened his eyes to find he was surrounded by light. It was not the kind that gave warmth or was comforting. It was the kind of blinding, cold light that bleached the eyes. Khalid tried to shut his eyes to shield them from the merciless light all around him but was shocked to find that closing his eyes did not block it. It remained in front of him- or rather all around him, pulsing it's way into his brain, searing it.

Blinding pain. Blinding light.

Perhaps he was dead and this is what afterlife looked like, Khalid thought.

Suddenly he was reminded of a girl. A girl with hazel eyes, piercing his soul. A girl who was as fierce as any man or any soldier he had ever met or trained with. With a rush of panic he realized he could not remember who she was.

Khalid could distinctly remember knowing this girl and being somewhat of an import to her. But he couldn't remember what she looked like, save for her eyes. Those hazel, fierce eyes.

Khalid's head pounded as if a thousand swords were being hammered into his brain. He could distinctly remember he had experienced this kind of pulsing, blinding pain when he was under the influence of the curse.

Why was he experiencing it now?

A picture of a rose, perfect in its alignment, with its mauve petals perfectly positioned, rushed into Khalid's mind. It was like a flash of lightning. It appeared only to disappear from his mind like the slashing of a hot white whip. Quick.

Just as that happened, the bright, searing light began to fade. Turning it's bleaching white colour to a soft white. One which cleared Khalid's vision and eased the pounding in his head. A figure appeared before him.

At first he saw the hazel eyes. He was shocked. This was the same girl he was just remembering about. The fierce, strong girl. Her black long braid was studded with mauve pearls. The same colour as the rose.

With A rush of memory Khalid eyes widened giving him a better look at the figure standing before him.

Shahrzad. His queen. His wife.

Khalid called out to her and just as she did. Khalid's vision cleared. He was now in a brightly lit tent. There was a sharp commotion of voices from outside.

He looked around to see a body near to his lying form.

Jahandar al Khayzuran.

"Khalid?"

He looked up to see his wife's face streaked with tears. Her black hair was a wild mess and her eyes were bloodshot.

She had never looked more beautiful.

Khalid suspected it was because of him that Shazi was crying but he could not register why Jahandar's body was lying on the ground. After all it was Khalid who was supposed to be dead.