Serenity

Forbidden

'Why didn't you bring him?' Sakina asked the man lounging on the cushions

'Because I especially enjoy carrying around newborns on cold mornings when I have to run errands. He would have frozen to death and besides he was sleeping. He sleeps all day'

'What did you name him?'

'Sikkandar'

'Your first child and you name him something like that? I thought you had taste uncle'

'It was Afsana's idea' he ground out in irritation

'Oh I like it then' Sakina pronounced

'Who are you related to?' He was annoyed that she would change her opinion so quickly.

She ignored him and carried on with her question 'What does he look like?'

He thought for a bit 'oh you know he resembles something close to a human'

She rolled her eyes 'who does he look like?'

'Why don't you come and see?'

She could hardly contain her excitement as she thought about it.

'You are never this pleased to see me'

'Because you know you are...you, no one can be pleased to see you, I like little things, all the things I can teach him!'

'Do not turn my child into a monster'

'Its only fair seeing as that is what you did to me'

'Alright, alright enough of this, if you want to see him go and get ready'

She danced away, her laughter echoing throughout the stone building.

He sipped his tea and almost spit it out, it was the most revolting thing he had ever tasted. He chewed on a date to rid his mouth of the horrid taste. Tea was simple to make, whoever had made it must have been very daft and stupid.

Shaista watched him from the shadows silently. The only beauty she saw in Batuhan were his words, he was dark skinned, small eyed and flat faced. His body was thick, stubby and weathered. The more she observed this man the more she became convinced of his beauty. His features were sharp and sculpted, his eyes wide and dark contrasting sharply with the ivory pallor of his skin. His build was tall and wide and he held himself magnificently. No one had told Shaista that in Pukhtunkhwa, women did not look at strange men and admire them. No one had told her that people weren't objects to stare at and wish to possess and no one had told her of loyalty. She wished this man would look at her instead of Batuhan, and she wished she had him instead of the unattractive Mongolian.

She had completely lost her sanity as she ventured bravely into the room and stood before him. She dismissed his glares and the displeasure his face showed
'And what do you want?'

Anyone watching would have told her she was not in her right state of mind as she continued to watch him as though she was in a trance.

'Move aside, I have no desire to look upon your unpleasant face'

She did the forbidden, reaching out her fingers grazed his face, revelling in how his skin felt. It all lasted a moment before he let out a roar of rage and slapped her hand away, the action sent her sprawling to the other side of the chamber
'You shameless woman!'

Waves of rage rolled of him and he trembled, his hands shaking. His pupils dark and dilated. She cowered in fear, the previous false courage had evaporated

'How dare you touch me!' He wished to rip that offended hand off 'I have a wife and she is the most beautiful of women, why then would I look at a creature as foul and unattractive as you?! You have nothing a man could want and even if you did I will be loyal to her as long as I breathe.'

His throat burned with the need to be sick and his stomach was keen on throwing out its contents. He walked out of the room blindly until he reached the nearest water source and proceeded to scrub the skin that her filthy hands had come into contact with.

As for Shaista her heart felt as though it had been crushed, she couldn't breathe as she cried hysterical tears, her pillow smothering the angry cries.

That is how Sakina found her uncle, vigorously rubbing a particular spot on his face. When he noticed her, he swallowed his anger even though it was the hardest thing he had ever done. His ghayra had been bruised but he wasn't selfish enough to steal Sakina's happiness and the excitement she couldn't contain.