The Crown in the Storm ✔️

New Beginnings

"Open the stuff... put it on the stall" the voices seemed to get louder by the minute.

We stood outside the makeshift doors of the market. Vendors were still organizing their things in their stalls and calling out greetings to one another. The market seemed to be getting ready for the Saturday rush. The air was heavy with the anticipation of possible customers.

"Do we go in now?" I asked Zaroon, partially hiding behind him as a man tried to move from beside me. Zaroon moved to my side and glared at the man.

"There are pickpockets here, be careful" he then led me inside the market. It was full of vendors displaying their goods. One of the stalls had the traditional work of the south, black and blue mixed on the fabric. I touched the garment in fascination. I'd seen my parents gift this to the foreign dignitaries who visited us but I'd never owned one for myself.

The old man who was setting the clothing in neat little racks offered me a smile and I smiled back. He gestured for me to check the other clothing but Zaroon hurried me off to the next stall.

"I wanted to talk to him"

"He was about to make a sale" I huffed, annoyed. He was treating me like a child. His eyes weren't even on me, they flicked from one person to another, checking for danger. I didn't know who was going to stab me in the middle of the market.

"You're just doing this to humour me aren't you?"

He stopped and looked at me. His tall frame making it easy for him to try to intimidate me.

"You're leaving tomorrow"

"This is not a game for me. I do care" I said crossing my arms, frustrated.

"So you keep saying" I walked away, trying to control my anger. A part of me knew he was right. I was leaving tomorrow, but I was going to set this right. I was going to tell Ammi Jaan what was truly happening. She would fix it. If she wanted to fix it, it wouldn't have gotten to this position, would it?- my mind whispered back.

Chewing my lip I examined my options. Either way, I had to talk to the people first. That's what I had been taught. To listen to the people most affected. To try a bottom-up approach. The revolutionaries were counting on us not knowing the full extent of what was going on in the city. What if the reports had been falsified and sent to make us look incompetent? My mind was churning out conspiracy theories by the dozen now.

"Sahib... " A vendor called out to Zaroon. "Your wife is upset with you, why don't buy her these flowers?" I bit back a laugh as Zaroon stiffened.

"Let's go..." he said, coming to stand behind me. I walked ahead to the next vendor and ignored Zaroon.

"Salaam (greetings) Baaji. Do you like these?" the next vendor said gesturing to a collection of exquisitely crafted shawls. I nodded, my eyes wide. I'd have to tell Rania about this.  "This one will look beautiful on you," he said handing me the maroon shawl I had been admiring. He also turned the small mirror my way so I could see my own reflection. It really was lovely and the colour made me look radiant. I turned to look at Zaroon with a bright smile on my face. His face was blank but his eyes... his eyes were looking at me in a way I did not want to know.

"How much?" I asked, placing the shawl in his hands.

"For you? Fifteen thousand" I closed my eyes. If only I had bothered to get cash. I could not expect Zaroon to pay for this. "It really does look good on you, like it was made for you" I smiled and shook my head.

"How long can you keep it? What if I come tomorrow?" or send someone.

"I can't baaji, we're already losing so much money daily. Sales have gone down" right. That was my main objective, not shopping.