The rain did not stop, but the carriage was now on a regular road. On the check post of the Dugi State. The carriage stopped in front of a hotel. The coachman went inside and saw Kashif's friend, Azad, and the man wearing a jade ring in his thumb.
Three of them sat together for a meeting.
"Sir, I can go no further. If your urgent task has been completed, I shall hand you this girl." said the coachman, wet with his sweats.
He had been traveling since evening nonstop. Just to take her to the border of Dugi state. He was tired and hungry.
Azad handed him a pouch of silver coins. He ordered, "waiter, bring this man V.I.P Meal."
The coachman had his mouth opened both from hunger and surprise. He turned to the man wearing black, who was wiping his shining sword. "I shall forever be grateful to you Sir."
The man stood up and walked out followed by Azad.
He looked up in the dark sky which was heavily pouring. He spoke in a wishfully interrogating manner, "who does this lightnings and dark clouds are trying to scare tonight?"
He looked at Azad standing beside him expecting an answer.
Azad seemed to have no intention to disappoint his boss, "They are warning those ambitious hearts who want to go against nature."
The man gave a faint smile, "You are pointing at Alisha or Kashif?"
Azad looked up in the sky and replied, "I am talking about Prince Kamran." The man looked at Azad and smiled, "you are quite smart. I shall recommend you as the Imperial Secret Officer."
Azad placed his hand on his heart, bowed slightly, showing his gratitude, and walked inside the hotel. The man accompanied the rain and thunderstorm admiring their beauty.
Once the rain stopped, Azad and the coachman came out to bid farewell. "Where will you take her?" asked Azad.
The man replied, "Her destiny seeks her audience in Kinma."
" chaa!!"
He set out without considering the muddy and irregular potholed roads and the bad weather. Why Alisha was taken to Kinma so urgently. Alisha is a mysterious purple veil who has over a dozen of unclaimed prizes. Was she taken to let her claim the title and expose her identity as she suspected? since the officer organizing the events suffer because of her and was she was taken to be punished for it? Are these reasons valid enough to secretly arrest her? Did she commit a crime so serious that she must suffer like that?
.....
Here in the Capital City, Alisha's uncle, Junaid was having Business Meeting in the main hall of Pillar Mansion.
It was the Mansion of Imperial Tutor but after the clan was entitled with 'Pillar of the Nation' which was because of Alisha's father's effort. He was also made the head of the Clan and their house was named Pillar Mansion where the head lived.
"We have suffered huge losses since last month," said Junaid throwing his ceramic bowl on the ground which shattered into thousand pieces. The soup worth seven silver (expensive) was wasted in a fit of anger.
Directors and Managers trembled. "We have not seen him so furious before. Do you think we are going to be fired?" whispered Samar, director of the spice department.
"We have been working with him from the starting."
"If he is sitting on the main chair as our chairman. "
"That's our effort showing its result. "
"It won't take long for him to change from tiger to wet cat." Suraj giggled, who was Director of the Medicine department.
Junaid raised his head hearing their whispering conversation. His volcanic eyes scanned each director. He saw Sameer of the Agriculture department standing like 'this matter is none of my business ' while the Finance and Account Department director, Badal, was about to pour down salty tears. Aqeeb, director of the Trading Department had his eyes lowered with shame.
Ankita, Director of the Clothing Department was standing expressionless. She was the one trained by his family members to become an expert in clothing.
It was said Alisha's Grandmother extended her hand in the clothing industry just to set her authority in her clan.
Ankita used to belong to a slave family who was about to be sold off as a concubine of an old magistrate. She eloped with her sister and randomly entered Imperial Tutor's Mansion. To beg for a decent job.
After being taught by several women of the family. She was trained by Alisha's Grandmother, who wished to see her rising from her suffocating rank to an independent lady.
Her sister was married to the man of her liking. Alisha's Grandmother helped Ankita's brother-in-law to get a government job.
Junaid grew angrier to see the arrogance in Ankita's eyes. She was like a mountain that was controlled by his mother. She had the backing of his mother.
"Enough is enough!" he stood up and shouted, "Umair! Bring the documents"
Umair, who Junaid's personal servant ran in with a wooden tray with Junaid's official seal. He stood there trembling as it was the first time seeing his master shaking in anger. How could he be not angry, they not only lost their profits but also tainted their reputation.
"Stamp!"
"Stamp!"
"Stamp!"
There were three loud stampings heard in the silenced hall. Everyone was trying to peek at the documents but failed.
Junaid spoke, "Expensive things like this bowl when breaks we can't keep them and hurt ourselves. We must dispose of them safely as soon as possible."
Junaid stood up and asked Umair, "Hand them to their rightful owners."
Umair handed one scroll to Sameer, another to Suraj, and the last one to Ankita. Earlier he was like a flower on a windy day in front of his master. But when he handed the scroll his eyes were half as fiery as Junaid.
"Aren't you too arrogant for a personal servant," said Suraj opening the scroll handed to him?
Sameer fell on his knees after only reading the first line, he started shedding tears. An asteroid seemed to have fallen on Ankita. Never in her dreams, she thought of getting fired. Her mind went blank.
Suraj asked boiling over, "What do you mean by this Master?"
"You are firing us, the ones who form the base of the trading group."
Ankita was pulled into reality and she asked, "Are you aware of the consequences?"
"Do you think old madam will let you be?"
Sameer asked sobbing, "What wrong did I do Master?"
"I have followed you honestly all these years."
"Why did you do this to me?" Junaid replied calming himself down. As if the biggest burden of his life was taken down from his shoulders.
"Your crime is incompetence."
"Rather than trying to increase the production of crops and helping the farmers."
"You let those Managers oppress the farmers."
Sameer argued, "Master, it was just a few managers who stepped their boundaries in my absence."
"I had them disciplined long ago."
"I..... even fired the mastermind."
Junaid gave a sarcastic smile, "oh that's good!'
"Then how come those farmers are still growing indigo?"
"It means it was you, who was behind all the scandal."
Sameer defended, "Master! Oh, my master! Believe me! Indigo is more profitable than pulses and rice."
Junaid shouted, "Only we have the production of Green chickpeas in the entire kingdom."
"And you say indigo grown by almost all the cash crop industry is more valuable. "
"Who filled you with nonsense?" Sameer spoke no further but shed tears.
Junaid then walked up to Ankita and Suraj who were standing beside each other.
He whispered in their ears, "I have been suffocated for a long time to replace you both. "
"You two are really outstanding. "
"It is hard for me to find your substitute. But I can't wait anymore."
They couldn't speak further. There corruption and oppression were exposed. Junaid walked away and spoke, "Suraj was placed by my brother and Ankita was placed here by my mother."
"They trusted you people, to assist me with business."
"You all indeed gave your best in Trading Group. But your arrogance and success made you forget your origin and aim."
He announced, "These three directors will be fired along with their subordinates. Since you all acted like corrupt officials, I shall treat you like one."
"I won't punish you saving some dignity. But you people are blacklisted from the business world."
"You can just retire and stay back home to wait for your pension every month."
He walked out to see the Butler coming towards him with an imperial envelope.
The butler greeted him and spoke handing the envelope, "Grand Prince has invited all the Pillar's Family for a special banquet."
Junaid opened the letter and read the letter with suspicion, the butler whispered in his ear, "old madam suspects it to be a match-making meeting." Junaid nodded.
He went to his mother, "Greeting my dear mother, how have you been?"
Alisha's grandmother wasn't aware of the blunder her son just made early morning. She replied with a serious expression. "Greeting son, I have been quite good."
"Just wait for your wives and sisters-in-law to come in."
Junaid sat down nervously. His mind didn't take the matter of match-making banquet seriously at all. His mind was mentally preparing to be scolded by his mother and older brother.
All the daughters-in-law of Alisha's Grandmother entered. Each one greeted and gave a little bow. Everyone settled down with a serious face. No one had the courage to start the meeting. They all were waiting for their mother-in-law to speak first.
After few minutes Alisha's Grandmother gave a stare at her daughters-in-law, "you people seem quite free but I have other matters to attend to."
"You all know the problem now start with solutions."
"Don't waste my time."
Shazia, Junaid's first wife spoke, "There is no solution for this mother."
"It's an imperial invitation which specially invites our daughters we can't avoid that."
The second wife of Junaid disagreed, "there is no way I will let my daughter marry in the imperial clan."
"Moreover, my daughter is almost betrothed to my cousin's son. I can't bring her there."
Alisha's mother, Ashra spoke giving a solution, "Second sister-in-law, you can stay back with excuse of being sick and we can say Fozia is looking after you. "
"We can avoid her attendance."
Yaqoob's first wife rolled her eyes, "It is nowhere mentioned that it is a match-making banquet."
"Maybe the Grand prince wants to strengthen his position and win support. "
"We all know he wants to become Duke of Tamkit state."
Alisha's grandmother fanned herself, "You all are not aware of the problem where on earth you can find the solution."
She kept her fan aside and spoke, "The main problem is not match-making banquet."
"The problem is Yaqoob's two eldest."
"They are not in a condition to socialize with others."
"One of them can't speak. The other one is not in her right mind."
"How long can we hide this?"
Junaid's third wife commented, "Mother is right."
"Because of them, we had to restrict all the daughters of our family from socializing with other noble young ladies."
"This has ruined the reputation of the noble young ladies of our family."
Yaqoob's second wife added, "Yes! Yes! I heard many accusations against the daughters of our family."
"The other day at the tea party, the Prime Minister's wife said that the daughters of our family are arrogant and proud."
"And...AND they compare themselves with the princesses."
Junaid spoke angrily, "Daughters of our family are indeed comparable to princesses. "
"They don't lack in wealth"
"They don't lack in talent."
"They don't lack in etiquette."
"I can even say they are better than a third-rank princess."
Ashra spoke reminding him, "How many are aware of the facts?"
"Brother-in-law, if we have to hide their weakness, we must hide their strength also."
Alisha's grandmother nodded.
Junaid looked at the ladies, none of them wanted to take their children to the banquet.
He spoke up, imposing his importance, "Alright! It's decided."
"None of our kids will attend the banquet."
"As for the excuse, since we are tainted with arrogance."
"There is no harm in taking advantage of it."
"Leave it on me! Dear beautiful ladies get ready with the best you have. We have to outshine other Pillars tonight."
…...
Kashif was on his way, riding his horse. He had started his journey early morning after staying all night in the same Hotel where the coachman met Azad and the man. That time he was inside his room already sleeping. He couldn't meet his friend let alone Alisha who was unconscious inside the horse carriage.
He thought to himself, "Will my grandfather be alright alone in Dugi?"
"I pray that Grand Uncle finds Alisha soon."
"Although she is an iceberg. She is indeed a talent. it would be a waste if she dies like that."
"Who told her to be outstanding in those womanly works?"
"Not only that she had to participate and catch the eyes of those people."
He crossed the border of Kinma. Now his brain left behind all the worries of Dugi state. He was just looking forward to seeing his father in Suli, the city in Kinma where they lived.
The man had already arrived in Kinma State. He was sitting in a restaurant, seemed to be waiting for someone. Meanwhile, Alisha who was in her worst condition couldn't figure out if it was a nightmare or reality.
Her opened hairs and sweating-tied body were irritating her. It had been six hours since she woke up, she was tired and hungry but the man did not even give a break to her sufferings. He relaxed while eating his lunch. They were still at the borders.
"I can't go any further without any instruction."
"He wants to meet me here in the evening." the Man looked up in the sky.
"No matter how scary the world becomes and no matter how stormy your path is."
"I will accompany you..."
"Follow you, L..."
He felt someone's presence behind him and turned taking out a little e arrowhead and saw 'Him' standing behind smiling in his full bloom under the faint sunlight which shone on him as heaven blessed him after the night-long struggle. The man felt both happy and sad looking at 'his' innocent face.
He thought to himself, "I am nothing without his existence."
He stood straight in a normal position and put the arrowhead back.
He greeted, "May God bless you with a lot of wishful pages of destiny. You get every piece of happiness, Your Highness." he smiled. Prince Kamran smiled and greeted him back, "I wish the very same to you."
Prince Kamran looked around and said, "Let's talk." they went inside the restaurant and sat down where the man was sitting.
Alisha was really hungry and tired. Her hands and feet started bleeding due to the rope tied.
She thought to herself, "If only I wasn't greedy for few moments. I wouldn't have fallen in the mess."
She tried to peep out her head slowly following the sunlight. She saw at the place of the coachman, an arrowhead, "This__it seems to be used by people of highest ranks. "
"Does the one kidnapping me are not grand uncle Zahid and his grandson?"
"No..then who has kidnapped me?"
"I can't go around like this." she pulled the arrowhead with her feet and started untying herself.
Kashif who had just entered Kinma state felt full of life. The weather after the rain was so relaxing and the chilled wind-blown seemed to have been purifying the frustration of people who suffered losses last night. He walked towards the same restaurant where the Man and Prince Kamran were sitting.
Before Kashif could enter he saw the man sitting inside talking with a nobleman.
He was taken aback and went blank. Prince Kamran said disappointed, "yes! The great general was arrested like that so simply."
The Man nodded, "So you say only a few people know about it."
"Does his family know?"
Prince Kamran answered, "I am afraid his family doesn't know."
He looked left and then right and then turned to look back.
Kashif hid behind a table and when Prince Kamran looked towards the man, Kashif immediately went closer to them. The man could have noticed Kashif but he was lost in the eyes of Prince Kamran.
"The man who has arrested general Yaqoob seems to be his enemy for generations. I feel the future of Pillar is going to sink," said Prince Kamran.
Kashif realized what his grandfather wanted to let know Grand Uncle. His organs could jump out anytime and cry, "Is this the kind of person fathers wants you to be?"
"If the man is here Alisha must be here somewhere."
Kashif slipped away from the restaurant and look around for the prison cart. Not long he found the horse carriage which was covered in mud.
He thought to shout, "Ice___" but stopped immediately.
He thought, "That Man looked very clever."
He went closer to the carriage and was about to lift the curtain when he heard someone jumping down from the window.
He looked on the side of the carriage and saw Alisha whose hair was covered lightly with a scarf that waved in the direction of the wind tied around her neck.
She looked in the direction of Kashif and gave a faint smile that seemed to have boiled in the pain of a long night.
"You are injured from head to toe. How can you stand still and even jump out?" said Kashif whose eyes broke into several pieces from surprise.
The kohl in her eyes had spread down on her face by the tears and sweats. After stretching her body in the chilled wind. She took a breath which cleansed her soul and tiredness. Alisha walked to Kashif, her eyes were full of suspicion.
She banged on the carriage and wrote with fingers covered in blood, 'in that long night my thirsty throat longed for blood."
Kashif read the words as she wrote and shed tears looking at her injured body. He himself had never suffered something like that. Even if there was a man in her place, he would have fainted already. Alisha looked at Kashif, she wanted to smile but her lips didn't permit her. She indicated in the sign language that she was smiling.
"Even if I die, You must remember me as an innocent soul ruined by you and regret forever." she thought.
She was about to turn away when Kashif said, "Your father is in the custody of his blood-thirsty enemy."
"Your family might be in danger too." Alisha became emotionless and turned to Kashif again only to find. The man and Prince Kamran were running towards her.
Kashif saw the horror in veiled Alisha's eyes and looked back. He gave a careful look at the nobleman and he guessed him to be a prince. He thought he might be Prince Tabeed because he was the one after the purple veil. He tried to take a hold of Alisha but saw she rolled herself with the support of Carriage.
She held the corner of windows of carriage lifted herself up. She sat there with a growling stomach and severe headache.
The Prince Kamran shouted, "Half-dead is dancing around, celebrate the departure of the soul."
Alisha answered in her heart, "I had no idea nobles of Kinma were so frail that they only know bullying others."
"But I have to know who is behind the play," she took out the arrowhead and showed it around holding it in her bleeding hands.
She checked the look of every suspicious person present there. Many locals had gathered around praising the bravery of the lady.
It didn't take time for the public to figure out who she was. She caught the Man showing obvious worry in his eyes. His hidden face seemed to be cursing her. She stretched one leg and folded the other resting her weak arms on it which held the arrowhead, "The arrowhead seems to have an interesting story behind it." she thought to herself.
She was trying to make guesses to distract herself from pain, which gave the man a chance to jump and snatched the arrowhead.
When he jumped off the carriage and fell on the ground the two arrow-head fell on the ground separated from his body.
Prince Kamran ran towards him to help, while lifting the man up he recognized the arrowhead. "You still have them?"
"Are you still holding a grudge?"
"Do you plan on seeking revenge?" Prince Kamran spoke flashing back in his memory. But he pulled himself out to focus on the current issue, "Because of this girl Alisha...I was accused of corruption. Father suspended me for five months from my post as duke of Dugi State."
He looked up furiously and found Alisha had disappeared into thin air. Kashif and the people present there were trying to swallow the scene.