The sun had set, and the night had fallen, but Faheem didn't stop painting. In the background of the canvas, the sky came alive in a symphony of colours, streaks of fiery black and soft grey mingling, creating an illusion of a breathtaking sunset. A black gryphon with a gold head flying amidst the sky.
Aira kneeling beside him, grinding ink with her weary hand. Hunger twisting her insides, envying the honey cakes he ignored, her mouth watering at the thought of their sweetness.
His coughs no longer short and sporadic but prolonged and frequent, sounding painful and harsh, as if something had stuck in his throat. Aira wanted to ask if he was okay but wouldn't dare. Pouring him some water in a black goblet, placing it within his reach, just in case he needed it.
After gulping down the water, Faheem hoped it would soothe his throat, feeling slightly relieved. But when he was about to add faint stars to shimmer against the twilight sky, he felt another cough coming and tried to suppress it, but it overpowered him, and he coughed violently. The brush slipping from his fingers, leaving a black streak across the paper.
Glaring at his painting, he hated himself for being so careless and ruining it. And he grabbed it from the low table and crumpled it in his hands, throwing it on the floor, when he coughed again.
"Reeyio," Aira said, still grinding the ink.
"What?" Faheem asked, coughing into his sleeve.
"Mix it….with mint….and…attar leaves….and…drink…it…before….you….sleep. You…will…be….better…by…tomorrow…morning," Aira explained, sounding confident. "I…know…as…his…lord…you…can't…afford…to…be sick."
"Will it work?"
Aira nodded, sure it would work. For though, she fell short in many areas, she had a natural talent for herbs, poisons, and medicines.
Suddenly Faheem grabbed the back of her neck and pulling her closer, searching her eyes for any sign of deception and malice.
I have many enemies who would love to see me dead. And from her different accent and the way she pronounces some words, she's probably from one of the countries in the Zarik region. How did she come to the palace, and why? I must stay vigilant and cautious.
"Why should I trust you? The enemy might have sent you to kill me?"
"I…know…than…to…play….with…fire," Aira said, and Faheem, seeing the sincerity in her eyes, pushed her away.
"For your sake, it better work."
"Yes, his…. Lord."
◼◼◼◼
In the inner hall, where Faheem held his most confidential meetings, he made Aira swallow the verumara( a pill that compelled one to talk truthfully for thirty seconds), and her response was she wanted his lord to be better for the whole nation depended on him including her. However, Faheem still wasn't convinced, thinking she might have found a way to lie through it even though it was impossible, ordering the imperial physician to make the medicine himself. After confirming that reeyio mixed with mint and attar leaves could work if used in the right amounts. However, even a slight excess would cause madness leading to death.
"How did you think of such a dangerous solution?" the imperial physician asked.
And Aira replied, "Sometimes… you should…. fight... poison with….. poison. I …can also…. prescribe…..something... for your…. heaving…. breaths."
"No, It's okay. I am getting better," the imperial physician declined her offer, scared of what prescription she might come up with.
After the imperial physician had left, Faheem dragged Aira through another door and into his private dining hall, Aira gasping at the large round table at the centre of the room covered with a spread that seemed straight out of a feast: from roasted meat, meat stew dishes, bread, marinated vegetables, beans, rice, soup, and many more.
"Eat as much as you want. It would be rude of me to kill you on an empty stomach."
"Thank…you…his…lord," she said, bowing her head, and sat on his left, immediately digging into the food, eager to eat all the delicious food. Her cheeks puffed up as she looked at the paintings of the mythical creatures hung around the wall, especially dragons, noticing how most were painted with black and grey colours and with realistic details. Meanwhile, Faheem engrossed himself in reading the reports sent by his court officials, paying no attention to his own food. The atmosphere tense and icy, despite the flames dancing in the grand fireplace on the left side of the room, filling the room with warmth.
An hour later, after the imperial physician had put water, mint, and attar leaves into the pot, bringing them to a boil. He added three drops of reeyio to the mixture, and stirred, letting it simmer until it turned dark brown, pouring some into a black ceramic bowl.
◾◾◾◾
After Faheem had drunk the decoction, he grabbed Aira's arm, who was still stuffing her mouth, and led her to yet another door. But this time, it wasn't a hall but a corridor that hosted many rooms, dragging her to the far end. Opening the door and pushing her inside. Aira not surprised at how gloomy and ominous the place was, everything adorned in deep shades of black from the walls, floor, and ceiling down to the handwoven rugs on the floor.
And she wondered what was his deal with the colour black, looking around.
In the centre of the room stood a grand canopy bed flanked by low polished ebony tables, the right table holding a pile of parchment and bound books, while the left one showcased various carvings of mythical creatures. Paintings similar to the ones in the dining hall hanging on the wall, with three locked doors on the left side of the room.
Faheem grabbing a bound book from the right low table, Faheem walked past the round table and sat on the couch on the far end, in front of the window, Aira feeling compelled to join him despite the awkwardness and nervousness, seated on the other far end, looking at the small garden visible through the graceful arched window behind them.
Lost in thoughts, thinking about everything and anything to pass the time, Aira felt fingers grab her neck, squeezing it hard that Faheem felt a pulse throb under his fingers. His eyes blazing with anger.
"How dare you lie to me?" he snarled.
"I haven't...…lied to…..you.....his lord," Aira choked out, struggling to breathe, clawing at his hand, trying to pry it off her throat.
"Then why am I not feeling the effects of the medicine as you claimed?"
"It…"
Faheem felt his legs go weak, his hands shaky and numb. The room starting to spin around him, and he let her go. Aira coughing and rubbing her neck, trying to catch her breath.
Seeing Faheem was about to fall back, she reached out to grab his arm, but they both ended up falling with her on top of him, their lips touching.
"Is this the time to seduce me?" Faheem asked in a sarcastic tone, trying to hide his surprise.
"I apologise, his lord." Aira tried to get up but somehow slipped and ended up kissing him again, and at that moment, Tafari slammed the door open after hearing the commotion. And he quickly looked away, feeling awkward and embarrassed for interrupting their private moment. Aira quickly pulling away from him, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"I am sorry, his lord."
"What are you doing standing there? Come, help get to bed!"
"Yes, his lord," Tafari replied as he rushed to his side, helping him stand up and walking him to the bed.
"Tie her up on the floor! And if she tries anything foolish, don't hesitate to kill her."
Tafari did as instructed and left the room, standing by the door. Aira leaning her head against the edge of the bed, her hands tied behind her back with rope, looking forward to the night ahead.
As the night wore on, a sudden chill ran through Faheem's body, shivering uncontrollably, feeling like someone was blowing a frosty breeze through his body. His hands too numb to pull the blanket closer to his chest, cursing under his breath.
His pride holding back the name Tafari on the tip of his tongue. Aira's lips curving in a malicious smile as she watched him shiver uncontrollably, enjoying the torment he was going through.
That's what you get for strangling and humiliating me in the pavilion.
After shutting her eyes, her thoughts drifted to Zara and her friends, missing them dearly, their absence aching within her as she reminisced on their memories, only to jolt awake later and find Faheem's forehead drenched in sweat, his face flushed.
He must be having a fever.
Screaming, the door swung open, and Tafari rushed to them, asking, "What is it?" His eyes wide with alarm.
"His lord.... is burning… up."
"What do we do?" Tafari asked, looking around helplessly.
"You should…..try and…..bring the...fever…..down. Unless you…want him….to fall….into….unconciousness."
Torn between his duty and concern, Tafari replied, "But His lord ordered me to stand by the door no matter what."
Aira shrugged.
"I could…. have helped... you, but….. I am tied....up. The worse… that….can….happen is him...falling into....unconsciousness."
Tafari pondered for a while, then replied, "I will untie you, but if you try anything stupid, I won't hesitate to kill you."
"I will…..need a ….basin of warm….. water …..and a….. cloth," Aira said as Tafari cut the rope. "And have…. the.. physician... boil… some... willow... Bark….for him."
"Okay."
While Aira wiped Faheem's face gently with a damp cloth, she traced the contours of his features. His eyes closed, hiding the coldness and cruelty that lurked in them. His nose pointed and graceful, his cheekbones high and sharp, jawline smooth, her movement halting and lingering on her full, soft, inviting lips: tempted to bite them till they bled.
How could such an angelic face, untouched by imperfections, be so cold and vicious?
She moved the cloth to his neck, feeling his pulse under her fingers. A sudden urge to squeeze his throat possessing her, and she gave in to it, wrapping her fingers around it and squeezed it.
Don't you love strangling people?
As Aira tightened her grip, Faheem's breaths laboured when Tafari opened the door. Aira pretending to massage his neck.
"What are you doing?"
"His neck….. feels.. stiff. I…. am ….massaging... It."
Tafari gestured with his fingers from his eyes to hers and warned, "Don't make me kill you."
Aira lifted her hands from his neck in surrender. "I…was…just,,,,massaging….him."
Tafari gestured with his fingers from his eyes to hers and said, "I am watching you." Shutting the door.
Untying his sleeping robe by the waist, she exposed his muscular physique that glistened with sweat. And with the cloth, she began wiping it off, starting from his defined shoulders, traversing his broad, firm chest and descending to his tight, sculpted abs. When his face suddenly contorted with pain, muttering in his sleep.
"Rehi, don't leave! I already killed him. He won't hurt you again."
"Why aren't you turning around and coming back to me? Why are you leaving me? I told you he is dead. He won't hurt you."
"Rehi!Rehi! Don't leave me, please. I am sorry I didn't protect you. Don't go."
A man like him got hidden turmoil too. I thought nothing got to him.
The plea in his voice tugged pity at Aira's heart. And though at first, she had planned to hold his nose, pouring the decoction in his mouth, choosing between choking and swallowing as revenge for what he had done to her. She found herself picking the spoon on the left low table and carefully spooned the decoction into his mouth, dabbing away the drops that spilt from his lips. Lying on the rug after she finished feeding him, the weariness outrunning her, and she gave in to sleep.
◾◾◾◾
Amid the court meeting, Faheem's thoughts drifted to last night when Aira kissed him, his insides fluttering. And he found himself touching his lips with the back of his forefinger as if to relive the sensation.
He had sworn that he would only kiss the woman he truly loved, though he knew it would never happen, not expecting his first kiss to be with her. And that he wouldn't be disgusted but crave for more.
But that girl is puzzling.
One moment she would rather take poison and die than submit her body to me.
The next, she is doing all she can to be close to me.
Does she believe her mind games will capture my heart?
What about we both play this game, and see who comes at the top?
"His lord?"
Faheem didn't respond, and the minister of treasury called him again, louder this time, snapping him out of his reverie.
"His lord?"
Faheem looked at him with a poker face. "Speak!"
"What do you think of my proposal?"
Faheem having no idea what the minister had said, countered, raising an eyebrow, "What do you think I think about your proposal?"
The minister was taken aback by his question, unsure of how to answer.
"I…"
Faheem cut him off with a wave of the hand, and Tafari announced, "Court dismissed."
Faheem rising from his seat and leaving the hall.
DESCRIPTION CORNER
Willow bark had natural compounds called salicin which is similar to active ingredient in aspirin and could be used to reduce fever.