Faheem looked up from the scroll he was reading as The shadow slipped in a ghostly fluid through the window in his signature black cloak and mask. And why was he called 'The Shadow?' Because he moved around unnoticed, gathering information for Faheem.
Kneeling on one knee, he bent his arm at the elbow and bowed his head.
"What did you find out?"
"During the floods 11 years ago, Zesha and her father moved to Kirania after her mother died in the floods, and they have been living there until eight months ago when she was taken as a slave to pay her father's gambling debts."
"How did she end up becoming a talithar if she was a slave?" -Talithar was a woman chosen for the king to provide companionship and sex.
"The First Lady of The Phoenix house bought her from the Pearl farm in the North."
"Did she work as a Muse in The Phoenix House?"
"No, his lord. She worked in an Apothecary shop nearby. Helping in the kitchen when she could." The shadow placed the accordion book with more information about Zesha on the table.
"Is that all?"
The shadow nodded, Faheem dismissing him with a wave of his hand, and he bowed his head before slipping out of the window.
◼◼◼◼
In Sahi's private room, Aira sat on the round table in the centre of the room, the words on the pages of the 'Takach Imaga Bramsha' blur as her thoughts danced in a web of unease. And she glanced at Sahi, who was lying on the bed engrossed in the Lorendex, praying that she and her mother would cancel their trip to the temple in the south at Eski Town.
For ever since she spent the night in Faheem's room a week ago, Rehani's eyes held a predatory gleam whenever she looked at her, like a hawk ready to strike, and Aira knew she would seize her opportunity when Sahi and her mother leave. And she hadn't devised a plan to keep Rehani at bay yet.
'Why don't you give that witch some Nidushena to protect yourself from her when Sahi and her mother go to the temple?' Aira's inner goddess proposed, referring to the concoction that induces one to sleep for a whole week.
'Isn't that rather extreme?'
'Do you have any other idea? You have seen her malice, felt her ill intent. Do you think she is worthy of feeling sorry for? So stop feeling sorry for her and think of ways to get her to drink it.'
'But…'
The inner goddess cut her off, 'No buts. We both know if she was you, she wouldn't hesitate to kill you.'
Aira sighed, knowing the inner goddess was right. And she needed to act fast before Rehani made her move.
'Fine. Let me go for a walk. The fresh air might help me think of a way."
"I …am… going….. for a.... walk," Aira said, getting up from the table. Sahi nodding, too engrossed in the creation and the Garden of Eden story to even look at Aira.
She had grown up with a different version of creation that the world was a watery abyss full of chaos. When the patron god Novus defeated the evil spirit Demin, he created human beings from his body to assist with the battle of good and bad. And serve gods/goddesses. Nothing interesting.
But when she read about how the God of Kirania had created the whole world with word of mouth and Hawwa(Eve) from the man's rib, she was intrigued and wanted to know more about this so-called God, YWHW, who was more interesting than Novus.
However, there was something that bothered her.
If Adam and Hawwa weren't to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden, why did YWHW put it there?
I will have to ask Zesha when she comes back.
◾◾◾◾
As Aira gently closed the door behind her, Faheem emerged from Aunt Pariya's ( Sahi's mother) room with her closely behind him. His eyes lighting up at the sight of Aira, but she only bowed her head and began to walk away.
Yet, even as her steps carried her farther, his gaze lingered on her, unable to look away. His eyes like moths, attracted to a captivating flame. Drawing him closer and closer, the urge to have her almost intolerable.
Ever since their brief kiss, the taste of her lips and fantasies of her body haunted him. And he wanted more than just a kiss, and maybe after having her, he would lose interest and toss her aside as he did every other girl he thought was attractive.
"Poor girl, Aunt Pariya said, breaking his trance. 'Rehani keeps giving her a hard time that she had to live with Sahi."
Faheem nodded absently, his thoughts still held in a web called Aira.
"Do you…"
"I have to go. There is something I need to take care of," Faheem cut her off and kissed her forehead.
"Okay, but don't stay up too late."
"What I plan to do might take up the whole night," Faheem replied, and turned to leave when Aunt Pariya held his hand.
"Promise me, you will at least have a bowl of soup."
"I promise," Faheem reassured her and kissed her hand before leaving.
◾◾◾◾
Aira lay on the grass by the lake, and instead of thinking of ways to get Rehani to drink the Nidushena, her thoughts drifted to the story Sahi had told her regarding Faheem after she mentioned Rehi to her. She had thought she had a horrible upbringing, but Faheem's was a series of pains.
From being mocked and ridiculed for being beautiful as a girl to his mother running away with her personal guard, his father going after them and killing them. Before killing himself. If that wasn't enough, their uncle, whom Faheem saw as a father figure, molested his elder sister Rehi, but he killed him and took the throne as retribution for what he had. Sadly, shortly after he became the emperor at 14, Rehi committed suicide, her inner demons overpowering her. His cousin and best friend becoming his sworn enemy, always fighting him for the throne, his life nothing but a battlefield.
'No wonder he is how he is. No one would go through all that and not be cruel and vicious,' the inner goddess commented.
'Thank goodness for Aunt Pariya. She's been like a mother to him, always by his side. I don't think I could survive the pain if all that happened to me. He's such a strong man. I wish I were as strong as him.'
'You are also stronger than you think, Aira. Not many people taste death and come back.'
◼◼◼◼
From a distance, Faheem watched Aira. The moonlight casting a silver glow on her, making her look enchanting.
I have to have her before I go mad.
"Bring her to me!" he ordered Tafari in a low voice, and Tafari nodded.
"Yes, his lord."
DESCRIPTION CORNER
Lorendex - The Holy Book of Kirania(scriptures).
Takach Imaga Bramsha - (In English) Healing through Nature.