"Who is there at this time"? Risha said angrily, as she hadn't been discharged.
"It's me," Moohbhan said.
"Oh, Shit," Risha said and went to the bathroom.
Thyme gained some senses and opened the door.
Risha came back from the washroom after a while.
"Why are you taking a shower at this time?" Moohbhan raised his eyebrow.
"Um, Baba..."
Thyme interpreted in between.
"What did the leader say?" Risha went back to her room.
"He told me that Zebar came to Eastern Valley," Moohbhan said with a heavy heart.
"What?" Thyme was astonished.
"That was the reason, I moved out of my family. I know, we aren't safe here. They won't leave us alone."
"But, Kaptan..."
"Thyme, promise me." Moohbhan looked at Thyme and said.
"Promise me that you'll take care of my family."
"Yes, Kaptan but..."
"I have no one to ask for this huge favour. So, I have to trust you. Sooner or later, they will be here. Can you take my family to Beesakh?"
"Errrr, but what about you?"
"I'll live here until they come. They would finish me. I know it but don't tell my girls about it. Just take them somewhere safe." Moohbhan said with teary eyes.
"You think Beesakh would be safe?" Thyme inquired.
"I don't know. Just take them, somewhere safe."
"I give you my promise, I'll take care of them till my last breath."
"I hope one day you'd marry Risha and Misha would see our grandchildren," Moohbhan said painfully.
He knelt before him and kissed his hands.
"It is up to her," Thyme said with a smile.
Moohbhan was clueless. He was just running from here to there. All his plans failed. His escaping couldn't save his family. But he never wanted Zebar's hands on his family and in this situation, Thyme was a better option. He couldn't leave the ladies alone. He knew about the cruelty of people, especially of Zebar. Only a man with no heart could do it. He was a family man and loved his family to the core. Leaving them alone would be brutality.
Meanwhile, Thyme was thinking about Jason. "If he was here, he might have some good solution. If I take them to Beesakh, no one would help me except him. What is nearer to Beesakh?" He kept on thinking the whole night and couldn't sleep for a second.
The next day Thyme and Moohbhan again went fishing. All the ladies of the house were sitting on the balcony.
Birha: "What if, we have to leave this house too?"
Misha: "Can't you talk some sense?"
Risha (With a smiling face): "Then, we'll just be wanderers; wondering here and there."
Birha: "I miss our home."
Misha and Risha: "Me too".
The three hearts were heavy, it was never easy to leave your own house and live somewhere else. The place where you were born, raised, and spent your childhood and teenage can't be easily forgotten. The girls missed Birsha, Misha Bai missed her peaceful home and most of it the three were missing how they hadn't to roam around cities and could enjoy meals without thinking about their next place to stay. It was always hard, and the future, too, didn't seem very pleasant.
"Vabe is good, especially this spot, where I can enjoy the sunset and sunrise. I wish I could spend the rest of my life here." Risha smiled.
"Mn," Birha replied.
After fishing, Moohbhan and Thyme went to the tribe leader. Moohbhan made him aware of his plan.
Tribe leader: "Brother, we all are here to protect you. Why do you worry?
Moohbhan: "Tribe leader, you don't know Zebar and Aaqa. They have men's power and armoury. We can't fight. Besides, I don't want to put you in danger."
Thyme: "Sire, Kapatan is right. Your tribe is peaceful and hasn't fought with anyone. Because of us, we don't want to trouble you."
They convinced the tribe leader and went back home.
"Kaptan, won't you tell your family about it?" Thyme asked on their way back.
"I will. If I keep them in the dark, do you think they will trust me again?"
Kaptan's answer made him speechless.
_______
Zebar was staying at Eastern Valley. He was preparing for a fight with Moohbhan. There was a little information about where they might have gone but he was willing to take risks. He was willing to search every corner of the world just to find them.
"Moohbhan, you bastard. How can you do this to your nephew? Moohbhan, I'll kill you." He screamed and screamed till Aaqa came.
"Stop yelling. They can't hear you."
"You don't know, what have I lost? You don't know. You don't know." Zebar started to hit his head and Aaqa tried to stop him,
"Stop, stop. You rascal, stop."
Zebar stopped and looked at Aaqa, "I'll find them even if they are beneath the earth, I'll find them."
His madness was making Aaqa worried, "Yes, yes, we'll find them, we'll find them." Aaqa comforted and hugged him.
_________
They were sitting at the dining table and having dinner. After dinner, Misha Bai went for making tea. The girls and Moohbhan came outside on the balcony and Thyme went to Misha Bai for helping her.
"Birha, Risha," Moohbhan lovingly called them.
"Yes, Baba".
"Do you trust your father?" Moohbhan asked gently.
Risha and Birha looked at each other, knowing that something was going to happen.
"Answer me."
"Of course, we do Baba," Moohbhan told them about their plan and asked them to leave with Thyme.
"Baba, we can't leave you. Never say it again." Birha said with anger and sadness and went to her room.
"Baba, you don't have to do this," Risha said while crying.
"We don't have any other option. I'm just buying us some time. I know, one day, you would find me." Moohbhan smiled but his eyes were speaking about the pain inside.
"Have you talked to Maa?" Risha asked.
"Not yet."
"Baba, we can't live apart. You don't have to do it. You shouldn't do this. You mustn't do this. You..." Risha was crying like a baby. It does not matter how old you are. Losing parents is always a tough task.
Moohbhan hugged her and combed her hair.
"You are my brave daughter. I may not live long but being the head of this family, I'm giving you the responsibility of Birha and your mother. Take good care of them." Moohbhan paused for a second, a tear rolling down his cheek and he then said, "For me."
"Baba, you don't have to do this. Baba, please. Baba..." She was crying and saying.
She knew if they got separated this time, they won't meet. They would never meet. She knew Zebar would kill him. The chances of meeting again and reuniting were very low. It was their last meet-up. She knew it by heart.
But they had no choice. After some time, Risha slept while crying. Moohbhan carried her to her room. He was looking at her baby face and was recalling how he used to carry her to bed when she was little and how she wouldn't let his hand go and how she grabbed his legs. When he laid her down on her bed, Moohbhan couldn't control him and broke down in tears. After all, he was a father, a hopeless father. A father who knew Zebar would be a rapist if he didn't send his daughters away. He was just a father, who was sending his family away. Away from him. Not knowing when would they meet again and if they would ever meet again.
_________
It took a week for Moohbhan to convince his family. The time of separation had come. With heavy hearts, the hapless family was looking at each other; screaming inside for help. The longing they would feel after this was ineffable. None of them was ready to leave Moohbhan in Vabe.
Misha Bai was recalling her early wedding days. "I'll always be there for you. We'll never be separated." She had tears in her eyes but she had no choice. The responsibility of her daughters was on her shoulders. She had to sacrifice her love for her husband. She hugged her husband for the last time and said, "I did my best. My love for you would never fade." he looked at her and smirked painfully.
Birha was also crying; her eyes were red. Being the youngest one, she needed her father the most.
"My princess, if you ever need me just call me Baba and I'll be there," Birha recalled her childhood. Moohbhan hugged her and kissed her forehead.
And then there was Risha, completely heartbroken. Even though she was brave, she still needed her father. She was smiling painfully, holding her tears in her eyes. But, eyes never lie. The pain in her eyes could be felt by everyone who was present there. Moohbhan came to her, she looked at him and smiled with a heavy heart. She wiped her tears with both her hands and hugged her father.
"I'll wait for you," Risha said. Moohbhan didn't answer and held her daughter tighter. Then he turned around, looked at Thyme and said:
"You mustn't forget your promise."
"Kaptan, don't worry," Thyme said with a heavy voice and sat down on the boat. The ladies walked towards the boat. Misha and Birha looked at Moohbhan for the last time but Risha didn't turn her back. She knew she couldn't handle it. When they were all ready, the caption of the ship sailed it.
"I may not see you the next time. But, I'll always love you." Moohbhan said to himself and tears kept on rolling down his cheeks.
________
The preparation was completed. They were ready to attack Vabe. Zebar had some information that Moohbhan was in Vabe.
"This time, I wouldn't let him escape." he thought and sent some of his men in advance to Vabe.
Zebar was planning to capture the family at any cost. For this, he had conspired with Aaqa and Raja. Zebar had no idea what he had done. His madness had made him completely insane. Despite knowing that this move was dangerous he had made a deal with Aaqa and Raja separately. This was the beginning of the ending. The disaster in future would leave only Zebar alone in this whole world.
________
The ship was sailing, a day had passed and none of the ladies had a bite of the food. Their lips were dried and their eyes red. They were still in a state of denial. With the passing of time, their condition was getting worse. Thyme could feel this, thus, he came to Risha, sat down near her bed, held her hand and called her name, "Risha".
She opened her eyes and called him back in a weak voice, "Thyme".
"Risha, have some bread. You can't fight him with starving. Kaptan has many hopes for you." on hearing this, Risha burst into tears.
She cried and cried till her eyes were swollen, Thyme held a glass of water and made her drink some water and tea. Then he picked bread and started to feed her with his own hands. When she had some food, she gained some sense and asked about her mother and Birha.
"They haven't eaten anything yet," Thyme said.
Risha went to their cabin. They were sleeping and both had high fever. Thyme took a piece of cloth, soaked it in water and placed it on Misha Bai's forehead. Risha was doing the same with Birha. She mixed a medicine in water and wet their lips with it, hoping that they would be fine. After two hours, they were feeling better, the fever was gone. Risha convinced them to have some food and tea. Due to hunger, the three ladies had become weak. But Thyme made sure that they were healthy and fine. Since they had awakened, Thyme had served them every dish on the ship. After having food and tea, Birha and Misha again went to sleep. Risha too lay down on the bed in their cabin. Thyme came near her and looked at her. She looked back and said with grateful eyes, "Thank you."
"For you, anything." Thyme smiled.