Noor e Mehtab || MOONLIGHT ||

• Emerging Problems •

•______________•

“There is nothing more intimate in life than simply
being understood”

_Brad Meltzer_

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Dry winds blew across the area swaying the long white net curtains with them.
She sat on one of the white marble stairs on the backside of haveli that led to the backside expansive lawn.

Sipping down the glass of mango milkshake, she kept her gaze on the clear light blue sky above as the words escaped her lips,
"Did the matter resolve"?
She asked turning her gaze back towards Zainab who sat beside her.

Zainab nodded giving her a small apologetic smile,
"Yes. I'm sorry that you had to see all this when you just arrived here".

Shanzay smiled back shaking her head lightly as she placed the glass on the step she was sitting on,
"It's alright Zainab, it wasn't your fault. How did it resolve? Did Nana abbu do something"?

Zainab nodded gazing at the clear light blue sky,
"Yes, only he can save a person from the clutches of Sardar Badar Nauraiz Shah. I'm so relieved that Azfar bhai was completely fine, unscratched. Probably the firing was done towards the sky trying to frighten Azfar bhai's men. I think they had some argument with each other. After all it's an age old enmity between the two khandaans ".
Zainab spoke in distaste before drinking her milkshake again.
As if the mere mention of the matter was causing displeasure to course through her being.

Shanzay's brows furrowed in confusion.
She was dressed up in white knee length short frock and blue jeans paired with it. Her hair were tied loosely with a clutcher, from which few honey tendrils escaped touching her cheeks on either sides. 
She tucked them behind her ear as she asked,
"Who is Sardar Badar Nauraiz Shah? And what enmity are you talking about"?
It was the thing that hadbeen bothering her since yesterday when she heard the name mentioned for the first time.
She didn't know why but the name itself carried so much intimidation, she felt shivers running down her spine at just the mention of the name.
She wanted to know who he was and why people treated him as if he was some monster who hadbeen let out to create havoc and destruction everywhere.

Zainab placed her glass on the step and turned towards her completely.
She set the lime coloured dupatta that was slipping from her shoulders back on her shoulder before speaking,
"The village beside ours is his. And he has many more lands than Dada jaan owns. He even has ties with not only the police of this area but also of the whole southern punjab. He even owns few factories and mills and even does the export of the fruits from his farms, the orchards you would have seen while coming here. But this is nothing that describes him, he is known as a cold hearted beast. A cruel and merciless person who lacks a heart. His ways are ruthless and scary. That's how he is known here. There would be no one in this area who knows him and isn't afraid of him. Deep inside even Dada jaan is scared because he is his biggest enemy".

Shanzay couldn't breathe. She sat there frozen at her spot with her eyes wide and mouth agape.
A shiver ran down her spine as she felt her body going numb.
She tried to get a grip of herself and turned towards Zainab,
"Kaisi dushmani "?

Zainab replied in a low voice careful to not let any housemaid in the haveli hear it,
"Ziada tou nahi maloom kiyun k is ki details tou sırf haveli k baron ko pata hain. Lekan maazi main koi bohut bara jhagra hua tha dono khandano main. Dada jaan nay apnay chotay bhai ko khoya aur doosri taraf bhi Shahon nay apna beta khoya. Bakhto mayii say aik dafa sun liya k Shahon ki aik beti bhi larayi main mari gayi thi. Bohut khoon kharaba hua tha us waqt. Ab tou pichlay 30 salon say sukoon Hai. Koi bara jhagra nahi hua. Lekan ab Azfar bhai nay ja ker phir bujhi hui aag ko dehka diya. Dada jaan nay aik dafa tou maamla khatam kerwa diya hai magar ziada dair khamooshi nahi rahay gi. Doosri taraf bhi tou Sardar Badar Nauraiz Shah hai. Apas ki baat hai, tumhain Azfar bhai ka nahi pata, Dada jaan k sub say baaghi aur bighray huay potay hain. Apni munmani kertay hain. Ab unki waja say saalon purani dushmani phir shuru. Allah khair karay pata nahi kiya hota hai".