warrior's heart

Chapter 1

Carefully and cautiously, she moved like a lioness about to pounce on her prey. Eyes the colour of honey focused on the deer who was feeding from the grass without any inkling that it would be the last time it would ever taste grass again.She put her arrow in her bow saying "Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem and after aiming, released the arrow which hit the deer on its stomach.

Before it could react, she leapt forward like the wind with her dagger in hand and after making a silent dua, she slit the deer ' s throat swiftly so as not to cause it pain as per Islamic teachings.She then cleaned the blood on the deer ' s coat and called out to General Farouq Al-Basha, her father figure and most trusted adviser.

"It is dead now ammu, you can come out and do me the honour of carrying it" she teased with a hint of laughter in her voice.
"It is not as if I was hiding amirah, you know deers and I have an unfortunate history. One of this accursed animals is the reason my toe is dead, may Allah forgive me for cursing His creation."

Remembering the incident ,when he had once gone to hunt with the princess Marliyyah and things had gone awry. A lion was chasing a herd of deers and before he could join Marliyyah on the trees , the herds had in their stampede, run over his feet, crushing his small toe beyond repair. It took the princess 2 days to take him back to Misrah on horseback.
Unfortunately the kingdom's healer, Abu Hakeem , an old man of great knowledge in herbs ,could not save the toe and since then, it became lifeless. Shaking the bitter memory from his head, he picked the lifeless body of the deer easily, doing so in the name of Allah and placed it on his Jubbah. The winter was approaching and the cold could already be felt in the kingdom.

He mounted his beast of of a horse Afaen and watched as Marliyyah mounted her mare, a powerful white beauty that only allowed her mistress and none other to ride her. He saw as she bent and whispered "take us home Mahbouba" and gently hit the sides of her mare, causing her to neigh and take off.

They rode off in silence to the gates of Misrah and the stationed guards opened the gates for their princess and her very intimidating advicer , General Al-Basha. Farouq watched as the people who they passed by in their stalls as well as the sellers, turned to look and bow slightly at their princess despite her telling them not to bow before her as she was human. She sat straight on her horse with elegant fingers covered in grey gloves, holding the reins of Mahbouba. Their eyes held nothing but love and admiration for the young woman who had protected and safeguarded them from their enemies and who did not hesitate to help anyone whether young or old.

She was indeed a beauty, with hair the colour of a raven which was hidden beneath her veil, leaving no stray strand out.She had eyes the colour of rich honey ,with full pink lips and a little black spot which was a birth mark on her left ear.Her nose was small and pointed like that of a pixie.Once they reached the palace, a magnificent piece of architecture, they dismounted their horses and the page boys came to take them to the stable for feeding and bathing. She took off her cloak as they got into the palace and the much needed warmth of the burning logs enveloped them.One of the guard walked up to General Farouq and took the deer from him to take it to the kitchen where it would be cleaned and cooked.

"Amirah,my lady !"called another guard as they were about to depart to their quarters.They both stopped as he ran up to them. "Assalamualaikum amirah, the Boan king has sent a message!" he said. Anger flared up in Marliyyah as she heard the oh so abhorred name of her sworn enemy, Sultan Fazil Beig. She gripped unto the hilt of her sheated sword which was on her waist belt, to control her temper and said, "Waalaikumusalam, very well, tell the messenger and whoever might have accompanied him that I would be joining them shortly In Sha Allah". "As you wish amirah, said the guard who bowed and walked away. "What does he want now?" said and equally angry Farouq. "We will find that out soon ammu " replied Marliyyah and she walked off to her quarters to change before meeting her enemy's messenger.