warrior's heart

chapter 13 (pt2)

#so I found this sketch and it kind of fit my description of Marwan! Assalamualaikum to you all!#

Safwanah literally ran to her chambers with her heart beating rapidly and her face as hot as the oven.

"Why does this happen to me in his presence? I have never felt this way before and I certainly do not appreciate all of the heat crawling up my cheeks. I will just have to ask ammati. I cannot continue like this."

With finality, she left her chambers to search for her aunt.

She found her in the garden staring at something, more like someone. As she got closer, she saw that she was looking at a portrait of their dearest uncle who was in a better place by Allah's grace.

She was looking at his portrait with so much love and longing and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. She had that sad smile she often wore when she was lost in her thoughts and thought her niece and nephew were not looking.

Safwanah quickly blinked back her tears and decided it was probably not the right time to burden her dear aunt with her own worries. She needed this time alone.

As she turned to leave, she heard "Safwanah, is that you dearest? Come here child. Where you planning on stealthily leaving without telling me? Very bad habibti" she scolded lightly.

Safwanah suddenly rushed into her aunt's arms and burst into tears, surprising both herself and her aunt.

She dropped to her knees on the grass without caring about soiling her clothes and her aunt sat with her, cradling her in her arms rocking her back and forth until she calmed down.

"Oh ammati! I am so sorry to have surprised you like that. It's just that you are so strong, even after losing uncle, it is as though your love for him grows everyday. How do you manage to remain so strong?"

"Habibti, there is no doubt that I miss your uncle and it is very painful not to have him around, but you are right. Even though he is not here, my love for him only increases because I did not fall in love with him with the condition that I would stop doing so even after he dies. Love is like that dear child".

They sat holding on to each other in comfortable silence on the grass until Safwanah said "Ammati, how do you know you are in love?"

Aunt Aliyah was taken aback by the question but recovered quickly and then answered "Well habibti, love is just what it is, love. You are always so happy to be in the person's presence and you get nervous at the same time and not forgetting the blushing too!

You wish to be with the one you love forever and work hand in hand for Jannah so that you can be there together. It's when you look at that one person and your heart swells with an indescribable feeling. You never wish to be apart from that person. When you see that person, you remember Allah and your devotion to Him increases.

Habibiti, if we sit here for weeks, perhaps we would not get to the end of what love is. But as I said, love is what it is, love."