MY PRIDE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

FANNAT's POV:

I was walking through the forest, I knew I had to get through the forest before nightfall, not knowing the direction I could hardly catch my breath, my heart pounding in my chest luckily when all hope was lost with me not seeing a shelter, I saw a faint light in the distance like a ray of hope, my feet taking me there for I was exhausted in that situation ,I saw a small brick house in front of me, I banged on the door so hard surely the people would have woken up by now, just then a man opened the door, I looked up to see him properly meet a pair of green eyes, his eyes held my gaze beautiful! I thought but my, he is magnificent with robust body and broad shoulders, I quickly lowered my gaze feeling my cheeks heat up, scolding myself for staring at another man with such a gaze meant only for my husband, I created a distance between us keeping my mouth shut hoping that he could understand that I don't appreciate the closeness, I quickly checked my hair hoping my hijab was in place for I had been walking for a long time now , after a while he spoke;( what are you doing here alone ?don't you know it is dangerous for a girl like you to be alone especially in the evening though our country is safe a girl should not take her safety lightly) I didn't speak he sighed and said ;(I would have looked for a place for you to stay but everyone in the village is asleep now, you can sleep in one of the rooms) I thanked him and he led me through the house, the interior was very clean for a man living alone the small house had three rooms, a parlor with a small partition separating it from the kitchen, he passed the parlor into a narrow corridor ending into a room he opened the door and respectfully led me into the room he asked me;( have you prayed) I told him;( no )he said ;(wait I will fetch water for you to pray and wash) he fetched about four buckets went out and closed the door politely I breathed a sigh of relief for I had never been in the presence of a stranger much less a man, I bathed in the wooden tub, I performed ablution and prayed I laid on the bed thinking about how I had come to this country(

I was very happy in my country living a healthy and wonderful life, my dad the sultan was kind to me I had an older brother I was taught since childhood to always be calm and collected, obey my future husband and even when he is wrong I admitted it was quite normal in our country for a husband to beat their wife at slightest mistake we were trained to never look them in the eye accept whatever they give you women in my country have limited freedom their husband are chosen by their fathers with their mothers having no say in it, the daughters must learn to love their husband no matter what. I have seen my mother, stepmothers and sister in law having scars from being beaten. from a very young age I learned to behave myself so I was my fathers favourite daughter his prize possession I knew not if he had love me but I believe he had, my step sisters were married my brother[kassim] being the only heir is 24 with a wife and three kids, in my country women were not allowed to speak unless spoken to, were not treated respectfully by their husbands so I was surprised with the way the man earlier spoke and his kindness in letting me stay for the night he is truely different I pray ALLAH to bless him and his parent for their upbringing,we were educated in our country, we have quran memorizers like I, translators, imams etc but I believe that respecting our husbands which the prophet said dosent mean them beating us, ignoring our feelings, and controlling us, so I came to to this country because I had no choice my mom was from this country she entrusted me with a very important task on her dead bed telling me to come here and experience a whole new world which will teach me how husband and wife relationship is truly according to islam , I remember saying mama, baba loves you she then said;( he does love me but not in the way my country women are loved, I did not have the courage to send my brother a letter{her brother sultan Mehmet is the sultan of this country but i want you to go tell Mehmet am sorry I insisted on marrying your dad then which I do not regret because he treated me well and gave me the biggest gifts you and kasssim, though he sometimes beat me he is a good man who had been raised wrongly but he only beat me when he is severely unhappy he loves me she said).Maryam my mama was a sweet cowardly woman, but I had loved her I really did .may ALLAH grant her jannnah. so here I am in a foreign country hoping to get to the palace and met uncle Mehmet) may ALLAH guide me I fell asleep praying.