His Harem, his women and his WOMAN

Chapter 24

"And non will get inbetween my legs again. My art would be my power and my heart will remain mine."

"What happened to Abbas after he left you?" Omeed asked her curiously. She wondered if Abbas was still out there somewhere and what he would make of this grownup Feriha.

"He died, my Abbas couldn't tolerate how he had treated me when he found out the truth." Omeed gasped. "Terrible fate hmm? He jumped into a river committing suicide. His body was never discovered." Feriha responded as fresh tears sprang from her puffy eyes.

"Terrible one indeed I can only imagine your pain." Omeed sympathised as she pulled Feriha into a hug. "And you still love him." Omeed said silently not as a question but to reaffirm what she already knew.

"I will die loving him, he had misunderstood Omeed, why shouldn't I forgive and continue loving him? You know he sent me a note the day he died asking me to live well and to live for the both of us. My mistress had withheld it from me until it was too late to stop him."  She chuckled dryly without humour.

"In the missive he stated his only regret was not seeing me once more before he died. He hated that the last memory he had of me was that awful morning and my tear stricken face when he unleashed his wrath on me."

"Feriha, let's make a vow." Omeed said suddenly as she stood up pulling Feriha up with her. "Let's promise as friends to always have the other's best interest at heart." Feriha looked astonished as Omeed spoke. "I promise to always protect you Feriha, I will never let you come to harm's way."

"I promise to always love you Omeed, I will protect you with my every breath." Feriha replied in turn. For the first time in a very long time her heart seemed settled and she saw hope in her future as they embraced one another in sister-hood.

"I see you came back with a lot of jasmine scent." Feriha said as she went through Omeed's possessions. "I could never understand why jasmine, why not some other scent?" She looked at Omeed waiting for an explanation.

"Ah, that is something I found out when I visited my family."  Omeed grinned. "Well my biological mother was allergic to every scent except jasmine." Omeed giggled. "She bathed and drenched herself in jasmine."

"I still don't understand what it has to do with you."

"From an early age I have recognise the scent since it was familiar and I have gown up preferring it." Omeed laughed as she recollected the astonishment in everyone's face when they discovered she would only wear jasmine scent like her mother.

"You are a strange girl, your mother would be proud to have you as her daughter." Feriha finished.

A week later they set sail for the Ming Dynasty from Hindustan where Omeed hoped to trade in silk and ceramics for the next year and half. Omeed worked vigorously in order to achieve everything there was to achieve out in the world.

Omeed immerse herself into playing a zither and the Chinese way of life. She was fascinated by their women. From the way they talk, dance, eat, drink and carry themselves. Omeed was keen to earn it all. Feriha struggled to keep up with Omeed's adventures and would criticize her at every turn.

"Feriha you never know when these skills might come in handy." She would often tease Feriha.

"I doubt I would ever require them. You go around learning how to play various musical instruments, dance steps and even new trade. Are you ever planning on settling down as a wife and mother?" Asked Feriha seriously with vivid frown lines as she stared at Omeed.

"I don't know Feriha, I haven't got the luxury of planning out my life. I will take each day as it comes." She spoke sadly wishing things could have been different for her. "I could always return to my family in Hindustan if everything fails." She smiled at the thought. Omeed have kept contact with her brother whom she wrote to every four months unfailingly.

"Hmm I forgot you still have the title of a princess and your status restored before we left." Feriha replied thoughtfully. "You could always return to that. But would you live as an Hindu? Forget all you learnt about being a Muslim?"

Omeed shook her head. "No I couldn't do that, I wouldn't do that." She respected both religions but could never forsake her faith. "I want to marry someone I love Feriha."

"You are eighteen my dear, do you still have faith in meeting him again? Omeed you are not the thirteen year old he met all those many years ago."  Feriha feared Hafez was now married with children. It broke her heart to witness Omeed still pin for him.

Two weeks into their return to Isfahan war ha broken out in the Ming dynasty, giving rise to the short lived Shun dynasty. Luckily for the group they were already packed and ready to set sail. Omeed convinced a few weavers and porters to join them with hope of a better life.

Author's note: The chapter most have been waiting for coming up next....Our lead pair are now Eighteen and Nineteen respectively....

We got a glimpse into Feriha's bitter past...