Sidratul Muntaha

Chapter 45💎

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuhu again dear readers.

Red this chapter because it has certain additions.

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Rushi and Murtaza turned in a shock to see Amiza standing in a corner of the terrace and watching them in amusement. She was smirking but her eyes had a hint of sadness in them. Her eyes were red rimmed, indicating that she must have been crying.

"Amiza? When did you come?" Rushi asked her after she got over the sudden shock of interruption.

"I didn't." Amiza said, turning towards the sky, away from them. "I was here since before. You both came." She told them and smiled a bittersweet smile hidden from the both of them. Their short moment had been witnessed by her, in the dark corner of the terrace silently and something inside of her had broken.

She had liked Murtaza since the first time she had seen him. He had reminded her of Sidra. Sidra was always gentle towards her and so loving. Unbidden, a pair of grey eyes came to the forefront of her mind, when she taught this. She shook her head. She had to concentrate on Sidra, who was her only loving family. Just like Murtaza was for his family. She had felt her heart melt towards him the moment he had kissed his mother's hands in reverence. Some months ago, she had a family who may not have given her too much importance but they still loved her at least. Then she had lost all of her world and had only Sidra and Sidra had been enough for her. But the fate had something else planned and she had lost Sidra too. She had Rushi but it was not enough. Nothing could erase the hole that Sidra had left in her heart. Then Murtaza came. She had always wished for a man like him. A man who could take care of his own and always make her feel like she is the centre of his world. She had then sincerely wished that he would be hers in the future. But the next few days with him had made his like for Rushi very clear and she wasn't someone who could snatch the love away. She believed in free will and where was the free will in forceful love? So she had let her heart calm down and let her wish for him go. Now watching him with Rushi, she realized that she had taken the right decision. It nevertheless was very painful, even though Rushi was so distant from Murtaza. She sighed and turned back towards the two people who were staring at her speechlessly.

"I will help you too!" She told Murtaza, who was watching her carefully.

"No!" Rushi exclaimed. "You need to be safe! I can't lose you too!"

"I have learned archery and sword fighting too to some extent Rushi, for this very reason. I can't stand back and watch as the people I care for are harmed by everyone. It cost me Sidra and there is no bigger price to pay for my cowardice than her." Amiza swallowed the onslaught of memories. "I cannot hide behind people as they fight for mine and everyone's safety!"

"But you are not yet ready!" Rushi exclaimed again. Amiza looked sadly at her.

"Whole my life, I have been hiding behind Sidra as she fought my battles. It's high time I fought them on my own. I am more than ready. I will not stand by and watch as my loved ones are harmed. I will help find Marwah!" Amiza told them both. Rushi looked on in a helpless apprehension while Murtaza smiled in appreciation. Amiza looked away from his smiling face. Her heart was divided in it's wishes. One half of her heart called out for him desperately while the other half wanted to abandon him and never look at him. And her mind flashed back again and again to those pair of grey eyes that were haunting her in her dreams most of the nights. She was a confused mess.

Murtaza was feeling different after hearing her speak. He had seen the Anaziran Prince exit from their room on the first night and after knowing that Rushi wasn't present in the room, he had concluded that Amiza and him had something going on. But then he had heard from his mother that she hadn't even been awake and concluded that she was blameless in this. He still didn't know what the prince wanted from Amiza but he knew that she was innocent. She had seemed shallow to him before, whereas Rushi had a depth and an understanding that he appreciated. He had been attracted towards Rushi after the very first night he had seen her cry. And the meetings after that had proved his point. Amiza had seemed too carefree. But that night had changed his view of Amiza. She looked too broken right then, too sensible and too scared. She seemed like she was a lonely warrior against the whole world and something inside him wanted to shelter her desperately. And yet the woman beside him was ever present on his mind. He bit his lips as his heart entered unchartered territories.