The Circle Of The Qur'an #1[The Arkaan Series] ✓

Crescent 10: Silent Tears(3)

Washing his teary face, and making himself presentable, he went downstairs to offer greetings. Lady Frieda was like a second mother to him, and took him in with kindness, though knowing the possible danger she had exposed herself to, if his own past caught up with him. She had once said he reminded her of her lost son, and he had great respect for her. "Ukashah!" Mother Ashyaa called out excitedly.

Even as she did, a young boy with refined handsomeness stepped down from the top floor. He wore a deep blue thobe which had its rims embroidered in gold arabesque, reaching to half-shin, and some navy coloured pants down to ankle level. Even without his previous adornments, he still exuded the refined aura of a royal.

He greeted the salam politely as he saw the veiled lady down below. He reached the down floor, and gently offered some water which Mother Ashyaa in her excitement, had forgotten to do. Lady Frieda responded to the salaam, and smiled at his refined manners and composure. "I won't be here long though. It's been a while since I last visited. So I came to see how things were. How are you doing, Ibn Sulaymân?" She asked in a dignified tone.

This was how she was at school, and also when facing the council members. Since Ukashah became the Boys' head prefect of her school, she also took to communicating formally with him. This was to help him develop certain diplomatic qualities he'd need for the future.

"Alhamdulillah, everything is well by the will of Allah." Ukashah answered courteously. He had been thinking of how he'd meet with the Lady Principal to talk about accommodating Arkaan in the apartment. And yet, here she was...

Allah certainly does things in His own mysterious ways.

"and Hayât?... "Lady Frieda asked, her voice suddenly softened. She remembered his piebald horse he cared for, more than many things in life. In the past, it was that horse, flanked by its parents that achieved a gallant feat to save Ukashah from his pursuers, at the loss of the white mare, the Queen's own horse. All this, Ukashah had told her.

Sometimes, when Ukashah would reminisce as he'd wash Hayât's coat when he was still little, he'd mention that memorable day to Lady Frieda.

She couldn't understand his fondness for the horse until then...

"He's been doing well, and is becoming better by the day. The injuries he sustained from that time when you offered us help, even though they're still there, are much stable than before... Currently, he's in the back stables." Ukashah answered.

"You should take him for a stroll once in a while, okay." Lady Frieda continued,"I think that'll do him a lot of good as regards his health."
Ukashah nodded. With his lowered eyes, he looked like a gentleman facing his revered mother.

Lady Frieda looked at him and remembered her own son whom she cherished."I brought some apples... " She said, offering him the one which she held. She kept it on the table next to him, as she removed more from her basket to present, with motherly affection.

She well-knew how much Ukashah loved apples. She couldn't forget that day when she offered him apples, and tears suddenly spilled from his eyes uncontrollably.

Until that day, Lady Frieda had never seen Ukashah cry or complain, neither had Mother Ashyaa. Since the moment she saw that boy with listless eyes, and after she aided him, he also seemed unlike other kids; composed and reserved without much emotion to show, at that time he could have passed for any statue in someone's backyard. Those tears, and the relish with which he ate the apples even amidst tears, those were the first 'normal' childlike emotions she had seen Ukashah show.

The only other time he showed happiness and opened up, was when he was in the South district's Circle of the Qur'an, 'Inâbah'. Lady Frieda had come to know that he joined the Circle even before he had met her. Also, apart from her, the scholar of the Circle was the second to know his identity. He had been going to the Circle until then, and leaving without enough communication with the Ustadh to communicate his situation. It seems he had only opened to her because of motherly love, and then later to his Sheikh. Whenever he was there in their circles, those feelings completely resurfaced in him. He had friends there, and they were probably his first and only ones, Lady Frieda surmised.