Deewani

ساتواں باب

Ali was busy checking the financial records of the family. The farms were doing well. The crops were plenty. With his wedding the gifts that came boosted their net worth.

The man was full of pride. His glossy brown hair and beard , fair skin , long lashes. Everything added to his beauty and pride. The man had an ego the size of Jupiter. The recent news of his wife's pregnancy however had shaken the core of his trust.

Ali was a calm man. His silence was of threat to his wife. His eyes full of questions. He had to stay silent for the sake of his spouse. But how long ? Ali was no fool and knew his wife still talked to her beau back in Lahore.
"Ali. I am sorry , I never meant to hurt you. Forgive me. Please do not tell my family. This will break my brother. Please."

The silent plea of Alina, fell on dead ears. She had hurt his manly pride. She had to pay. As always the man inside of him was not so happy to find out that his life partner had indulged in intercourse with an other man.

His days in the army had taught him to be rough. Tears and pleas meant nothing to him. His decisions were always as firm as concrete pillars. He had decided to divorce her and so that would happen no matter what.

The plea did not melt his heart, deciding that he would head to Lahore in a few days he would expose the princess and ask for a divorce. Everyone knew what had happened to his sister , step sister Safa when she was proven to be having sex before marriage.  He wondered if the same treatment would be given to the king's sister or will the system of justice fail to punish just to please the rulers

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Safa sat inside her small room. The walls painted a dirty cream colour,  shabby and an about to collapse cupboard occupied the room. A small tattered mattress made of straw was the only other thing. Her once standing vanity now lay in a heap of debris,  it had fallen victim to her anger on the world and injustice.

Her doors were opened four times a day . Morning and late night they were opened to serve her meals . A bowl of oatmeal and water . Once in the evening so that she could dance infront of people , something that made her cringe and for hours after her performance she would sit in her room on a torn rug bowing in front of her Lord crying for her broken self esteem.  And lastly it was opened during the afternoon when two maids and gaurds would escort her to a bath. She had often times on returning heard the maids throw the water and scrub the bath as if she was a disease. The looks of hatred and disgust did not go unnoticed by her .

She had finally accepted her fate . Knowing no matter how much she plead her case she would not be heard. Her fate was set in stone by her bhabhi , the princess. Amongst all these problems the only good thing that had happened to her was the relationship she had developed with Allah. Her free time was spent praying and remembering Him and the closer she got to him the better she felt. Safa knew He was the only one who knew the truth on the day of judgement He will serve her justice. Now she spent her time waiting for death to reunite with her Creator and cry about all her problems.

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The empire was hit with a shock. Their princess was pregnant without her and her husband even consumating their marriage. The king had issued the notice that all public be present in the square of the capital city .

Aahil silently wept. He could not save his sister she had dug her grave herself. He thought she would tell him if she liked someone but she never did. Had she told him when she was sitting infront of the Qazi he would have broken the marriage then and there getting her joined in union with the man she loved immediately.  Unfortunately now he could do nothing.

The news had come as a huge blow his mother had suffered such a shock that she now lay on her bed , her lower body paralysed for the remainder of her life.

"Allah ! I believe in you. Help your believer deliver justice today. Make my heart of stone so that the tears that drip from my gudiyas eyes do not effect me. Make me strong ya Allah ! Your momin needs you today. Save me from delivering unjustly so that an example may be formed for the people to come"

After he had plead to Allah he left for the balcony that overlooked the square where people were present.

" Hello my people. Thanks you for coming. It has been told me by my sisters husband , an army general,  son of Bengals governor that my sister your princess Alina was involved in infidelity." The crowd was shocked and started shouting abuses at her.

"Today I am here to give justice to the best of my capabilities. We will allow the husband to divorce his cheating woman. I will further announce that until the safe delivery of the child and her iddat are complete she shall live in seclusion inside a small room in the palace. Furthermore,  she would be sent out of the kingdom forever married to the man whose child she is about to bear. " The people yelled loudly in support of their Kings decision and looked down upon the couple that stood infront of them. 

" However, the man has already married another so my sister will be the second wife and work as a maid inside her home. I have decided this shall be her fate. If the first wife wishes to divorce the man I shall allow it. But let this be an example that infidelity will not be accepted no matter what your status" The crowd had a mixed reaction but still felt bad for the first wife and vowed to help her in any condition.

"Lastly , a few weeks ago my sister blamed a court dancer who before this incident had been a honest working woman. The blame on her is a lie my sister in order to save herself tarnished the reputation of another woman. This woman Safa shall be my one and only wife in this lifetime. My men took her honour and self respect from her. I will be the one to restore it. Tomorrow evening after Zuhr I will marry her and make her my Queen" The crowd was even though livid about a prostitutes daughter marrying their king they were still happy that their King was a man of honour. And those who knew the girl personally felt as if therre was no one better that her for the role of their Queen. And chanted
"LONG LIVE KING AAHIL AND QUEEN SAFA"

TRANSLATION :
1. BHABI : Sister in law
2. QAZI : the islamic version of a priest
3. GUDIYA : doll
4. MOMIN : believer
5. ZUHR : one of five prescribed prayers

Authors Note :
Hey sisters izzz bac and aint going away. New updates ever alternate day InshAllah
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