Silence

The illusions of a dream

ROSHAN

My eyes flickered open, trained on the clay roof, stretching above me, a canopy of warmth and security.  It had been a dream, in which I had painted the skies, illusions illustrated by my wandering mind. Still it had seemed so wholly real and yet...so far away.

Reality would never play out in such a way. I could not stop envisioning the experience, forcing my eyes shut in an attempt to relive the memory.

  I had braced myself for the strike Safi was sure to deliver, my arms a shield in a desperate bid to protect my face.

The blow had never come, Safi stood frozen in time, his hand stopped mid strike. I dared to breathe. Slowly my eyes observed the obstacle in Safi's path. My savior was a silhouette in the shadows, long fingers effortlessly snapped back my  abuser's wrist. 

A blood curdling scream broke the silence of time, it was a moment before I realized the sound escaped my throat.

My fear climbed new heights as the shadow turned its attention to me, he wore the night as his armour, dark obsidian eyes held me prisoner. My chest caved in with the weight of the terror raging through it, my hands pressed against my heart in a feeble last resort to breathe.

"Arshad, explain to me what just occurred" the voice was harsh and cold enough to turn the blood in my veins to ice

"Steady, calm yourself daughter of Sardaar Jamaal..."

Sometimes the illusions we dream are so vivid and so wholly real we refuse to believe in their deceit.

My mind was frantic, almost desperate to believe it might have occurred, that my eyes had seen the prince of shadows everyone thought to be a myth. At least, at least he had graced my dreams.  Just as I thought it the very feeling repulsed me, I was not wanton nor desperate to see a man and want his attentions.

It was just a curiosity my mind refused to surrender, a desire that my heart quickened at every time I imagined.

The surreal experience of seeing someone who couldn't possibly exist. Sikkandar the heartles was a forbidden dream, one that I must forget.

The illusions of the dream was what I wanted desperately, a savior who put Safi in his place, who would be my sole protector.

"Roshan! Roshan where are you?! Answer me!"

Arshad strode towards me, panting heavily "How are you?"

"Arshad I had the strangest dream"

It could be something my eyes saw but he paled slightly "You did? How interesting..."

"Even if I told you, you would never believe me"

"The illusions of dreams are unbelievable and impossible"

"It seemed so real, so close like I was there"

"You slipped on a stray branch and hit your head, the confusion will take sometime to heal"

So it hadn't  occured, I couldn't deny the disappointment "Do you ever dream Arshad?"

He seemed taken aback "What a question Roshan, every man has his dreams and every man has a right to his secrets"

"What do you dream of?"

He sighed "Of everything I cannot have, dreams are so strange Roshan, we are shown what we crave for so desperately, so close to our reach and yet so far away. But how can one live when he lives in dreams and forgets reality?"

"I dream that I don't have to wed Safi"

The expression on his face was almost sympathetic "Anything can change Roshan, anything"

I shook my head, dismissing his words "The worst disappointment is expecting something that never happens. I will just have to accept it however bitter it might seem. It is for the honor of the tribe"