Hearts of Faith

6

The three friends and the little boy reached the door mentioned and they shared a wary, anxious look before Zinneera reached up and knocked hard on the wood, the sound bouncing off the walls.

"I should have asked the guard to carry Ismael away too." Maha grumbled, adjusting the boy in her arms.

"As if you would have left him in the hands of a stranger." Zinneera grinned and Maha nodded regretfully.

"Sadly, yes. The burden of an older sister."

The door swung open rather dramatically and before the group's eyes was a lone man sitting on an array of velvet red cushions, leaning back with a steaming drink in his right hand. In front of him was a small wooden table with a decorated, grey metal plate, matching the cup in his hands. He took a sip of his drink and stood up as the guard inside motioned for the travellers to enter.

"Assalaamualaikum." He clapped his hands together. The ladies replied, however it seems only Safiyya was able to keep a respectful smile on her face. A shiver went down Zinneera's spine as she met the eyes of the Ameer and she immediately looked away.

Piles of black, greasy hair lay on his head, reaching his shoulders, like rubbish swept to the side of a street, unkempt and unpleasant to look at. His skin was an olive tone accompanied by dark eyes and a scar that stemmed from his cheek and reached his collarbone. Unlike most people in Al-Hafah, he had chosen to dress in complete black; black trousers, black slippers, black robes which only amplified the oddity of his first impression. It was not the scar, not even his rather horrendous hair that put Amara off. It was the manner in which he held himself and the strange looks he was giving them that expelled an eerie disposition about him. Not to mention the scowl he was clearly trying to hide.

"I hope you were well looked after during your journey." He barely smiled, slowly stepping around the small table to stand a small distance away, hands clasped in front of him.

"Thank you." Zinneera responded automatically. "We were."

The elongated silence was almost unbearable. It was Safiyya who tried to initiate pleasant conversation.

"Your city is spectacular Ameer. So alive and beautiful. I can only imagine how much better it looks in the daytime." She complimented.

"Indeed. After all, Al-Amin is the best. What else could you expect?" The Ameer mused, beginning to gently pace around the room.

It took Zinneera great strength not to roll her eyes but she did hear Maha snort lightly behind her.

Silence was a favoured companion here as it returned once again. Zinneera was just about tempted to spontaneously walk out when Safiyya spoke again.

"Is your wife in good health Ameer?"

He paused before turning to them and smiling as if someone had just told a funny joke.

"Ah, my apologies sisters. I am, in fact, not the Ameer." All the eyebrows in the room, apart from the guards and whoever in Al-Hafah this strange man was, raised in surprise. "He is currently returning from a trip to Banu Hassan and I am temporarily in charge."

Banu Hassan was Al-Amin's neighbouring city. And also, as it happens, the second largest in the region.

Zinneera released a relieved breath. At least now if she happened to accidentally be rude, she would probably not be locked up for the rest of her life. She opened her mouth to ask him who he actually was, but he spoke before her, turning his gaze to Maha and Ismael with a wide smile on his scarred face.

"Forgive me for keeping you standing here with the young boy." He called for a guard as his gaze jumped between Zinneera, Safiyya and the siblings. "He will escort you to your room to tend to your brother. Your travels have been far and long."