Chapter 10
Longing
Sarah inhaled sharply, her back ached from sitting upright before her mother, who had been speaking for the past hour about matters of least importance to her. Someone was supposed to hold the older woman's horses as she made no attempt to cease her blabber regarding the marriage Sarah was being forced into.
Despite her physical presence in front of Shireen Shah, her thoughts had been wandering towards the safety of the men of her family. They had left hours ago to inspect the reason behind the fire in the fields in order to take necessary measures to avert greater damage.
And this union between the two families was just one way to control the disaster the innocent inhabitants of the village had been facing due to the bigotry of the distant members of the two families fighting like fools due their unfathomable lust for power. They had been blinded because of their greed and the ones at their mercy were the peasants and the farmers, now, Sarah herself.
She wanted to cry out loud at the agony of her fate instead of discussing the wedding theme and dresses with her mother. She wished to complain that if she was meant to serve for the foolishness of the knuckleheads of her family, then why had she fallen in the ruthless clutches of love. That too, with the man, who stood within her hold and yet so far to grasp at the same time.
Then, there were contrasting feelings regarding her mother. Shireen had always showered her with love and care but the woman never realised that creating distance between Laila and her, wasn't what she ever wanted.
It was all her mother's doing, that they drifted apart and today are on the path of no return, towards the days of joy and happiness, they once relished. But deep down, she wished a way out of all this attention and yearned for the simple childhood with her sister that was devoid of any worries.
She was distracted out of her thoughts by the sudden commotion outside her room in the courtyard, indicating her father's arrival. She had been thankful for the uproar as Shireen immediately left her room.
Heaving a sigh, she pushed back the thoughts swirling in her brain, and followed her mother out. Her dark brown eyes witnessed her father sitting distressed with his head bowed between his palms. Her grandmother consoling him with her words of wisdom as she rubbed his back.
A stressed out Daud paced along the length of the courtyard conversing with someone on the phone in an agitated tone. And of course her sister, who stood by one of the pillars like always, concealing herself from the prying eyes of this ruthless world, and still observing the very nook of this place with her amber eyes.
She almost choked on her saliva as she noticed the peculiar presence of Dilawar Malik, who entered the courtyard whilst keeping his phone in his pocket. It was almost about midnight and the man was still at their place. She wondered why he was here when he was supposed to be at his home by now.
The place where she was standing did not seem to be an ideal one as she quickly scurried towards one of the seats. She noticed Daud ending the call and moving towards Dilawar and her father.
"What did they say?" He inquired rather calmly.
Ibrahim raised his head looking at him hopefully but Dilawar shook his head before replying, "they are denying any involvement." He took a seat on one of the charpoy and clasped his hands.
"Oh boy," Ibrahim sighed running a hand through his hair.
"Don't worry, chachu. I've filed a complaint in the police station. They'll start investigating." Daud reassured Ibrahim squeezing his shoulder.
Ibrahim only nodded his head. "Go and have some rest. You have to leave early in the morning." He stood up from his place telling Daud. And Sarah's head whipped up in his direction and she saw him leaving for his room.
"Where is he going?" Zahida inquired.
"Damage control. We have to provide aid to the ones who suffered." Ibrahim replied.
"Ammi, please get a room prepared for Dilawar." He asked Zahida Shah but before she could comply to the wishes of her son, Dilawar piped in. "Please do not worry yourself. I'll head home now."
"No, it isn't safe especially with the current circumstances and this late. You may leave in the morning." Ibrahim interrupted him and Zahida motioned for the servants to get done with the preparations. Meanwhile, everyone was dismissed to their rooms for a rest after a hectic day.
***
The fog dispersed in the sky amidst the eerie silence, it blanketed the Shah villa in itself. It was past midnight. Sarah had been pacing her room in agitation. And after much deliberation, she picked up her shawl from the bed and wrapped it around herself before leaving her room.
Treading softly in the hallway, she found herself standing before a certain door. Sarah exhaled a breath as she contemplated on whether to knock it or not. Before she had decided, the door whirled open to Daud standing in the doorway.
It seemed that he was about to head outside and his eyes widened in surprise acknowledging her presence outside his room at this time of the night. He perceived his senses as he stared around the hallway for anyone else's presence and then pulled her inside his room, securing the door behind.
"Are you even in your senses?" He whisper yelled at her who stood lost in her own thoughts staring at the mess in his room. A travel bag was placed on his bed with his clothes and other necessities sprawled along.
"You're leaving," she stated bewildered, tightening the hold on her shawl, "again."
Daud exhaled a sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair mussing them. "You are not supposed to be here, Sarah." He pointed out.
"Then where am I supposed to be?" She spat refusing to meet his gaze as a frown appeared on her face.
Daud moved forward and pinned his hands on her shoulders. "Look at me, love." He pleaded.
Choking back a strangled sob, she covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head whilst hot tears poured from her eyes. They knew their relationship was built on glass, fragile and brittle, and none of them wanted it to shatter.
"Sarah," his voice was so much deeper brimming with emotions as he called her name. Cradling her face in the palm of his hands, he wiped the tears from her face. His arm wounded around her waist, pulling her soft body into his taut one.
Sarah clutched his collar as she cried her heart out, drenching his shirt. Her shawl fell from her shoulders and piled on the floor by her feet. An unknown wave of panic darted through him when she sobbed against him, so, he smoothed his hand on her back, soothing her troubled self. A few moments passed and when she regained her composure, she sniffed out her breath.
None could feel the rawness of their pain except their own selves when they were left utterly helpless in the name of decisions being made by their elders. And the circumstances only reprimanded him to cradle his beloved more fiercely to himself. As if he was scared that if he let the hold loose, she might disappear into thin air like fragments of nothingness.
Sarah realized the forbidden proximity they were standing in and hastened to get out of the grasp of Daud. Instead she felt the hands on her waist, gripping together, holding her firmly in place. She turned a shade of crimson as she cleared her throat, wriggling out of his hold.
Daud leaned forward, his warm breath brushed against her ear when he whispered, "you weren't protesting a few moments ago, love." And she could've sworn that his lips must have lifted up in a smirk.
Her heart plummeted against her chest, wildly and ferociously, dwelling on bursting out of her body, washing her in the bath of foreign heated emotions as she kept herself from melting in his embrace. Their breathings became heavier against the sudden rise in the temperature of their surroundings.
Daud's fingers brushed on curve of her back and she felt the warmth dissipating even from the barrier of her cotton shirt on her skin. A shiver ran down her spine and no attempts were able to dampen the ardour of his touch and breath against her neck.
So she did, what she was best at doing in such situations. Daud groaned out before laughing loudly when she landed a smack on his shoulder due to which he loosened his grasp and Sarah found it as an opportunity to escape. His flushed face was a clear indication of their mutual feelings which he tried to conceal behind his laugh and failed at his attempt as he was affected the same as hers.
Maintaining a decent distance between them, she picked up her shawl from the floor and wrapped it around herself. She wasn't here to have a breakdown in front of this man, but there was something about him that always rendered her vulnerable. No matter, how strongly she built the barriers around herself, he would always crack through them and break it down.
"Why are you upset? I'm not leaving forever." His voice anchored her back to reality from her swaying thoughts.
"You still haven't talked to baba?" She asked and he shook his head.
"A sensitive topic like this must be discussed at appropriate times, love." Daud shifted around in the room towards his bed to pack his clothes.
"When will your 'appropriate time' arrive, Daud? You do realize that what happened today will rush the wedding." She told him wistfully settling herself on the couch.
"I know, and you do not need to worry. I'll handle everything." He reassured her as she gazed at him, her eyes glimmering with complicated emotions of longing and grief.
"Where were you heading to, when I came?" She diverted the topic of conversation.
"To get some water." He zipped up his bag and placed it on the couch and she focussed her gaze on him from her peripheral vision.
"You must sleep, I'll head back to my room." She sighed heavily and stood up from her place, standing in front of him.
"Come here, love." The endearment always left her flustered but right now, it was the longing in his voice that halted her movements. He enveloped her in his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his torso.
Silence elapsed between them and she could only hear the erratic beats of his heart, a soothing melody it was for her anxious nerves as it calmed down the tumult residing in her own heart.
This man had no limits in the way he always settled down her trepidation and in seriousness he requested from her, "I promise I'll return by Allah's will. So, please wait for me."
Daud inhaled the strawberry scent wafting from her and placed a kiss on her hairline. He held her close and whenever he spoke, she felt his chest rumble against herself, fluttering her senses. She only hummed in response as no coherent words appeared on the tip of her tongue and she didn't trust herself to break the serenity of the moment with an unexpected blabber.
"I love you, Sarah, with all my heart and soul." And Sarah almost found her breath leaving her body as her mind screamed for someone to pull this enticing man away from her, but only her heart knew that this man was hers. He belonged to her and she belonged to him. They were each other's invincible possessions and she tightened her arms around him firmly. As always her love for him turned out to be more feral and voracious with every passing day.
✦⋆⋆⋆✿⋆⋆⋆✦
Assalam o Alaikum
Am I being really generous with the regular updates?😂
No frets, because I only have three more holidays and then I am going back to college and my usual busy routine. 😬🥴
My babies are partying their ways. Do you people think that Daud will return this time or not? 🥺
Also, has anyone noticed Dilawar's stay at the Shah villa? 😎😏
Thoughts?
Vote & Comment!
Instagram: chocolatemuffin_18