Salam Alikum ppl. How are you all? Insha'Allah well. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Btw Raghad is not in the picture I have given.
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"You were born with wings, why prefer to crawl through life?" Rumi
Borkans proceeded in the main chamber while Raghad advanced towards the cookery situated in the back of the house. She did not desire to encounter the family, nor did she wish to cross paths with Umm Mubarak. In the cookery, she prepared a silver tray with half a dozen mud cups and filled them with cool water. When Shouq ambled in, she looked at the tray then at Raghad and sighed.
"Do you wish to accompany me?" Shouq halted in front of her sister-in-law.
"I do not know ya Shouq. It is better if I am shielded until all that has occurred these past moons is divulged to your grandmother."
"Very well. Hand me the tray and you should stay here. I shall be back for you, Insha'Allah." Shouq beamed at her then departed.
A prolonged while elapsed and yet Shouq did not return for her aid. Raghad sauntered out of the cookery, passed the small fence where goat and sheep peered at her then stood by the wooden door that invited in the house. She sucked in a breath at the voices that reached her ears, among them, she could recognize the voice of Sheikh Mubarak and knew the man of the house was with his mother.
She shifted her weight to her other leg, furled the hem of her shawl around her finger and waited. A rooster leaped on the mud wall that surrounded the house and stared at Raghad. She watched as the chicken and few chicks roamed around and stuck their beak in the dirt now and then in search of food. At once her head jerked up at the mention of her name by Sheikh Mubarak. Raghad clenched her fist when he disclosed the occurrence of the unpalatable matrimony. However, what robbed her of her breath was when he revealed something rather queer, something that slashed her senses.
Raghad stood there by the door with a deep frown between her eyebrows and lips pressed to a thin line. Tears threatened to claw at her eyes but she denied them access. The world around her dimmed and bile rose in her throat. It was then Shouq walked back and stopped in her track, eyes widened at the sight of her sister-in-law.
"Raghad." She gasped.
The bride did not utter a word merely averted her gaze. "It is no wonder why my spouse abhors me to such an unthinkable extent." She whispered and stepped away from the door, from Shouq.
Shouq followed with desperation vibrant in her voice. "It was not affirmed, they were not betrothed. Father only indicated once or twice that Adhari was to be Faris's bride! Faris had never acceded to this."
"Nor did he deny, did he?" Raghad hissed, exceedingly incensed. What on earth was happening to her? Not only was she paired to a man who did not want her, but to a being who was spoken for another woman. "Is she, is she the woman who stood alongside your grandmother?"
Shouq gave a small nod, consternation noticeable in her eyes. "Raghad, by Allah the matter was not that grave."
The bride looked around, her gaze traveled from the iron fence to the rooster, from the rooster to the few palm trees that stood next to the mud wall. Her head throbbed and a horrendous feeling clung at her throat. "What am I to do now, ya Shouq? This tribe, your father, my own husband despise me. They are revolted of my mere sight."
Instantly, Shouq bend down placed the tray on the ground and held Raghad's arms. "Look at me, Raghad," Shouq shook her body. "For the sake of Allah look at me." She hissed through clenched teeth as tears trickled down the girl's eyes.
"I do not posses the fortitude to fight every obstacle they bring forth. Shouq, I am weak, my heart is weak." She whispered.
Shouq tightened her fingers around her arms. "Wallahi ya Raghad I have never encountered any woman more courageous than you. Borkans and Rashideens were not mere foes, their wrath haunted them over two generations, yet here you are. You face my brother, the man known to posses no heart. How dare you entitle your soul to be frail, ya Raghad."
"It was unendurable to face him, and now every time your brother will appear before me I will shatter within."
"Habibty." Shouq clenched her jaw.
"I wish to see Badr. I wish to see my mother I am exhausted." Raghad hung her head and stands of her hair caressed her cheek with the forlorn wind swirled around her.
"You will see them, soon, very soon," Shouq vowed then pulled away, lifted the tray, grabbed Raghad's hand and walked towards the cookery.
"What am I to do now?" Raghad murmured and wiped her eyes with her fingers.
"All will be well. I will make certain of it." Shouq inhaled.
*
*
"Yalla ya Bou Khalil, call your men and let them aid us to unload the caravan." Nasser hollered to one of his cousins, who stood near the half a dozen camels that carried belongings of their grandmother who had just returned from Ummrah this morning after three moons of the journey.
"Wallahi, ya Nasser, my brothers are with the Sheikh they rebuffed to aid me." Ibrahim huffed and made his way closer to the caravan that stood near a well.
"I comprehend that Aami Mohammed and Aami Abdul Aziz have just returned from travel, that does not permit your siblings to not abandon their father's side." Nasser chuckled as he ran his large hand on the camel's neck, and watched it guzzle water.
"I wish it was I, who had escorted grandmother and father to Makkah, not my brothers. Abdullah and Shaheen are indeed very blessed." Ibrahim growled as he placed another iron bucket in front of a camel. The cousins were ordered by Sheikh Mubarak to unload the caravan and aid the camels then assemble a tent for women next to the Sheikh's house.
Nasser laughed, his shoulder-length hair swayed with the wind, and black robe tangled around his leg whenever the wind blew. "Do not ignite your heart, Bou Khalil. Insha'Allah you and I shall go for Hajj this year. Allah Kareem." He then patted Ibrahim on his shoulder, the man almost toppled over from the weight of it.
"And what shall you divulge to Faris al Fursan and Fahd?" Ibrahim smirked at Nasser, who rolled his broad shoulders.
"If they desire to accompany us, they must." He then rotated to other camels and placed buckets for them to perish their drought.
"Yalla, let us terminate this." Ibrahim pronounced and commenced to unload casks of Zam Zam from the first three camels. Meanwhile, Nasser called for his younger sibling, Fahd, who just vacated the tent he lazed in.
"Ta'aal Fahd." The giant of a man ushered for Fahd.
"What is it, ya Nasser?" Fahd interrogated, deliberately not glancing at the caravan.
"Yalla, roll your sleeves young knight, you are to help us," Nasser smirked at Fahd who groaned and rubbed his forehead.
"I have another task." Fahd prepared himself to decamp.
"You do huh?" Ibrahim mocked, seized Fahd's robe and tugged at it. Fahd's sandals dragged on the ground creating a thin cloud of sand.
"Nasser I cannot heave them, they are weighty." He huffed once Ibrahim unhooked his fingers from his robe.
"Brother, I did not ask you to lift the camels," Nasser chortled. "Merely few Zam Zam casks." Fahd glanced at the caravan with a glare.
"Did I just hearken Fahd utter that he does not posses the strength to lift a few casks?" An amused, yet mocking voice sounded. The men turned around to see Faris al Fursan stand there with his arms crossed over his wide chest eyes on his younger sibling, Fahd.
"You heard right, ya Faris." Ibrahim simpered then placed a hand on his hip.
"Our young paladin wishes to decamp from his duty." Nasser rested his hand on Fahd's shoulder and caused his brother to shrink from the weight.
"No! I was merely stating that Nasser is more proficient to commit this honorable task." Fahd shook his head violently, face scarlet.
"Wallahi? Then I must render my shield to Nasser, for he is more capable of it." Faris pressed his lips to veil the small, almost invisible smile that brushed against his lips.
Fahd stepped forward away from Nasser's large hand. "Faris I have been imploring you to award me your shield."
"If you cannot hoist mere casks brother, how on earth will you hold my shield?" The knight placed his hand on the hilt of his sword that hung from his right.
"I can most certainly lift them." Fahd gestured towards the camels.
"Then what are you waiting for?" Faris allowed his hands lose on his sides.
"I shall begin now." Fahd gave a nod to which Faris grinned. For a knight, not being able to lift casks was an affront and Faris knew this would rattle Fahd's senses. He stood there and observed as his knights engrossed themselves in toil.
Soon more of the family members joined the three cousins and helped unlade casks of Zam Zam, leather pouches filled with Kuhl and incalculable prayer beads for those who wished to use them. Faris departed for the tent yet once again to be alongside his father, his presence was a necessity when elders of the tribe were congregated. After a prolonged while, the men had unloaded the caravan in Sheikh Mubarak's house, the elder brother of eight, leader of the Borkan tribe.
Fahd held his spine and glared at Nasser. "I was to meet grandmother." He complained.
"You cannot, women from all around the tribe have encircled her. Besides, Shouq would have never unbolted the door for you." Nasser tossed the sides of his headdress over his back.
"We all wish to see Yaddati, ya Fahd, but we must wait for the next sun for I just hearkened that Sheikh Mubarak announced a feast for the tribe. He did not wish for the tribe to invite Yaddati to their households and serve her with a feast. She is an elderly woman and does not have the strength to endure that." Mansoor, Ibrahim's elder brother sauntered up to them.
Fahd shook his head despondent but did not verbalize a word then the corner of his lips lifted. "What will Faris commit he did not see her in the morning. Grandmother wished to see him the moment she arrived that is what I heard from Jazee."
The men around him laughed. "My brother, do not ponder what he shall do. I assure you, Faris will discover a way." Ibrahim vocalized and grabbed the reins of a camel in order to herd it to one of the fences.
"What are you surveying, ya Fahd. Proceed and help him." Nasser stepped back and ran a hand down his beard.
Fahd opened his mouth but decided against it. He then seized the reins of another camel and trailed after Ibrahim, aware Nasser and Mansoor would be behind him.
*
*
Raghad tightened her scarf around her head, then swathe it around her neck and sliced more tomatoes. The cookery brimmed with women from all around the tribe. They lend a helping hand to her and Shouq with the preparation of the feast for women. Umm Mubarak, Faris's grandmother had arrived when the sun blinked its first rays. The whole Borkan tribe had gathered around the caravan to welcome Umm Mubarak with great avidity. Faris had departed ever since and did not return, she was contented he did not. Seeming him would have unfurled another parchment of downright agony.
"Shouq who shall knead the dough?" Raghad heard Hajar, Shouq's companion yell over the chatter of the women who cooked.
"Aunt Fatima said she will commence it right away. You must assist her, ya Hajar. There is a pile of work that needs to be done." Shouq hollered back then slid her shawl down to her shoulders.
Raghad grabbed the large mud crock she had cut tomatoes in and gently emptied the crock in the large cauldron, then added more ingredients. Her feet were benumbed despite the blazing fire that crackled in the chimney and heart on fire.
"Ya Allah, I adore it when the house is filled with blather." Shouq beamed from beside her. The bride was well aware that it was an attempt to hear her voice for she did not utter a word ever since this morning.
Raghad smiled a small smile. She cherished it as well when her beloved father assembled the tribe for a feast. Her dearest mother along with her cousins prepared what was needed. "It is indeed a beautiful feeling."
"Here let me handle the cauldron. You must help Maryam with the mortar, she does not know what on earth she is committing." Shouq giggled.
Raghad looked over at Maryam, one of Faris's younger cousins and bit her lip. The poor thing did not know how to pound the pestle. She gradually walked up to her and sat down, her feet crossed. "You wish for my aid Maryam?"
Maryam looked up from her task, her eyes widened at her sight. The girl hesitated for a moment then gave a nod. Raghad knew they did not like the sight of her, at least Maryam was benevolent enough to accept her offer.
Raghad took the pestle from Maryam then pounced down on the black pepper, once she terminated that task she turned to other things that needed to be transformed into powder. Her hands hurt but she did not halt, she could not stop when others needed her help. Raghad helped Aunt Fatima knead more dough, place four stones outside the cookery near the goat fence. She lit a fire in the center of the stones then placed the comal on top of the stones to warm it and prepare large, incomparable round tortillas.
The lone daughter of the Rashideen returned back in the cookery when Shouq's cousin took over the task of making tortillas. Raghad ambled up to the chimney to examine the rice, she collected her shawl in her lap and sat on her knees. Promptly, voices rang in the cookery and Raghad lifted her gaze only to have her brown eyes widen a bit. The woman with enthralling hazel eyes was here, she stood in the midst of the girls in cookery and laughed at something they verbalized.
Raghad averted her gaze from them and picked a few rice in her hand to inspect, soon two slender feet came to a standstill in front of her. She bit the inside of her cheek and pursed her lips. The bride knew what the future held for her.
"As-salamu alaykum." Came a soft, tender voice.
"Wa alikum as salam, Adhari. What are you doing here in the cookery? You should be with Yaddati not here." Shouq stood in front of Adhari.
"Oh Shouq, I came here to meet, to meet some people." Adhari pronounced in a dulcet voice however, Raghad comprehended the meaning curtained behind her words.
"You have encountered everyone from the family, ya Adhari." Shouq replied in a slightly stern voice.
Raghad heard Adhari exhale and she accumulated her senses. "I am present here to be acquainted with someone rather exceptional."
"By special, I am certain you mean Faris's spouse." A voice sounded followed by giggles.
"Oh, Haloom habibty you are so correct." Adhari retorted eyes on Raghad, she felt her gaze knot her veins and blaze them. "You are the daughter of the Rashideens." It was not an inquiry but a statement.
Here Raghad ultimately lifted her head to look Adhari in her hazel eyes. "Indeed I am."
Adhari smiled, a smile that only lifted the corner of her red lips and she squatted in front of Raghad. The woman surveyed the bride's face for a while. "Do not fret, I will make certain that your 'stay' here is gratifying."
Raghad shook her head and rose to her feet, a moment later Adhari mirrored her action. "I am not a guest here, ya bint al halal. It will be best if we all remembered that." She took a step back and looked at Shouq. "Habibty Shouq, I need water for the dough, do aid me."
"Indeed I will." Shouq grinned and nodded, with that, they departed from the cookery.
The bride placed her hand on her bosom and hissed a breath she did not know she held. "Wallahi that was obnoxious."
Shouq laughed as she poured water in the ewer for Raghad. "And you entitled your soul to be weak."
"God forbid, but at situations like this I cannot tie my tongue."
"It is joyous news to hear that." They both laughed at that and commenced to prepare for the feast.
Raghad's body ached by the end of the day, there was a faint ache in her head and her fingers were swollen. Dusk approached with a dense curtain of darkness, birds swathe their wings around them and took shelter. Wolves howled to the night, to the stars that blinked down at the world and it was then woman departed from the house. Shouq was alongside Raghad all day so that she would evade the woman in the house which was the ground why Shouq was unable to be present at the feast.
"I am delighted we do not have to rinse all this." Shouq moved her hand around the cookery.
"We would have to greet our farewells to slumber if we were to rinse these." Raghad beamed at her.
"Faris would have been enraged."
"I can barely believe that." She looked away at the mention of his name. Raghad searched for cold tortillas and brought yogurt in a mud pot then sat crossed feet in front of Shouq. "Eat, I know you are famished."
"So are you."
"I do not possess appetite these days." Raghad handed Shouq a tortilla and poured yogurt in a mud cup for her. Shouq looked at her then shook her head. They noshed in quietude, surrounded by empty cauldrons, dishes, and mud pots.
"Shouq! Shouq!" Batool darted in the cookery with a wide grin on her face. "Father and Faris are here to meet grandmother and she is asking for you."
Shouq leaped to her feet. "Oh, at last." She took a step forward but stopped and glanced over her shoulder at her sister-in-law who sat there eyes downcast. "You must join us."
Raghad shook her head, timid that the elderly women would despise her. "I must clean this place, go."
Shouq hesitated. "Yalla." Batool whined. The elder sister looked at her then sighed and walked away.
An hour later half of the cookery was spotless and Raghad's body was even more exhausted. Batool had commanded her to bring ZamZam for Faris in their chamber which riled her immensely. What other alternative did she have but to obey? She dribbled ZamZam from a cask into a silver pot then made her way to her chamber. However, Raghad came to a standstill at the sight in front of her. She blinked a few times and her fingers tightened around the pot.
The man born to annihilate, to torture and degrade lay on his back with his head gently placed on his grandmother's lap. What looted Raghad of her breath was little Jazee, who sat on his chest and played with his lean fingers. Instantly, she stood aside and leaned against the wall, her heart wrung inside her bust. She licked her chapped lips and hoped Faris or his grandmother did not catch a glimpse of her.
"I heard from your father about Saif's death," she heard his grandmother say in a wrecked voice. "He also apprised me of your unforeseen marriage." Raghad bit her lip, knowing well that the woman would loathe her like every individual in the Borkan tribe.
"Wallahi yaddati, there was no other direction to trod on." His voice caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand. She knew their pairing was against their will, but to hear him verbalize those words was scandalizing.
"Allah yasa'adak." The elderly woman vocalized. There was a moments pause in which Raghad heard Jazee's giggle and Umm Mubarak's laugh. "Are you contented?" Raghad's throat went dry at the question, she did not desire to know his the respond.
Gathering her pluck, she inhaled, took a few steps backwards then proceeded to amble in the chamber. The moment she walked in both Faris and his grandmother looked up at her. She did not meet their gaze. Umm Mubarak's gaze observed her with sheer inquisitiveness, whereas Faris, he surveyed her as if she was a mere being.
"Salam Alikum." Raghad murmured and sat in front of Umm Mubarak. "The ZamZam you asked for." She added without glancing at him.
"Hand it over." Faris grabbed Jazee's shoulders with the utmost care, lifted her tiny form up and placed her in front of him, next to Raghad, he sat straight and stretched his hand out for her. Raghad handed him the pot aware of how his grandmother watched her. She swallowed when his cold fingers brushed against hers.
Raghad did not have the audacity to look in the elderly woman's eyes, she was a formidable person, if she did not take a liking of Raghad, others would follow and somehow that notion petrified her. From the corner of her eyes she saw Faris utter Bismillah, place the pot on his lips and take three long gulps. He then chuckled at little Jazee who stared at him with wide eyes. That voice jolted something inside Raghad's bust and she clenched her fist.
"Yalla you drink the rest." Faris handed the pot to his sister and watched her repeat his action. Raghad knew there were ardent sentiments in his eyes, she knew those feelings would wipe the ground under her feet if she dared to meet his gaze.
"Binty," her heart pivoted and skipped a beat at the voice and Raghad looked in to Umm Mubarak's eyes. She was staggered to witness something so familiar to what her Yadda provided her. There was no hatred in those old, shrewd eyes but rather tenderness and commiseration. "You are the daughter of Rashideens." It was not a query, it was simply a statement, like the one Adhari had made. However Umm Mubarak did not pronounce the words with mockery.
"Yes." She mumbled and dropped her gaze, all of a sudden bashful, aware of how Faris watched them from the corner of his eyes while pretending to be preoccupied with little Jazee.
"I apologize for the veer of events," Raghad gasped at her words, eyes wide. "If only..."Umm Mubarak trailed off, unable to complete her sentence. "Do not you distress yourself my child, you will be cherished in this household. It is the least I can do for what my husband committed." She took hold of Raghad's hand in her soft, wrinkled ones.
Raghad did not reply, what could she possibly respond. She knew the elderly woman felt remorse for what her husband committed. He was the man who had annihilated her grandfather and Umm Mubarak felt compunction for that. Raghad also knew the elderly woman was generous and benign but she could not dare imply that for all of the household!
"You must ask your grandson's spouse, does she wish to reside in this tribe?" Faris commented then took the pot from Jazee. Raghad stole a glance at him and her gaze fluttered when his glacial eyes clashed with hers. She averted her gaze right away and that instant Adhari's name wailed in her brain, in her heart like a harrowing nightmare.
"My, my Faris. Is this a way to communicate with your spouse?" Umm Mubarak chided and Faris shook his head.
"You are under my wing now, binty," Umm Mubarak patted the bride's hand. "And if my foolish grandson troubled you in any way, you must inform me. I know how to discipline him." The elderly woman smiled causing her eyes to crinkle.
Indeed there was noor on her face after performing Umrah. Raghad wished she could travel to Makkah as well. "Insha'Allah yaddati." She gave a small smile that did not reach her big brown eyes.
"Have you encountered your family or visited your tribe after the marriage?" Umm Mubarak questioned as she ushered for Jazee to sit on her lap.
Raghad frowned, her family, her beloved family. Many moons have sailed over the desert and yet not even a word was heard from them, not even Badr. It was as if they had forgotten about her, as if she never existed. Walls of her eyes tingled but she blinked, not knowing what to verbalize when the beast of a man awaited her response. "La yaddati. My sibling, however stayed for a few nights, he departed over a moon ago."
Umm Mubarak sighed. "Do not fret. Faris will escort you to your tribe first thing tomorrow morning."
"What on earth!" Faris looked at his grandmother, brows knitted and eyes narrowed.
"Do you disagree with my verdict?"
Faris shot Raghad a glare knowing he could not utter a word with Jazee there. "Insha'Allah." He exhaled through gritted teeth and rose to his feet. "Bint-ash-sheikh fetch me my turban." The man commanded.
Raghad clenched her jaw and stood up as well, she walked over to the shelve aware that their gaze was on her. Her hands quivered when she outstretched them to take the turban. Gradually, she rotated around, made her way to the tall, broad man and handed him, his turban without looking at him.
"Where are you going at this hour, ya Faris?" Umm Mubarak demanded.
"I shall return soon. I must see if Nasser terminated his task." Faris placed his turban on his head, his shoulder-length hair curled vaguely. He then bent down to kiss his grandmother's forehead. "Fe aman Allah."
Raghad watched him depart from the room, his steps in a stride and knew the man could not bear her sight. Her lip wobbled when Adhari's name rang in her brain, she knew there was nothing she could do. She knew sand grains cascaded through her fingers, she knew!
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LONG CHAPTER! Did you guys like it? Let me know your fav part in ur COMMENTS and do VOTE! And to those who said its Jaddati not Yaddati, let me tell you this am an Emarati, which means am an Arab. We Emarati people pronounce 'J' as 'Y' sometimes, so please next time don't teach me Arabic! JAZEE is Faris's younger sister, she's 10 years old.
Habibty= Dear one.
Yalla= Come on
Bou Khalil= It is a title or nickname for the name Ibrahim.
Ta'aal = Come here.
Haloom= Nick of Haleema
Allah yasa'adak = May God make you happy.
Aami= Uncle
Sorry about the mistakes!
Queens_realm <<instagram account for my stories :))