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Omeed's heart skipped a beat as she took in the sight before her. She wasn't sure of what it was that drew her to Hafez but she'll be damned if she fought the attraction.
"As-Salaam-Alaikum,(Peace be unto you) my lord." Omeed greeted with a mock bow. As Hafez stared at her captivated by her eyes and beauty. Something that had haunted his sleep the night before. He tried to say something but words failed him, he couldn't get a word out they seemed stuck in his throat.
Why does he loose himself when he sees this incumbent brat? Amir thought to himself? Has she perhaps bewitched him? Prince Hafez before now had taken no notice and interest in girls and women in general. Though he had an outgoing personality, he was shy and stayed away from the opposite sex.
"We are on our way to the government hospital to do some volunteering work." Omeed said hoping Hafez and Amir might be interested on helping. Hafez was taken aback at her words. He was beyond impressed by the little spitfire. "If you haven't gotten a more pressing matter, perhaps you want to join us?" She looked on with a hopeful glint in her eyes.
Before Amir could turn down the offer, Hafez spoke abruptly. "Wa-Alaikum-Salaam,(And unto you) it is very kind of you to offer my lady. We'll be joining you." He spoke giving Amir a stern look that left no room for an argument.
Thinking how interesting life has been in the last two days since he stepped out of the palace for the first time going around incognito, he was tempted to keep the façade going for as long as he could milk it. "My name is Amir. And this is my servant Emad." Hafez's words had left Amir stunned.
Amir couldnt believe what he had just heard, how he suddenly went from being Amir the eunuch to Emad the servant in minutes baffled him. And prince Hafez became Amir? He thought to himself as he looked on exasperatedly at Omeed and her little party.
Omeed knew they had lied about their names but played along. If they were going to hide their identities then she was going to as well. "I am Zoya, this is my handmaiden Afra and my good friend Atash." Hafez and Amir knew like them, she hadn't been entirely truthful. But they had all hoped individually to someday become true friends if Allah permitted.
As they walked through the busy street market, Hafez took in the state of his people with a solemn look on his face. He watched as little children not more than seven years of age begged on the street for bread and spare coins. Stopping abruptly, he thought of ways to improve their livelihood. But nothing worthwhile sprang to his mind.
Omeed was livid as she watched a young boy being beaten up be a merchant who had accused him of stealing bread from his stall. Without putting much thought into her action she pushed forward through the crowd that were gathering. With some demanding retribution and that the little boy's hand be chopped off for stealing.
Hafez though having been sheltered his whole life stood motionlessly as he watched this barbaric act about to unfold in his presence.
"Let him go this minute." Omeed ordered authoritatively. "He is but a very hungry child." She said to the crowd that were assembled. "It was nothing but a mere bread." She said standing next to the little boy who was crying his eyes out and looked petrified. He had urinated on himself being so scared.
"The law is the law, my lady." The merchant curtseyed recognising Omeed as the daughter of the Nazir. Omeed hated the laws of the land at times like these. She had often argued with her pedar that these laws were made not considering the state of the poor and less privileged. "I am sure my lady knows what the law states." The merchant finished with a smirk on his face.
"The laws were written by men, and it's our duty as citizens to redress it where we deem fit." She spoke courageously as Amir and Hafez looked on with wonderment shining through their eyes. "This law you speak of does no favour for the poor and helpless children and at such let the boy go."
The crowd that were once in favour of punishing the young boy were now nodding their heads in agreement. Omeed knew she had a sound argument and so did the merchant who looked at the crowd for support.
Zoya quickly got out a coin and handed it over to the merchant. "This is for the bread, and my lady would like you to pursue this no further. I am sure you know if you did what would happen." She spoke quietly with a smile plastered on her face and her striking blue eyes shone with mischief.
The merchant immediately released the boy as the crowd quickly dispersed having seen enough drama. Omeed took the young boys hand and knelt on the floor so she was eye level with him. With concern she asked, "What is your name child?" She gently asked not wanting to overwhelm him.
"Ramin, my lady." He murmured almost to quietly for Hafez and the others to hear. Hafez couldn't believe how she had handled the situation diplomatically and was proud to have judged her correctly. Now he waited with baited breath to see how she handles the aftermath of the incident.
"And Ramin, where are your parents?" Tears slid down his cheeks at the mention of his parents. They had died during the plaque months earlier. With no relatives to take him in, he has had to fend for himself and slept out on the streets at night time when the merchants finishes for the day.
Taking him in her arms, Omeed asked Ramin to join them as the proceeded to their original destination.
"Your highness, I am beginning to see why you've taken a liking to her, she's far too intelligent beyond her young years with vast knowledge." Amir calmly whispered to Hafez who had a 'I told you so' look on his face as he adjusts his turban. Chuckling, Amir suddenly asked Hafez.
"Do you perhaps think she might be the one the prophet from Ajmer Sharif had mentioned?" Hafez shrugged his shoulders then told Amir they'll speak of it when they return to the palace.
Fifteen years ago, just before the birth of Hafez, a traveling prophet had been summoned into the palace to check the fortune of the unborn child in the stomach of the emperor's favourite consort who finally became pregnant after ten years of being in his harem. The prophet had prophesied a son would be born and he had the potential to be the greatest king there ever was.
He left behind two items, a tangled up string and a plastic ring like object in the form of a chain. These items were to be put in Hafez's pocession when he turned seven years old. It was Hafez's duty to look for the person or persons that can untangle the string and also the chain. With this person by his side he would achieve fame and greatness. It wasn't said if it was a male or female.
Hafez took off his turban and outer robe when they arrive at the local health centre. Amir did the same as they watched in amazement as Omeed got stuck in on the work at hand. She got on her knees with a scrubbing cloth as she cleaned up the floor off dried up blood, sick and dirt.
They were astonished a lady who has obviously had a privileged upbringing could look pass poverty, class and materialistic things to help the poor and needy of the society.
When the day finally came to an end, they were all exhausted with fatigue and couldn't wait to get back to the comfort of their homes. Looking at young Ramin who had a hopeful look, Omeed's heart constricted. She couldn't take him home with the impending doom looming over her family. She didn't want him to be condemned to such fate.
"Ramin I unfortunately can't take you home with me, but I promise to meet you here tomorrow. Until then here's some coin to pay for what you need." She says regrettably.
Hafez wished he too could take the young boy back to the palace but there were rules that prevented and limited the entrance of lowborn. He had grown special fondness for the boy. They parted and went the opposite direction from each other.
When Hafez returned to the palace, he immediately had an audience with his father telling him all he had seen take place while out and about. He told him about the friends he had been acquainted to even mentioning Ramin and his odious plight but omitted mentioning it was a female friend.
He didn't want his father putting an end to his tryst with Omeed. He was after all a soon to be wedded young prince. It wouldn't do Hafez justice if his future In-laws found out.
He bided his father 'goodnight' and retreated for his bedchamber where he thought of nothing but the girl who calls herself Zoya. What he'd give to know her real name. He wondered silently after much deliberation he came to a conclusion that if he went into town the next day, he'd take with him the string and the chain and hope Omeed can solve his puzzle.
With that he drifted off to a dreamless sleep. The first in a very long time.
Author's note : Sorry about the late update ...will endeavour to update regularly.