Salam alikum everyone, how are you guys? So I updated, hope you guys like and enjoy it. The chapter continuous from where Faris and Raghad are traveling to Rashideen tribe to meet Badr, on their way, Raghad was about to fall on some dangerous looking shrubs but Faris saves him. This chapter starts from there.
Forgive me for the grammar and spelling mistakes, its been such a long time. I had to urge my brain to extreme levels just to write this one. Writer's block is a curse :(
Ps: Support The Rogue
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~*"Life, deal gently with her ... Love, never desert her" ~*
Faris clenched his hand that once held her. Having the daughter of his foe so close to him incensed his senses. The knight did not desire to be here. It was she, this imprudent woman and those eyes that so tortuously resembled honey provoked him to make such a decision. If he had not glanced at Raghad back then, Faris knew he would never travel to the Rashideen tribe. He would, in fact, demand for Badr's attendance and question him in front of the elders. However, prince of knights did glance at her and in that moment against his will, he spoke the words Faris regretted the most.
With a frustrated sigh, the groom turned his back on Raghad and made his way down the sand dune. There was a deadly storm within him that threatened to consume his heart. It disturbed Faris when she managed to converse with him without any undesired remarks. The conversation did unsettle him a bit. Then again, it did make him feel somewhat tranquil.
Faris shook his head and ran a hand down his face. He knew Badr was guiltless. The man would never endanger his beloved sister's life. It was he, Badr, who had dared to glare Faris in the eyes. It was he, Badr, who threatened to behead Faris if he so much as brought tears in his sister's eyes. The knight knew he could have made his men believe him even without this ridiculous journey if only he had not glanced at her.
Raghad trailed behind him once her thrashing heart lulled into a gradual melody after uncountable enticements. Every step she took drained her of energy, her senses were awake but the conflicts throughout the day and now this encounter absorbed life out of her body. If only she had been cautious enough this would not have occurred.
Lost in her mental battle Raghad did not discern how the wind whirled around her. It was not only her gullible heart that clawed against her bust, it was also the heart of the wind that blushed like a new bride. Up ahead, the crescent moon quivered and sought warmth from the nearby stars. A murmur swam among the stars for they knew another parchment of fate had just unfurled for the groom and his unwanted bride.
Raghad took note of how her sandals crunched pebble stones as they moved forward in the hushed night. After a prolong while, they entered a mountain valley with dry shrubs that dotted the plain land, nothing else could be seen other than the mountains and a few isolated trees now and then. The bitter cold and darkness made things rather complicated, her skin felt as if she had coated it with frozen water her fingers had transformed into a ghastly pallid complexion.
An hour slithered over the sand that is when Faris came to an abrupt halt. Raghad stopped alongside her spouse and gazed in wonder at the astounding canyon ahead of them. Her eyes followed the moon's dim light that descended upon the palm trees which decorated the oasis. What robbed her of her breath was the gushing of crystal clear water from underneath rocks just like the first streaks of a rainbow that splits through the clouds after a heavy rain. The gurgling sound of the stream brought peace to her mind and a sudden smile graced her lips.
Raghad took a step forward and squinted her eyes to have a clear vision. A soundless breeze fiddled with the hem of her jalabiya and rattled bushes around her. As her sandals crunched tiny stones owls in the palm trees rotated their heads to peer at her. Crickets seized their chirping and the stream pacified its gushing for they had not had a visit from a while.
Silent nature peered at the bride, mesmerized by those brown eyes that took in the beauty of the stream. A chatter ignited among the scattered clouds, their whispers so loud that wolves a few miles away lifted their head, listening to the praises of the beauty accompanied by her beast.
"We shall take shelter here for a while then depart so that we reach the tribe by fajr. In sha Allah." She turned around at his voice but Faris did not face her, he tugged at the reins of Tufan and the camel and stopped a few feet away from the stream by the trees.
She watched as Faris bend a little and fasten the reins of the camel on a nearby bough. Once he was done with that task Faris sauntered to the river in steady steps, collected his robe in his left hand then knelt in front of the river with his horse, Tufan by his side. Raghad grimaced at his tone then blinked her eyes and tilted her head an inch when he dipped his cupped hands in the river, lifted his palms and drank the liquid that gleamed in his cupped hands. Suddenly, a memory unlatched its window for her and Raghad recalled the time he had been by the creek the day when she was named his spouse.
She frowned and averted her gaze from the man who distressed her exceedingly. Nothing had changed, she despised him as much as she did on that unfortunate day. A sound of metal hitting stones made her turn her head to the source and find that Faris had lowered his sword along with his leather pouch. He then ambled to the trees to collect some logs and bushes.
"Do you...Do you wish for my aid?" The bride took another step forward. Faris did not acknowledge her comment and proceeded with his task. This made Raghad clench her teeth in utter dissatisfaction and turn away from that imprudent man and make her way to the stream.
Raghad stood there for a few moments not knowing what to do. Her eyes ached demanding to close them for a while and plunge into a dreamless slumber. With an exhale she took hold of her jalabiya, lifted it so that her ankles were free and sat by the stream staring into nothingness.
The bride stared at the water mere inches away from her and admired how it glimmered under the crescent. Contemplating about what she would commit once they reach her tribe distressed her. Raghad had not encountered her father, her family from over two moons now and she knew if it were not for this mishap Faris would never bring her along even after his grandmother commanded him.
With her feeble fingers, Raghad skimmed the surface of the stream and grinned. However, frowned when a thought lurked in her brain. How was she to remain here like a brazen person when that man by the trees attempted to build a fire? Despite the fact that she could not endure his presence, her dignity would not allow her to stay and not aid the Borkan.
She rose to her feet and gradually walked up to where Faris sat. The bride watched as he rammed two rocks against each other to generate sparks and kindle dry bushes. He sat with his left knee pressed against stones, the ends of his headdress tossed behind him. Raghad took note of how he had rolled his sleeves to the elbows, her eyes scanned the way his hair moved every time he struck the stones, the knight's eyes were set on his task, unwavering.
Swiftly, the sparks that ignited by the stones kindled anxiety in her heart. Raghad halted a few feet away from Faris, not certain what to utter, if she said verbalized something inappropriate he would, by Allah, abandon her here and depart. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it again when Faris ordered her. "There is a waterskin next to Tufan, bring it here."
Raghad gave a nod of her head then walked up to Faris's loyal horse. As she was about to wrap her cold, pale fingers around the pouch something in a lighting speed moved and sprang towards her. Her wide eyes took in the viper that made its way to her hand. Instantly, she shrieked and took a step back.
Breathing fast Raghad placed her hand on her bosom and bit her bottom lip attempting to conceal the tremble in them. The snake hissed which caused Tufan to rear back in fright erupting another wave of terror in Raghad's heart. Promptly, she narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth looking around for something to protect herself from both the snake and Tufan.
Her eyes landed on a stick, thick enough to cause great damage. In a swift moment, Raghad bent down, grasped the branch then glared at the monster that attempted to terrorize her. She took a cautious step forward, monitoring the viper ready to strike any moment. As soon as the snake lifted its head to advance, Raghad hoisted the stick and brought it down with unfathomable force. Remarkably, it dug straight in the head of the venomous monster.
Panting she drew the stick back and with unparalleled anger and revolution, she repeated her action again and again until. "If I did not know better I would say you are wishing that snake to be me." His voice caused Raghad to halt her actions, straighten her back and stare at her handiwork.
Blood, blood was what came in her sight. The darkness around them caused the blood to appear rather eerie. Raghad grimaced at the head that lay a foot away from the body and took in a deep breath. "It attacked." She whispered, staring at her bloody hand that quivered.
"It rather seems like you did. Sheikha." That raspy voice reached her ears. Raghad denied looking at him and endeavored to control her breathing. From the corner of her eye, she observed him sheath his dagger and make his way to Tufan. The groom stood so close to his beast that his thobe brushed against the nose of the horse. Faris al fursan caressed Tufan's head then ran his lean fingers on its back murmuring something under his breath.
"The snake terrified Tufan," He commented. There was something in his voice, something she could not pinpoint, it resembled amusement. Faris turned to face her. "And you annihilated it."
She gave a nod of her head then threw the bloody branch away, disgusted. "Indeed, I did."
"How? Is it not accurate that women are horrified from that creature?" He inclined his head towards the snake.
"Khalid."
"Pardon?"
"He instructed me on how to defend myself from snakes." Here Raghad rotated to face him.
"Well, I can see he has trained you very well." There was a thick level of mockery in his hoarse voice which she tried to disregard. The knight grabbed the waterskin, unscrewed the cap and took a long sip then replaced the cap. "Ya3ni you believed it wise to," Faris scratched the corner of his mouth with his index finger. "Kill a wolf with a stick?"
Raghad closed her eyes at the memory. "I tried to preserve my life, unlike other women who would sit futile anticipating for a knight on a white horse." She snarled throwing her hand in Tufan's direction.
Faris took a step forward, towering over her. "At that moment any spectator would ponder you, ya bint-ash-sheikh, were waiting for a knight on Tufan" He smirked when the bride lifted her head to glare at him. "We must put up a fire if we desire to survive here," he leaned in closer aware how she clenched her jaw. "Although, we can stay without the fire as well seeing how you just guarded us." She opened her mouth to respond, however, Faris stood straight, gave her a nod and walked away leaving her fuming in exasperation yet once again.
"Come, I must inform you something," Faris called over his shoulder, eyes fixed on a solitude of a man concealed in shadows.
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I wrote this chapter while sitting outside in the rain and thunderstorm, the weather was an amazing boost of energy.
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