The bleeding wouldn't stop. No matter how much pressure he applied, warm red liquid still managed to seep through his fingers.
He shouldn't have taken the dagger out, for all it left behind was a gaping hole. The hole he created. Tears flooded his youthful features, salty droplets falling onto the body cradled on his lap.
"Abbas," his friend smiled.
"No, don't speak. It will hurt you," the Prince pleaded through sobs. "I didn't want to hurt you, I never intended to,"
"I know you didn't," said the boy, as the colour on his face seeped away. Blood soaked the Prince's clothes, but the Prince couldn't care less, only wishing for the blood to magically return back to his friend's cold body.
"I'm so sorry," the young Prince cried, willing for the strength in his legs to return. "Why-why did you do this, I could have gotten help,"
"It would be too late," the boy replied, before a cough rattled his body, blood splattering the Prince's face. His once-bright smile was now bathed in red.
"Please don't hate me," the boy rasped, making the Prince sob more. "I didn't want to kill you...but my brother-"
"I would never hate you...you are my best friend," he bawled, earning a sincere smile from his friend.
"Abbas, I couldn't have thanked Allah enough for giving me a best friend like you," the boy said, his own tears falling from his eyes.
"Please don't die," the Prince urged, feeling the strength in his arms leave him as well.
"Shh..." the boy hushed, slowly bringing his hand to cup the Prince's cheek, and the Prince, witnessed the light from his friend's eyes disappear.
"I can't see," the boy laughed.
"No," the Prince screamed. "Someone help, please!"
"It's no use," the boy chanted, his voice almost a whisper.
The Prince felt the world spin before the floor met his head. Cold blood soaked his hair and the side of his face, unable to get up. His vision became blurred and he stretched out his arm to search for his friend's.
"You must find the-" his friend breathed but his sentence never finished.
The Prince broke out hysterically sobbing. "Junayd-"
The light sleeper awoke to the sounds of muffled words that whispered through the dark encompassing their room. Haifa rubbed at her eyes, willing for them to adjust, before dragging herself up. The whimpers came again.
"Abbas?" she called for her dear husband, unable to spot him through the blanket of darkness. Slowly, Haifa focused her eyes on the table beside her, almost making out the figure of the candle lamp. She patted for the matches, and found them, before blindly lighting them.
A burst of yellow embraced the room, shooing away the evils of the night. The pleading continued, and she confirmed them to be coming from the sleeping figure beside her. Haifa shuffled closer to the Prince and with the little light she had, she folded her knees under her and examined his features. His whole body trembled, and his head shook, making the beads of sweat around his hairline drip off.
"Abbas, what's wrong?" Haifa asked in a low voice, wishing not to startle him out of sleep. But his eyes remained clamped shut, incomprehensible words escaping his lips. She patted his shoulder and even shook it lightly but the horrible visions that caused him to act this way, wouldn't let him free.
"Please, wake up! You are in a dream!" she pleaded once more, her voice louder, but he still stayed in the same state she found him. Haifa took hold of his cold, shaking hand with both of hers trying, to bring back the warmth in them using hers. They were rough and calloused against her smooth skin.
His rambling only made her more frightened. A tear broke loose from his lids, and Haifa had to control her own from spilling. Wiping away the trail it left, she cupped his cheek and dabbed at the sweat with her sleeve but he still didn't wake up. As she listened closer, Haifa could just about make out his words.
Junayd.
Remembering what her mother used to do whenever she was in this state, Haifa brought his hand closer to her and kissed his knuckle, before closing her eyes and reciting Ayatul-Kursi with all her might, hoping the supplication would pull him out of the nightmare.
The Prince finally pried his eyes open and left the trance, heaving for air. He couldn't see, as if his eyes were still clouded in darkness, and he started panicking.
"Abbas!" came a woman's cry, and slowly the black faded, allowing a dim light to enter his vision. The dark ceiling became visible, and Abbas followed the direction of the light, his eyes landing on a woman with glassy eyes. He was back, in his room, with Haifa.
He felt the warmth of her hands embracing his.
"You're awake," she smiled, her voice trembling with emotion. Abbas sat up, using his free hand, and pulled the other away from her grasp.
Ignoring the flicker of pain from his actions, Haifa watched him as he used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat on his neck.
His cold eyes flickered in her direction for a second before momentarily shutting them, only to witness the red of blood, cloud his mind. The Prince let his hands drop beside him, staring down at the blanket over his legs, with creased brows. He couldn't look at her, feeling embarrassed that she witnessed him in his weakest state.
Haifa remained silent. She blinked away the tears, allowing for the stillness to calm him. Just as she was about to reach for his hand, Abbas pulled back, giving her confused looks before scrambling off the bed. She watched as he stumbled to the bathing room, leaving the door wide open.
She followed after him, peering inside to see him splashing water over his face and neck.
"You had a nightmare," she said, from where she stood at the entrance. "I was so scared you would never be able to wake up from it,"
"I'm fine," he muttered, drying himself with the towel. "Has the Fajr Adhan gone yet?"
Haifa stepped aside to let him exit. "No, it hasn't,"
He started searching for a prayer mat, and Haifa spotted it before he did, snatching it in her hands. Abbas noticed her take it and glanced at her before his gaze fixed on the carpet. He trudged over to her, expecting her to hand it when he got closer, but she didn't. Instead, Haifa hid it behind her back, with a frown on her face.
After seeing her do so, Abbas sighed and held his hand out.
"Can I have the prayer mat please?"
"No," she replied, and he finally looked her in the eyes with the most annoying stare she had ever seen. But she tried to remain unfazed, giving him the same glare back.
"Why are you doing this?" Abbas growled, trying to keep his anger down.
"I should be asking you that,"
Haifa folded her arms and tried so very hard not to just hand over the mat, with the look he was giving her. "Do you know how scared I was? You were so absorbed in your nightmare that I was afraid you would never wake up,"
"I'm fine now, thank you for your concern," He said bluntly, taking a step towards her.
"Abbas!"
Haifa huffed. Why did he always hide his emotions from her? Was it because he didn't trust her?
"Have you still not decided on what to call me?" Abbas mused.
"Now is not the time to discuss this,"
She stifled a yawn, remembering that it was still night and maybe she should just give him the mat.
"Will you just pass me the mat already?" He sighed, coming close to her.
"Will you tell me who Junayd is?"
Abbas stopped at her question, before walking right up to her, so that her small figure was shadowed by him. "No,"
"Will you not tell me what's bothering you?"
"No," He repeated, before snatching the mat from her hands.
Haifa stayed rooted in her position, watching him as he prayed Tahhajud, not even sparing her a glance, aware that she wasn't praying. Once the Adhan for Fajr went, Haifa had already yawned for the seventh time and was ready to discard her pride, for she really wished to sleep.
"Get some rest," Abbas stated, looking at her once he finished his Sunnah prayers.
Haifa did not retaliate, deciding she would continue this any other time than which she deserved to sleep. Aware of his eyes on her, she walked over to the bed and snuggled herself in the duvet, covering her head with it.
Abbas knew how worried she was, but he couldn't tell her certain things just like she couldn't tell him either. One day, when they pushed past their difference, would they open up to each other.
One day when he was ready, he would tell her.
***
The nightmares kept coming back. Almost every night they came, and as usual, Haifa would wake up and do everything she could to wake him, only to have her questions brushed off by him. It took a toll on both of their sleep, and soon the Prince dreaded the idea of slumber. He would spend his nights staying up to continue his work, but there was only so much his body could take, and eventually, he would fall asleep on his desk and whenever he woke up, Haifa wasn't there. Although he preferred her not to see him in that state, Abbas felt that her presence did help, and so ultimately resorted to going back to the room.
Things had been going so well between them, but with his nightmares returning, Haifa barely ever saw the Prince and it was obvious to her that he was avoiding her. But she tried, for the sake of their marriage, she would come to his room for lunch or dinner and they would eat in silence.
But, eventually, the silence became so unbearable that she didn't bother going to him anymore.
Instead, she joined Thaina for breakfast in the southern courtyard of the Palace because the weather was so beautiful and bright. Summer was drawing closer bringing the sweltering heat with it.
Haifa sat back using her hands to balance, appreciating the breeze that brushed past her cheeks. They were sat under the protective shade of a large Sidr tree, with mats and cushions spread over the grass, a distance away from the Palace. Haifa sipped on a glass of fresh pomegranate juice, whilst Thaina enjoyed her orange juice as they laughed and joked over freshly baked bread with grilled meat.
"I can imagine you counting down the days till the Crown Prince returns!" Haifa teased, earning a smack on her arm.
"And I know for sure that you would do the same if Abbas were to go away!" Thaina retorted, hiding her blush with her shawl.
The Crown Prince was spending a fourth day at a neighbouring city within Balqaas, and today the Princess would retreat to stay with her parents before he returned.
However, that meant Haifa would be left to dine alone, but she preferred that to sitting in silence with Abbas.
"I wish Diya was here to enjoy the weather with us, she's always the one to bring me out when the weather is good,"
"We should invite her for lunch one day, InshAllah," Thaina cheered. "Have you finished reading that book? The one on natural remedies?"
Haifa tore a piece of bread and dipped it in the rich sauce. "Yes, and I have to say, it is very good. The descriptions are very detailed, and I even had to ask the Head Physician to clarify a few things since I didn't know what half the plants were. Would you like to borrow it?"
"Yes, I wanted to try out a few of the concoctions," she said, earning a worried glance from her sister-in-law.
"Is everything alright? Are you feeling not well?" Haifa inquired, resting her glass beside her.
"Alhamdulillah, I'm feeling fine but my body is weak and often do I find myself falling ill,"
"Ah yes, I remember the time you fell really ill! Was it the first year of your marriage?"
"You remember that? I guess everyone knew about it," she replied, hiding her frown by taking a sip of water.
"Everyone was so worried! I remember during one Jumma Salah, the town prayed for your recovery,"
"Really?"
The women were quiet for a moment, finishing the last of their meal, before wiping their hands with a wet cloth. As they walked back to the Palace, Haifa mustered up her courage and finally broke the long-awaited question.
"Thaina, who is Junayd?"
The Princess stopped in her steps and looked at Haifa with wide eyes, not expecting the question.
"Where did you come across that name?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Abbas mentioned the name once,"
Thaina resumed her pace and Haifa followed.
"He was Abbas' best friend," she answered with a sad smile. "But he passed away years back when we were young adults,"
Haifa nodded, although she had already presumed this. After seeing Thaina off, she returned to her room to pray Dhuhr, before scooping her dagger from under her clothes. She removed her scarf and changed into loose clothes, before opening the doors to the secluded balcony. The sun was beginning its high rise as she readied her stance to practice.
Once the sun had reached its zenith, Haifa headed inside for lunch.
Meanwhile, Abbas was just stamping a letter close when a maid entered with his meal. It had been a few days since Haifa had come. She seemed fine in the short times they were together in the morning.
"Is my wife occupied these days? She doesn't come to me now," he commented, as the maid removed the plates of food from the tray.
"No, Your Highness, she is having her lunch in the dining room. She chooses to eat alone,"
At her words, Abbas placed his fork down and stood up.
"Can you bring the food there? I will dine with her,"
The maid nodded.
As the Prince made his way, his mind replayed the maid's words over and over.
She chooses to eat alone.
The doors to the dining room opened, and his eyes fell upon the woman seated in the middle of the huge table.
Haifa's eyes rose to meet his and quickly looked away, trying to maintain her shock. Instead, she resumed slurping her soup, fixing her gaze on the milky liquid.
"Why are you eating alone?" he asked, but she didn't reply.
Abbas pulled out the chair in front of her and kept his gaze locked, as the servants and maids prepared his meal and drink. Once they had left, the room became deadly silent, and Haifa hastily finished off her meal, without so much as a glance his way.
"The maid told me you chose to sit alone," he said, attempting to speak once more.
She still didn't answer and instead pushed her chair back, the screeches echoing loudly, before rushing out of the Dining room. Just as she let out a relieved sigh, a large hand grabbed her by the wrist, twisting her around. Her startled eyes met his angry ones and out of instinct, her free hand grabbed at his arm.
"Why are you being like this?" he interrogated, not letting her go.
Haifa let her body recover from the shock before her wide eyes narrowed.
"You really don't know why? Like the fact that you have been ignoring my existence for the past few days?"
"What are you-" he started before letting her go and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, I just needed some-"
"Space? I know and that is what I gave you,"
"But that doesn't necessarily mean it's ok to disregard my questions,"
"So it is completely fine for you to ignore me but I can't ignore you?" Haifa smirked.
"That is not what I meant," he said, trying to soften his tone but Haifa was having none of it. He might be the beloved Prince of Balqaas, but he was also her husband.
"Then tell me, Abbas! What do you mean? One moment we were getting along, but the next you push me away! Did you really expect me to accept your sudden mood changes and carry on with my life acting like it doesn't hurt? " She yelled, biting her lip to stop it from trembling.
Abbas just stood there taking in her words, watching as her warm eyes became glassy.
Haifa wanted to stop herself, but she couldn't, especially when her last question came spilling out.
"All I wanted to do was help you but why does it feel like I am the only one making an effort in this marriage?"
Abbas felt his breath catch, his body numb when she wiped a stray tear away. Haifa turned and strode away from him. She walked as far as she could from the Palace walls.
Abbas watched as the sounds of his heart crack with every step she took away from him. Slowly, he edged forward but his hesitation glued his feet to the ground.
He had to go after her but how would he explain to her? How could he explain when the memories were fresh in his nightmares?
Abbas broke free from his hesitation and marched onwards.
It didn't take him long to find Haifa; she always made her way outside to the gardens or courtyards. As soon as he spotted her figure, his pace quickened and the moment she was an arm's length away, he snatched her hand and gripped it hard. He heard her gasp but didn't give her a moment to spare as he tugged her forward, his feet guiding them towards the stables.
Haifa had almost jumped out of her skin at his touch but couldn't utter a word of dismay for he pulled her with him. She tried to pull her hand out of his grip but he just held on tighter. "What are you doing?"
Abbas ignored her and stormed towards the stables and training grounds, dust grovelling at his feet.
All Haifa could do was hurry forward afraid that if she slowed down, she would trip. The Prince slowed down but kept his hand in hers, unlatching the barred entrance to the Royal stables.
"Sahib," Two young men ran up to greet them, keeping their gazes fixed to the floor in her presence. "How can we be in your service?"
"Prepare my horse, I am leaving the Palace with my wife,"
"What?" Haifa exclaimed her eyes in question.
"Are you capable of riding a horse on your own?"
"What? N-no I can't,"
"Then you shall ride with me," The Prince stated and the two boys nodded in unison before scurrying away.
"Where are we going?"
"You wanted to know about Junayd, didn't you?" He said, finally turning to her.
Haifa could only reply in shock, her hand loosening from his grip.
"How did you-"
"Thaina told me,"
As he gazed down at her with his icy glare, she felt her hand burn in his. At that moment, the two boys returned, clasping the reigns of a beautiful ivory mare. Haifa couldn't help but stare in wonder at the beauty of the animal. Its height towered over the boys and its untainted coat of white had not a stain of dirt on it. Long waves of hair fell around the horse's neck, matching the colour of its body and the animal stared at her with its black beady eyes. They reminded her of a pair of onyx stones.
She felt the Prince's hand release her own as he walked up to the side of the horse, stroking its mane with a smile. The mare grunted pushing its head towards the Prince hand, which caused a laugh to escape from him. In the meantime, the two stable boys brought over a fine leather saddle with gold etchings, latching it onto the body of the horse securely.
"That's my girl," she heard the Prince mutter as he patted the horse's muzzle, with such affection in his eyes.
A tingle fluttered in her chest at his words.
"Her saddle is secured," one of the boys announced and Abbas thanked them before he turned to Haifa.
"Come,"
He motioned for her to approach and she did slowly so the horse wouldn't be startled.
Haifa was amazed at the height of the horse, the animal bringing back memories of her father's horse. If she recalled, Tuffaha had not been this tall.
"Do you need help?"
Haifa nodded. She may have groomed and cared for Tuffaha but she certainly had never ridden him on her own. When she was younger, her father had taken her and her sister for strolls on his horse, but that had stopped once she reached maturity. As much as she wanted to learn to ride, sadly it was deemed unlikeable in her society. Carrying her dagger could be done in secrecy, but riding a horse out in the open? She was sure even the city patrols would be out to stop her.
"If we're leaving the Palace, I need my veil," Haifa stated as she gripped the saddle, remembering the strict instructions engrained into her memory.
"I've arranged for that," he replied, circling his arms around the waist and hoisting her up.
Haifa swiftly swung up and rested herself at the front of the saddle. She shuffled slightly to make herself comfortable. Because of her dress, she couldn't bring one leg to the other side, not that it was suitable for her to do so. Before the Prince mounted, a maid ran up to them panting with a velvet tray balancing in her arms.
It was Meena. Haifa watched from atop the horse as her handmaiden handed the Prince a long silk cloth.
"Here," he said handing it to her.
Haifa took it, tying it over her hijab so that it covered all except her eyes. "Thankyou Meena,"
Before he mounted, Abbas wrapped white cotton Keffiyah loosely around his own head and face, hoping it would be enough to conceal his scar from the public. This would be the first time he was leaving the Palace since his injury.
Without an ounce of struggle, he gripped the saddle behind her and swung himself onto his beloved horse, grabbing the reigns around Haifa.
Haifa angled her face away from his, but he shuffled closer.
"Ready," he muttered and all Haifa could do was nod. She hoped to God he wouldn't see her red face.
Abbas smiled. If not for her veil, he would have been able to see her flustered expression. He leaned forward to stroke his horse's mane, his breath tickling the side of her face. With a gentle kick, the horse began gently trotting out of the stables. A path of dust and grovel guided them to a wooden gate decorated with spikes of metal bearing a belt of timber across its belly.
Upon revealing his emblem, the two guards that stood on-post, lifted the thick block of wood from the middle and pulled. The gate slowly crept open revealing another grovel path lined with tall trees. Haifa recognised the familiar scenery from her first visit. The horse trotted faster.
As she glanced behind, the gate had already been shut and a towering wall of yellow brick surrounded its sides. Her grip tightened on the saddle as the horse changed into a gallop and she remained quiet as they rode further and further away from the Palace.
"You can lean on me," The Prince muttered, his voice slightly muffled under the Keffiyah.
Haifa had to let go of her pride if she were to remain seated on the saddle and so she carefully shuffled into his chest and wrapped an arm around his body.
Abbas smiled and as soon as they left the main gate, he whipped the reigns again, signalling for his horse to go faster. The familiar streets of Balqaas came into view. It had felt like years since she'd been back. She closed her eyes hoping to prevent her tears from falling.
They kept a fast pace as they galloped through the streets of the city, many faces following them as they passed by. Some had even recognised his horse, cheering and waving. Abbas navigated eastward, sticking to the main roads to avoid any trouble. As they headed out of the city, the streets became less crowded and fewer houses and shops lined their path. Once the horse began to slow down, Haifa lifted her head and saw a vast expanse of land surround them, hills with speckles of green and even further away, the grey peaks of mountains bordering the city.
They had exited the city gates already.
"Where are we going?" she asked once more, breaking the silence.
"We are almost there,"
Ahead of them, metal fencing blocked their path.
"We must dismount from here onwards," her muttered as they stopped by the black gates before sliding off.
Haifa followed after him, his strong grip clasped around her waist as she descended. Upon their arrival, and another flash of the Prince's emblem, the gates opened. Haifa followed silently as the Prince strode forward with his ivory companion.
As soon as she spotted the grey stones jutting out from the earth, Haifa realised where they were; the Eastern burial ground. Aside from this one, another identical but larger cemetery was located on the western planes of Balqaas of which her ancestors had been buried there. The Eastern burial ground was reserved only for the members of the royal family, including distant blood relatives, unlike its twin which was open for public use.
Abbas had not stepped foot in the cemetery for years, yet his feet seemed to remember where to take him.
Haifa couldn't remember the last time she had visited a graveyard and as she took in the rows of tombstones etched with the names of the dead, she felt her chest constrict with fear. It would only be a matter of time when she joined them. She edged closer to the Prince.
It wasn't a long walk from the entrance and much to her surprise, lush greenery brought life and colour to the cemetery, the bushes looking surprisingly well kept. The Prince had stopped by the shade of a Willow tree so that his horse could rest under its shade. At first, Haifa felt slightly anxious the moment he let go of the reigns, but the horse obediently lowered itself to the ground, bathing in the coolness of the shade.
"This way," he directed to her and Haifa followed until they stopped by an ordinary-looking tombstone. The name engraved onto it in beautiful cursive letters, however, was far from ordinary.
Junayd Ibn Mahmoud
They both gave their Salam.
"I apologise, my dear friend for not visiting you sooner," Abbas smiled sadly, unravelling the material from his face. "But today, I haven't come alone,"
Haifa glanced at the Prince, noticing his melancholic expression.
"You might be curious as to why I bought a woman with me and I know you won't believe me when I tell you who she is,"
Abbas stepped towards Haifa, this time, gently lacing his fingers through hers. "This is my wife, Haifa, the daughter of our Ustad,"
Tears swelled in her eyes, but she blinked them away furiously, a lump stuck in her throat as she kept her gaze fixed on the stone pillar.
"We have been married for almost a month now Alhamdulillah, but...well I know you will be ashamed of me to but, I haven't been very considerate to her and right now, she is furious with me,"
She couldn't cry, not now.
"If Ustad knew I had made her cry, he would come for my head," he laughed, which also bought a smile to her face.
"I wasn't sure how to apologise so I came here to ask for your lending ear. Of course, I wouldn't trust anyone's opinion as much as I trust yours. However, I don't mean to disappoint but I think I have come to trust someone more than you, dear friend,"
Using her free hand, Haifa wiped the stray tear that escaped from her eyes, thankful that she wore a veil.
"As my beloved wife, I trust her and so I think she deserves to know about our friendship, and how I regarded you as another brother to me,"
Haifa gulped the lump in her throat.
"As much I miss your presence, she has done an amazing job at filling in the emptiness you left behind,"
His eyes grew glassy.
"And I thought it was about time that I told her about our past,"
This time, he turned to her with such sincerity in his gaze, it melted her heart. "Junayd was my best friend, my brother,"
"Abbas," she choked, tears breaking loose as she wrapped her arms around him. "You don't have to if it's too painful,"
Abbas encircled petite figure, leaning his smooth cheek against the top of her head. "I have neglected the memories of my friend for too long,"
Haifa pulled away from him and looked into his face.
"It was an accident, we always sparred together but one day, Junayd wanted to use the real weapons and I could tell there was some strange about his fighting, a seriousness to it like he was trying to-"
Abbas paused for a second. Beside them, his horse nickered.
"I tried to defend myself but I-"
"It was an accident,"
"For the first time since his death, I feel like I am being punished for it," The Prince sighed. "This scar is proof of that,"
***
After giving their farewells, Abbas and Haifa walked back in silence, their minds occuppied with swirling thoughts.
Haifa let the information sink in as they returned home.
"What's her name?" Haifa asked as Abbas helped her to dismount once they arrived back at the stables.
"You will laugh when I tell you," Abbas replied as he fed his mare a juicy red apple.
"Why?"
Haifa had loosened her veil, now folding the silk in her hands.
"There's a story behind her name,"
She gave him a curious smile. "Amuse me,"
"Well her name was inspired by none other than your father, my Ustad,"
Haifa burst out laughing, just like he had expected. "Seriously?"
The Prince nodded with a grin.
"Just like he named his horse Tuffaha, I wanted to name mine after a fruit too, so I named her Farwa, short for Faraawila,"
Watching her laugh filled his heart with warmth.
"No way! You named your horse strawberry?"
Abbas nodded, hoping his blush wouldn't be so obvious.
"Well let me tell you," she said stroking his horse's ivory mane. "My father wasn't the one to name his horse, I was,"
"Indeed?"
"Yes, I gave Tuffaha its name when I was around eleven years old. When my father first brought him home, the horse had snatched my apple from me thus giving its name! I cried so much that day but the moment my father took me for a ride, my tears were never to be seen again,"
Abbas chuckled, imagining a younger version of her bawling her eyes out.
And for the first time that week, the Prince slept peacefully, not once waking Haifa up either.
Instead of the nightmare, he dreamt of a young girl with his wife's stunning eyes and his dark brown hair running through the gardens of the Palace, a joyful gummy smile drawn across her face.
Glossary:
Shahada - A declaration of faith that an individual says to become a Muslim
Ayatul Kursi - The most beautiful verse in the Quran that Muslims say as a form of protection from evil
Fajr - Dawn prayer
Sunnah - Extra prayers that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH did
Alhamdulillah - Thank God
Jumm'ah salah - Friday congregation prayer
Wallahi - I swear in God's name
Habibi - My love (addressed to males)
Jazakallahu Khayr - May God reward you with goodness; expressed as gratitude
Wa iyakum - And to you; you're welcome