The Fallen Widow

12: Abduction

Author's note: Thank you all for your prayers. Due to my shoulder injury, I haven't been writing. Insha'Allah I will begin to update regularly. Thank you for your patience. 

Ramadhan Kareem- wishing everyone a peaceful Ramadhan.

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Tonight was Fiza's Mehndi and it would be an evening she'd never forget. Fiza sat in the large, floral decorated hall, buzzing with guests and robotic maids programmed to act happy, sing, dance for Fiza's mehndi celebrations. Despite Shahgul orchestrating it as a lively event, the guests were full of fear whilst beating the dholki. They looked around worried that any moment Uzayr would appear and tear the decorative flowers off the walls, the pillars and turn the haveli upside down.

The numb look on Fiza's face, spoke volumes. Everyone in the room knew this wedding was an obligation. Her hands were decorated with mehndi, as she sat upon the decorated stage clad in yellow, with yellow and red floral bracelets, bangles, her head donning a gold circular tikka. Beside, Malaikah clapped to the beat of the dohl, energy drained in the room.
"What's wrong with the women?" Malikah whispered to Fiza. "They seem half dead."

Outside, Jahanzaib sat under the light of the moon dressed in a crisp white kurtha. Shah Nawaz planned a celebratory mehndi night for him at Manghal Haveli, with dancers, music, drink; an evening of pleasure. Jahanazaib didn't feel the mood of going to Manghal haveli. He had to drag his heart from the floor.
"It's lovely cool night." Meh'r-Bano approached Jahanzaib who sat on the edge of the wall. They both gazed at the full moon in silence with the quite drum of the beat of dohls in the distance. In the distance a flash of lightening indicated the arrival of a storm.
"Why did I come back?" Jahanzaib broke the silence. "My life is planned for me. I have no say- no choice. First being thrust as the chief of Jahanpur, now this marriage." Jahanzaib felt comfortable around Meh'r-Bano for some strange reason. He was honest and feelings poured out. Maybe she was the only one who listened?
He looked down his palm, tattooed with a orange mehndi circle on his right and left palm.
"How do you feel?" Meh'r-Bano gently probed him.
"I'm stabbing my cousin in the back. What will happen when Uzayr learns I married his beloved?"
Meh'r-Bano dared not to respond. Uzayr would kill himself or someone. Surely, there will be blood.
"I cannot refuse my baba. I abdicated before, who do I abdicate to now? Who is there to take care of Fiza? She is vulnerable, any man who marries will surely abuse her. He will hurt her- whilst she is mourning for her beloved. I understand that."
Meh'r-Bano was impressed by his attitude- it was rare here in Jahanpur.
"What about you?"
"It makes no difference to me." He looked up at Meh'r-Bano who stood few yards away from him, dressed in the same yellow green mehndi colours.
"There's a reason the fields called me back- maybe it wasn't to rule Jahanur, maybe to care of Fiza. I don't know." He shrugged his shoulders and stood up uncomfortable with the line of questioning.
"How do you feel about Fiza?"
Jahanzaib didn't want to answer. But Meh'r-Bano had a way of getting answers.
"I care for her- a lot. She was the first kind person I met when we came to Jahanpur. My sister doted on her. I would do anything to protect her-"
"Even sacrificing yourself?"
Jahanzaib shrugged his shoulders. "If my existence on this earth means that I can make someone else life better- so be it. Uzayr was stupid, I can't believe he tried to kill baba. But then he is made different. He's made of something bitter."

Three guards came rushing towards Jahanzaib with guns in their hands. Flustered, stressed with worry pained across their face, they  begged Jahanzaib to speak to Uzair who was causing mayhem in the prison.They couldn't beat him, shoot him or control him. He was a Choudhary.
"No one is prepared to go into his cell. They are all terrified."
"Please, can you talk to him?"
****

Making his way down the dark stair case, Jahanzaib struggled to see through the darkness. Poorly lit lamps dotted the prison cell. Jahanzaib swallowed hard into the back of his throat when he heard Uzayr yelling, cursing echoing against the bare walls.
"Call him! Call Shah Nawaz- I'm not afraid of anyone. Why have they locked me down here?"
Jahanzaib met Uzayr's shadow before he saw his looming figure!
"Ah the prodigal son returns!" Uzayr grabbed the steel bars and shook the prison cell. He was  a dishevelled mess. His kurtha torn from his shoulder and chest, blood dried on his left eyebrow, his top lip swollen, he was shadow of the man he first met donning a turban.
"Why have I been locked up this long? If baba wants me dead- then so be it. Let me out and taste my punishment." He shook the iron bars grinding his teeth.