JUNOON || جنون

| 1 |

"Urwa aapka nikkah Shahzaib Sikandar ke saath tay kiya gaya hai. Aaj ek hafte baad aapka nikkah hoga"
Atif Shah informed Urwa.

Urwa looked at him wide eyed and shook her head declining his order
"Nahi abba maine nahi karna yeh nikkah. Main iss nikkah ke liye raazi nahi hu"

Atif shaked his head denying her wishes and spoke trying to explain his point
"Aapka yeh nikkah karna jaruri hai. Yeh nikkah Shah aur Sikandar khandhan ke beech ki dushmani ko khatam karne ke liye kiya jaa raha hai. Yeh baat aap kyu nahi samajh rahi?"
Clearly irritated by her questions

"Aapki beti hai hum aapka haq hai hum par. Par hamare mazhaab ne hame itni azaadi di hai ki hum aapne pasand ke hisaab se nikaah kar sake aur yeh hak aap bhi humse nahi chin sakte''
Urwa spoke, her eyes turning red.

"Meri baat kaan khol ke sun lo aapka nikkah Shahzaib Sikandar ke saath hoga aaj ek hafte baad jummah ko"
Atif stated.

"Agar main nikkah ko Qubool na kiya toh aap kya karenge batayein"
Urwa spoke challengingly.

"Kya chahiye aapko Urwa?Aache khandan main nikkah karwa rahe hai. Ladka mashallah se khubsurat hai, dimagdaar hai, arabpati hai phir bhi aapko kis baat se aitraaz hai?"
Atif questioned, tired by her tantrums.

"Chahe woh kuch bhi ho meri pasand nahi hai abba. MAIN YEH NIKKAH KE LIYE HARGIZ RAAZI NAHI HOGI YAAD RAKHE"
Urwa spoke loud and clear, turning to leave. Suddenly her steps flattered hearing her next father's statement

"Hum aapke bhai Zain ko Zohra se nikkah karne ki izajat de denge agar aap iss nikkah ke liye tayar ho gayi toh"
Atif spoke.

Urwa turned to face towards him, her eyes turning red with each passing second. So he is blackmailing her now?

"Shaan se usse iss ghar ki bahu banayenge. Izzat se ghar mein dakhil hogi woh saath hi saath"
Atif spoke loud and clear looking at her

"Hum Aayan ko uski marzi ke hisaab se bahar taleem hasil karne bhej denge aur usse iss siyasat mein nahi ghasitenge"
Atif spoke while Urwa felt weak with each passing second. He is giving her a choice: she has the right to deny him but can she deny him?

She knew how her brother Zain was fighting to marry Zohra. The women he loved but in this game of politics no one is ready to support him. Not even his own mother who always tried to gain favour from his father. No doubt their father and mother loved each other but their love was a barrier to the dreams of their childrens.

How can they not even glance and care for them? Urwa looked at her father. Her gaze was not flattering even for once. On the other hand Aayan? He is a sunshine. He doesn't want to get involved in this mess of politics. He wants to go abroad and study and fulfil his dreams. What can she do?

"Aakhir main marzi aap ki hai apni zidd ke khatir apne bhaiyo ki zindagi kharab kar le yaa.."
Atif spoke hinting at the fate she would face if she denied.

"Apni qurbani de du?"
Urwa asked.

"Qurbaan nahi nikkah karwa rahe hai aapka Urwa. Riwayaato ke hisab se ba izzat aapki doli niklegi Shah haveli see. Aakhir marzi aapki hai"
Atif spoke clearly.

"Aap wada karte hai ki aap Zain bhai ka nikkah Zohra se karwa denge? Saath hi saath Aayan bhai ko bahar jaa padhne ki ijazar denge? Bole?"
Urwa questioned. Her soul shattering every passing second.

"Waada karte hai hum"
Atif promised

"Main Shahzaib Sikandar se nikkah karne ke liye tayar hu"
Urwa announced tears threatening to fall. Still she stood her grounds looking into at her father and spoke confidently
"Tayari kare apni bahu ko ghar lane ki abba. Mere nikkah se phele pehle Zain bhai ka nikkah ho jana chahiye. Saath hi saath aapne dusre bete ki pardesh Jane ki tayari kare"

"Apne alfaazo ka khel racha kar mujhe nikkah ke liye tayar toh kar diya par mere dil se aapni jagah niche gira di baba'' Urwa choked on her words atlast and turned to leave.

It's been a decade since she called him baba. It felt too weird to call him that. There once was a time where they all lived happily like a family but now it's all shattered.

Kismat ka kya khel hai kaha se kaha laake khada kar deti hai? Ya Allah agar meri kismat main yahi likha hai toh mujhe taqat ke aage ke imtihaan paar kar saku.
Urwa thought looking at the moon shining brightly in the sky through the window.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sky was clear and the moon was clearly visible. A man was standing in the lawn wearing a black kurta and a black shalwar while a black shawl rested on his shoulder. The man was an exceptional beauty and looked at the moon admiring its beauty. Suddenly he was disturbed by a guard
"Sikandar sahab aapko Rahman sahab bula rahe hai. Kuch baat karni hai unhe aapse"

The man nodded his head and made his way towards his father's study. After reaching he knocked the door and entered.

"Aao Shahzaib beta baitho tumhara hi intezaar kar raha tha"
Rahman Sikandar spoke, smiling at his son.

Shahzaib nodded his head and took a seat opposite to his father. Rahman was not unknown to the silent nature of his son. Shahzaib is a man of few words, he won't speak unless it's necessary but when he will speak he will make sure it will impact everyone surrounding him.

"Atif Shah ka paigam aaya hai woh iss nikkah ke liye raazi hai. Aaj ek hafte baad jummah ko aapka aur Shah ki beti ka nikkah hoga"
Rahman Sikandar spoke looking at his son.

"Raazi ho nikkah ke liye?"
Rahman Sikandar questioned Shahzaib.

"Agar iss nikkah se do khandano ke beech ki dushmani mit jati hai toh main raazi hu baba. Aap nikkah ki tayari kare"
Shahzaib answered his voice unwavering.

Rahman Sikandar nodded his head and smiled at his son and spoke with pride
"Mujhe fakhr hai ki tum mere bete ho Shahzaib. Aaj tak tumne mujhe kabhi mayoos nahi kiya na karoge mujhe aitbaar hai iss baat par. Allah tumhe hamesha salamat rakhe"

Shahzaib gave him a small smile and spoke
"Apne hi mujhe iss kabil banaya hai baba"

Rahman Sikandar waved off his hand and spoke
"Apni maa ko bata do ki iss nikkah main tumhari razamandi hai nahi toh usne hamare kaan paka dene hai. Jao bata do aur jaldi so jao kal Shah haweli jaa nikkah ke baare main baat karni hai"

Shahzaib nodded his head and bid farewell to his father and headed towards his mother's room and knocked and entered. Ayesha Rahman his mother smiled at his son and opened her arms and hugged her son and kissed his forehead and spoke
"Aa gayi bete ko maa ki yaad?"

"Maa aisa kyu bol rahe ho kaam tha aaj jara aur Shah ka paigaam aaya hai toh waqt lag gaya aaj"
Shahzaib responded looking at his mother. No matter how much of great leader he is still is like child to his mother. A mature and responsible child.

Ayesha looked at Shahzaib, anxious and questioned
"Kya paigaam aaya hai?"

"Raazi hai woh nikkah ke liye"
Shahzaib answered.

"Aur tum?"
Ayesha questioned.

"Maa main bhi nikkah ke liye raazi hu"
Shahzaib spoke.

"Shahzaib tumhe zarurat nahi hai nikkah karne ki agar tumhari raazamandi na ho toh. Main dekh lungi kya karna hai thik hai bete?"
Ayesha spoke understandably.

Shahzaib shook his head and spoke
"Maa main raazi hu iss nikkah ke liye aur waise bhi aapko lagta hai ki koi aapke bete par zabardasti kar sakta hai?"
Chuckling at the end.

Ayesha looked at him still anxious and tried to speak but Shahzaib stopped her and took a told of her hand and spoke
"Meri pyari maa main sach main raazi hu nikkah ke liye 26 ka ho gaya hu nahi chahyi aap aapki bahu aa jaye haa?'

"Arrey chahti hu par"
Ayesha spoke but Shahzaib stopped her continued

"Toh phir fikr na kare aur apni bahu ki aane ki tayari kare. Aaj ek hafte baad aapki bahu hogi haweli main"
Shahzaib spoke confidently.

Ayesha nodded her head and appeared somewhat relaxed and spoke softly
"Mere Shahzaib ki Urwa"

Shahzaib smiled at her and left her room after bidding her. Shahzaib headed towards his room and stood at the balcony of his room and looked at the moon and spoke softly

"Urwa"

"Aapka intezaar rahega Urwa"