Hauntingly

Splintered Light

If Murtasim was stubborn, then so was Meerab.

Despite his threat, she point blank refused to leave when Murtasim told her to get out of his house and go back to where she came from.

“I won’t be going anywhere. Don’t think you can intimidate me like you did last time,” Meerab glowered.

Murtasim raised an amused eyebrow as he looked at her hands placed on her hips in her attempt to appear dominating.

“Fine. Don’t leave. I will take you back to Lahore myself.”

“Wh-what? Why?”

“I already told you why. I will not be repeating myself. You will follow behind me. You will not look towards anyone from the staff. You will not speak to anyone.”

“No–”

“You will not speak to me either, Meerab,” said Murtasim, holding up a finger of warning.

“But–”

“And if you don’t comply I will knock you unconscious for a second time and then I’ll drive you back!”

“Oh? Well if you do that Murtasim,” countered Meerab hotly, “I will come back here again and again. I’ll keep coming back from Lahore until you don’t take me in!”

“You have no relation to me anymore. Why should I take you in?” Musrtasim stated coldly.

He had thrown the sentence at her so casually that it was cruel. Meerab’s face hardened as the sentence pierced through her chest like an icy sword.

“But I’m your wife!!!” Meerab yelled into his face with her fists balled hard.

“Funny, I never got the impression that you would have preferred to be known as my wife.”

“And I never got the impression you actually wanted to let go of me! Isn’t that why you didn’t divorce me?!”

It was Murtasim’s turn to look offended. Her sentence felt like a mockery, slashing him below the belt. Only he knew the sincerity with which he had let Meerab go. Only he knew the pain of staying away from her for three years.

He folded his arms behind his back and clenched his teeth together, the flex of muscle in his jaw looking menacing.

“Are you questioning my integrity Meerab?”

“I am,” she retorted.

“Oh please! Don’t get ahead of yourself! There wasn’t any time to squeeze in a divorce when I was trying to make you disappear off the face of the earth!” Murtasim sneered.

“No, that’s not it Murtasim,” said Meerab softly. She took the opportunity to sidle close to Murtasim in a very subtle manner and kept her large doe eyes fixed reverently up at him. “You didn’t do it because you didn’t want to. Deep down, in your soul, you know that’s the true reason.”

Daringly, Meerab reached her palm upwards and placed it on Murtasim’s cheek. Murtasim’s pupils dilated at the soft touch, but his face remained impassive. Allowing herself to savour what she had previously imagined, Meerab gently rubbed her palm back and forth across Murtasim’s jaw.

Being touched by her was like magic for Murtasim.

Pure magic.

There was no other way to describe it. It was magic that danced on his skin. Her touch was comforting to his charred soul like a warm soup on a cold winter’s night. Her touch was turning him beautiful and washing away his ugliness.

The urge to close his eyes was great. The urge to lean into her hand was great. So great, that Murtasim feared it would crumble his resolve.

But it’s too late for all this.