The Circle Of The Qur'an #1[The Arkaan Series] ✓

Crescent 9: The Verdant Lady...(3)

Maryam indeed knew more about this Lady than most people. This was because, at school she was almost always in her company; helping her, and when the verdant Lady was in her low states, she'd usually sit with Maryam, and talk to her about many things, including her past! She had said, Maryam radiated positiveness, and so she felt calm to discuss such things with her.

The Lady Principal gently nodded, "Frieda...you can call me Lady Frieda..." Maryam lowered her gaze in embarrassment. The Lady Principal had always given her permission to call her by her maiden name, since they first met. Yet Maryam felt it was too inappropriate, and would usually out of habit, still refer to her as Lady Principal. "In shaa Allah, he's fine somewhere by now, thinking of you too..." Maryam comforted.

After saying adieu to the Lady Principal, Maryam hurried to the cross junction, where she had earlier left Aasiyah. From there, they'd cross to the southeastern land region upon a Chinese canoe with lit China lanterns. It was one of the fun and exciting things about visiting the Chinese market, and most of the girls found it romantic, and loved to be on it with their special someone.

Even as she approached Aasiyah, she suddenly stopped in agitation." Subhānallah!"، she exclaimed, " I left the standing brooms and mop Mother had requested to purchase, back at Madam Chu's!" Maryam was human after all, and people were prone to forget even little things. Even the word for man 'Insan' was even derived from 'nasiya' - 'to forget'. She quickly handed over her wicker basket to Aasiyah, as she rushed back in the direction of Madam Chu, saying, " Wait here for me at Old man Wang's canoe standpost. There's still time. In shaa Allah, I'll be right back!" Aasiyah didn't even have time to respond before Maryam disappeared from sight, like an elegant carp on a swift river.

Aasiyah went and stood quietly by the canoe standpost.
"Good evening, old man Wang!"، she greeted aloud, seeing the decrepit old man, looking shrewd in a straw hat and a smoking pipe, on his canoe filled with glowing Chinese lanterns. For a meagre fare, people would board his canoe to cross to the three out of the four South district landforms: the Chinese market landform, the Al Maghribi estate landform, and the Mt. Shirah landform, the fourth being the southern honey fields.

Sometimes, he'd even travel upstream and row people across any part of the River Kawthar in East district, even though bridges were available throughout, some people loved the idyllic experience.

Since the Al Maghribi estate was close-by, their family - especially the youths, usually made use of his services, and they had become closely acquainted with the man.

" Háojiú bújián! Nì qù nà 'er?"، the old man responded warmly, though with a weird solemn expression on his face. Aasiyah smiled amiably, and kept quiet after that...
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Somewhere in the alleyways of the Chinese market, where some shops were closing for the day, a young boy strolled about. His dark long-sleeved and round-neck shirt, had its sleeves folded to his elbows. He wore a leathery trousers that matched with a one-hand leather bag slung over his neck, dangling to his side. With neat black hair, and a pair of green eyes beneath thick elegant eyebrows, and a youthful look, he was quite the strapping young man.

This was Arkaan, looking smart and dashing as he moved through the market, searching for a way through to unite with the Maghribi brothers he had gotten separated from, and got lost.

Sometime before this, the four youths who had left the Masjid-ur-Rahmân, made their way toward a humble cottage to the southeast of Mt. Shirah's land region under the behest of Ismail. He said they were going on a ziyarah, a visit to an old sick man, who was the well-known local physician in the South district, Dr. Dawûd. He was renowned on that region for his treatment of the sick, and waiving of debts of the poor sick. He recently fell ill, and was confined to his bed. Ismail who had long since known him through his father, Hajj Ya'qûb, decided to pay him a visit on their way home, and the others tagged along.