Bint of Gilgit ~ Pakistani Love Story ~ ONGOING ~

Doom

Sleep was not coming easy for the two girls. Shahrazad had been bombarded with embraces and concern, whereas Nazli had only heard words of worry from either Shahrazad or her baby cousin, Feriha. What she hadn't expected was for Hamza - her fellow aged tribal member to ask for her health. She never expected it and it had shown on her face.

"Why was Hamza speaking to you?" Shahrazad inquired suspiciously, her blue eyes narrowed in the dimness of their tiny room. At her question, Nazli's heart sped up with great trepidation. Hamza was no ordinary tribesman - his father was the vizier to Shahrazad's father, Shah Zaman. Not to mention Palwasha had shown interest in him several times and it would do her no good if rumors were to fly around.

She said nothing, only turned on her side away from Shahrazad and her futile talk. Today had been a frightening day for her - she could still feel that monster's hands on her body and the cold of his pistol on her temple. He had said he would be back and perhaps this was the reason why she and Shahrazad were still awake.

"Nazli, I always thought Hamza liked you!" Nazli internally groaned. Thank Allah, she and Shahrazad had a room to themselves. "You should see the way he stares at you whenever you and I-!"

A pillow slapped Shahrazad on the face and she looked up to see piercing green eyes glaring at her from the other end. She giggled rebelliously, having recovered from the incident that had occurred in the afternoon.

"Yaar chill! (Friend, relax!)" She said, like the girls in the TV dramas would. Oh, how she longed to be in another city - to go to university like other girls her age and to discover herself. She wouldn't even mind if she still had to marry a smelly boy from this village - if only she could be free.

Besides city men seemed like assholes, Shahrazad thought, touching the slight cut on her slender neck. The truth was he had barely pressed the knife to her throat, but she had struggled wildly and that was when she had been cut. Baba had thrown a big fuss about it, but Shahrazad was proud. She had fought valiantly and the proof was the scratches on the bastard's hands. He would never mess with her again.

"I can't sleep, Nazli!" Shahrazad moaned, turning to the window and gazing at the starry night sky. One of her uncles said that the stars could not be seen in the city - instead, tall buildings were everywhere. "Do you think they will come again tomorrow?"

Most definitely, Nazli thought, nodding her head firmly. The question wasn't if they will come, but when they will come. And were they even prepared? Plus, what did those city men want from a tribe that had never even interacted with many past the valley?

"I sneaked into the loya jirga (grand council meeting) today, you know." At her words, Nazli's mouth dropped with shock. Shahrazad was certainly impulsive and rebellious but to disregard the traditions and rules of the tribe?

"Can you blame me, Naz? They won't tell us anything!" Nazli was frustrated by their silence too, but she trusted her sarbarah (leader) completely. But the dark power and fierceness she had felt from those men had shaken her. Those eyes - bottomless and promising in their vengeance threatened to destroy everything and everyone Nazli called home. If only he would change his mind and leave them in peace.

"Baba was being accused by everyone!" There was a hint of sadness in her cousin's voice. "They said he had lied - that he had hidden the truth from them! But I still never got to find out why those men are after us in the first place!"

Sleep was not coming easy tonight, Nazli decided, laying on her back. She hated those men - that man who had manhandled her. Buried memories from the past had emerged in her mind from his touch - the harshness and the strength of it throwing her back into her tragic past. Shahrazad had been quick to brush it off - Nazli could not.