Written In The Scars

Chapter 36

Haifa was outside the stables again. Everyone was standing exactly where she remembered and in front of her stood the handmaiden, her blade aiming at Haifa. But not for long.

Haifa knew what would happen next but her feet wouldn't move. Her eyes could not look away as the woman flipped her blade and pierced it deep into her neck. Haifa wanted to scream and cry but her throat was closed shut. 

Blood sprained everywhere, leaking from under the woman's chin as she gave Haifa a wicked smile before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed to the ground. A pool of blood slowly crept from her body. It continued to expand until it touched Haifa's sandals, the sticky liquid soaking through her sandals. Haifa tried to pull her foot back but her body would still not respond. 

Red crowded her sight and her breath became shallow as if her chest was being squeezed. 

Haifa jerked awake, the darkness greeting her, as she heaved for air. Her stomach felt uneasy and the moment she sat up, bile rose to her throat. Kicking the silk sheets away from her, Haifa rushed to the bathing room, stumbling through the darkness until she got to the sink. Hot tears spilt from her eyes as she emptied her stomach, her throat prickling with pain. 

Rinsing her mouth out of the foul taste, Haifa splashed water on her entire face and ran a wet hand through her hair. 

The nightmare had been tormenting her for the past few nights; the scene of the suicide still haunting her to this day. Witnessing the scene night after night had taken its toll in her.

As she stepped out of the bathing room, her exhaustion persuaded her to return to bed but the fear of the nightmare was greater. Instead, she pulled out her prayer mat and slumped down on the carpet to offer night prayers, before the Fajr adhan was announced. As she muttered her adhkar, Haifa's mind drifted and she began to wonder how her Prince was doing. It had been almost a week since his last letter to her and, in addition to the fatigue, delusions of the worst-case scenarios filled her head. Her heart began to ache and tears shimmered in her eyes. 

Haifa missed him more than she wished to admit. She wished that he was here to comfort her after the nightmares. She wished that he was here to hold her hair back when her stomach twisted. Haifa lay her heavy head on the carpeted floor, her eyes slowly drifting close. Tears streamed across the bridge of her nose whilst her lips whispered his name over and over again until she was pulled back into the realms of sleep.

***

Haifa could not stomach the sight of food, especially when she would end up throwing it all up, come nighttime. The smell of the onion soup was too strong for her nose to bear and she dropped the spoon, gently pushing the bowl away from her.

Thaina watched her sister-in-law's actions with pity.

"The dark circles under your eyes tell me that you didn't sleep again," 

Haifa nodded. "I had more sleep than the previous night, but still not enough of it,"

Since the incident, neither of them had spoken about what had happened nor mentioned the name of the individual involved.

When Meena had informed Thaina that day, she refused to believe a single word. She refused to believe that her handmaiden had been behind her ongoing health issues and most likely the poisoning of the King. Thaina had been in despair for days. Her anger flared when Haifa had explained to her how she knew. 

When Harun had found out, he was overcome with so much anger and rage, immediately investigating to find out who was behind this and who had given her handmaiden the poison. The Head Physician confirmed it to be Spicklefruit poison, the same poison that had caused Abbas' injury.