The Master and The Maiden

Chapter 11

*

"Yes." Noor said forcefully, just as her father yelled "No!" beside her.

"Indeed?" Fareed looked closely at her. "You would give your life to spare his?"

"You most certainly will do no such thing." Kabeer thundered. "I forbid it."

"Yes I would." Noor said stubbornly, as though she hadn't even heard her father speak.

Fareed said nothing, simply staring at her with keen interest. Though he had no intention of admitting it, the lady was beautiful. He had seen enough women in his lifetime to be able to identify the beautiful ones, especially with the way they threw themselves at him once his name was mentioned. Though he doubted most of them would be able to point him out facially, his name alone sent the womenfolk into energetic displays of their prominent feminine features, which he had no intention of acknowledging.

But there was something in this lady's eyes. Something he couldn't quite discern. It was the way she looked at him; not as though she wished for nothing more than to be joined at the hip with him. In fact, it was quite the opposite. She was glaring at him with an emotion he hadn't seen in anyone's eyes in a very, very long time.

Defiance.

"What is your name, young lady?" he asked pointedly. Noor felt offended by the question, seeing as he wasn't that much older than her.

"That's none of your business." she said in a clipped tone. Lukman shifted nervously beside his master.

"Your father is a thief." Fareed said icily, a muscle in his jaw twitching. "He dared to steal from me."

"My father is no thief." Noor said through clenched teeth. "Do not insult him again."

Fareed raised an eyebrow a quarter of a millimetre.

"You would still pledge his innocence even when there is solid evidence against him?" he questioned.

"Greater evidence than yours has been fabricated before." she replied. "Who are you to prove what one did or didn't do?"

"I do not care about what transpired between other parties or whatever evidence they might have produced. The only thing I'm concerned with is the evidence before me." he said.

"Knowledge should be drawn from every source available to one. Otherwise, the mind becomes rigid and stale." she said.

"A wise man once said 'Believe what you see, and lay aside what you hear'. Do not expect me to concern myself with others." Fareed waved his hand dismissively. "You still haven't answered my question."

"What question are you referring to?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Your name." Fareed said. Noor gazed up at him curiously, trying hard not to swallow. It was almost unbearable looking at him and trying to look angry at the same time. His handsomeness was off-putting. It would have been so much easier if he was at least a little bit ugly.

"Noor." she said quietly, blinking at his harden expression. His face looked as though it was cut from the hardest slate on the earth. His stormy-gray eyes were hooded by his thick eyebrows, though his piercing gaze seemed to search deep into her soul. His nostrils flared with each breath he took, and whenever he spoke, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly before the air escaped his lips. His jawline was sharp and his shoulders were broad, accentuated by his likewise broad back. He must have been a foot taller than her. Noor felt small and powerless before him. But nevertheless, she kept a hardened expression on her face, mirroring his.

"Noor, as in light?" Fareed mused. "I take it you're this thieves only daughter?"

"My father is not a..."

"I do not wish to hear a repeat of your statement." Fareed raised his hand, silencing her.

"Master?" Lukman stepped forward tentatively. "What shall we do with him?" he gestured toward Kabeer.

"You said you're willing to die for your father?" Fareed raised an eyebrow. Noor nodded stubbornly, ignoring her father who was shaking his head beside her.

"Adequate." Fareed said. "Then my demand is simple. I ask for your life in exchange for his."

"You must be joking." Kabeer spat, turning towards his daughter. "Noor, I forbid it. You must go home this instant."

"No, father. I am not leaving you." Noor said, cupping his cheeks with her hands.

"As sentimental and touching as your little conversation is, it seems both of you did not understand my statement." Fareed said coldly. "I do not wish to kill you."

"Then what do you mean by your statement?" Noor asked, feeling a chill run down her spine. Somehow, even before Fareed spoke, she knew what he was about to say.

"You shall give me your life, in the sense that you shall become my servant. You will live only to serve me, and no one else. I shall become your master, and you will do whatever I tell you to do, without question. Do this, and I'll let your father live." Fareed said.

"You are a mad man." Kabeer spat at his feet. Lukman took a threatening step forward, but Fareed halted him by raising his hand.

"I do not have time to waste. Make your decision now." he snapped.

Noor turned towards her father, seeing the tears sliding down his cheek. He turned to look at her, and shook his head vigorously.

If she accepted his demand, then she would be selling herself over to him. She would become his slave, sworn to obey no one else but him. She would be separated from her family, and she would have to live under this man forever.

But if she refused, her father would be killed. Even though Kabeer said he was ready to die, Noor couldn't bear to let him go just like that when she had the power to stop this. She thought about her mother who was lying unconsciously in bed right now. What would happen to her if she found out that her husband was dead? She would be destroyed. Noor knew how much her father meant to her; to both of them. If he was gone, who could they turn to for comforting? Who would look after them? How would they even survive without him?

"Noor, you heard what I said. You are not considering this. You shall go home at once." Kabeer cut through her thoughts. "Leave this instant."

"I'm not leaving you, father. I can't." she said.

"Well?" Fareed asked. "My patience is waning."

"You give me your word that nothing will happen to my father or my family?" Noor turned towards Fareed. The scale had already tipped. It wasn't even a question anymore. Living as a servant, with the knowledge that her father was still alive and breathing, was infinitely better than living as a free woman, knowing that he was gone when she had the power to save him.

"You have my word, Noor. No harm shall come to your family on my behalf." Fareed said.

"Very well. I accept." she said.

"Well then, that settles it." Fareed said, nodding at Lukman. The latter stepped towards Kabeer, raising his dagger. Noor turned wildly towards him, stretching her hands over her father's crouched figure.

"Relax. I'm only going to cut the ropes." Lukman said, bringing the blade down swiftly. Once the ropes were slashed off his hands, Kabeer turned around and grabbed his daughter.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" he shook her violently. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?"

"I believe the lady is perfectly aware of her choices." Fareed said coolly. "Now, you and your father may go home and spend your emotional moments together. I have business to attend to elsewhere. I shall return for you later in the evening." he said. "You are allowed to bring your cloths, but be aware that no one will carry them for you, so bring what you can carry."

Turning sharply, Fareed let a slow smile stretch across his face. "Why, I forgot you were here Aliyu." he said. "Forgive me for being rash. But some things are... necessary, aren't they? You of all people should know that."

Snapping his fingers at both men restraining the older man, Fareed stepped forward as they both released him.

"Next time," he whispered venomously. "I will not be so lenient."

"One of these days, you'll get what's coming to you, Fareed. One of these days." Aliyu said, clutching his elbows painfully.

"I shall await that day earnestly." Fareed gave him a mock bow. Glancing over at Noor one last time, he snapped his fingers at his men and began to walk away quickly. Just before he rounded the corner, he turned to look at all three of them.

"One more thing, before I leave. Don't even think about running away. I shall know if you attempt it. And be warned, the consequences will be severe." he said ominously. With that, he whisked around the corner and vanished out of sight.

*

"How much longer?" Fareed said slowly, folding his hands on the table. His companion was drinking from a large mug, barely paying attention to him. Fareed's mug meanwhile lay cold and abandoned before him.

"Give me a break, Fareed. It's been a long journey." he said.

"I do not have time to waste." Fareed said. "Tell me, how much longer until we can begin to put our plans into action?"

"A few weeks, perhaps." he replied in a strange accent, the likes of which was not familiar in Sana'a. And unlike Fareed, the skin on his hands appeared to be chalky, almost transparent. It was as though the man hadn't seen sunlight in several months.

"You are certain?" Fareed asked.

"I could be wrong." he shrugged, downing the contents of his mugs once more. "Blimey, it could even take months, perhaps, if things go wrong."

"And is there a possibility of things going wrong?" Fareed's finger twitched.

"I don't reckon. My team have been to the site more times than you can dare to count. They don't presume there's anything, or anyone there." he said.

"My sources tell me otherwise." Fareed said. "I have been told, - and you'll have your head roasted on a spike if you betray my confidence -, that there have been numerous groups who visit the site regularly. Did your team report anything like this?"

"Is that so?" the man scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I shall have to speak with them personally then." he said.

"If you have nothing new to report to me, then why bother coming to the city?" Fareed said irritatingly. "You could have sent a message."

"Yes of course, I could have sent a message." he chuckled. "But that would deny me the opportunity of meeting the fine women of this city."

"So you came here for the women?" Fareed raised an eyebrow a quarter of a millimetre.

"Indeed." he laughed. "I always say this, Fareed: Arabian women are by far the most beautiful creatures to have ever walked this planet. English women can't hold a candle to their beauty."

For a brief second, an unbidden image crept into Fareed's mind. He forced it out of his mind instantly.

"I will not appreciate it if you jeopardize our plans for the sake of satisfying your temptations of the flesh." Fareed said.

"Fareed, you will never change." the man laughed. "I know I said Arabian women are beautiful, but I do not believe there is a single woman on this earth who is so beautiful that she would make me forget my life's work."

Again, the image flashed through Fareed's mind. What in God's name was wrong with him?

"When will you leave?" Fareed asked, standing up slowly. There were things he needed to attend to.

"In a few days." he replied. "I heard of a new... tourist attraction which was opened recently. I wish to visit the place and scope out its potential. What was it called again?" he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Does this tourist attraction perhaps involve a lot of scantily dressed women, dancing and an unquenchable supply of alcohol?" Fareed asked as both men stepped out of the little apartment.

"You know me so well." the man laughed, raising his hand to clap Fareed's shoulder. Quickly remembering who he was, he left his hand suspended in midair, before bringing it down beside him. He briefly turned around, watching the two men who had been guarding his door moving towards them quickly. The larger of the two had an equally large turban wrapped around his head. He shook his head. Fareed always liked to travel with his guards as if he expected to be attacked at every corner of the city.

"I shall await your messenger next time, Mr Evans." Fareed said as he mounted his white stallion. His two guards mounted their steeds as well.

"Of course, master Fareed." Mr Evans bowed deeply beside him. "But if the matter is of a nature which would prove too risky to be conveyed by a messenger?"

"Then I shall expect you to ride to my mansion at once without stopping." he replied.

"As you wish, Fareed." he bowed once again, dipping his hand into his pocket. He pulled out an old pocket watch, and flipped it open.

"Great Scott, look at the time." he said. "I must be off, Fareed. I'm afraid I shall miss my date if I do not make haste."

"If you must." Fareed said, turning his horse away. Through the corner of his eye, he watched as Mr Evans dashed back into his apartment, before setting out with his guards tailing him.

"Did you receive any report while I was busy?" Fareed asked, staring straight ahead.

"None at all, master." Lukman replied. "I told them you were not to be bothered unless there was something serious."

"That means Kabeer is being wise for once in his life." Fareed said. Lukman and his partner exchanged a puzzled look, but they said nothing as they continued to ride. The three men continued to ride in silence, and except for the soft sound of the horse's hooves on the sand, all was quiet.

"Master?" Lukman said after almost ten minutes of silence.

Fareed didn't reply, but it was evident that he was listening.

"I was just curious, master. I think Mahmud and I..." he turned to his partner, who shook his head fervently. "I mean I wanted to know, why did you agree to spare Kabeer's life? Why did you accept his daughter's service instead?"

Fareed didn't reply. He continued to ride in silence, until they reach the end of the street.

"I have my reasons." he said quietly as they turned right.

"Master?"

"Why the sudden burst of curiosity, Lukman? Are you perhaps a double agent who's been living under my command all this while?" Fareed glanced at him over his shoulder. Lukman nearly choked, stumbling briefly on the horse before he regained his composure.

"I... I would never... I'm forever loyal and... I... I serve none other master but you." he stammered.

"Hm." Fareed stared ahead once again. A moment of silence passed before he spoke once more.

"I have my reasons for doing so." he said simply. "It's a question of profit and loss. What would I gain by killing Kabeer? Absolutely nothing. Other than the heavy blow which his death would deal to the Order, I stand to gain nothing but the satisfaction of seeing them crumbling before my eyes."

Lukman held his breath, rapt with attention.

"Let me ask you this, Lukman." Fareed continued. "What do you hold dearest to your heart?"

"Master?"

"Your most prized possession, Lukman. What do you hold dearest to your heart? What do you treasure above all other things?" he asked.

"My dagger." Lukman said. "It's the only possession which my father left to me before he died."

"Adequate." Fareed said. "Now tell me, if I were to snatch away that dagger from you, hold it dangling right above your head and there was nothing you could do about it, how would you feel?"

"I... I would be in anguish." Lukman said. "I'd go mad."

"Precisely." Fareed said as they rounded another corner. "And if I was to approach you while you were in this state of anguish and demand that you give me something else in exchange for your dagger, would you do it?"

"In a heartbeat." Lukman replied.

"My point exactly." Fareed said. "By withholding your most prized possession, I hold you right in the palm of my hand. That is exactly what I did to Kabeer. Now that I own his most prized possession, he will undoubtedly do whatever I ask him to do."

"That is a brilliant plan, master." Lukman stated.

"I know." Fareed replied, stretching his neck. He was exhausted.

The three men continued their march in silence, occasionally broken by a cough or a shiver. To the left, high above the mountains, the moon was beginning to drift out of the clouds. Soon, the moonlight flooded the streets, illuminating the path ahead. Fareed continued to stare straight ahead, barely glancing around.

As they turned into a much wider street, the population suddenly increased. Several people were out and about, as the moonlight was a perfect excuse to leave the house. There were a few children playing with a makeshift ball, which they'd made from tying discarded pieces of cloth together. They had made small goalposts with rocks at opposite ends of the street, and were kicking the cloth-ball energetically.

The other inhabitants of the street were older folks, who had come out to stretch their legs a little bit. A few of them sat on low stools beside their houses. Some of them were surrounded by their grandchildren, whom they were telling stories about the ancient days, when the moon spoke and animals lived amongst humans.

The only other inhabitants of the street were those who were eager to vanish out of sight. They were mostly young adults, who were running off to meet their secret lovers at some hidden place where their parents couldn't see them.

"Master, forgive me for asking, but what exactly do you plan to ask of Kabeer once you have his daughter?" Lukman asked suddenly as Fareed pulled the reins of his horse, slowing it to a steady gallop.

"I leave that to your imagination." Fareed said, reigning his horse in finally as they stopped outside the mosque.

"Come." Fareed ordered. "Let us pray."

*

The moon shone less brightly on the other part of the city. In one particular household, no one paid even the slightest attention to the moon in all its glimmering glory.

"This is madness." Ummayma yelled, jumping to her feet suddenly. "You can't go."

"What choice so I have?" Noor pointed out unenthusiastically. "It's the only way."

"You shouldn't have done that." Aisha said, briefly glancing at Safiya who was still unconscious. "Why would you offer your life in exchange for his?"

"I can not stand back and watch my father be killed for something he did not do. I can't." Noor said.

"You still want to believe he didn't do it?" Aisha spat. "You still defend him even after the evidence has been presented before you?" she said in a tone which reminded Noor all too well about Fareed.

Aisha kept her face straight, not daring to show any emotion. After all, it had been she who put the necklace in Kabeer's bedroom when he had called her in the previous night. The messenger whom Fareed sent to the house had given her the necklace personally, with specific instructions to place it in her master's bedroom that same night. It had been easy. Kabeer didn't light a lamp whenever she entered the room. All she had to do was place the necklace gently on the ground, along with the rest of her clothing. Once Kabeer was done with her, he rolled over to the side like he always did, told her to shut the door on her way out and dozed off to sleep. Aisha had taken her time to find the perfect hiding spot where it would be very easy to find the necklace once the room was searched before putting on her clothes and leaving the bedroom quietly.

Now, she stared into Noor's eyes and wondered whether any of them suspected her. But of course they wouldn't suspect her. She was part of their family after all. How could they possibly suspect her?

"Do you believe my father is a thief?" Noor asked quietly.

"Of course I don't." Aisha replied a little too quickly. "I'm just saying, with the evidence provided,"

"I don't give a damn about any evidence presented." Noor said hotly. "You know they could have fabricated that evidence. My father is innocent and that's final."

Aisha opened her mouth to speak, but Ummayma cut her off. "Give it a rest. Please. There are more important things before us."

Muttering under her breath, Aisha leaned back against the wall and continued to watch both of them sourly.

"Do you think he will try to harm you when he... when he..." Ummayma stammered, her huge eyes watering up.

"I don't know." Noor replied honestly. "I just don't know." she said, her bottom lip quivering. She mustn't cry. She had to be strong, for her parents and for Ummayma's sake. She had to show them that she didn't feel even slightly afraid.

But deep down, she was terrified.

The enormity of the situation didn't dawn on her until Fareed had left her and her father standing in front of the cells. Aliyu had stalked away immediately they left, not even glancing at them both. Kabeer had said nothing, keeping his eyes glued to the ground. Several minutes passed before Noor attempted to speak.

"Abba," she started to say, but he cut her off sharply by raising his hand.

"Don't!" he said through clenched teeth. "Don't even think about it."

"Abba, I'm sorry." she said, taking a step towards him. Kabeer gave her one last sweeping look before he stormed off, leaving her rooted to the spot with a hollow feeling in her chest.

She had thought he of all people would understand. At least he would not judge her for disobeying him just this one time. But her father was livid. She knew he was mad at her because she had disobeyed him, but eventually he would calm down and forgive her. With time, he would understand that she did it not because she wanted to, but because she couldn't bear to lose him. He meant the world to her, and she was ready to do anything to ensure his happiness. If giving her life away was the only way to keep him alive, then she would gladly do it. Because that is what a good daughter is supposed to do.

Standing up suddenly, Noor wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Where is father?" she asked.

"He hasn't returned." Ummayma said. "I checked his study before coming up here."

Noor suddenly felt drained of all energy. She needed to lie down for a second. Her head was beginning to spin.

"Are you okay?" Ummayma asked, looking at her carefully. Noor was swaying slightly on her feet.

"I think she needs to go and lie down." Aisha said. "Go down to the room and rest. I'll bring you something to eat shortly. Let me check on your mother first."

"Okay." Noor said, walking out of the room a little unsteadily. Her head was beginning to buzz. Squeezing her eyes shut, she gingerly walked down the stairs, holding her head in one hand. She reached the bottom of the stairs with a groan, hurrying towards her bedroom. She briefly glanced over at her father's study, and saw that the door was still locked. He hadn't returned.

Just before she stepped into the room, Noor looked up at the moon, shining peacefully in the sky. It seemed almost laughable to believe that 24 hours ago, she had been sitting in her bed, with no knowledge of who Fareed was. Now, she had pledged her life to him.

The bedroom was a welcome sanctuary. Noor released an audible sigh as she stepped in, heading straight for her bed. The only problem was, there was someone else on the bed.

*