The wind that takes.

The perfection of beauty bound inside a frame, a frozen moment captured to last an eternity.

"Mama! Mama! " He rushes through the vast gardens; his small heart now a wild horse beating against its confinement, sweat drenching every inch of his outfit. A blue scarf disappeared behind a tall Jasmine bush, and he runs to it . "Mama?" Loud, yet soft ;her laughs blend in with the sweet floral air, he runs in its direction. He runs to her, but she goes away further into the gardens. A thud was heard as he hit the ground, a large branch hit him leaving a small scrape on his head. The unmistakable doe eyes dominated his drowsy view, "mama?"

Her thin mouth curved in what seemed to be a smile, flattening the signature heirloom of a button nose a contrast to his sickle one. Small patterned diamonds glinting; to from a perfect boundary on the neck line of a navy dress. Thin strays that once framed the quite familiar face caressed his skin ever so slightly she leaned in using her silk scarf she wiped then blew on the wound. Creases formed on those perfectly curved brows, gently she strokes his head repeating words inaudible to him."Mama! Mama!" His voice faded as did she, to the unseen wind that only took and never gave. His focus returned; eyes still glued to the portrait in front. He shifts and continues walking the guard behind him followed as he made his way to the gather hall.

~~~~~~~

"Shukria" Khalid offers Zainab a cup of coffee, she carefully leaned on her walking stick slowly sitting down joining him on the large cushions. She looked to the fairly aged woman crumpled up in the corner of the room peacefully asleep clutching an old dirty rag doll. Khalid follows her gaze and attempts to say something but refrains. "Yalah! Speak up boy do not be shy." Khalid weighed his thoughts, he poured the coffee into the two cups giving one to her.

For long these things have bothered his mind should he ask or was it too inappropriate? He sipped the coffee still gazing at the old lady on his side her cup falling into the rhythm of her shaking hands." What happened to her?" Zainab puts down her cup then takes his hand ."In this world nothing is unexpected; disasters, betrayal, loss even death. Its how prepared we are to accept these things that makes them unexpected." She wipes her mouth with the cream scarf she covered herself with.

"Allah knows, what has befallen her; I don't wish it upon anyone." Her speech was a bit muddled with most of her teeth missing. Khalid always struggled to get what she was saying, it took him a minute or two to finally understand her. "I am sorry."Khalid apologized after a while of and big gulps from his drink. "Do not be, time is but a fragile guest it erases everything as it goes."

"And Munir? What happened to him?" She looks at the woman again. "You have been good to me Khalid. All these years and I cannot thank you enough." Zainab adjusted her cushions fluffing them up. "I will only tell you because I think you are a good man." Khalid refilled his cup ready for the revelation. " Umm Munir was the never mentioned sister-in-law. She just showed up one day on my door step luckily my Hajj was home and affirmed her story.

She wiped her mouth again "Hajj let her stay with us until her terrible death. The woman died of the plague you know? Munir was only twelve, " she sighs then continues after a long sip of the now cold drink. " He could not treat it, for that he blamed himself, the guilt changed him ." Her eyes closed for a moment taking in the cold breeze that played in and out of the house, freezing the coals of a left over blaze from an earlier meal.

Khalid thought that was all he was getting, until she opened her dropping lids again "I didn't blame him for favouring him more than my Tariq, I understood. I saw how her death ate him silently, I could not blame him when Tariq choose a sword and Munir the syringe. Yes, a part of me broke to see him close to Munir, teaching him the art of his life's work while his son was away sacrificing his life." Zainab released her breath straightening her jubbeh. "Munir is a good person you should know." Khalid shook his head in agreement.

"When Hajj proposed his union with Faiza. I refused; by then Munir was a famous young man. He treated wazirs, sultans even kings at times, I was naïve; and I cannot lie that I did not feel any hatred towards him. That day they received a letter commanding their presence it was the time when the northern prince ran away. The long ended war threatening to return brought about invasions to which were many casualties. It was the last day I ever saw my Hajj.

Munir returned with the sad news which proved to be difficult for my faiza the girl used to shadow her father she was better than Munir in everything, you should have seen her bragging on about the list of tonics she already made in comparison to him. I was proud though I knew she would be heart broken one day; when she would realize what her place was as a woman in the society. The disappointment did come when she could not be allowed to tug along with them anymore when she couldn't treat people like Munir did, when her father demanded her to teach Munir rather than do anything herself. "

She paused just as poor Faiza turned in her sleep. Khalid stared at her, but now she seemed different as if he could see her beyond the insanity, beneath layers of insecurities. She was a victim to a cruel world no longer a crazy woman who confides in a rug doll." I thought the marriage would console her heal the empty hole left behind though only for a moment it did. The wedding was quick, Munir was offered a permanent position as a court physician in Mahdiya.

This of course was from the recommendations my Tariq was giving there; My boy was the acting general in the Madiyan army. Soon after the wedding all three left.

Through the numerous letters they sent I knew they were happy all three that is; until the pregnancy. Unfortunately she was due the same time as the queen. She complained about his absence, the loneliness. I reasoned with her every time but my stubborn jealous daughter would not hear a word of it. Faiza delivered a week before the queen. Well unlike the Queen hers was a still birth. She blamed Munir for everything according to her she heard him crying before passing out. Munir thought it would be too painful if she saw the body, he and Tariq buried it before she awoke.

Weeks after news came, my Tariq was missing. His head showed up days after as a warning. That was it, the beginning of her demise she would often scream and cry in the middle of the night. I heard that the queen God rest her soul used to help in consoling her. She would carry around the doll speaking to it as her baby at times it became Tariq and even my Hajj. Munir eventually got tired, and with the Queen's death my Faiza came back to me. But she returned a changed woman, a result of the cruel wind that only takes and does not give. "

Zainab turns to her audience to see the silent shock on his face. Khalid tries to speak but words failed him. Instead, he stood up and made his way to the stairs. Zainab watching him curiously as he disappeared.

~~~

Mina gracefully glided into the room unfashionably late. She stealthily made her way to the others;all eyes glued to her. She assumed her position next to the other girls. " This humble king welcomes you princesses of the east, north and south;" He gestures to them in order. "Madiyan is pleased to have you." Suleiman bows a little and the women did the same. Suleiman ushers Ali forward placing his arm tightly against his back. Presenting him to the girls who never shifted their eyes from him.

"My son The expected crown prince of Madiyan." Ali never lifted his head he bowed then re assumed his position behind his father. "This will be your attendant Rawiya she will see to anything that you may need." The old woman in front of the crowd of maids and slaves acknowledged him with a bow. "Now my guests I shall leave you in her capable hands I hope everything will be to your liking." He leaves the room with his son and most of the guards.

No sooner had he left when the princesses giggled and whispered. Mina heard them talking about the king then drag on about how shy Ali was. Rawiya cleared her throat to get the attention of the women. The girl's shift to her waiting her address "Each amira will be assigned a help." She motioned to the band of girls behind her. "All sixteen are answerable to me any problems to be reported directly to me.

This afternoon all amiras are to attend the tour of the castle which will start after this meeting. Samia seem disinterested her curious eyes on the amira beside her. " Which kingdom are you from?" The quiet girl hesitates "east" " Strange,I thought you are already betrothed?" She felt the sweat rise from her body her stomach churned, and she found herself numb."well..." She searched her mind for an excuse until her head hurt. " Abb insisted I attend." She turned around just when the crowd started to move out.

"Don't worry we all know who it will be." Her eyes point to a silent Aisha in the lead. " It's beyond me why the king continues with this. My sisters actually have hope in it, they think they might change the Prince's mind. Stupid don't you think?" Mina was shaken she just wanted to be invisible to get over this task. She regretted her decision. But after all what Munir had done for her it was impossible to deny him this. She nods again to show interest in the conversation. Wondering what Munir and the rebels could have done with the real princess.