The house of Abd al-Karim (II)

Banou wakes up everyday in a joyous mood. Li Ning always arranging trips with Banou going around outside to see and eat. In the evening, she play with the Allm, the son of Li Ning and Abd al-Karim. At night she watch the sky alone thinking and wishing for Li Cheng to appear. Sometimes, she look at the branded marking on her arm, she understands that it will never go way. It will stay there till the end of her life. It will serve as a remind of the past. It represent her pain and anguish. 

Days pass and everyday she applied some medicine cream paste for her broken skin on the face. After running away from Bardiya and walking under the hot sun, she have burnt her lovely skin. Apply cream and drinking lots of water is an hourly thing she have to do. Her hair is also suffer from the harsh wind and sun it becomes oily and flat. 

One day, a letter arrives urgently. Li Cheng is on his way to uyghur to fetch Banou back to the Tang capital. Banou in a hurry to take care of her self to look her best. She keep moisturising her skin and rinsing her hair with rice water. She waited for him day by day. Watching the horizon for any signs of Tang banner approaching. After ten days of waiting, the Tang banner is spotted from far. The news travel to the house of Abd Al-Karim. The servants got excited as it is a long time the see the Chinese men in their territory. By the time Li Cheng bring in his small group of men, it already cause a chaos outside. As not to cause a jam within the city, he left his small army at the entrance. He selected a few soldiers to follow him in. Banou watch him from inside the mansion with a big smile on her face. She watch him greet Li Ning and her family members. He remove his helmet. His mated hair and unshaven face break Banou's heart. Finally he walk towards her, he smile. Banou wants to rush up to him but she hold herself back and just stand there. She mustn't look too eager. She have to maintain her manners in public. 

"Ban Nu... you suffer."

"No my lord. Li Ning"s home is good enough."

"Does it hurt?"

He touch the broken skin. She flinch bit but she try to smile to show it doesn't hurt. 

"Why are you growing a beard again?"

"You don't like it? I am waiting for you. I would like you to shave for me when you are available." 

Banou reach out to interlock his hands. His face blush and his ears turn red. Banou like him when he does this. It shows his innocent and sincerity for her. She move to stand closer to him. When he is so much taller she look up to him. In his eyes, she can see the tenderness. This is the man she wants to marry. Her happiness laid within him. 

After dinner, they take a walk in the garden. They watch the moon and the stars. She tells him of the story of Bardiya and Azedeh minus off the strange up bringing. 

"So they bully you in your younger years."

"Not Bardiya , he mostly leave me alone. The last thing he did was to burnt my toys after that he leave me alone. The sisters, they mostly resent me for my poor status of my mother. "

"Didn't the Consort do anything? "

"No there is too much ongoing things to do. Also having more than 20 children in the palace is a handful. Most of us have different mothers. The one who have a powerful mother clan will live to be prosperous. While people like me have to wait for father to allow us to be commoners." 

"Maybe that's why my father, the emperor limited himself to have only 3 concubines. Thus i have 5 sisters and 2 elder older. I can't imagine how messy the harem will be with 20 children running around. I don't mean that your ..."

"I understand what you are trying to say. I am glad that you have grow up close with your siblings. I can see your family is slightly different from mine. Which is fine." 

They continue to walk and talk till late. He send Banou back to her room and she sit there alone holding her own hands. Her hands are still warm from holding his, she wish to continue holding his hand thought out the night. She wish that the wedding date to be soon, like tomorrow. 

The next day, Li Cheng informed the family that he would like to bring Banou home to Tang. Li Ning cry as her family will leave her soon. Banou spend more time with Li Ning. Banou also visit the other Chinese princess that married to the kingdom of Uyghur. Even though she doesn't know them well, they are very accommodating. Li Cheng who is their brother is delighted to see his sisters adjusting well in their marriage. The royal family from Uyghur too welcome LI Cheng by have a small welcome party. Food and dance is conduct throughout the night. Laughter fills the air. Banou who can't drink cannot decline and she have a small cup of wine. The earth move when she gets tipsy. She is shown to a tent to rest. She sleep quietly through the night. 

Banou wakes up in the afternoon. Again she finds herself tie up. Her mouth is tie with a handkerchief. She panick and she see that she is surround by blots of cloths. There is no room for her to move. She can't even wiggle herself in that tiny space. In her mind, she feels that it is Bardiya who is doing this again. She try to make some noise that outside can hear seems like there is no one hearing. Above the blots is another cloth place over it. There is little light passing through. Time passes by and she got tired. In the end, Banou sleep again.