"Uffo! Mama, I am a big boy and I am just going to school not on the battlefield," I said to my mother who was crying while looking at me because today was my first day at the kindergarten.

I looked at my father helplessly who was looking at mama amusingly and hid his smile. I put my both fists on my waist and glared at him, trying to intimidate but he chuckled at me and patted my head.

"Don't try to glare, son. You look like a cute angry cat," He said and picked me in his arm and wrapped his other arm around mama.

"Stop crying, Zarwah. I have told you many times not to do this. And our son is correct. He is just going to school, not on the battlefield. If you cry like this then how can our son have a good day today," He told her in a soothing and soft voice and rubbed her shoulder.

Mama looked at me with a frown and red eyes while I fixed my glare at her. She wiped her tears quickly with a chuckle.

"Your father is right. You look like a cute angry cat with this glare," She said with a laugh and kissed on my cheek.

I cleaned her wet cheeks with my sleeves and smiled at her. Dad took us to his car and opened the door for mom first then put me in the back seat.

"I can't believe my son is grown up.. Today, he is going to school then tomorrow he will graduate from college with highest grades then he will become an excellent doctor who saves people and then he will…," She paused and started crying again, "He will get married and have babies."

I facepalmed and looked at dad through the rear mirror with an angry pout. While he was silently laughing and shaking his head.

"Now stop crying or I will not drop him at his school," Dad warned her with a smile.

It wasn't like I was going to school, more like going to conquer a kingdom for my mother. But nevertheless, I smiled at her behavior secretly and admired love the between my parents silently.

After my parents dropped me off safely, I went inside the building without crying unlike other kids. Other kids were crying while their parents were encouraging them not to cry but in my case I had to tell my mother to stop crying.

School was fun and soon it was recess time. I was sitting alone comfortably on the bench with my lunch. A guard stood near me and kept staring at me.

"Do you know staring is a bad habit!" I told him and stared back at him.

I didn't know why but he was looking suspicious like he had any ultra motive. He chuckled at my statement and leaned down then lifted my face with his point finger.

"You are just like your mother," He commented, moving my face left and right.

I pushed his hand away and glared at him because I didn't like the way he commented and called my mother in a disgusting tone.

"Who do you think you are and who gave you rights to call my mother with your filthy mouth?" I asked, coldly, putting my lunch aside and stood up with my arms crossed over my chest.

"My, what a son she raised! Like mother like son," He said in a taunting tone.

I clenched my fists tightly and glared at him angrily. I was just a push away from punching him on his jaw.

"OK. I will not tease you now," He said, raising his hands in surrender and standing up straight, "But I know your mother more than you know about her."

I didn't move or buy his statement because he was a stranger who would die by my hands soon if he didn't stop spouting nonsense. But I refrained myself from punching him till he took his last breath because I promised mama that I would not start fighting with anyone unless the other would start first.

"She will never tell you about her past but will send you from where she came. Women like her are not trustworthy," He said and slowly walked back.

"I believe you are very intelligent. You should investigate your mother," He added then walked out through the gate of the ground.

At the same time, the recess ended and I went back to my class after glaring at him but held my anger inside me. Whatever. That man was rubbish who didn't know about his business.

• • •

I was sitting on the floor in the family living room, reading my books and mama was sitting on the couch in front of me looking at the recipe magazine, with her feet on the table.

I didn't tell her, dad or anyone about that strange man because mama would be worried sick, dad would try to find that man and kill him in many different ways mercilessly, not that I would mind but it would make mama sad.

And if I told someone else like Laila maa or dad's men then they would tell about it to dad and find out that strange man in advance for dad.

I sighed then looked at the feet of my mother which had burning marks.

"It must have hurt you a lot," I whispered, tilting my head.

I was always curious to know about burn marks but mama always became uncomfortable so I stopped asking her but that curiosity was back again now.

She looked from the magazine at me and smiled at me. I could tell there was something behind her smile. I put my book aside and went near her feet. I grabbed them gently and picked her feet softly.

"This magic kiss will make it cure in a second just like you always say," I told her with a smile.

She smiled at me and pulled me in a hug and kissed on my head.

"How old are you? Huh?" She asked me in a teasing tone.

I showed her my four fingers proudly with a proud smile.

"Are you sure? Because you don't look four years old when you behave so wisely," She said with a chuckle.

"If you have pain anywhere else or marks like this then tell me, I'll give you a magic kiss again," I told her and kissed on her cheek.

• • •

3 months passed away and I didn't see the sign of that strange man again. And I was glad because I didn't want to listen to his shit.

"He was a basta--," I was telling my dad about a man who tried to fight with my driver yesterday but I was cut off by my mother.

"Daniel Qureshi! You are not allowed to swear or curse at anyone. How many times I have to teach you," Her angry voice came from behind us.

"Shit!" I said, turning around and met with her glare.

"Daniel!" She yelled at me, angrily.

I glanced up at dad with a pout. Mom also looked at him and narrowed her eyes at him.

"And you. How many times I have to tell you not to swear in front of our son. But see what you taught him," She gave him a small lecture.

"I taught him that he is allowed to swear or curse at those who deserve it," He said with a shrug, casually.

I bit my tongue to stop myself from laughing.

"Sorry. I will reflect on myself," I told her and went to her and wrapped my arms around her.

With my butter coating with cheese and sugar, she finally calmed down and patted my head.

"OK. Now go to your school. Your driver is waiting," She told me.

I nodded my head and kissed on my parents' cheeks before sitting in the car. I reached school before the bell and walked on the ground to pass the time. I stopped when I saw the same stranger in the guard's clothes.

Other guards were friendly and good except this one who was so strange. However, I ignored him and walked the other way.

"Your mother, Zarwah…," He spoke which made me stop, hearing my mother's name.

"...was my sister."

What nonsense!

I ignored him again and went to my class directly because I didn't want myself to fall in his trap.

What if he is my father's enemy and has some ultra motives?

I shook my head because I knew all of his enemies. Their names and their faces. Dad had been training me since I started walking.

But what that strange guard said was disturbing me. I tried harder to forget what he said but it was useless. My time passed too slowly which made me so anxious because I wanted to see mom.

I sighed and leaned back on my seat and closed my eyes, with a sigh again. I wanted to tell dad about him but I was afraid that he would never allow me to go school ever again.

Dad didn't have any new enemy yet but what if his old enemies had sent that strange man to assassinate me to make my father back from the upcoming elections.

I had to find out about his identity soon then reported it to dad. When it was recess time, I went to the ground and asked one of a friendly guards with an innocent face about that strange man.

"I don't know about him because he is filling his friend's duty who have gone to his village without informing anyone. His behavior is kind of abnormal and suspicious. None of us can say anything about it because the head of security and administrator appointed him in his friend's place after investigation," He told me, narrowing his eyes at the ground.

I looked at him and knew he wasn't lie by his body language. I looked around to make sure that no one was around us.

"What is that new guard's name? And also his friend's name?" I asked him with innocent eyes that no one could resist.

He looked at me with a smile and patted my head.

"His name is Haleef and his friend's name is Emran," He answered me.

I nodded my head and talked him randomly. It was a little fun to talk to elder instead of the kids my age because all those kids knew was toys and cartoons.

Next I knew what I should do about this Haleef. I bid bye to this friendly guard when the bell rang and went to my class.

• • •

"Uncle, take me to the Zamin's house," I told my driver as I sat inside the car after school ended.

He took me to Zamin's house who was my father's one of the best men. It wasn't easy to make him work for me secretly but I had his little weaknesses.

When we reached to his house, I rang the doorbell and waited for him. Soon the door opened and Zamin appeared and looked at me with a little surprise.

"Little master, what brings you here?" He asked me and stepped aside letting me enter inside his house.

I walked inside then turned to look at him as he closed the door.

"I have a little work for you," I told him in serious voice.

He turned around to face and looked at me with an eyebrow raised.

"Does boss know?" He asked me.

"No. And don't tell him," I told him, sternly.

"Why?"

"Because I will tell my father that you are using his one of precious cars to impress your new girlfriend and I will show your new girlfriend your previous countless girlfriends names," I answered him and tightly smiled at the end.

He looked at me with his face turned pale because he knew I wasn't joking. He gulped and nodded his head then asked me what I wanted from him. I told him about the name of the strange school guard and his friend's name and told him to investigate every single detail about them.

"Little master, may I know what is the purpose behind this?" He asked after listening.

"I found this man suspicious," I told him half truth.

I didn't tell him that Haleef guy told me my mom is his sister. I wanted to find everything first then I would see what to do.

"You should tell this to boss," He said in alert and his eyes darkened.

"Without any proper proof. No thanks. Make sure not to alert anyone," I told him.

• • •

"Why are you late?" Mom asked me in concern as I stepped in the house.

I saw her with a phone in her hands and looked worried.

"I forget to inform you. I went to Zamin brother's house," I answered her and walked to her.

I stopped in front of her and wrapped my arms around her.

"Sorry for making you worry," I whispered and kissed on the back of her right hand.

She patted my head and picked me in her arms.

"My baby. You are so healthy that mama is feeling weak now in front of you," She whispered with a put me down with a kiss.

"I will tell dad to personally train you to make you stronger," I told her and pulled her to the dining room for lunch.

I made her eat more than usual because I was conscious about her health.

• • •

I was reading the book peacefully when dad sat in front of me, on my bed. I closed the book and put it aside then looked at him calmly.

"You went to Zamin's house. Purpose?" He asked in his firm voice.

Nothing could be hidden from him.

"Yes, I have some work for him. I will tell you when he finishes my work," I answered him, honestly and calmly.

He looked at me for few seconds then sighed. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at me with a small smile.

"I regret now training you so early. I don't want you to lose your golden days of this childhood… If your mother knows, she will not speak to me for several days," He said and chuckle in the end.

I stared at him and noticed he looked tire. Mom was worried about him because he rarely had time for himself, due to upcoming elections.

"Mom is worried about you. Don't make her stress over you," I told him.

"I know," He said and stood up.

• • •

Three days later, I was sitting silently on my seat in my classroom when a boy sat beside me.

"Boring, Eh?" He asked, uninterested, looking at the other kids playing.

I knew his name which was Asher. His father was an owner of big weapon manufacturing industry. He was just like me but was a lot friendly and had whole class wrapped around his finger.

"You haven't made any friend since the first day. How about I become your friend?" He asked when I didn't answer him.

I ignored him and put my head on the desk and closed my eyes. The things that were taught in kindergarten, I knew all of them but I couldn't say anything to my mother because she wanted me to become like an ordinary kid.

"You can trust me," I heard him whispering.

"Lesson no. 5: You can't trust anyone so easily," I told him.

I heard him giggling at my statement like I told him a joke.

"I know...," He said with a sigh, once he stopped giggling.

There was a silence but he didn't leave me instead kept quiet.

"Sometimes I think I am abnormal and not like ordinary kids. Ordinary kids who don't know the dangers and darkness of this world and think everyone is innocent and kind," He said with a sigh.

I opened my eyes and turned my head on the desk to face him. There was a smile on his face but it looked a distant smile.

"Are you regretting it?" I asked him.

He shook his head with one side of his lips curled up. Bell rang and it was our playtime on the ground. Teacher made us form a line and Asher and I stood at the last.

We went to the ground together and stood against the big wall, watching the other kids playing in the sand. I looked away from them and saw Haleef, staring at me with a smirk. I stood straight and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Who is he?" Asher asked, standing beside me.

"Just a pain," I answered him.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw him nodding his head like he understood me and also narrowed his eyes at Haleef.

"Did you complain to the principal?" He asked without taking his eyes away from me.

"No."

Haleef walked towards us with his usual dirty and cringy smirk. He stopped in front of me and looked at me with amuse.

"We haven't a proper chitchat from many days," He said putting his hands in his pocket and looked around the ground.

"You have make a friend. Finally you are doing something like a normal kid or not like a monster," He said with a taunt.

I clenched my fists and also felt Asher's getting angry at him.

"Oh! I am scared of these small monsters," He said with a laugh.

I held Asher's wrist as he was about stepped in front of me and stopped him. I wanted to hear him first. I wanted to know this time what nonsense he would spout.

"Let me give you one more piece of information," He said with a smirk.

"Your mother is a..," He looked somewhere then stepped back slowly and added, "prostitute."

I didn't know what that word meant but it didn't sound good. I released Asher's wrist and was about to step forward to punch him when there was a loud sound.

Bang!