Kitne Dard Le Aye Hain

Hum Toh Teri Chaukhat Se

Apne Gham Chupa Lein Ge Hum

Jhooti Muskurahat Se

As she walks away from the culprit of her ravaged life, she halts her steps in front of a known room. Breath choked her throat as she recalls what she just did.

She had slapped Nawab Shahab. She had committed a sin. And she knows she will not be the one getting it back. Zaheer will. Oh poor him, but she doesn't care.

Nawab Shahab had ruined her life enough, played with it enough. Now no more. She gulps the pain. He did just justice to all but to his own family.

For once Aarzu wants to go back to her Amma's embrace and cry her heart out, but she can't. The people present around will not allow that. No matter what, Aarzu is respected amongst all, respect that chokes her always.

With slow steps, she walks to the familiar ancient corridor, remembering the days she used to run through these.

She stops in front of the same room, only this time she has to wait to gather herself before she knock then step in. A decade had changed everything. She gulps, adjusting the dupatta upon her head, rubbing her sweaty palm against her lehenga, she knocks on the door twice.

A soft voice came as her clue she steps in. A decade later. Nothing changed but still, everything seems out of place. The royal walls scream glory, the portraits seem a facade. A facade of a happy family. Maybe not. But was she not a family?

"Aarzu Bacchey." The old voice even though it seemed weak now, still have the authority intact. Nawab Alamgir Shah's voice still roars.

"Salam Dada Jaan," Aarzu said softly, kneeling before him, kissing his knuckles then touching them to her eyelids. A habit she had grown over the years.

Tears fill his old eyes and Aarzu wish not to know the reason behind those, but she does. She knows better than anyone else her.

For Nawab Alamgir Shah chose to stay silent, he was mourning for his daughters. And his successor wrote Aarzu's faith, with pain, storming it under his feet.

And Alamgir Shah didn't utter a word, for he was mourning for his daughters. Was she not a daughter to him?

A question she always wanted to ask, an answer she knows she never will get. A pain she had survived for a decade.

"Hume pata tha ap zaroor ayengi. Humne call jo kiya tha."

"Nawab Shahab se chupke." Aarzu's voice is cold even taking his name.

"Woh Nawab hai Aarzu, woh humesha awam ki haq mein hi faisa lenge."

"Aur saalon sey riwaz hai Dada Jaan, riyasat mein apno ka qatal bhi maaf hai."

"Woh galat tha Aarzu, lekin faisla unka tha, hum kuch nahi kar sakte the."

"Ap kar skte the Dada Jaan, apne kiya nahi. Ap khade hoskte the humare liye, ap huye nahi. Humne toh apni zindagi chori thi iss haweli ke lia, aur unhone toh hume hi yaha se nikal diya. Yeh kaisa insaaf hua."

He gulped, he saw this coming. She is speaking the truth. A decade ago she left her whole life behind for them, what they did to her? Send her to the other side of the world, with no one. If not for Zaheer, she would be just an abundant soul.

"Umeed nahi harte bacchey." He whispered. She nodded.

Hope. She had lost that way back. What she has now is rage.

She will bring the hell down if this time someone asks her to leave. She will make the king bow before her. She will.

Jis din se aashna se do ajnabi huve hai

Tanhaiyon ke lamhe sab multavi huve hai

The sun had taken its farewell for the day, the moon had gone too. Soft breeze playing with her hair as she sits on the terrace with her back leaned upon the red-bricked wall, legs folded near her chest.

"Akele kon baithta hai yaar. Thakan nahi hoti tujhe?" Zaheer asked as he steps inside.

Cold breeze passes them as she tightens her jacket around, he rubs his hand together.

"I missed this place." She whispers.

"I know, I missed this too." He takes a seat next to her.

"Yaad hai yaha raat ko aya karte the." She laughed a little remembering those days. Her golden days.

"Aur Bhai kitna naraz hojate the." He laughed but her smile left.

"Woh kab naraz nahi hote hai."

Silence fills them, as they lost themselves in the serene beauty.

"Aarzu tumhe unpe haath nahi uthana chahiye tha." She laughed, so the poor guy had suffered already.

"Ab kya hukum diya hai unhone?"

"Shukr manao Abeera ka nikah hai, nahi toh aj hi rawana krwa dete."

"Yeh galati woh kabhi nahi karte"

"Woh kyu bhala?" He asked, confusion lingering in his voice.

"Iss baar rukshat huye hum, toh humara janaza bhi yaha lautkar nahi ayega Zaheer, keh dena apne bhai ko."

As the words left her mouth a roar screamed.

"Zaheer room jao tum." Their heads snapped at the voice and Zaheer for once gulped.

They're so dead.

"Bhai woh..."

"In the room right now" His voice is enough to make Zaheer running away to his room but not before passing a sad smile to her.

On other hand, Aarzu keeps on sitting there, as if nothing happened. As if there's no burning pair of amber eyes upon her as if she just didn't hit him at his lowest.

The familiar scent of woods fills her, as he pulled her by her elbow, making her stand upon her feet.

"Ahh" She hissed.

"Don't you dare to cross your limits. Keep your words in check, one wrong word, and I swear you will regret it. I will make you"

She gulped seeing the rage in his eyes but then the next second the pain increased and she slapped him, again.

"Don't you dare to manhandle me ever again Nawab Shahab. Don't you dare.

Apki awam nahi hu joh apke samne jhuke hum. Humara bhi iss haweli mein utna hi haq jitna apka. Farq itna hai ke apko haq duye gye aur humse cheene gaye."

"I am warning you, don't test me otherwise.."

"Otherwise what? Tell me. No, tell me. I will tell you. Ap phir se hume jane ko bol denge, aur hum chale jayenge. Pta hai kyu? Kyuki hum aj bhi apke haq ki izzat karte hai."

"Behtar hai. Kyuki jis din ap woh karna bhul jayengi, uss din apka maan chala jayega." He said, she glared at him. How fucking dare he?

The sound of Fajr ki azaan fills between them as the morning rays peek through the clouds. Her face glows in the golden hour, she looks serene.

She turns on her heels and walks out, her hairs touch his face, leaving the lavender scent behind.

Woh sajde mein baithe apne Allah se duan maang rahi thi. Aaj saalon baad woh yaha thi, arson baad usse apne ghar ka ehsaas hua tha. Aaj usne sajde mein phir se apne mohbbat ki azroon ki.

Woh saalon baad iss kamre aya tha, aaj arson baad woh sajde pe baitha. Khuda se uski dua aaj wahi thi, aaj bhi usne sajde mein Aarzu ki mohabaat mangi.

Karon Sajda Aik Khuda Ko

Parhon Kalma Ya Main Dua Don

Dono Hi Aik

Khuda Aur Mohabbat