Salam and hello, hope you guys will enjoy this chapter.

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~*~*Facts about ME: People say I have done Literature but I still DON'T know the difference between Adjective and Adverb~*~*

Raghad gazed through her long lashes while her beloved mother cleansed her gash, water threatened to stream down her doe-like eyes, but she blinked them away. The pain was relentless and merciless, every bone in her left leg throb. She lifted her head to look at Badr, who did not abandon her side the instant she arrived. Their father, Sheikh Faisal demanded for the entire tale. Raghad did not have another alternative but to narrate each and every detail. Indeed the prince and princess's encounter and the hapless journey was veiled from the tribe and from what Badr notified his sister, Faris desired the same.

When Umm Badr jabbed the clothe on her wound Raghad hissed, "Ya Allah, Ummaya please be benign."

"Do not vocalize a word, Raghad! You are to be his bride and before the nikah he has not only seen you but spent a great amount of time without the presence of your family," those words penetrated her strength further and water brimmed her eyes anew.

"Mother, forgive me but I wish for you to leave me with my Raghad for a while." came Badr's serene voice as he squatted next to his mother.

After a moment of flustering quietude their mother departed. Badr took Raghad's face in his fingers to scrutinize it but there were no sentiments in those brown eyes. He exhaled, sat down then grabbed an immaculate clothe and commenced to encase it around her gash. After a while he spoke "It was indeed very ingenious of him," his voice was scarcely audible.

"I was terrified," A sob escaped Raghad's lips and chained her arms around his neck promptly, she could not remain silent any longer, she needed to tell him what was in her heart. "Badr, by Allah I was terrified of him and the demon that blazed in his eyes," she cried. Badr grit his teeth and caressed her hair, oh, how he wished to shed blood that moment.

"Do not weep sister I beg of you," the brother entreated and pulled away from her. Raghad blinked a few times to propel back her tears. "I comprehend the prime reason behind your actions. You wished to have some time to yourself," he brushed his thumb on her cheek. "I knew my sister would never commit such a discreditable act, the act of fleeing and sacrificing tribesmen's lives. However, you must know I was petrified for you, peril of all sort lurks out there, Raghado," he knot the cloth and once again gazed in the eyes of his beloved sister.

"I truly need no, I starve for some time," she murmured.

Badr nodded, "I understand and I will never coerce you, you must take all the time you need," he rose to his feet, tossed the ends of his headdress on both shoulders eyes on Raghad. "Although, I can surely command you to sleep now," he teased with a small smile which did not reach his rich eyes.

Raghad wanted to protest she needed her knight with her but her body yearned for sleep so she watched her brother walk away then gradually leaned back and laid on the mattress. Her mind twirled like a cartwheel, spinning in rapid, vicious circles. Promptly it halted on someone, anger soared in her bosom. She twisted on her side and closed her eyes tightly, prayed that something, anything occurred so that she could not wed that tall brute!

~~

Faris noiselessly proceeded with his dinner, no one had the knowledge of his whereabouts and no one dared to question him. Sheikh Mubarak had long gone noshed and retired for the day. Nasser sat alongside him, gigantic and sublime. Shouq poured her mother water in a silver pot and continued with her dinner. Fahd along with his younger siblings ate silently. Faris took note of how Nasser glanced at him now and then, for the women in the household it was reasonable that men returned home at night, but for Nasser, he knew his brother concealed something from him and for that reason only Faris wished to not encounter Nasser.

"Alhamdulillah," Faris stood up. "I must sleep now," he pronounced and rotated around.

"Wait, my son," he ceased his movements. "We shall leave at fajr for the nikah tomorrow," his mother reminded.

"Then we must sleep, should we not?" he responded rather icily then departed towards his chamber. Shortly after Faris closed the door behind him, Nasser barged in glaring him in the eye, vexed. "Not the time brother, you must leave," Faris dismissed him and gave his back to his brother.

"La ya Faris, first you recede from sight for a day then you reply mother in such an impertinent manner," Nasser growled, eyes narrowed into slits.

Faris turned to come face-to-face with his younger brother, "I am knackered. I must pray then rest, leave Nasser," he uttered those words in a hushed voice.

Nasser took a step forward, towering over Faris, "Why did they summon you?"

Faris frowned at him, "You are aware," he sighed.

"Indeed elder brother I am well informed of your well-being," Nasser riposted.

"I cannot speak of it ya Nasser, by Allah this night is not the proper time to discuss this affair. Insha'Allah I shall enlighten you when the suitable time approaches," Faris proposed his hand on Nasser's shoulder, who gave a nod in apprehension.

"Then tell me this, why speak to mother in such a manner?"

Faris stepped back, strolled to the cot and lay there with his right hand behind his head. The crickets mocked and teased the definite silence of the dead of night. He knew moon still grinned at her beauty as stars eulogized her. The sky greeted and welcomed her with thousands of fallen petals of stars, the proprietorial clouds who dreaded for her beauty veiled her now and then from the gluttonous eyes of the humans.

"What must I inform you, Nasser? Mother is impatient and ardent to see Faisal's daughter in this house," Faris spat and turned his head to look at his brother, who sat on the carpet with crossed feet. Faris pushed the strand of his dark hair that had touched his face when he moved and inhaled.

"Then why accede to make her your bride if you do not desire any of this, ya Faris?" Nasser queried and leaned back on a red, round pillow.

"You know I do not wish for death and bloodbath, brother. If this would not have occurred few, no, no innumerable would have perished," Faris explained in utter despair. He ran his hand over his long, dark hair in distress.

"And you wish to terminate the deaths by marrying your sworn enemies daughter," Nasser retorted.

Faris remained hushed, his brother knew him too well. "Father has other plans. He wants me to exploit her and engage in a ridiculous ploy with the Rashideens," he snapped bitterly.

"That is the right thing, is it not?" Nasser interrogated and sat straight which made him appear broader and barbaric.

Faris nodded not elaborating it any further, he was aware Nasser was impetuous and if he apprised him, Nasser's rage could cause him to unveil what Faris desired to curtain. "I must permit you get some rest, we shall depart from here at Fajr. Teesbah ala Khair," Nasser rose to his feet.

"Ya Nasser turn off the lantern," Faris ordered when his brother was by the door.

The knight lay there in darkness he stared at the ceiling and blinked. Memories of what happened earlier lingered like a specter in his mind. He grit his teeth in exasperation then threw his legs over the cot. Faris prayed in the gleam of the moon that twinkled from the small window, he begged for forgiveness from his Lord, his Maker and prayed to have patience for what is to come. Once done with his activities Faris retired for the day.

~~

Raghad could not welcome slumber once her eyes opened late at midnight. She enveloped the quilt around her quivering body and pulled it up to her chin. Her heart trembled inside her bust, the mere thought of her being his, raked at her skin. After this wretched and forlorn day, it will be only him and her.

Her ears picked up a sound and a moment later her dearest mother ambled in her quarter. "You are awake," Umm Badr smiled or endeavored to.

"Yes," she murmured in a doleful voice, "Are you here to inform me about the prayer?" Raghad rolled her lip so her mother would not detect the clatter in her teeth.

"No, ya binti it is not the time of prayer yet. I am here to give you a bath and prepare you for your wedding," Umm Badr's lips graced a desolated smile. She sat next to Raghad but the daughter turned her head away. Umm Badr began to caress her hair, "Women, my daughter are always the ones to sacrifice their contentment and freedom for the sake of men and others," she paused, pushed a strand of hair behind Raghad's left ear and kissed her forehead.

"Salem is your sibling a sibling who is nothing like your brothers. He cannot distinguish between what is wrong and what is right. It is my fault that my son lacks such an ability," Umm Badr sniffed, "Forgive me binti, forgive me for taking your felicity," instantly Raghad twirled around to engulf her mother in her tender embrace.

"No mother do not say that I must ask for your forgiveness," she tightened her grip and remained there for a while. "let us not talk about that," Raghad swallowed as she pulled away and the answer to that was a mere nod.

Time sailed by and Raghad was enfolded with yet another quilt. She watched her mother and sister of her father, Amna along with some other relatives prepare hot water in a wooden bathtub. Her soft cheeks flushed when her mother gently applied herbal medicine mixed with water on her exposed shoulders and arms. Raghad dropped her gaze, infuriated at her flushed cheeks, incensed at her absurd emotions. She despised this, hated being prepared for the man she so loathed.

Amna began to massage the herbal medicine on her feet then tickled Raghad on purpose. She knew her niece was extremely delicate. Raghad gasped and a smile appeared on her lips but when Amna looked at her knowingly, she scowled and dropped her gaze once again.

Time stalked over the desert as the women helped Raghad in the bathtub and rinsed off the herbal medicine. Noof picked up the silver pot only to pour rose water on the bride's hair. The exquisite fragrance flourished in the tent just like rose petals on summer afternoons. By the time Umm Badr was satisfied with all the traditional treatments she encased another cloak around her daughter that was when the call of prayer was heard...

'Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar'

Women draped a large shawl on Raghad and veiled her face then escorted her to her quarters which was only a feet or two away. A sob reached her lips but Raghad bit her lip to prevent herself from shattering into bits, the hundredth time that hour. Noof took hold of her other hand and helped her sit on the mattresses, her hand tightened once the friend perceived how the bride's hands trembled with terror. "We must pray now, Sheikh Faisal and your siblings departed for the Masjid a while ago."

With her other hand Raghad wiped the tear that trickled down her warm cheek and endeavored to tame her trashing heart that clawed at her bust. She was unable to utter a word so Raghad merely bobbed her head. When in front of her Lord she supplicated for forgiveness, she entreated for mercy and begged for patience.

Morning sun beamed like a tremendous star, the sun that had witnessed secrets around the world and that smile held them within it. He observed imperiously as humans commenced to saunter around the tents and prepare from the nikah. Women walked in and out of Raghad's quarters, despite the utter starvation that lingered in her form the bride did not touch her food and she denied to speak with the guests.

More and more chatters filled the tent, Raghad did not pronounce a word and prevented Noof from leaving her sight. The poor heart inside her bosom began to beat faster when Maha announced that the Borkans have arrived. Although only few hours elapsed since Fajr but those hours felt years to her pumping heart. Raghad did not dare raise her head when new people ambled in the tent. Ya Allah she wanted to weep, wanted to flee, but remained hushed, remained loyal.

Raghad felt a hand on her shoulder, she swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and lifted her head, feeling terrified. The woman that came in her view was Umm Faris, the heavenly woman who did not possess the same evil look her son held in his eyes. She lifted Raghad's scarf enough to get a good look on her daughter-in-law.

"Masha'Allah binty, you look prepossessing," Umm Faris praised then dropped the veil. The bride did not blush, she pitied herself.

Umm Faris took her place alongside the bride, then it was Shouq who sat in front of Raghad and pulled out few velvet pouches from a leather pouch a maid brought forward. Woman sat in absolute silence as Shouq pulled the strings and grabbed a heavy gold carcanet with layers and layers of pure gold. Whispers broke when Shouq hung the heavy beauty around Raghad's neck Then she opened another velvet pouch only to draw out a gold sautoir and draped it gently around the bride's neck that fell on Raghad's belly.

Ragahd did not look at the gold she inhaled and exhaled and attempted to stop the tears that well up in her eyes. Indeed the feud between the tribes destroyed her and her innocent dreams.

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Salam guys how are you all? I am sorry for the late update I was so busy I did not get chance to write. But now I am back will try my best to update as soon as I can.

Let me know what was your FAVORITE part in this chapter?

Binty= daughter

Ummaya= mother

Teesbah ala khair= Good night.

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