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~*If you want to kill somebody, conquer his heart, Then leave slowly and leave them between death and madness~* Nizar Qabbani.

History repeats itself. Faris knew that very well, however, it would be precise to this extent perplexed him. He sat in the same tent where Khalid had once escorted him so Umm Badr would tend to his wounds. And here he was with a wound caused by Khalid on his left arm Meanwhile Raghad accumulated the necessary tools to aid his injury. Knight of Knights rolled and nibbled his bottom lip only to taste blood and knew the blood did not belong to him. Faris looked away endeavoring to pacify his mind brimming with thoughts that felt like a dust devil in his knackered brain.

Khalid.... Khalid.

Why would he attack him? When Faris had looked into Badr's eyes, sagr al fursan was certain his sibling was not tangled with the people who conspired against them. Then what on earth would cause a man like him to act in such a heedless manner. If he was not stopped at the right moment Faris would have slaughtered him, there was no mistaking it. He knew he would murder Khalid.

The mystery that he could not unravel became transparent when his spouse sat next to him with a bowl of water in one hand and an empty pot in the other. Of course, It was she who had impelled Khalid to make such a move without her knowledge. However, Faris would not remain hush merely because Khalid's love for his sister blinded him, he will confront the man.

Just as Badr had sauntered away towards Khalid, Faris had ripped his arm from her clutch and had started to stride to the other side of the tribe. However, once away from the sight of the beholders Raghad had trailed him only to halt before Faris. He shook his head when he recalled how none of them had uttered a word. They merely stared at each other lost in contemplation, him blistering in the pit of a perilous volcano while Raghad forlorn. Faris had yearned to yell at her, to teach her a lesson but her stillness, her eyes had him tongue-tied yet once again and then without a word he had followed Raghad to this tent.

Faris glanced at his woman when she searched through her tools to locate something then sigh. She had denied meeting his eyes ever since they entered this tent. Raghad would avert her gaze from the man and Faris knew the reason. "Here." He exhaled extracting a small dagger from under his spoiled, tattered sleeve.

Raghad did not look at him, her steady fingers took the blade then commenced to tear the garment of his sleeve further so she could work. He lifted both of his eyebrows when hers creased at the sight of his ghastly gash. "I shall wipe the blood first. You must be enduring for the wound is rather profound." Her serene voice reached him, it was like the silent wind on a moonless night.

Faris looked away from her towards the flap of the small tent. Right when he believed he would terminate all the abhorrence among the tribes, right when he had started to tread alongside Badr, Khalid had to ignite another blaze. He hissed when Raghad poured water on his wound from her cupped hands. "Be gentle, woman." He looked down in time to see his blood that had mingled with water dribble down in the bowl placed beneath his arm.

"Tolerate it," Raghad responded then rolled up the sleeve of his kandoor further over his bicep.

"Have I not done that enough already?" Faris ridiculed watching her.

Raghad did not reply, she could not reply. When she had heard Badr holler her name early this morning to come out and stop Faris she was certain her unwanted spouse had generated another misfortune. However, as she had pushed the tribesmen away her world had perished before her eyes, for an instant Raghad could not breathe. Khalid, her Khalid had charged like a wolf towards her spouse. She was mystified, scared and without further thought Raghad had dashed towards the man who she knew would execute Khalid.

The bride was horrified for her brother, and it was only natural that she would. However, that moment when both forces collided Raghad did not know if she was terrified of her brother's death or her monster! At the sight of his blood, the man she despised the most, something within her had crumbled down into uncountable shreds.

Raghad did not know how she could meet his eyes, she did not know what to pronounce. First Salem and now Khalid, who was next, Badr? Ya Allah! Her fingers pleaded to be gentle, they shook in misery every time he groaned from agony. The bride was humiliated from the blood that oozed from his wound. Her people were the reason behind his pain, the pain she had always wanted him to have. Then why did her heart fall to its knees at the sight of his blood on her fingers?

"Khalid does not know what he has committed," Raghad whispered avoiding his hawk-like eyes.

"Is that not the situation with everyone in your tribe, bint-ash-sheik? These men are not aware of what they are doing."

Raghad frowned at his words. "I know you are present here for the sake of Concord. However, condemning him will welcome far graver predicaments."

"Do not side with what is wrong, Sheikha," Raghad saw him peer at her and she lowered her head as if she did not have a good sight of the wound. Wrong, was not everything wrong here, their marriage, the assassinations and his injury. "That uncontrolled man will receive his punishment." At this water tickled her eyes.

"Pardon him." It killed her, begging this man ripped off her honor. But then again what other choice did she possess? What choice did her dearest sibling leave for her?

"I did not know that the woman I wedded knew how to be a muhami (attorney)," He verbalized as she took a cloth and dipped it in clean water. "Do remember this, you stand before my mahkama (court) and here things progress the way I desire them."

"Will you," Raghad paused the cleansing of his blood eyes downcast. "Will you take his life?"

Perspiration beaded her forehead and dripped down her neck when Faris leaned in close to her. "Should I not, Raghad." Here, at last, the bride lifted her head to look at him. His inky eyes were narrowed, they were studying her just in the same manner as she was. Were his eyes locating remorse just the way she was? Were his orbs attempting to see what was beyond, beyond this tribe, beyond this feud, perhaps her heart? Were his vivid eyes visualizing Amity just as she was?

His face was pale, there were shades around his eyes and the man appeared to be exhausted and here the bride recalled he has not seen sleep over a few nights. "No." Raghad pulled away then dropped her gaze to her task. "Badr will not allow this."

"And you ponder that I shall hearken to your knight?" Faris chuckled still not pulling away.

Raghad did not reply, she knew he would not listen to Badr. The brute would not listen to anyone, he will commit what he plans. With an inhale, she commenced applying herbs on his wound in order to prevent infection. The knight sat straight and from the clench of his fist, she knew he was in severe pain. When she forced the herbs in-between his torn skin so the medicine rests there Faris panted and cleared his throat. "Your hands do not quiver when you perform this." He articulated through gritted teeth.

Raghad glanced at him to see Faris blink his eyes rapidly and knew the pain was excruciating. She had applied the same herbs on her brothers and every time Khalid's shrieks would seize attention. "My siblings are knights. Most of the time they return home with injuries and I tend to them." She looked away appalled at his inquiry.

The groom and his bride did not converse for a long while. Faris sat there with his back poised and eyes straight. He would wince now and then when Raghad would apply pressure on his wound other than that both remained hushed. Raghad did not discern when her scarf fell on her shoulders revealing her glossy hair as she was engrossed in her task. "I had envisioned to depart today, however, seeing as the Rashideen relish in my presence I shall delay my stay for another day."

She should have been joyous, this was what she desired, to prolong her stay. However, now she knew that the man would undertake some activities which will shatter her. Once again, the Rashideen was soundless for Raghad had nothing to say. Nevertheless, her silence urged the knight to utter some words that her head shot up to look him in the eyes in downright astonishment.

"Who would have known that this woman would turn mute before me, although with other men, she was a chatterer." When Maha had appraised Raghad that she had seen Faris early this morning Raghad had disregarded her sister. He had indeed seen her and her friend Nouf converse with Khalid and Jabber.

"Old friends and family incline to do that."

"Old acquaintances," he hummed but then Faris's gaze turned frosty like a crisp winter night. "Do not, I repeat do not degrade my name bint-al-halal, the Rashideens have done plenty of that." Knight of Knights hissed.

"I should be the one declaring that seeing as Adhari resides in that household more than I do." Raghad mocked, her tone sharp. Rage clouded her brain, how dare he accuse her when the woman he was rumored to wed always materialized before them. Raghad was married even if her spouse was someone she cannot abide, he was still her partner. Her teeth clamped her bottom lip and the cloth that she was binding around his arm became so tight that the knight growled.

Before she could untie the cloth Faris moved, his right hand shot up to grasp a chunk of Raghad's hair and pull back with enough force that now her face was lifted towards him. Faris hoisted his brow then shook his head at the infuriated look in her eyes. "Playing with fire is hazardous," she gashed her teeth and attempted to move her head but the groom tugged harder at her hair until Raghad whimpered in pain. "Do not traverse your limits."

"Let go." Raghad hissed keeping the tears of wrath at bay. Her hand let go of the cloth she held and clutched around his hand that held her hair in a lethal grip.

"Indeed, Adhari was destined to be my bride and believe me I would not ponder twice before taking the daughter of my 'Am as my second spouse, you, ya bint-ash-Sheikh," His gaze dropped to Raghad's lips then returned back to her narrowed, livid eyes. "Should know your ground."

Something splintered inside of her. Here she was, married to a man who did not want her, married to her enemy against her will. And this man, her undesired spouse threatened to take another woman meanwhile she could not breathe. The desolation that she suffered, the mortification she confronted was for nothing, nothing at all. Raghad felt the world around her blur as fury suffocated her and without thinking, without considering the consequences, her naïve hand the hand that held his, moved towards Faris's face!

However, before her skin made contact with his face, knight of knights enveloped the fingers of his injured hand around her wrist Meanwhile other rested in her hair. Faris shook his head once again as if despondent, he tightened his clasp and smirked when a silent cry escaped her lips. That moment the blood, the traitor was forgotten as Faris glowered at his spouse for doing such an act, how dare she raise her hand on him? Did she not know that he would ruin her and her family for even thinking of doing such a thoughtless thing?

"You never learn, do you?" He growled then applied further pressure on the wrist he held. "How many times do I have to warn you before you comprehend where you stand woman?" He snarled.

"Let go of my wrist," Raghad sniveled as tears rushed in her eyes. The water that blurred her vision was not from dread, no, in fact, it was the hand that he held with monstrous pressure, it was her injured one. His hold felt like there were burning coals in her palm and Raghad was enforced to close her hand around them. "F_Faris it hurts. Let go of my hand." The bride whimpered in anguish.

Just as soon as his eyes traveled to where his hand was, Faris, let go, he let go as if his body was kindled. An uproar ignited within his bones, it was like there was an inferno in a forest far away and he stood there, alone, sweltering...fading. His right hand that rested in her hair slowly retreated and in doing so his lean, rough fingers brushed her cheeks subconsciously. Faris looked away from her mortified. By Allah, he never meant to cause her pain, he was not that man.

Knight of Knights cleared his throat. "Go fetch me a new robe." His hoarse voiced ordered disregarding Raghad as she rose to her shaky feet and ambled away, muddled. She was petrified of the man who made her want to strike him across the face and at the same time, those vicious eyes goaded her to remain there, just sit in his presence for an eternity, an eternity she knew did not exist.

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Well did you guys like this chapter? This is the best I could do to commence their love story ;p

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