Ik baat hooton tak hai jo ai nahi,
Bas ankhon se hai jhankti,
Tumse kabhi, mujhe se kabhi
Kuch lafz hai woh mangti.

ایک بات ہونتوں تک ہے جو آی نہیں،
بس آنکھوں سے ہے جھانکتی
تم سے کبھی، مجھ سے کبھی، کچھ ہے وہ مانگتی۔

The stars were drowned by Karachi's endless chaos of smog and pollution. The pale wintry moon hung low in the charcoal sky, silent and tired. Despite the softness suspended in the air, my anxiety hung onto me tight like pregnant, monsoon clouds unable to move.

Sleep had barely touched me last night, but when the muezzin's soft voice descended from the minaret upon the silence of the dawn, I finally decided to give up on sleep. Despite the excruciating pain in my body, I don't know how long I sat on the prayer rug for, kneeling with my feet folded behind me and my hands held up in prayer.

Today, I wasn't sure what I was praying for, what I was asking for or what I wanted. I hadn't uttered a word, yet in my silence I knew Allah could hear me, because a newfound hope slowly began to ease the heavy weight on my heart. I looked outside the window and saw the welcoming orange of the morning sun beginning to bleed into the sky. The endless canvas of blue was still deserted, yet it bought with it a new hope, a new beginning.

"You have everything anyone could possibly want, then what is it you've been praying for?" I heard Aliyaar's amused voice behind me when I lowered my hands and ran them over the rich warm fabric of the prayer mat.

"How long have you been here for?" I asked, loosening the dupatta from around my neck. My eyes narrowed infinitesimally, when I felt him walk up to me and sit besides me. Despite the soft bars of light slanting in through the curtains, the room was dim and dark. But despite the darkness, his golden molten eyes caught mine.

"For a while." He admitted. "I had a feeling you'd be awake."

"Did you not go back home last night?"

He shook his head. "I didn't want to leave you alone. Not tonight."

I replied with a measured silence, but I could hear my heartbeat rise to my ears, my face warming with the blood coursing through my veins.

"Shany."

He breathed out, his voice low and unassuming, soft and adoring. And for a moment I felt the world around us beginning to melt away; all worries, thoughts ebbed away into the crags of silence. In that moment, I had found my peace.

He looked pristine. Despite his bedraggled hair, he looked faultless. Under the soft rays, his skin glistened like copper dipped in honey and the faint shadow of hair that darkened his jaw only accentuated his levelled features.

I didn't answer him, instead I closed my eyes and my lips moved softly through the memory of prayers. I held my hands out and blew upon them, before slowly opening my eyes. He was watching me with a distressingly keen air about him. Despite my nervousness, I leaned forward and raised my hands to touch his face. His eyes slowly fell shut and the sharp planes of his face began to smooth as I dragged my fingers down his face.

"May Allah always keep you in his protection." I whispered, softly blowing around him. He opened his eyes and my heart almost leapt at the piercing intensity of those feral orbs.

"What have I done to deserve you?" His lips curled into a smile, but the pain and guilt on his face were unmissable.

He stared at me, focused and unflinching, stilling everything around us with an awful precipitousness.

His jaw ticked.
His eyes were livid.
His face a lesson in rage.

He glanced down at me, the frown perched high on his eyebrows refusing to dislodge itself. It took me a while, before flawless awareness rose over my confusion and I realised why he was so unforgivingly furious.

The scar on my forehead.

"It wasn't your fault." I said reassuringly. "These injuries are due to my own carelessness, but I'm not weak. Our scars only make us stronger." A weak smile made its way on my face, but his face remained tense and he inhaled sharply.

He scooted closer and his fingers reached up to trace the mark on my forehead. And then his gaze shifted to the finger prints imprinted on my neck. He tilted my face upwards, his fingers carefully examining the grisly blue bruises around my neck. For the longest moment he did not speak, but I could see the heat of anger shine through those limpid pools of gold and honey.

"I'm sorry." His words were a mere whisper, but the rancour in them was unmissable. "I could have avoided this."

"It's not your fault," I placed my hand over his knee, while my lips attempted a weak smile. "It doesn't hurt too bad either." I tried to joke, but his features remained inscrutable.

"Liar." He muttered under his breath and I began to laugh watching him sulk.

"I don't like it when you lie to me," I said after a while and his expression turned quizzical.

"I've never lied to—"

"I remember everything that happened last night." He remained silent, but his eyes grew more intent at my words. "I had no guards with me last night, no Jahanzaib, no one. I was alone. And before I passed out, I remember someone called out my name." I lifted my brows at him in question and my hand reached out to hold his.

But he remained silent, his features drawn and tight. When he refused to say anything, I squeezed his hand lightly, "It was you." I said gently, "You shot them, didn't you?" A harrowing silence prevailed upon us, the air around us suddenly turned vapid with anticipation. His renewed silence only confirmed my doubts. I had found my answers.

His thoughts and emotions were still masked under the shadows of the room and I sighed long and deep, slowly pushing myself off the floor. But I flinched at the sudden ache in my midsection, almost tumbling back on the floor when his arms gathered around me, supporting me, holding me close to him. "Are you alright?" He asked, once I was on my feet. I nodded unable to look at him, before turning away and walking towards the gardens outside.

I could hear him following me, but I refused to acknowledge his presence as I slowly trudged outside the doors. "I had no other option." He said once we were outside.

"You didn't miss your aim. You purposely kept one of them alive." I knew my suspicion was right.

He was silent again, before he spoke in a measured tone, "I did." He retorted brusquely.

"Do you know who they were?" I turned around to look at him, but he shook his head. "How did you know where I was? Or that I was in danger."

"Do you wish to sit?" He asked pointing at the swing chair behind us. I looked at him wearily, but he sighed and pulled me to the swing. He went back inside and came back with a fleece blanket in his hand. "I don't want you falling sick. It's cold right now." He said, wrapping the blanket over me.

"You're avoiding my question," I said, when he sat besides me, wrapping his arm over my shoulder holding me close to his chest. "How did you know?"

"I received an anonymous call two days ago," he began in a somber tone. I could feel his shoulders tense and his posture suddenly became unyielding. "They knew of the negotiations and arrangements our parties have been having and they warned me to back out, to give up on the idea of a collusion government and a partnership with your family."

I looked up at him, evidently surprised by the revelation. His eyes met mine, studying me for a troubled moment, before he spoke again. "They wanted me to end this relationship as well." His face had softened but his eyes still burnt with the same intensity, watching me for a reaction. But I remained silent urging him to speak.

"They even knew I had information to disprove your uncle's involvement with the ongoing case and warned me against using it."

"You've found evidence?" I asked while I readjusted myself against him, such that my arms wound around his waist and my head rested against his chest.

He chuckled humourlessly, "More like forged evidence. Your uncle isn't really innocent, you know."

I smiled against his chest, my fingers toying with the buttons of his shirt, "I'm aware." Several thoughts floated in my mind, "Why didn't you tell me if you knew someone was going to attack me?"

"I didn't know for sure if they'd attack you, but they had warned me to be prepared for the consequences if I didn't back out. This attack on you is a warning for both me and your family. I didn't want to frighten you, hence I asked Shehryar to fly to Karachi and keep a watch, while I flew back from London."

"Yaar had been keeping a watch over me?" I asked in disbelief, moving away from him. His eyes momentarily flashed with guilt, but then he moved closer looking at me with an unsaid apology.

"I don't trust anyone else with your safety. But despite everything, you still managed to escape to the beach without a soul knowing about it." His spoke in an airy tone despite the veiled disapproval. "When my plane landed Shehryar was going crazy looking for you."

"If Yaar didn't know my whereabouts how did you find me?"

A deathly silence greeted us and I looked at him with a questioning appraisal. "You promise you won't be angry." His expression remained careful, his voice controlled.

"What have you done?" I bit out, but kept a straight face determined not to show how unnerved I was with this information.

"Just promise, please." He said tilting on his side and leaning forward to grasp my wrist in his warm clammy hands. I nodded hesitantly, "The phone I gave you. I can trace your location using that. I promise, I don't stalk you, it's the first time I've ever used it." I blinked, evidently surprised at the information, but despite my poor attempt I could not hide the look of disbelief etching across my face. "I knew you'd be mad if you found out, but it's for you own safety."

I shook my head moving away from him, the disapproval dancing mercilessly in my eyes. No. No. No. "You should have told me. This is an invasion of my privacy." I almost burst out at him. Irritation marred my brows and I looked away, because I knew if I looked into his eyes right now, I'd give into his explanation.

"Baby."

"Don't baby me." I mumbled, my face falling to my chest in disappointment.

"Meri jaan." His voice drained to a whisper as he scooted closer. A frisson of heat shot down my spine.

"You should have told me about this when you gave me the phone." I looked up to see him looking at me when an apologetic smile.

"You wouldn't have kept the phone." He stated as a matter of fact and I couldn't help but agree. "And I promise I've never used it to keep a track on you, nor do I ever intend to do that. It just for emergencies."

"You could have called me." I snorted.

His eyebrows gathered in disbelief and question, "Oh really? Maybe I did call and you never answered." His eyes narrowed in accusation, his tone bordering derisive.

"I was angry with you for not calling when you were away all these days." I wrinkled my nose. "But I'm glad I didn't, at least I now know I'm being tracked." Impertinence riddled my face.

He groaned in frustration, "You make me sound like a stalker. I promise that was never my intention. It's just a safety measure. You can track my phone if that makes you happy."

"Your phone is tracked as well?"

"Of course it is. Shehryar can trace it. I'll give you the password as well."

"Hmm." I sighed, still unsure of how I felt. That damned thing did save my life after all. "I'm just sad I can't cheat on you now." An odd trace of humour lingered in my voice.

A rich susurrus of air and sound flicked besides me and he began to laugh. He looked teasingly handsome, "That wasn't going to happen anyways," he rasped in a low voice.

"You seem quite sure of yourself."

He shrugged dismissively, "Maybe I'm just sure of us." I smiled slowly, taking my time to subdue the feelings pooling within me. "Are you still upset with me?" He asked after a while.

I sighed deeply at his words, my frustrations coming to heel. I thought for a while, before I turned to look at him. He looked like a beautiful disaster. "What you did yesterday was stupid and careless. You've jeopardised your entire career. If anyone ever gets wind of it, they can use it to destroy your whole career. You can be charged for murder."

His entire body stiffened, but there was no remorse or guilt on his face. "They got what they deserved," his cold eyes glowered over me, his voice lacking the usual warmth I had grown so accustomed to hearing. "I fired from Jahanzaib's gun, and he and Shehryar were with me last night when we arrived at the spot."

"Is Jahanzaib under arrest? Will he be prosecuted?" My heart constricted at the thought of my guard and his family. I wouldn't want him to suffer for my sake.

He shook his head, "We made it look like he was already present with you and fired in self defence. He is on bail right now, but the commissioner has assured me the case against him will be closed in a few days."

"What if someone saw you. You cannot have a record." I cried out in exasperation.

"You don't have to stress yourself out with all this. I've it all under control."

"You killed a man, Aliyaar. And another one is critically injured. You think the people behind them will stay quiet after everything that happened. When they know everything, they'd also know it was you who fired at their men and not my guard."

"I've done it once, I'd do it again." His words rang with an ominous warning, devoid of any mercy or forgiveness. "Whoever did this deserves to know that an indelible line was crossed when they attacked you."

"Aliyaar, you shouldn't have been so rash and impulsive about this." I tried reasoning with him. I gnawed at my lip, "Please—"

"No Shanzae," his tone was edged in ice and warning, his eyes simmering at me, stark and merciless. "They don't touch what's mine and get away with it." And for the first time today, his face rippled with a multitude of conflicting emotions.

"I am not yours." I pronounced the words in a whispered tirade. "You don't have to fight my battles. You don't have to risk everything for me." Anger bubbled in my veins and I felt my heart threatening to burst in my throat.

He leaned back, an unfathomable expression marred his face and his eyes narrowed at me in objection. "Is that so? Alas, the world doesn't seem to agree with you." He said, his voice was laden with solemnity but the challenge in his eyes simmered like a hot pool of lava. "They attacked me where it hurts the most." He gritted out.

I sucked in a deep breath, and the initial anger began to melt as the meaning of his words pierced though me like an arrow hurled through the air. "Stop acting like a possessive caveman." I replied looking away, but his words still rang through me like deafening bells.

"Are you not mine? Do we not belong together?" His soft voice broke through the silence, a tacit understanding seeped in through his tone.

I shifted and turned back to face him. A rueful smile played on the corners of his lips, but his eyes shifted like a sea caught in a storm. "I'm not a thing, Aliyaar. I'm human. You don't own me. I only belong to myself." I said very slowly and patiently yet warily.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay." His eyes soften in playful diversion and a trace of a mischievous smile graced his lips. He tilted his head, watching the confusion washing on my face with a hint of humour. My eyebrows knitted together in question before he sobered up and spoke with a quiet solemnity. "You might not be mine, but I'm yours."

➰➰➰

Beyond the partially opened curtains, a slit of waning sunlight bathed the room with its golden warmth. The marbled flooring reflected the thousand rays of iridescent light filling the room with an envious glow. Despite the sunlight, the room was cold and I felt the frigid air pierce into my bones and seep into my soul.

I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep but his words kept haunting me.

I'm yours.

I repeated the words aloud, and that's when I realised their inescapable truth.

I've never lied to you.

He might have endeavoured to conceal things from me, but he had never lied to me. His face might have veiled his feelings but his eyes always betrayed him. They never lied.

My head became heavy with the thoughts swirling in them like cursed fiends and my eyes began to close, when a knock on my door bought me back from the wasteland of my jumbled thoughts.

My mother walked in after a while. Her delicate features tight and grim. She studied me for a second before she spoke, "Your grandfather is here."

I felt my heart drop at her words. I was too tired to face him. I was still to meet my father as well.

I groaned hiding myself under my blanket. "Tell them i'm asleep." I mumbled from underneath my cover.

"Be serious Shany. Get out from underneath there." She said removing the cover from off my face.

"Mom." I groaned. "I made a mistake, I own up to it. How long will everyone scold me for it?"

Her eyebrows raised a fraction, "No one has said a word to you until now." Her stern face glowered over me and an odd stillness stretched across the room.

"Aliyaar scolded me," I grumbled, averting my eyes from her reproachful gaze and toying with the pillows on my bed. "My body still hurts," I said looking back at her. "I can't go out to meet them like this."

"Come with me, Shany. Aliyaar is asking for your nikkah to be held this weekend."

Aliyaar getting possessive and Shany being her usual stubborn self.

If you've made it through the typos, Let me know your thoughts on this chapter. 💕💕

Will Shanzae agree to getting married all of a sudden?

Twitter & Instagram: @sssaltynothings.