Adar

The next night came in a blur, a fleeting grasp of reality drifting into the whimsical atmosphere of what could have been a nation of peace and prosperity. The world they lived in thrived off of wars, relished bloodshed, and bathed in the aftermath of glory. Winners were not always righteous nor were the losers always innocent. The scale of balance tipped.

And with that tip fell the tears of those that lost everything.

He could not get the images from his head, could not stop seeing the pain and sorrow etched among the faces of Abdul Jalil's family. Rabiya and Adar found their shelter, a nearby medicine store meant for soldiers were secretly treating the family's injuries. The general decided to mediate the situation, and told Adar to rest while they escorted the family back to the estate.

How could he sleep when the one he loved was in so much misery?

A family that once had everything in abundance was left with nothing but dust and broken memories, their daily lives haunted by the legacy of their loved ones, their property shrouded in their unbreakable will. It wasn't enough to save them, yet the fire of determination ignited within all their hearts.

Adar knew the general would not change the situation at all. Although he hated to admit the realities that seemed unfavorable, he knew it was the most logical.

They had to abandon the estate. If they didn't, their lives would be sacrificed over nothing.

* * * *

The next morning, Adar left in the early hours of Fajr (dawn prayer) without his parents' knowledge, not that they cared. He hadn't spoken to his parents at all, and all they gave Adar was cold, threatening stares. Even Adar's sisters found more shame in him than honor.

A sharp, acute stab tormented his heart, squeezing his chest painfully. His family didn't understand him. They didn't understand the sins they reveled in, and Adar could not plant the seed of knowledge within them. All he could do was pray for Allah's mercy on the Day of Judgment.

Ignoring the thought, he approached the estate again, his mind already formulating the small speech he had prepared. He could see no other option in protecting the family except through Rabiya first.

Exhaling a deep breath, he walked down the steps, leaving his house behind. He felt anxious, lost almost, but he knew he had to help the family, had to atone for his family's sins.

He wanted to marry Rabiya, and only through marriage could he take her away and convince her family away. The road ahead of Adar was foggy, casting long silhouettes of uncertainty, but he was willing to take whatever risk necessary.

However, right before Adar turned the corner, a hand grabbed him from behind, yanking his collar into a nearby shaded corner, hidden by bristling leaves and rigid branches, a place where light barely seeped through. Darkness engulfed him.

Adar's muscles tensed, arms prepared to punch the intruder until a familiar abyss of dark brown eyes, the type of brown seen after a storm hit the soils, stared back at him with a chaotic gleam, wild with fury.

"It's been a long time, Miraj," said Adar, slightly pushing his friend's grip off him. "Though, I must say that this type of welcome is unappreciated."

"What is wrong with you?"

He raised a brow. "Pardon?"

Miraj exhaled slowly, the anger seeping into the tense air. "I asked what was wrong with you? How could you meet with the very people who have a price to your life? Are you insane?" he fired harshly.

"Calm down. I didn't reveal my name. He has no idea who I am."

His friend's jaw clenched with a click, fury bursting through his popped veins as he struggled to tame the flames. "I told you to be careful, Adar. Do you honestly think your own family won't tell them who you are, especially after everything that you've done regarding Abdul Jalil's family," he seethed. "They are at war with each other, and you waltz into the battlefield without a care of how it may affect you or their family."

This time, Adar couldn't control his brewing temper, couldn't fight the venom from slipping past his tongue, or the indignance that infiltrated his line of sight. How could his best friend, a man he'd admired for years, tell him that he was a fool for trying to rewrite his parent's sins, for choosing to follow the righteous path even at the cost of his life?

"Don't you dare claim that I have been careless when people in our village have harassed and tormented that family to their last bone," he hissed, fist clenching and jaw tight. "I know the consequences of my actions, and I know that there are people who are searching for me, but for as long as Allah allows me to live I will never allow injustice to follow into the homes of innocent people."

Miraj closed his eyes, muttering under his breath. "Ya Allah, help him."

"You said so yourself that we should protect this family."

His eyes opened, the same fire still there. "I said to warn them, Adar, not to run after the war general!"

"Shh," Adar hushed him quietly, eyes frantically searching around them. It was barely Fajr prayer, but lurking eyes and ears were everywhere. He couldn't endanger Rabiya anymore than he already did. "Lower your voice. Do you want the villagers to come after you as well?"

"They may as well have given your lone wolf reputation," his friend remarked, rolling his eyes. "Tell me, did you ever once think about how much danger you have brought to Rabiya? What if the general gets a tip about your whereabouts? What if your parents turn you into authorities? Then what, Adar, will you continue to play the act of hero to an already grieving girl?"

He looked away, feeling his anger simmer down. "I have thought about that every single day, Miraj."

"So why implicate yourself further into this situation?" he sighed, eyes staring into his with a concealed, cloudy fear, a sign of vulnerability. Miraj's voice grew soft, quiet as the solemn silence that breathed across their village. "Did you not think even for one second what would happen to me if you were caught?"

"Miraj-"

He shook his head fiercely. "No," he croaked. "How could you be so careless to not even think about me if you were taken in the middle of the night and killed?"

"I wasn't. Look at me," tried Adar with a weak, nervous smile. "Alhamdulillah (thanks to God) I'm still fine."

Miraj's eyes glistened. "But for how long?" he whispered.

A heavy silence fell between them, stretching a vast distance where the two inseparable friends were now divided by a fate that could dictate who lived and who died, who survived the war and who disappeared from the pages of history, legacy fallen and legend erased. That was Adar's fear, that after all the blood and all the tears, his efforts for change would fall on deaf ears and he would be forgotten.

Yet he couldn't find the strength in him to leave all that he worked for behind even if it was a lost cause. Adar would not give in to their rapidly changing society, nor would he compromise his beliefs to fit into a place that posed no welcome for him.

Lifting heavy eyelids, Adar glanced at his conflicted best friend, his brother in Islam. Though not much older than himself, Miraj was the older brother that Adar always wanted. Whenever he needed assistance, Miraj would run to his home and hold his arm out. Even when no one believed in Adar, he knew his friend would, he knew his brother would always stand by his side.

"I apologize for causing you grief, Miraj," he spoke quietly, gaze averted. "But what could I do? Everything was escalating so fast that I had no idea how else to help. I tried to reason, but the villagers pushed me aside, forced me to align with a side, and then attacked me with the same ferocity as Rabiya's family."

Miraj sighed. "I heard."

"You should have seen the way they tore apart Abdul Jalil's home, how they isolated the family in a room as the whole house was ripped to shreds, and even then they didn't stop the abuse. There was no stopping or controlling their greed. When I saw Rabiya's tear-stained cheeks and heard her screaming voice, I knew it then that I would sacrifice my safety and identity to erase that image," he confessed truthfully, falling back against the trunk of a tree.

"You must really love her to go to someone as evil as the general."

"I do," smiled Adar, wistful. "I was planning to ask for her hand today, but now I see that I have no right to."

Miraj's bros furrowed in confusion. "Why not?"

"Because you were right. If I take things any further, then Rabiya may be another target to something bigger than a village. There are already rumors about my identity traveling through the markets and masjids."

"Adar, I said a lot of things out of anger," he said, falling back against a tree opposite to Adar. "I am hot-tempered, you know that."

"I love her too much to endanger her."

"Can you live without Rabiya?" asked Miraj gently. "Will you be satisfied to see her marry another village man, probably one of the men from this village just to hold the peace between families?"

The mere thought boiled Adar. She was too pure, too perfect to be stained by the filth and sins of an uncouth villager's son. Those young men still chased after women for delight. Adar could only imagine the pain they would cause Rabiya.

"No," he said.

"Then why hesitate to marry her? If you do it now, we can save all of them together."

"How, Miraj? There is no safe place for anyone associated with me, and they still have the estate to worry about."

"Yes, but the estate is not as important as their lives," insisted Miraj. "At least try to ask for her hand. Having you as an ally would help their family stand their ground, and no one could claim your irrelevance."

Adar shook his head. "I can't marry her. I don't deserve it."

"Yes, you do."

"Miraj, please."

His friend abruptly stood straight, a look of determination crossing him. "You belong in this village, and you are the untold prince of it. They may attack you or insult your character, but every villager knows deep in their heart that Adar Lohani is the only man who has ever given this village a reputation to remember," he spoke, proudly, brown eyes shining like the crease of dawn above them. "You deserve to be with the woman you love."

Adar stayed silent, glancing at his friend with hallow eyes, void of the excitement he felt. "Miraj, you can't be serious."

Instead of reply, his friend outstretched his hand just like in their childhood. No words escaped his lips, nor did he indicate anything else. His eyes spoke louder than his lips ever could, and Adar knew deep in his heart that he couldn't live without Rabiya even if a tragedy awaited him.

Because for Rabiya, he was willing to live through a thousand tragedies to ensure her happiness.

Knowing his answer, Adar gripped Miraj's hand, prepared to chart a new destiny.

----

Did you miss me? XD

It's been too long! I am so sorry. If you all saw my message board, I was traveling and then school hit me immediately. I am that kid taking like every STEM class. No joke, I have an exam every week that's worth at least 11 percent of my grade >.<

Anyway, COVID-19 is a thing, and everyone is freaked for good reason. Please stay safe, everyone. Funny how my friends and I were joking about COVID-19 a month ago and now we're all like, "Yep, mistakes were made."

Jokes aside, I really missed writing this book, and I'm getting back into the writing schedule again. It took awhile to adjust to American time again and college life.

Anyway, who else is screaming that Adar is gonna propose? I sure as hell am!

Don't forget to vote, comment, and follow!