"a colour can never brighten up your day if you can't understand it's beauty - faaris."

Afra fiddled with the toussles of her scarf, keeping a close watch on Sulaaymaan as he recited the Qur'an and she intently listened.

He didn't have the best method of reciting but it was unique. So soulful and deep was his pronounciation that certain verses made more sense than they had ever done before.

And after that he had sat down with her narrating some Hadeeth and Quranic stories.

After another few hours — as the Adhan for Asr boomed in the air — they got up, carefully rested their Qur'ans over the desk and sat down with their arms linked.

"Sulaaymaan, can I ask you something?"

He nodded gently before pulling her closer and resting his head over her chest. For a few seconds, she sat stiffly but as he began to snore a lightly, she chuckled and wrapped her arms around his head.

His skin of his cheeks was a little bumpy and Afra frowned at certain pimples that were peeking softly through his skin.

She gently swiped her fingers across them as he mumbled something incoherent and scooted closer.

She could feel her breath hitch with the proximity they shared. Somehow it wasn't as disturbing. It provoked so much warmth and protectiveness within her.

Her mother would often do that to her father whenever he would feel lost and defeated. At those times, he'd be so vulnerable and delicate that it didn't make much sense to her.

She had always considered males as a symbol of strength and power.

But she didn't ever think that they were humans too.

That they had the right to cry and cuddle.

She sucked in a huge gulp of air and watched him with a few tears in her eyes.

"Sulaaymaan, I know you're asleep."

She whispered and rested a soft peck over his messy hair.

"But I'll just say it nonetheless. Neither of us are aware of what the future holds. If something happens to me, I hope you'll never give up smiling. Know that I'll be watching you and Allah would be always there for you. You can't give up because you lost me. You will need to stay strong and know that I live within you. We will be meeting in Jannah anyway so you better not give up on me."

A tear slipped down her cheek and fell over his eye. He twitched and slowly pulled his eyelids open. She gasped as his eyes fully opened and were now staring at her tearful ones.

"You....why are you crying?"

He whispered a little huskily before pulling her even closer and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"You.....just make me feel so blessed. How can I not cry when a rainbow had risen in my sky?"

A hint of a smile flashed over his lips.

"That's too cheesy."

"I love cheese."

He mumbled into her chest.

"I don't."

Afra smiled.

"Well get used to it then."

Sulaaymaan knew something was up with Afra.

She was hiding something extremely necessary. Even when he had questioned her about what Waasay had whispered in her ear, she had stuttered an answer without meeting his eyes.

And he knew his woman enough to understand that she was lying.

That night, after everyone had gone to bed, he had made up his mind to pay a visit at the hospital to check up on Waasay.

He pulled his coat on, pocketed his phone and bent over Afra. She had thrown away the covers and was sleeping with her shirt tucked up a little.

Observing her sleep like that, he carefully pulled the shirt to cover her exposed skin and somehow managed to pull the covers till her knees.

After that he sat down beside her, smiling as he played with the locks of hair that covered her forehead.

"You're such a stupid wife Afra. You actually thought I wouldn't recognize the flash of hurt and guilt in your eyes."

He rested his palm against her cheek.

"Know that if you can try to protect me, I can do just the same. Will be back soon love. Sleep....tight I guess."

He planted a quick kiss on her cheek, pulled his hood over his head and strided through the room and down the hallways.

The living room was dark and it didn't quite appeal to him. Most dangers lurked within the silence of the unheard and he didn't want to take any chances. Switching on the lights in the hallways and the chandelier in the living room, he exited through the large doors.

The night air was thick with fury and inattentiveness. Like the power of a revengeful soul, it held some uneasiness. Although nothing was going to get him back in the house, he still had a bad feeling grow in the pit of his stomach.

He thrusted his hands into the pockets of his jacket and nodded his head with a smile at his guards who were waving at him from a distance.

"Assalaamualaikum sir."

He stood closer to them and replied to their greeting.

"Walaikumusslaaam guys. We need to go to hospital. One of you come with me while the other can get inside the house and keep a close watch on everyone."

All the men assembled around him gave brisk nods.

"Should we guard the balconies as well?"

Mohammad inquired and Sulaaymaan shook his head.

"Not necessarily. Because one of you guys will have to be at the rear of the house while the rest will specifically keep an eye on the family."

"Okay sir."

"So I'll take Abdullah with me. You guys get dispersed and keep an eye on the CCTV surveillance. We never know what it might show us."

They all nodded. Abdullah excused himself to get the car ready as he busied himself in giving last minute  instructions to the members.

Fifteen minutes later, he had buckled himself in the passenger seat as they drove away for the hospital.

"How're things progressing?"

Abdullah asked, briefly glancing at him before fixing his gaze on the road.

"Alhumdulillah so far it's been getting better. Unlike the start where we had absolutely no leads, we are in a better state now."

Abdullah mumbled an Alhumdulillah and continued to drive quietly.

For the rest few minutes Sulaaymaan rested his head against the seat and closed his eyes.

Since the drive was a good forty minutes, he slid deeper into the seat and fell into an unknown slumber. It hadn't even been much long before he was awaken as the car jumped over a bump on the road and almost made him hit his head against the dashboard.

"Woah, steady there. What wa —"

He turned to face Abdullah only to be found face to face with a masked man — a man with a gun pointed at his head — as he kept guiding the car with his free hand.

"Where's Abdullah?"

He craned his neck a little — least bothered about the cold metal pressed against his head — as his eyes searched for his partner.

"Don't you dare move any more Sulaaymaan. That'll be good for the guy bleeding in the boot."

He froze, his mouth opening wide. That voice was very familiar — so much so that he was now dreading the moment of revelation — and sat back staring at the road.

The more the tires hit the speed breakers, the more things bounced in his head. He wasn't asleep for too long. When and how had this masked guy managed to hurt Abdullah and lock him in the boot?

How had he not waken up? Why had he fallen asleep so deeply?

Pinching his forehead, he sighed aloud.

"Don't you have something better to do in life. Like maybe, try and get a job and settle down with a wife or something?"

Sulaaymaan glanced at him from a corner of his eyes.

"You're not even vaguely aware of who I am right?"

Sulaaymaan sighed.

"Would that matter? I'm being killed anyway without knowing your identity."

The guy chuckled bitterly.

"Maybe not. Maybe it'll be best for you to know who I am after all."

"Or maybe it's best that you just leave us all be."

"Don't act smart with me!"

He growled suddenly and Sulaaymaan understood that he had crossed a line there.

"Or else your pretty little wife will get hurt. Now we don't want that do we?"

Sulaaymaan's face paled.

"Don't you dare hurt Afra. You wanted me and I'm here! Leave her alone."

The guy abruptly brought the car to a stop and pressed the metal on his head.

"Don't you tell me what to do and what not! You'll be surprised at how much I'm capable of achieving."

Sulaaymaan glared at him.

"Stop with the insane acts already Waasay. Just tell me what you want and I'll do everything in my power to give it to you."

"It's actually too late for that I guess. At first I would have just been satisfied with torturing you till you gave me the title of an official crown prince but I suppose now my heart's changed a little."

Sulaaymaan's lips pressed in a tight line. However, one couldn't miss his jaws grinding.

"What is it?"

"Afra. Give me Afra."

« Assalaamualaikum Princesses ❤

Okay, okay, we see that the guy who's behind all this witchcrafty was Waasay after all.

But do you guys realize that he said he would hurt Afra?

Adiós my Habibtis. We'll see that in the next chapter in Shaa ALLAH.

❤❤❤

I love you all so so much.

Much love,

»