Nazreena's heart thudded aloud as she just reached in time to catch Hafsa, but she had already had balanced herself on the statue and climbed down from it.

"Are you okay?" Nazreena questioned dwithbher frantic voice as she stared at Hafsa , she could her her own heart beating at the pace as if she had run a marathon.

"Are you okay?" Hafsa questioned back her eyes stuck on her friend's paled face and wide and frantic eyes. Hafsa could make that Nazreena was scared, nope Nazreena wasn't scared she was terrified.

"I don't know," Nazreena muttered under her breath and stared ahead of her, her eyes stuck on the sculptures.

"What is there?" Hafsa whirled around and stared at the sculpture, her mind taking it too long to register about the reality of sculptures.

"Huh!" A long gasp escaped her mouth as she she made it to the conclusion, those sculpture weren't carved out of the huge stones, they were people actual people.

The reality dawned at her with a heavy weight tensing her shoulders as she tried to turn and glance at other frozen people but couldn't. Her fear didn't let her move. She was stuck on her roots.

"We were supposed to be dead by now." Hafsa muttered making Nazreena realised that they were here to free them not to get terrified by the reality of how it happened?

"We have to find a way out of here." Nazreena's eyes wandered around the huge room, searching for an exit. The dancing flames of candles kept on the chandelier illuminated the room in yellow hues. Her eyes went on her shadow which was huge than her actual figure, she shook her head and moved to the walls.

"There have to be an exit here." A helpless plea escaped her mouth as she tucked her fingers around Hafsa's wrist and dragged her with herself.

Hafsa had just registered the reality and she would take her sweet time come across it.

The walls were intricately decorated, long lose curtains covered most of the wall. The were made of white and soft silk.

The room was too big to search for an exit. There were no windows and other than the open area from where the chandelier dropped, that was the only way which seemed like an escape.

"Nazreena," Hafsa hissed at Nazreena when her eyes fell on the huge shadow around them. In their search of an escape they couldn't focus on the intruder which just entered the room.

"What?" Nazreena jerked her head behind to see at what she was implying.

Hafsa pointed at the looming shadow around the shadow loomed closer and closer, until it stopped near the closest sculpture to them.

"Girls like you should be at home weaving clothes or getting yourself ready for am alliance." Jafar's thin voice resonated in the corners of the room.

Nazreena's and Hafsa's breath stopped, theire feet denied to move as a chill ran down their spine. But then Nazreena remembered her title, she was a princess she wasn't the one to get scared by a mere man, she was the one who kept them in their boundaries. Nazreena was born to be rule, not to be ruled.

"Now, I know why you nobody really respects you." Nazreena turned around and crossed her arms on her chest, her eyes hard on Jafar as she stared at him, or more glared at him.

"I don't need your words anymore, just follow me." Jafar ignored her words and turned gesturing them to follow him.

"What makes you think we will follow your instructions? You don't rule us." Nazreena fought back, her spine straightening at the way Jafar stared at Hafsa.

"I am not even interested to rule people like you, also, I am not even interested to rule anyone. It's just the matter of my people. You all are here to save us." Jafar stared ahead of him ignoring the point that he was betraying his Queen.

"Why are you so sure we will save people like you?" Nazreena questioned back she wanted to know if he was just fooling them or really helping them out. Jafar didn't look like a man who would help out any one without locating his own benefit.

"Are you sure you want to doubt the only person who wants to get you out of her here?" Instead of answering Jafar asked, turning around his head a little to see if she was really keen on fighting him.

There wasn't any time to ponder over what was right or wrong, so, Nazreena accepted her defeat and moved forward only to be stopped by Hafsa. Hafsa's eyes stared at Nazreena with uncertainty, and Nazreena had zero assurance to make Hafsa believe on her.

"I don't have all for you." Jafar let them know and walked ahead of them making Nazreena and Hafsa run to him and follow behind his steps.

♤

Layla was still stuck in the pool court when, pacing back and forth and she tried to think for every possible reason to get to know where her friends was, but it seemed really impossible to do so.

"I see you haven't had your breakfast, yet." Hala came back, her eyes void of emotions as she moved closer to the pool and bind her hands behind her back.

"I am not really in mood to eat." Layla answered with her heavy breath. It was true, Layla was feeling already nauseous and just thinking about having a meal made her more nauseous.

"Suit yourself."

Silence basked upon them and Hala knew Layla wasn't going to back out without a fight. Layla was more fiercer than she had seen her earlier.

"Tell me Layla, how many times do you have to leave your dreams shattered to be the dutiful daughter of your parents, being the perfect example for your younger siblings and looking after kids who aren't even yours?" Hala questioned her voice heavy with pity as she stared at the moving reflection of Layla in the pool.

"Carrying the baggage of elder daughter when you could have just denied it, simply." She continued and saw the sadness making a room in Layla's eyes.

"I am bound to fulfill my duties." Layla muttered her words heavy as if she had to force out them of her mouth. Layla denied to even stare Hala in the mean time.

"What an odd thing to say?" Hala sighed tutting at Layla as if pitying her misfortune.

"Why is that an odd thing? I love my family." Layla defended herself, feeling the heavy weight of regret and remorse pulling her heart into darkness.

Hala laughed, it was a mocking laugh. It boomed across the corners of the pool court.

"You are naive Layla," Hala commented with a soft yet menacing smile.

"Think about it, if you really-really loved your family, would had made the wish?" Hala questioned.

Her question freezing Layla's every living molecule and Barq could see how Hala was manipulating Layla, he wished Layla would fight against Hala's words, but then all the colors of life faded from his face when he heard Layla saying the next words.

"You are right, I don't love them."