Relinquishment- Prologue
The sun was beginning to set, and the woman still felt like there was still more to do. As she placed her hand on her swollen belly, she felt the slight movements which a brought a smile on her lips and happy thoughts all at once to her heart. Beginning to feel very tiered she decided (much to her dismay) that the chores around the house had to end for today She was only up on her feet for less than 30 minutes the whole day, but her energy levels were very low- today at its lowest ever.
It was only a month more, and soon she would bear her first child. One hand still placed on her abdomen she began humming a lullaby as she placed the broom to the side of the kitchen wall. Taking a place to sit at her humble dining table, she patted her stomach placating the movements within, with her soft voice.
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The baby was an active one. It kept her up more during the nights as her stomach grew, but now in her 8th month, she was much more tiered than usual. She would talk about the pregnancy to the ladies around her neighborhood for they would always ask her how she was progressing. More often than not they would visit her, give her some vegetables or figs that had been growing abundantly in their own gardens to share with the mother to be. Unsolicited advice was always given by the good hearted talkative neighbors, and the woman would smile and always receive it with politeness.
They would say that tiredness always came with pregnancies, but the woman in her own right felt her pregnancy was different than all the rests'- most women do. Every woman feels like their experience of motherhood outlandishly differs from all the rest. However in this case- the woman was absolutely right. Her baby had an active soul- more than average. She was sure in her heart of hearts it was a son, and though she couldn't confirm her guess till the day she would give birth, she knew she would be in the right.
As soon as she told her husband her instinct on the sex of the baby, the two had immediately began daydreaming what the future would hold with a son. All fantasies included of a son crying at night, a son on the shoulders of the proud father, a son playing swords carved of wood from the palm, laughing and crying, chasing his parents around till night.
Throughout her pregnancy the woman would always confide to her husband about how difficult it had become to carry the child. He was very surprised to hear this, especially since the complaints had started early on, when she was only two months pregnant. Why she didn't even seem visibly pregnant at the time for her belly was reasonably flat, and suffered no more than usual from morning sickness. Nevertheless the lack of energy grew into more aches and pains as her stomach grew. Consequently her nausea did as well. Every day became more and more tumultuous to chew and swallow something.
It had become unbearable to point that she was bed ridden by 6 months, which put quite a damper on her fabric business. With money being so tight with her not working, the father worked in the street markets overtime selling as much materials as he could. Being a salesman was quite challenging but he was the best at being persuasive. Though ends were being met just by the skin of his teeth, he could still do nothing to appease the pain his dear wife had been feeling throughout the pregnancy.
"There is an herb but in only grows up in the kingdom of Upanistan, but it's more than a month's travel Cassim! You can't leave your wife by herself in this condition while you go!"
"If this herb is the answer to her ailments then I have no choice but to," Cassim replied to his neighbor. "Fatima, you say this rare exotic herb will help Lela sleep and rest better?" Cassim asked for reassurance once more.
"I am certain Cassim. My husband's mother had given us a bottle of the herbs mixed with macadamia oil, when we were wed. I had saved its contents for my own pregnancies. It worked like magic, but you cannot get the herb from anywhere except Upanistan. That's where my mother in law was from,' she clarified. "My only regret is that I have none left to give it to you so that it may inhibit you from going. I can see it in your eyes Cassim, how much you want to help her and the great lengths you will go to do so," she said with pity looking on.
"She is sick Fatima. She has grown weak. She has no energy. She is in her bed as we speak. Now she only gets up from bed an hour a day. Long periods of walking, has put a strain on her soul. It's as if this new life inside of her is taking up all of her elements- her very breath of life!"
When Cassim told his wife Lela about the herb, she quickly dismissed it.
"No Cassim. I know me not working is putting a strain on our income, but we're getting by. We only have two months to go," she replied as she tried with all her might to sit up in bed.
"You haven't stepped out of your bedroom for more than an hour at a time each day. You call this bed rest or more, an illness? If only we had enough money for a doctor to come by and check on you," he replied disappointedly, as he tried to help pull her to sit up. "And what about after the baby comes? Will you have the strength to go back to work right away? Of course not! And I wouldn't even think of you going back so quickly my dear," he pressed. The herb in his eyes was more than necessary and the only way to help his wife. "I worry about how you will do after you give birth. If you can…" he trailed off, turning his head away from Lela.
Lela placed the tips of her finger on his chin and turned him to make eye contact with her. She looked directly into his eyes. Her demands penetrated and he could read them. A sign of a sigh from his lips showed he knew she meant him to go on and finish his thought, and not think of her as so fragile.
"I worry if you will survive the birth. This herb can provide some medicinal properties to help with the healing of birth as well. I know it! Fatima said so."
Never in his dreams did he think his life would be this way. He and his wife were of the destitute since he could remember. He had always thirsted for a wealthier life. Being a rare complainer and one never to take a challenge so seriously, Lela overcame every obstacle. If he had more he could give Lela anything, especially now when she needed it most.
Cassim made his mind up to travel, and trusted his neighbor Fatima to watch over Lela while he was gone. Fatima promised to visit twice a day and to look over Lela. Fatima was dear and good natured, and treated Lela like a younger sister. Cassim feeling reassured ventured out to Upanistan, knowing that he was leaving his feeble wife behind.
Lela, like the good sport she always was, did not complain at all. She knew he ventured out care, only for her and their unborn child. Although she didn't show it she was quite distraught. It had been the longest Cassim would be away from her since they had been wed. The separation though necessary would be difficult to get through. Before he had left, he kissed his beautiful wife good-bye. She was still sleeping and he didn't want to wake her. Since her pregnancy she'd readily be up half of the night tossing and turning, not being able to get a full rest. Seeing her soundly asleep was a rare moment thus he carefully and quietly placed a kiss on her forehead before leaving. He tucked a hair back in its place that crossed her forehead. She moaned a bit but did not awake.
Finding a piece of parchment nearby, he wrote a few words, feeling uncomfortable leaving her without any communication.
My Dearest Lela,
I will be back before you know it. Keep telling our son all the stories our Agrabahian culture contains. Arabian songs filled with moons and stars should still be sung always as we do to him together every night before sleeping. You must keep the Lela and Cassim traditions alive during my absence!
SEE YOU VERY SOON MY LOVE,
Cas
Placing the paper on her night stand, he turned to the kitchen to carefully fill a canteen with water, packed some food and a few items of clothing in a satchel, and went on his way with a horse he borrowed from Fatima's husband.
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Sitting at the dining table Lela finally felt the movements subside as she hummed the last verse of the lullaby. She smiled as she looked up at the moonlight remembering those last moments she had spent with Cassim before he ventured out to retrieve the rare herb to placate all her pains. Peace finally infiltrated her body from the depths of her abdomen to the tips of her fingers and toes. It had been a month since she had last seen her husband.
"Oh, where are you Cassim?" she whispered into the night. The kitchen was getting darker. It was time she get back to the bed. The bed she laid on the past few months had become the bed she had most laid on her entire life! But, it had become colder without Cassim in it.
She tucked herself into the sheets. As she blew the flame out next to her night stand, she peered out the window. The crescent was in full light.
"I hope that my child will one day find someone to love as I have and they shall never be separated for any moment of time- no matter the circumstance." She thought to herself wishing deeply within her.
Sometime in the middle of the night Lela awoke to the sound of footsteps. Panic came within her all at once for fear of an intruder. There was not much retaliation she could do, due to her present circumstance.
She stood up straight in her bed, bringing the sheets up under her chin. She saw the bedroom door open, unveiling a tall dark silhouette. The person quickly lit a match bringing the flame to his face.
"Cassim!" she cried all at once. He quickly lit the lamp on her nightstand, swooped down and gathered Lela in his arms.
"My precious Lela! My dear one, oh how I've missed you!" he whispered into her hair burying his face in its wonderful scent. He sat next to her on the bed, patting her belly.
"You're bigger since the last time I saw you!" he observed making Lela smile. "How have you been my love?"
Lela told Cassim how she had still been the same. She still did not have enough energy to venture beyond the bedroom for than an hour a day and that sleep had become harder to come to at night recently.
"Though I'm not sure if it's because of the baby or if it's because you were gone," she said. Cassim couldn't help but smile at the love of his life at this answer.
He reached into his satchel, holding up a bottle to the moonlight.
"Is that the herb?" she asked.
"It's not the herb," he answered. Lela immediately looked bewildered.
"But it's something that can help," he clarified. Lela's eyes widened.
"What is it?"
"It's an elixir."
"An elixir? Is it even safe Cassim?" she worriedly asked.
"It is, I assure you. When I went to Upanistan there was a drought that caused many crops to perish. The herb is completely absent at this present time. They have planted seeds, but it will take a year for full bloom. However, I crossed paths with a healer who took me to the temple that held the Elixir of Life. This bottle my dear, contains the very elixir!"
"You're not serious! Why I thought that was all legend!" she mustered the words out weakly. Taking note of the lack of energy she projected, he insisted she lean more back against the bed. He tucked her in a bit more so that she was more comfortable. He was at least pleased to see that she even though had gotten a bit weaker; Fatima by the way the home looked had come often, bringing in food and tidying the place.
"No, it's very true my dear, very true indeed."
He brought the elixir up to her lips. As they both looked into each other's eyes, Lela swallowed the contents. She felt a burst in her throat, running down her esophagus, continuing on to her stomach. A rush of sensation encapsulated her swollen belly, and then all at once the sensation was gone!
"My, my pain," she started. Cassim held his breath quickly sitting next to her on the bed in case any support was needed. Cassim's apprehensive thoughts were running through his mind at infinite speeds! This has to work! This HAS to work!
"Cassim," she paused. "It's gone! Why, I haven't felt this much energy in a long time!" she exclaimed as she shot straight up in her bed. "Oh my! I feel like! Oh my goodness this house is not anywhere ready to receive a child! We still have so much to do," she cried as she turned to Cassim's facing him. Cassim cheerfully bellowed. Chuckling he took Lela closer to his body on the bed.
"Looks like the Elixir did do the trick!" he smiled looking on at his beautiful wife. He planted a long meaningful kiss on her lips.
Little did she know that getting the Elixir of Life meant having to pay a heavy price?
"A Life for a Life" He had told Cassim,
"Please just let me go and give this to my wife! She's with child and she's very sick!"
"No! A life for a life! That is the law!"
"If a promise to return will you let me go?"
Though at this present time he was full of happiness to be back with his wife and home, the voice of the evil guardian of the temple haunted his thoughts every minute. Cassim would have to go back, but he would go once his child was born. For those were the agreed upon contingencies.
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A month later Lela bravely endured pain and suffering of great magnitudes to bring a healthy strong baby boy into the world. Cassim was pacing the whole day until he heard a long strong cry, of his child.
Rushing to the room, he saw Fatima and few other neighborhood women serving as doulas tending to Lela and the baby. Wiping the beads of sweat on her forehead one of the women covered Lela's with a sheet so she could feel warmer
Lela saw Cassim all at once in the doorway smiling at her beloved.
"Meet your handsome son Cassim," Fatima said as she placed the crying babe bundled in soft cloth, in his arms. Cassim grasped the life with great meticulousness, and hugged the child closer to his chest. All at once the cries dissipated.
Proud at his achievement he quickly glanced at Lela.
She looked completely tiered, but she looked good. She replied his achievement with a smile as she closed her eyes.
"Your wife is much tiered. It's important she get some rest," one of the doulas instructed to Cassim.
"Yes of course." The women left.
"You know where to find me if you need me," Fatima called out as she headed out their home.
As Lela remained soundly, still smiling, Cassim cradled the baby as he came into the bed next to Lela.
"Now wife, I know you're not really sleeping," he whispered.
"Hmm," she smiled. "You know me too well."
"Thinking of names are we not?" he chuckled softly.
She giggled back. "Ugh. My body is dormant from the tiredness of birthing, but my mind is racing of names!"
"Anything in particular you like?"
"Yes," Lela turned slowly to face her husband lying next to her with the baby in his arms.
"Aladdin?"
Cassim smiled. "Aladdin eh?" He looked at the little baby asleep in his arms. "Do you like that little Aladdin?"
The baby, eyes still shut, answered with a smile.
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SO THAT"S IT! That's the first preview of my New Story Relinquishment! It will be on Aladdin and Jasmine and will be a part of my UNIVERSITY SERIES that I am writing. I hope you enjoyed it! Stay tuned. AFTER WONDERMENT showcasing Belle and Adam is complete, this will be my next writing venture!
WHO IS THE EVIL GUARDIAN THAT CASSIM HAD TO PROMISE TO RETURN TO…FIND OUT SOON!
~LL