A/N: Okay a new, exciting story I have been contemplating, but no worries I will still continue A New Life For Us until it's finished! I'm telling you now this story will not be 100% historically accurate! Happy reading everyone!
The thunderous rain did not relent as the hour grew nearer to midnight. Nineteen year old Zara Ahmad laid on her bed reading her battered copy of Pride and Prejudice, neglecting her piles of college assignments in favor a more favored pastime. It may be her eighteenth time reading the classic tale of love and misunderstanding but for her the novelty never wore out. It was times like these that Zara was born in the wrong time, place, and ethnicity. Not that she didn't appreciate her heritage, she loved being who she was. Zara was fortunate to have many different types of blood coursing through her veins from India, to Iran, Arab, and even Irish (not to mention a few dozen others). Zara coveted her heritage as she felt it gave her an identity and a link to a past she wished to be part of. She and her brother, Adam, were considered some of the most attractive kids while they were in high school, in their not so quaint town of West Hartford, Connecticut. Both of them having dark green eyes, and light brown hair, unique characteristics to their fathers family. Not that it was any help, both being forbidden from dating until they were married. Strict and overprotective mothers and the like. In reality, Zara's family lived a pretty privileged life, in contrast to the way her ancestors had to live. Her family having made up their name in business and industry after migrating to the United States many years ago with a successful fabric import company. Her family, however, mostly her mother believed Zara to be quite ungracious for all she was blessed in life with. It was in such a manner Humera Ahmad found her daughter lying in bed, disregarding her school work.
It was in tandem with the sounds of the belligerent weather outside did Zara's mother enter her room. "So," Humera started with a severe tone to her voice, "this is what a hard working student looks like?" Zara snapped up, putting her book down, and sat straight, facing her unamused mother.
"Sorry, Mom," Zara treaded carefully, noting that her mother was not a good mood to begin with. I would bet big money, Zara thought to herself, that Adam has something to do with Mom looking like she could maim something… or someone. "I was just taking a break, I've been at my European history assignment for hours." Even as she tried to appeal to her mother's more sensible nature, deep down she knew it would not diffuse her mother's bubbling temper.
"If you had 'been at you assignment for hours' as you claim," Humera's slight Indian accent started to seep through as her speech progressed, "one would think you would already be done."
"Mom… " Zara's own temper started to rise at her mother's biting words. "College essays take time. I can't just complete these assignments within an hour or two, like I did with my high school ones. They take time, effort, and a whole lot of research! I'm sorry but I needed a break, I have been reading about stupid freaking Napoleon for the past three hours."
"Don't you dare you speak to me like that, badtameez bachi (impertinent girl)!" Zara's mother's accent came out in earnest now, along with some choice Urdu words. With her dad's family from Pakistan and her mom's being from Hyderabad, India she became fluent in both very similar languages. Her hands on her hips she walked towards her daughter until she was only a few feet away. Giving her words a more impactful force. "When I was your age, and in college I used to have double the amounts of work you have now, and I would not eat, sleep, or even think of anything else until they were done. Unlike, you I paid for my own college education! I did not have all the luxury you have now, with you Iphones and IPads and laptops! You and your brother are practically glued to your electronics-"
"Mom, I was reading! I wasn't even on my phone!" Zara shouted in indignation. Well now I know what Adam did to piss her off! Her realization didn't stop her from her anger showing as she continued to give her rebuttal. "Why are you mad at me? I don't understand I get good grades, I hand in all my assignments, I do well in track and debate! That's more than I can say for Adam!" Zara's speech was not yet through. "Not to mention, Adam and I, are not kids anymore to be yelled at like this. We are nineteen and twenty-one! When will you stop treating us like we are some rambunctious teens! It's for you, that both of us went to college close to home!" It was only after the words left her mouth that Zara regretted them.
"The both of you are so ungrateful for everything!" She began to seethe. "I don't why the two of you stayed here for college, but it definitely wasn't for my benefit! I slaved in this house for years, a few more before my death couldn't have been much more. I am sorry you both have sacrificed so much for me," her mother turned on her heel and left the room, but not before Zare noticed the tears starting to build-up in her eyes.
"Mom! Wait!," by the time she made it to the hallway she saw her mother slam her door, and heard the lock snap into place. Deep remorse filled her gut as she returned to her room and sat on the bed. Oh my God, I am a horrible human being! In her restlessness she threw the pillows on her bed against the wall. Not knowing how much more unnerved anxiety she could handle Zara grabbed her phone that was still attached to the charger and bolted out of her room. Taking an enormous amount f guilt with her.
Halfway down the stairs, Zara collided into an oblivious Adam, with an apple in his mouth and staring down at the phone in his hand. Her fury with her older brother immediately rose up, prompting her to shove him against handle of the stairwell. "What the hell did you do to Mom?" she whispered-yelled at him.
Adam pushed Zara's offending arms away from his person and stood up straight. Taking the apple out his mouth with his free hand, he responded carelessly, "Nothing really, why? Did you encounter Momzilla?" He smirked.
This only edged Zara's annoyance further, "Uh, yeah, thanks to you! You always do this! You piss her off and then you leave! And I'm left with her yelling at me for no freaking reason! Dad isn't even here to calm her down." Zara started to furiously wave her arms around, still keeping her voice to nothing above a whisper. "I would be much obliged if you refrained from provoking her to such extremes."
Adam chuckled and failed to expose the mirth on his face, "Obliged? Refrain? Have you been reading your ancient books again, Zara?"
"Shut up!" Zara didn't even bother to keep her voice down. "She was really just randomly yelling at me… and I said some things," she admitted to her brother.
An apprehensive look marred Adam's features when he inquired, " What things?"
"The conversation was all over the place and not really understanding why she was so mad at me, I said some things I didn't mean to say. I may have…" Zara's net words tumbled out a high speed, "complained about us staying here for college, for her." The relief she got from spilling her guts was short lived as Adam realized the damaged his sister had done.
"Are you f******* kidding me," Adam began to bound up the stairs towards his mother. He turned back to only say, "Do you have any idea what you have done?" And with that he disappeared p the stairs and out of sight.
Zara ran down the rest of the steps down to her foyer, tears forming in her own eyes as she tried to get as far away as possible from the fiasco she had created. She went kept with her brisk pace through the kitchen, headed straight to the backdoor of the house to the more than decently sized backyard. The backyard with its many trees and very vast lawn was Zara's most favorite escape from her troubles. However, in her race for some peace and tranquility Zara walked into the midst of a very frightening thunderstorm. Tucking her phone and its adjoining charger into the pocket of her hoodie. She put up the hood and ran for the shelter of the trees not quite willing to go back in the house with tensions and temperaments so high.
She ran like an Olympian; jumping over scattered tree roots, avoiding muddy patches, and zipping through the flat land. Finally, getting to a dry patch Zara didn't get too much time to reflect on her unfortunate circumstances as thunder rumbled above her head and 3 seconds later lightning suddenly struck the tree ten feet in front of her. The shock shook the ground and sent her flying backwards through the air. Zara was out cold before she even touched back down on the ground.
July 16th, 1811: Delhi, India, The King's Palace
Oh my good Lord! My head feels like it was just hit by a really hot iron and then ran over by a bowling ball. Zara slowly started to open her eyes, though the blinding pain was something fierce. The sight that greeted her was not one she was at all familiar with. The ceiling was much bigger than her room at home, thought it was also white it had gold molding lining the all sides. Okay, fancy but very gaudy, she thought in reference to the opulent design, that really wasn't suited to her classical tastes. Just then she felt a cool cloth on her head, Ahh that feels amazing. Wait where the hell did that come from. Turning her head to the side with no little effort she saw a woman. The woman wore a multicolored scarf over her head, and had a small gold nose ring. She had a small steel-looking bowl in her hand, with what seemed to be cold water in it. Her hand held the cool cloth to Zara's head. When she realized her charge was awake and staring at her, she exclaimed, "Princess, you are finally awake!" It took a few minutes for Zara to comprehend what she had said, only to realize the woman was speaking in old-time Hindustani!
In her delirium of the situation, the only answer she could muster in her good old American accent was, "What the hell! PRINCESS?!" And that was when she promptly fainted.
A/N: Alright, please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!