Author's Note:
Hey guys! I am here with another one-shot. and I'm going to be totally honest here, I had been in the gulf since I was one and then shifted back to my country to finish school. and one of the countries my father was transfered to one of the saudi cities, so I had studied some of its history. Now, the setting of this story is about 2000 years ago so it is totally ancient.
So here are some things you need to keep in mind before reading on:
1)Ibn means son of
2)Bint means daughter of
3)Ajwa is a date that is really expensive and really useful if you wanted to stay healthy and fit
4)Shukran is thank you in arabic
5)Aasifun is I'm sorry
6) The foods; Kabsa, Lebna(arabic yogurt) and kishta (cream) are also traditional food of arabia.
Also, slavery was allowed at that time, people had many wives and they were known by their clan names.
The plot is totally my making, and I didn't exactly state history because I did some changes too.
One of the things the arabs are proud of are: their skill in fighting, poetry, trading and wine brewing. Oh, yes they also love horses too.
So that's it as far as I can remember, otherwise if you have some questions please PM me.
Enjoy!
Love in Ancient Arabia.
A long time ago, when Arabia was at its luxurious peeks, there was a leader by the name Lory Takarada. He had chiefs and clan leaders always accompanying him around when he would round up for a meeting. He was known all across the Arabian gulf for his flamboyance and eccentric nature.
He strode in the desert sand and stepped in the clay-built house. It was newly built, and he wanted to check out his new neighbor.
"Ahlan Wa Sahlan." he greeted in the ancient Arabic language.
A foreign looking man stood up from where he had crouched down. "Ahlan Wa Sahlan." he greeted back in fluent Arabic, impressing Lory.
"I know for a fact you are not from any Arabian clan. What is the name of your clan?" he asked curiously as he was escorted inside the house that seemed like it was still being arranged.
The man whose hair was blonde and eyes green didn't give any reaction for being found out. He passed the glass of water to his guest.
"You're right. I am half Arabian." he said. Lory sipped the water and curiously watched the man settle down in front of him with a loaf of bread and some dates.
"Ah, Ajwa. These dates are quite expensive and good for health. I'm guessing you are rich." he said, popping the black dried looking date in his mouth as he watched the stranger pour him some black coffee.
"It was a gift from Yathrib, the people there are really nice. But the weather doesn't suit me. I had to go far east and settle down here, in Najd." he said.
"You haven't told me your name yet. And being the leader of this tribe, I have full right to know who resides here." Lory said authoratively.
The man sighed, "You must have heard from my father, Kuu Hizuri."
Lory almost choked, shocked that Kuu had actually sent his son to learn the Arabic poetry.
"But people know me by the name of Tsuruga Ren. Please refer to me as Ren." he quickly added.
Lory silently observed the extremely tall man carefully arrange his belongings. Lory stood up, "Are you sure you would be able to adapt here despite the fact that you are half American?" he inquired.
Ren gave him a determined look and continued to arrange. "I shall take my leave then. Good bye." Lory said.
Ren sighed, gazing at the small half purple stone. It truly was magical, when a sorcerer told him that he would find his soul mate who has the other half. he would've believed that if he believes in fortune tellers and magicians. But he liked to imagine that there was someone out there
He knew how Arabian men liked to marry women, countlessly. Ren had come to work and learn poetry, not find a bride for himself. But one of the most peculiar thing was that the sorcerer said that he would find her soon.
Ren was strolling when he found a man dragging a slave woman in the heat.
"Agree!" he forced her. Ren felt disgust surge through him as he found that blond haired man tried to force himself on her.
"NO!" the petite woman screamed, trying to break free.
Ren approached them and cleared his throat. "Ahlan Wa Sahlan." he interrupted them. The blue-eyed man ignored him blatantly.
"Agree to me or else you- "
"That is not right, leave her alone." Ren said as calmly as he could. The man rolled his eyes.
"She is my slave, I can do whatever I want with her." he smirked.
Ren glanced at the woman, she truly was a beauty. Her wavy hair was reaching till her waist her body curvy. Her eyes were begging him to help her.
"I would like to buy her." he stated, reaching inside his pocket for dirhams.
The man laughed, "How much are you going to pay me?" he asked.
"Thirty dirhams?" he asked, counting through his money.
The man greedily watched the man and snatched it. "Give me more thirty and the girl is yours." he snarled.
Ren ran to his house, grabbed the money pocket and removed thirty dirhams. The man reluctantly gave the woman to Ren. She desperately tried to cover her body that was barely covered by a cloth. He escorted her to his house and handed her one of his robes.
"You can wear them until we go to the market." he quietly said, averting his gaze as she quickly removed her tatters and slipped into his robe.
"Shukran." she thanked him. He waved it off, looking at her for some reason. He couldn't take his eyes off of her!
"My name is Kyoko Mogami. So, since I am your slave now, I would gladly do my duties that you will assign." she said, ready to jump.
He paused to think, "Do you know how to cook, wash clothes and read poetry?" he asked.
She nodded, her eyes sparkled as he said the last one. Surprised as he was, he curiously asked her to tell him one verse that she could conjure.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath:
"I probably did—
observe one day
the fall of the sun
and caught the gold that was scattered
in the palm of the sea
and enclosed my ribs about
the last escaping heat
as I searched for a farewell
sifting through piles of sand"
She opened her eyes and met the eyes of her master.
"Master did you like it?" she asked expectantly. She always knew poetry was her thing.
He was astonished, her Arabic words were so strong. But he frowned.
"Please, call me Ren. I don't want you to refer to me as master. Is that clear?" he said seriously.
She gave him a smile, somehow awed by his gracefulness and elegance.
Her smile, it was like the bloom of flowers, and he truly wanted to just sit and watch her. Looking away, he coughed.
"You can start working after the sun has reached its peak. I don't want you to go soaking in the sun. Is it true that we have to save as much water as possible?" he asked.
She paused, "The sun sometimes is too hot, so clan members would make sure their water has not dried up. If you keep the water in the clay utensils, they stay cold." she said.
He nodded, "I want you to take care of the household activities, including taking care of yourself and making food. I wouldn't be eating breakfast and lunch, so don't make for me." he said.
She frowned, "You can't go on without food for so long like that."
He shrugged, annoying her with that act. "I have been doing fine since a week. Besides, I am proud that I have never caught any kind of sickness." he said.
She raised her eyebrows, "But Ma-Ren, you will get high fever due to the heat if you don't eat properly. In Najd, it is hotter this month. You must have your breakfast." she scolded him.
He hid a smile, no one had ever scolded him at all. And he was glad to see someone scolding him rather than agreeing to his terms. She realized that she was bossing over and she panicked, falling into prostration and murmuring words of apology.
"Aasifun! Asifun!" she kept apologizing repeatedly, while Ren stood completely stunned.
He held her by her shoulder and slowly made her stand. "You don't need to apologize. You are a free woman now. I'm letting you go." he muttered, making her gasp.
"B-but you bought me!"
"And I am every right to free you. Go back to your parents and live a happy life." he told her, as he placed the clay utensils in the corner.
It was a clear sign of dismissal, but she didn't move. Her eyes were downcast, making him frown.
"Why aren't you leaving?" he asked her, trying not to be rude. The last thing he wanted was another woman trying to throw herself upon him. She hesitated before answering.
"I…I'm an orphan. My mother sold me in slavery two years ago when I was fifteen." he was stunned at the revelation, all of a sudden feeling he should do something to remove that sorrowful pained face. Sighing that he had no other choice, he decided to let her stay.
"I don't know if Najd allows free man and free woman to stay together, but you can pretend to be a slave around the people." he finally said. She looked at him for a minute, then her features softened, tears brimming in her eyes.
This urge to hug her ran through him, and his practiced self-control surprisingly was not enough.
He lowered his gaze, "You should sleep in the other room, and knock on my door only if you need anything." he said.
She nodded and went into the empty room, wondering if his wife (he did look like he was twenty-one; age fit for marriage).
She frowned, maybe she shouldn't have agreed in the first place, and just traveled west to Tabuk. Maybe she might find work that didn't involve prostitution and other obscene things.
Maybe she shouldn't have imposed on the handsome man like that. She felt guilty for being a burden to him.
xxx
He came back in the evening as the sun started to set. Being a trader was his kind of work, he liked how it required skill and experience.
He entered inside to the smell of fresh broth and Arabic rice: Kabsa. It was white rice that didn't exactly taste plain; flavored. He rememebed having rice in one of his sacks, maybe she used it.
He went into the kitchen like room and found her sitting down with a pot on the fire. She looked at him and smiled sweetly. His heart skipped a beat.
She looked so beautiful, he couldn't help but stare at her. And before she could realize, he turned his face; surprised at himself.
"Dinner is ready, Ma-Ren" she blushed. He awkwardly nodded his head and went back to the small hall, removing the square cloth and spreading it down. He figured she wouldn't be able to reach the cabinets he built too high, and he went back to the kitchen only to find her trying to reach for the dishes.
"You won't reach there, let me help you." he said.
She shook her head, and he watched her amused as she tried to reach higher by standing on her toes.
"I…. can…. remo-AAAHH" she was about to fall backwards, until he swiftly caught her.
She felt strong warmth firmly hold her waist and her back to something strong as her eyes were shut tightly.
He watched her in silence, admiring her beauty and innocence, and how she didn't throw herself upon him at all. He tightened his jaw, maybe she was looking for an opportunity to make him touch her.
He steadied her as she opened her eyes and looked at him with her body facing the cabinets.
"Th-thank you." she stuttered. He waved his hand vaguely and himself removed the dishes from the top.
She suddenly looked confident when she allowed the fire to die down and gave him the bowl of Arabic broth. It smelt so light, Ren didn't know when he finished it. he was even surprised that he still felt a little hungry. He found a plate of rice sitting in front him, the spice sauce next to him blended in garlic, tomato, salt, some chilies and coriander leaves that he got for himself three days ago while he was at the border of the city and a few merchants sold vegetables.
She was eating quietly, in a corner. He felt uneasy sitting alone while another person sat at the far end.
"Kyoko, please sit on the cloth. I feel awful for making you sit alone. Besides, you are not my slave."
She hesitated before reluctantly standing up and sitting on the cloth, her eyes lowered.
he cleared his throat, remembering how she was able to conjure such a beautiful poem. "Kyoko, can you teach me how to fabricate a poem? I would pay you as fees." he said, smiling a little.
She gasped, her eyes widening, "You want to learn from me? a slave woman?" she asked, a little unsure.
He nodded, wondering why she felt so inferior of such a gift. "It's just that, nobody listens to slaves because they have no right to speak." she mumbled, flushed and fidgety.
He chuckled, of course, he should know that. "But I am not like the men here, not like your previous master. I came here to learn Poetry, and since you are talented in that field, I have no problem learning it from you. Even if you were a slave before." he said.
She smiled at him, her eyes sparkly and awed by his maturity.
Then he got a thought. "How did you learn to read and write? Only a few knew that."
Suddenly, she had pain in her eyes. "My mother taught me. She found out I was too good in poetry along with other things, she got outrageous and sold me."
He was silent, then cleared his throat to change the topic.
"So, when do we start?" he asked, as he saw her excited.
She paused for a while, "Tomorrow, I'm sure today you won't be able learn." she said.
He nodded slowly, secretly grateful because he was mentally tired to begin with.
She arranged the bedding for herself, a little hesitant at first since she never had her own room. Reaching to her neck, she pulled out the thread that held her precious purple stone. She held it out in the moonlight that illuminated the room only by its brightness. She smiled as the spectrum of colors reflected through.
She wasn't sure how she got this, but she remembered finding this on herself the next day she was sold to Fuwa Shotaro. She thought that it was the only thing that took away her sadness and pain whenever She was whipped by a drunk Sho. He had many wives, and a slave. Since she was freed, she wondered if he had gotten over his lust for her. She involuntarily shuddered.
She knew she can never forget that in her life, but maybe, just maybe she might heal.
xxx
He awoke to the smell of fresh labneh and kishta(cream) filled his nostrils, making his stomach rumble. He quickly got up and went out of the house to freshen up with Miswak.
Even though he didn't want to have any breakfast, he was compelled due to the fact that she had taken so much effort preparing it for him.
He took the bread and gingerly dipped it in the cream, its soft texture allowing him to handle the heat. If he ever thought she didn't know how to cook, he was wrong boy.
"Did you like it? I remembered my old master's wives prepare it for him in front of me." she said shyly.
He gave her a charming genuine smile, "It is very delicious, Kyoko. You really are gifted." he complimented her, making her blush.
She excused herself and went in her room, trying to calm her nerves and catch her breathe.
If he continued to smile like that to her, she might die soon.
xxx
"Today is a holiday?" he asked, breathing heavily as he burst through the front door. She blinked her eyes blankly then her expression changed as realization dawned upon her.
"Yes, today is Friday so holiday," she said simply. He ran his fingers through his hair and watched her dreamy with a dazed look.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked curiously.
She snapped her head and widened her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to zone out…I was just thinking about a tale that has been going on from amongst the Jews." she said, shaking her head frantically.
He raised his hand and stopped her from going into prostration. So far, she didn't apologize for every word she spoke, so that was an improvement.
"I want to know." he said, sitting in front of her. She nervously played with the hem of his robe that she wore. He made a mental note to go to the market after she narrated the tale.
She cleared her throat and began,
"There was a man by the name Harun. He was known for his magic and sorcery. He never liked the people because his mother was tortured in front of his eyes, ripped to pieces because she stood up against the injustice of being a slave.
Although he was a slave, he tricked the people into believing he was a free man and an equal and soon was showered for his unbelievable tricks. He wasn't from Arabia, he was from Babylon, where he saw the people practice real magic and slowly learnt it himself.
One day, a man came to him and threw a challenge that he would never be able to cross the bridge of truthfulness. Harun thought about it and took up the challenge, travelling on his stolen camel for seven days and eight nights. He came upon a bridge that was impeccably and impossibly clean. He wondered why.
He jumped off his camel and tried to cross the bridge when an invisible barrier stopped him.
"I am the Halal Bridge. I do not allow liars and trickery to enter except if they have a changed heart."
Harun scoffed and mocked the bridge until the bridge stripped the jinn from his command.
"Now I shall see your greatness." the bridge spoke, leaving Harun to wonder what was beyond the bridge.
He traveled back, until he came upon a well. He rushed and drew water from it to drink and save some in his leather pouch. Then he found a lifeless dog sit beside the well while watching him drink. He felt pitiful for the dog and quickly took his shoe and withdrew water from it to give some of it to the dog.
As he watched the dog drink, he found himself smiling and suddenly realized how horrible he had been to the people. He went back to the land and found every relationship destroyed and started to make it right.
It took him a great deal of time, and he forgot about the bridge all together. After years when he had finally married and had kids, he decided to travel and visit his mother's land in order to remind himself of his origin.
He came upon the river of Halal and recalled the incident that took place many years ago. He was so guilty, he started crying until the bridge opened itself and shined the path.
"Harun, you now deserve to go forth." the bridge said.
He was dumbfounded, of course. But he started walking in, never to be heard again." She ended with a wonderous look.
Ren frowned. "What happened next?" he asked, she raised her head and smiled.
"Some say he entered another world full of luxury for those who deserve. Some say he was able to find his mother alive and granted with her most needed freedom. Well, others say he got freed from his slavery." Kyoko said.
Ren thought about it for a while, "It sure does sound interesting, Kyoko. No wonder you were impressed." he commented.
She blushed and avoided eye contact. "W-well, I-I actually heard of it from a sorcerer who said he had encountered Harun in his life. But…. you know-they can be lies to." she said, laughing nervously.
He paused for a while, then remembered that she needed a dress.
"Come on, let's go to the market to get a dress for you. People might hold a scandal against you if they saw you adorned in men's garments." With a flushed look, she still managed to look a bit amused.
"Did you forget that today is Friday, Ren?" she asked, and he smacked his forehead, eliciting a laugh from her.
He watched her laugh, like the singing of birds and the most beautiful flute played.
He smiled, she truly looked beautiful; and he knew that anyone would want her.
His eyes darkened as he thought about it, no one should even think about touching her while she was still residing with him. Until she married someone.
He blinked.
Until she marries….
Why did that thought make him so depressed? Why did he feel like the whole world will drop? Why was his heart beating so fast, his chest hurt?
"Ren?" a soft gentle voice woke him.
"Yes?"
"You wouldn't want to waste the day, would you? Come on, let's practice some poetry." she said, grabbing a limestone out of the blue that he had no idea where she got it from.
"Where did you get that?" he asked. She gave her limestone one look.
"Oh, this? I found it near the cave. There are many." she said, smiling. He said nothing, watching her teach him how to rhyme and how to match verses.
He truly and utterly was fascinated.
xxx
"You don't sound very sure, Kyoko." he said, amused that she didn't know how to ride a camel as they came back from yet another market.
After a lot of insisting, Kyoko finally agreed to buy another dress for herself until she would be able to pay him back.
It was only two weeks and he was already buying things for her.
She narrowed her eyes, even though she was still respectful of him, she had grown to be comfortable around him.
"Of course, I never rode a camel, remember?" she said sarcastically.
He laughed, making her fight a smile. "You're right, come on. This is the least I could do for you after all that you have done for me." he stated, helping her climb up.
Her heart sped up and jolts went up her spine as her skin touched his.
Her hand unconsciously gripped her stone as he slowly led his camel to the outskirts of Najd.
She felt like she would fall any minute now as the camel trudged on uneven path. The sun seemed to be reaching its peak as they went on to the hill.
"Kyoko, are you sure you can handle? I don't want to be martyred by your body." he teased her.
She blushed, glaring at him, "I'm fine! I can handle this just fine!" she grumbled. He laughed.
"Don't fall asleep or else- "
"I said I am fine!" she yelled at him as he led the camel holding its reins to the market.
He had taken a day off, but she didn't need to know it was for her. If she did, she would do anything to make sure he goes to the market to work.
He glanced at her, knowing that she must be sweating now from the heat. So, he slipped the huge leaf from his camel's backside where he kept his bag and handed it to her.
"Hold it." he muttered whilst looking in front. She was puzzled, but she held it nonetheless. She felt better and immediately thought about him.
Holding the leaf, a bit lower, she smiled as he relaxed. He wiped the sweat from his brow and continued to look ahead.
Kyoko found herself secretly anticipating, the sparkly gems and trinkets were worth looking at which come from different places like Syria, Jerusalem and Damascus.
Her eyes shined as she saw something shine from one of the stalls. Ren had helped her from the camel and she ran to the stall to have a look at it.
It was a flower, in a glass jar. The man noticed her interest and blew in the hole in the corner.
The color of the flower spread inside, creating a shape on the surface of the glass. She smiled.
"How much is that for?" Ren asked. Kyoko snapped her head and looked surprised.
"Master, I don't want it please." she said, returning to the role of a servant in front of the crowd.
Ren ignored her and purchased the bottle; handing it to her. She hesitantly took it, gratitude evident in her eyes. She thought he was doing too much for a lady who was not related to him, maybe because he wanted to make sure he repaid the debt of her help. But this was too much of a gift of a gratitude.
If anyone would have looked into his intentions, they would highly doubt that. They were walking with him staring at her and her admiring the bottle. Unfortunately, fate had its own cruel plans.
"Oh, so the plain boring woman is here in the market. Let me see, are you here to come back to me? You must have realized how bad your owner is, right?" she froze, hearing the same voice that tortured her in her sleeps.
She looked around and found Ren looking at some oil jars nearby. She gulped, she was all alone with the devil.
"I…. came here with my master to buy things." she stated, trying to conceal her emotions completely so that he could not have the satisfaction of stumping her.
He looked at her, his eyes running from her head to her toes. Lust seemed to be the only thing on his mind as soon as he saw her.
"Come back to me, surely you can." he said, closer to her at only a few inches' reach. She turned her face, trying hard not to scream in his ear about her granted freedom.
"What's happening here?" She almost cried out in relief had Sho not grabbed her hair and pulled her behind him.
Ren's eyes darkened. " .servant. alone." he said with as much venom as possible. Shotaro Smirked.
"I would like to her buy her back. How much are you willing to offer her?" Sho said, showing off his money pouch.
Ren sized him up, he was at least a head shorter that him. "I don't intent to sell her." Ren muttered calmly.
Sho's grip on her tightened, "Maybe not, I would offer you more than a hundred dirhams for her. Come on, don't be shy." he persuaded.
Ren narrowed his eyes, his dark aura already darkening the atmosphere, a chill running down the spines of people around. Shotaro gulped, but didn't move an inch to give the taller man the satisfaction.
He leaned forward, his hand caught hers firmly and he jerked her out of Sho's hold.
"Now if you will excuse us." he said calmly, the anger in his eyes saying otherwise.
Kyoko was too stunned to say anything. She thought she was dead meat if he hadn't shown up.
They hadn't said anything to each other, his mood was so dark; if only looks could kill.
She took her refuge in the kitchen and quickly prepared some cool water as they sat down basking the cool wind of the evening air.
"How long." he suddenly muttered. She almost stumbled, confused by what he said.
"What?" she asked.
"How long were you under him?" he asked, staring intently into her eyes.
"Um…only for seven months. I was sold to him from a merchant who was too old to handle me and him together." she answered, nervous and all of a sudden on her knees.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I shouldn't have run into him. I- "
"There is nothing to forgive, Kyoko." that same softened voice, she looked at him and found his anger gone.
He truly was mature compared to Sho.
xxx
"You must remember, your soulmate is only one. Even if you marry many women, you would only find her through the other half of the stone. I sense you will find her soon, very soon!"
"Ren?" he opened his eyes and turned his head to the stone he kept beside him. It was glistening in the sunlight. Too bad he had only one half.
"Ren?" he heard the voice again, and recognized it as her. Involuntarily, he smiled.
"Yes, Kyoko?" he asked.
The voice on the door went silent all of a sudden and he wondered if he said something out of order.
"Um…well…. you were called by Lory to the council meeting." she stuttered as he opened the door after a few beats. She looked so nervous and fearful, he only wanted to relieve her of her pain.
He quickly dressed up and stepped out of the house, with a loaf of bread hanging on his mouth. He had grown to know her strictness in not leaving food.
And he was glad to go back home and have lunch with her, sharing jokes and teasing her.
He found a few men sitting in a circle, with a little gap on the either side of the flamboyant caller.
"Ah, Ren. How nice to find you in our company? Everyone, this is Ren Tsuruga from the northern world, and Ren, these are clan leaders." He did a quick introduction and took Ren in seclusion.
"I heard rumors that a free woman resides in your house?" he inquired, looking straight into his eyes. Ren was stunned, he never thought anyone would find out so soon. Just in a matter of a month!
"I'm afraid you are wrong, she is my slave I bought from a young man." he calmly stated.
Lory raised his eyebrows. "And the man is Fuwa Sho, if I am not wrong; who tried to touch her?" Lory asked.
Ren nodded his head, wondering how he even found out.
"If that is the case, then I shall make sure she is well taken care of. Because soon her father will come to claim her as his daughter unless she marries someone. He will be here in another week or two." Lory said.
"Please, correct me if I'm wrong, sir. That if she is a slave, wouldn't it mean she would not be able to go unless her master commands?" he asked, hoping Lory would say yes and send a message to her father not to come.
Lory looked suspicious, "You are right. But she can leave if he buys her out."
Ren held his breath until Lory whispered something in a black man's ear.
"That's it, I'm sorry for taking up your time, you can excuse yourself and go on." he said, waving his hand.
Ren released his breath and tightened his jaw. he staggered his way back, finding Kyoko not at home.
Feeling the cold sweat on his neck, he started burst open her room door only to find it empty.
He came out of the house and looked around, finding her come back with a large vessel of water.
"Where were you?" he demanded, relieved to find her. He thought he would have a heart attack if he didn't find her.
She knit her eyebrows, "I went to draw water from the well." she replied.
He tackled her into a fierce hug, startling her. He liked the feel of her in him, she fit perfectly in his arms.
The smell in her hair enchanted his soul and muddled his mind.
"Ren?" he opened his eyes and suddenly broke the embrace, avoiding looking at her.
"Never leave without telling me." he told her in an almost threatening tone. She nodded her head, it was frightening being the subject of his intense stare herself.
he ran his fingers over his hair as she walked past him and smacked himself.
"Stupid." he cursed himself.
xxx
"Sebastian, is it true?" he asked, as his loyal slave came back.
"Yes sir. her father is to be here soon in a few days." he confirmed.
Lory exhaled deeply, staring at the Arabic parchment in his hand. "I never thought her safety was handed down to me for a purpose. Just when he…." he faltered.
"I know sir. But Kyoko bint Kazoshi doesn't know yet." he reminded his master.
Lory stood up, the long tube of smoke in his hand as he took in the intoxicating smoke in; Hookah.
"I figured. I knew that already." he replied.
"Is that why you told him, sir?" Sebastian asked.
Lory smiled, "No, I wanted to see what he would feel and do. after all, his father did say he had rejected a few women who were sent to him for marriage due to his disinterest. and the fact that a woman is staying in his dwellings makes me curious not only because she is free, but also because how he suddenly bought for her a highly priced gown the other day."
Sebastian was confused, but didn't dare question his master's objectives.
"Alright, I want another flavor of smoke, this one is getting too old. Perhaps grapes?" he sighed.
Sebastian nodded and went out. Lory smiled staring at the far end house that was built impressively well.
"Koun ibn Ku…. I wonder how long you will take." he mumbled.
xxx
"Did I ever tell you my real name is not Ren?" he said suddenly while having lunch with her.
She almost spit the water out, choking. "What?" she asked, maybe she heard wrong.
He chuckled, repeating it again.
She paused for a second then shook her head. He sighed, she did deserve to know. Besides, he had been with her long enough to know she was trustworthy.
"Are you aware of the richest merchants in the entire North?" he slowly asked. She shook her head, wondering what it had to do with his real identity.
He was surprised, his jaw hanging. "You have no idea?" he asked. She sheepishly shook her head.
He sighed, "Well, the richest merchant in the North is Kuu Hizuri. My father."
She nodded slowly. "Then you are Ren Hizuri, right?" she asked.
He chuckled nervously, "Err, no. That is my fake name so I do not get hoarded by clan leaders and merchants trying to strike a deal with me. But Lory knows my secret. My real name is not Ren Tsuruga, but Koun Hizuri."
She nodded her head, looking so serious, he had to wave his hand on front of her.
"What?" she asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing that bad." he said.
She blinked her eyes then shook her head violently.
"Oh no, that's not what I meant. I actually thought how important it is to you to hide your identity so I was promising myself not to reveal it to anyone." she said.
He laughed, "It's nothing that serious, really. Besides, I was merely using the fake name for precaution. But yes, I would definitely want you to keep it a secret." he said, drinking the water.
She nodded, taking the dishes back to the kitchen.
he watched her wash them, wondering if he should help her like always.
But would she want his help after knowing she was going away? His heart constricted at that thought and he felt so helpless, he felt like drowning.
She is going away.
It cut like a blade through his heart, which is why he hadn't told her yet about it. whenever he would open his mouth to say it, her eyes would make him say something else.
He smiled involuntarily, thinking about her.
On the other hand, Kyoko wondered what was up with him these three days. Sure, he was normal, eating sleeping and going to work. But he wasn't normal; smiling so bright like he was too angry to show. If she was honest, she would prefer the actual anger than the one hidden behind a gentlemanly smile.
"Um…. Kyoko?" she heard him call her out.
She kept the cloth on the side and covered the vessel of water with a plate. emerging from the kitchen, she wiped her hands on her robe.
"Yes?" She asked.
he gave her that gentlemanly smile again.
"Nothing really. I just wanted to say something to you?" he said.
She froze, all of a sudden feeling like running away.
"what did you want to say?" she asked as calmly as she can but her quivering voice gave away her nervousness.
He sighed, suddenly losing eye contact and looking at the floor.
"Um…well…. I…. wanted to say that…um…. Lory…. the leader of the tribes here…you know him, right? He said that….um- "
She laughed, she had never seen him so flustered. He scowled.
"Don't laugh at me." he said.
She fought a smile, he relaxed a little only to panic more.
"Umm…. Well. He said that your father will take you back with him." he quickly said.
To say she was stunned, would be an understatement.
xxx
She traced the robe he had given her the first she stepped inside the house. Her stone was clutched tightly between her fingers.
She smiled, closing her eyes.
"If only I wasn't so…." she faltered, a tear falling on the robe. She opened her eyes, shocked.
This was the first time she cried, not when Sho forced himself upon her, not when her mother sold her for slavery but only because she was going away.
And never returning back to one place she finally was at peace.
Sighing, she wondered if that was the reason the joke was whispered in her ear while they left the stone in her hand.
She laughed, even if she did find her soulmate, she knew she would never feel the same.
Never for him when she still had him in her heart.
xxx
A word wasn't passed between them except a greeting and a few polite pleasantries. The tension was so thick, that a knife could easily cut through.
It had been at least four days since he told her about it. Four days. Glancing at the package in the bag, he wondered if she would ever accept it.
After all, now that she would finally have a family, and money to buy things out for herself; he was suddenly scared if she would forget him forever.
It was suffocating him enough that he just wanted to stay out late night joining the festivals.
He felt like his head would be falling out anytime soon, his throat all clogged up and mind unclear. All he wanted to do was just lie in bed.
"Ren?" she asked softly, as she saw his eyes drooping and his face tomato red.
With a panicky heart, she shakily reached out to touch his forehead.
"You have fever." she whispered. He frowned, "It can't be, I never get fever." he muttered.
She sighed, "You are overworking yourself, and that is bad. Lie in bed till I get some honey and Ajwa for you." she told him as he started to protest.
He obeyed her for once, maybe she would never fuss over him like today, never.
Somehow, it looked like the world was going to a grave periling end. Like someone was holding him down with the sword's blade just hovering above his neck while counting the days until they would slay him.
"Are you getting any kind of headache?" she asked him.
He nodded his head, while she mixed some black spice with honey and handed it to him.
"Eat it, it will clear your throat up." she muttered while carefully removing the seeds from inside.
He nibbled on the date she gave, feeling the warmth spread throughout him. Her eyebrows were knit in concentration and concern. He could see the worry lines in her forehead; reaching his hand over their and trying to even them out.
She stopped soaking the cloth abruptly, looking at him with her questioning beautiful amber eyes. he had this strong urge to kiss her and touch her the way that no man ever did. But he settled on just staring; content with watching her from afar yet being so close.
Her eyes wanted to peer into his thoughts and find out what he was thinking.
Before anything happened, he broke the eye contact; more regretful then ever.
She quickly placed the cloth over his head, excusing herself so she could freely let her emotions out.
If only it weren't true about her departure….
xxx
"You don't seem to have fever now, but still have some honey." she told him as she kept a hand over his forehead.
The soft touch of her palm drove him insane! It was so soft yet ragged with hard work. He had never met such a woman in his life.
"Does Ren reside here?" came a loud voice in the hall. Since the walls weren't too thick inside, they could clearly hear people outside.
Kyoko stood up and went out of his room. His heart somehow started beating fast, a knot churning in his stomach as he suddenly felt sicker.
Rising from the bed, he actually felt himself better than three days before. He slowly staggered his way to the door and found a man with black hair and dark brown eyes look at Kyoko with shock.
His eyes then flew to the man behind her and suddenly it hardened.
"Are you Ren?" he asked. Ren nodded and the short man sized him up.
"Which clan do you belong to?" he asked.
"Tsuruga clan." he answered, suddenly nervous.
The man-who had the same face features are Kyoko-sighed.
"I want to take my daughter back to Yemen. Tell me how much should I pay." he said.
Ren glanced at her, she refused to look up between the two men's conversation. Ren took the liberty to being the host and gestured her father to come in.
Cautiously, MIsanoi, sat watching as his daughter hurriedly excused herself and went to brew some qahwa; black coffee for her father and some honey for Ren that she left making.
"Well, so how much?" he directly jumped to business.
As Kyoko handed Ren the bowl of honey, he sighed. "Sir, I would like to clarify that your daughter is a free woman."
Misanoi was stunned. "A free woman you mean to say, she is living as your wife?"
Ren's headache kept increasing as he realized that this was going to be harder than he thought.
"No, she is unmarried, and free." he declared.
Anger flared in the older man and stood up. "You, have been using my daughter as a slave in your house…. -making her-do things for you?!" He glowered. He snapped his head towards his daughter, grabbing her hand and jerking outside.
Being a woman, she had no power to restrain or protest but she felt like she was committing a crime.
She sopped abruptly, looking into her father's eyes. "Please, let me stay until he recovers. I promise. I promise I will come with you." she breathed, her eyes pleading him.
Her father gave her a long stare then finally took her back. Ren was standing frozen, like the houses along the line.
"Only till he recovers. I will stay here." he said.
She nodded, relieved that she wasn't leaving him to die. Trembling, she walked up to Ren as her father went out of the house to meet up Lory.
"You didn't need to do any favor for me." Ren scowled, knowing she was doing this out of duty.
She shook her head, "No, I am doing this for myself. Now come with and rest." she soothingly told him.
Defeated with everything, he went back to his room and laid on his bed; restless.
He held his stone in the moonlight, now confirmed that it was all just a big joke.
xxx
He opened his eyes, feeling all energetic and like he could throw big rocks around. The sun peered inside, and so he smiled.
He looked around for the black beauty, but it looked like the room was untouched. Rising from his bed, he went to the kitchen; finding a few bowls covered up with leaves.
He frowned, a sudden knot similar but much stronger than before was building in his stomach and he ran to her room.
"Kyoko!" he burst inside and found the room completely empty like no one ever stayed in.
He stepped inside, looking around then lowered his head. he would've left if his eyes didn't catch something shimmer. He walked towards that and found a necklace lying on the ground.
He picked it up and stared at it, stunned.
He was every kind of surprised you could ever think of, dumbfounded, shocked and even felt like an idiot.
He rushed back to his room and dethatched the stone from her necklace only to attach it with his.
Holding a hand over his mouth, he watched the stone perfectly fit.
Like a big fool he was, he lost his soulmate from his fingertips.
xxx
"Ren?" a booming deep voice came inside his house. His door was opened and in came the man who first visited him when he was still settling.
"I see you have packed." he said, observing the man stare at the purple stone.
"I'm going back to North." he declared.
"Only because her father claimed her." he said, making Ren show at least a minimum shock.
"But he hates me."
"For what? For protecting his daughter from potential lustful people? If I didn't know any better, I'd say you are just afraid of being rejected." Lory said.
He sighed, "It's probably too late now. Her father has maybe married her off to someone since then." he muttered, heartbroken.
"Maybe not." he said vaguely.
Ren frowned, looking at the old man as if he'd gone mad.
Lory smiled at him with a glint.
"Her father is still looking for a man who would not only provide her the much-needed financial support, but also the warmth she has missed."
Ren was stunned, and then he was out of the house, to purchase at least two more camels before they were sold out.
xxx
"Kyoko dear, look. You can't just reject every suitor out there." her father soothingly tried to tell her.
She was eternally grateful that he didn't feel awful for having her as his daughter, because in Arabia people thought it was a disgrace to have a daughter born to them.
And her mother sold her one of those reasons too.
"Thank you, Abi for being considerate and allowing me to choose a suitor. But I can't. I know I won't be able to live happily. Besides, you need me." she replied.
he sighed, somehow fed up with how their conversation always ended up like this. sometimes he felt like going back to Najd and offer his daughter to that young handsome man.
But it clearly looked like he was married, and he didn't want his daughter to be another wife to someone who had been married before.
There was a knock on his door, and he gestured one of the slave to go and open the door.
"Sir! The…. Hizuris!" a slave came back rushing with her cheeks flushed and wild.
Misanoi was stunned, how did such a family want to visit them?
He glanced at his clothing and went out, satisfied with the clean robe he had worn.
What he saw, was unbelievably shocking.
"YOU!" he exclaimed.
There, standing in front of him was a man who had taken his daughter in (He got the entire story out of Kyoko, so he held no hard feelings for him) with his family with a beautiful woman standing behind a him holding Ren's look alike.
The man behind Ren smiled and spoke up, "Ahlan Wa Sahlan, may we come in?"
Misanoi recovered and ordered his servants to arrange refreshments to the guests.
The beautiful blond woman smiled, and gracefully took the glass and thanked the servant.
Misanoi concluded that they were the most elegant family; thus the reason they were so skilled in trading.
And then they went straight down to business.
xxx
"Kyoko! Someone has come to meet you." her father came inside, a grin on his face.
She sighed, not again.
"Father, I don't want to see any more suitors. I think I made that pretty clear the last one left." she said, her eyes never leaving the gown he had last bought for her.
"this will be the last one, I promise. If you reject him, I promise to never think about it ever again." he finally said.
She put on a plain dark blue robe and emerged out of the room, with her head low and sitting down in front of a blonde woman.
She greeted her and looked up, meeting the eyes of an emerald eye for the second time in her life. The beautiful lady held her chin and grinned.
"You are as they said. Truly a gem. No wonder my son fallen for you." she said.
Kyoko opened her mouth to reject politely when suddenly the woman thrust something in her hand.
"I want to look at it carefully, then tell me your answer. I will wait outside with my husband. And please call me mother." she said warmly, drawing the need of a much-needed mother figure in her life.
She opened her fist and gasped.
She finally found her soulmate. Somehow, she knew her answer.
xxx
"I never got to make a poem of my own." Koun whispered in her ear as they stopped for resting.
She knew somehow that she had to return to where they both met. But of course, with her father and his parents who couldn't leave them alone because they met their children after a long time.
She smiled, "So you want to try it now?" it wasn't a question, but a statement. he nodded, making her giggle.
"So, go on." she said as he nervously chuckled. he took a deep breath and started.
"Your heart thumps —
as if she were already
at your door.
Or — as if expecting her —
all the birds in the midday sky
arrive to clamour at your window.
...
An age of patience.
A forest of fluttering."
She laughed, "Is it about you or someone else?" she teased.
He made a face, "Of course, I just wanted it to sound at least half good as yours."
She kissed his cheek, "Its much better than mine." she muttered.
He kissed her soundly, happy with his life.
"I love you." he confessed breathlessly as he admired her beauty in the moonlight.
"I love you too." she said for the first time after they got married and set off on their journey. Their wedding night was the most memorable thing. she would never forget it because she allowed a man to touch her.
Both were content that they found their soulmate.
Amongst the servants was a man with white hair as he heard the success of his prediction.
He closed his eyes and exhaled, "That, was the last of my compensation for all my crimes." he said, his entire body glowing.
"Harun! Go to the bridge!" a djinn said panicking.
He laughed, "I lived a thousand years because it granted me extra youth to enjoy and free myself. I think my time has come."
A single tear fell the djinn's eyes as his master left.
The very one who planted those two stones in their possession.
The End.
Author's Note:
I wanted to try this out since the settings are mostly from English places and I decided to be a little creative though I know its not gonna be that great.
Please review your thoughts, criticism and comments so I could know if it was a flop or okay.
Till then, goodbye!
P.S. Please please pray for my exams, IGCSE board examination is NOT easy.