Angela was on her way to the staff dormitories after a long and hard shift in the clinic, eagerly looking forward to just lie down and pass out. The rooms and corridors of the base's ground floor were, as ever, bustling with activity, but she knew that she would have her peace and quiet once she got upstairs. It was nearing seven p.m., and most of the civilians would be heading to their dorms soon. She passed the 'play room' on her way to the stairs, and chanced a glance inside to see most of the children sitting in a large semicircle around a woman who was reading them a story. The voice that caught her ear made her do a double take, though. It was unmistakable.
"...the crow seemed greatly disturbed when it heard of the Queen's illness. "You must go," it said, "and go at once. There is indeed a drug in the Queen's palace that will save her life if you can but fetch it in time. You will suffer no harm from the people in the palace. They will, indeed, give you the drug at once when they learn that the Queen is in need of it. But at the gateway of the palace there are two fierce lions. These would certainly tear you to pieces before ever you could enter, unless you had my help to depend on."
The crow then bade the youth look carefully at its right wing. "You will find there a single silver feather," it said. "Pluck it out and carry it with you. When the lions spring at you, you must at once touch them with that feather, and then they will become gentle, and you can pass them by unharmed."
The crow stooped before Hassan and spread wide its wings, and Hassan saw that the third feather from the tip of the right wing was of pure silver. He plucked it out, and having hidden it in a safe place in his clothing, he started out on his journey. For seven days and seven nights he sailed across the seas in the same direction as he had gone before, and on the morning of the eighth day he came within sight of the island. He landed and made his way toward the palace, and he saw no one on his way. No sooner did he approach the gateway than two fierce lions sprang out and rushed at him as though to tear him to pieces.
Hassan was terrified at their appearance. It seemed as though he must surely lose his life, but he stood firm until they were almost upon him, and then he touched them with the feather. At once they became perfectly gentle, and even fawned at his feet as though he were their master. So Hassan passed by them unharmed and entered the palace..."
She hadn't recognized her at first, but there sat Fareeha, reading a story she didn't know to a gaggle of kids who were listening with rapt attention. If it weren't for the handgun strapped to her thigh, the scene wouldn't have looked out of place in a kindergarten or a sunday school.
'Well, not a sunday school.' Angela thought with a small smile, eyeing the hijab the soldier was wearing. 'I never would have thought...'
There were a great many things she never would have thought about Fareeha. She still felt guilty for how mindlessly she had berated her a few days earlier, without thought or regard to what the soldier might have been through. She should have known better, given her own history. But it was no use dwelling on past mistakes, and so she leaned in the doorway and continued watching, just as entranced as Fareehas target audience.
„...At once, instead of the crow, a tall and graceful maiden stood there before the Queen, a maiden of such great beauty that she was even the equal of the Queen herself.
The King and Hassan were filled with wonder at this sight.
The Queen then turned to the King with a gentle smile.
"This maiden," said she, "was my favourite of all the Peris that once attended me. But she grew proud and haughty because of my favour, and at last presumed to disobey even me. To punish her, I changed her into a crow and sent her to fly about the world, despised by all. But I will now forgive her because she brought me to you, and will take her back into favour if she can assure me of her repentance."
The Peri sank on her knees before the Queen and kissed her hand, weeping. She assured her mistress that her pride was indeed broken, and that from now on she would be her faithful and obedient servant.
The Queen then raised her from her knees and made her sit beside her, and all was joy and happiness.
As for Hassan, he found the maiden so beautiful that he could not keep his eyes from her. Already he loved her with his whole heart, and longed for nothing so much as to have her for a wife. The Peri returned his love, and with the consent of the King and Queen they were married, and from that time on they lived in the greatest joy and contentment.
As for the former favourite, he was so miserable over the sight of Hassan's happiness that at length he could bear it no longer. He sold his house and goods and sailed away, no one knew whither, and if anyone regretted him, it was not Hassan."
Fareeha closed the book, and smiled gently into the group. „Alright, children, it's bedtime now."
The dismayed faces and pleas of 'just one more, pwetty pwease' would have melted Angela's resolve in a heartbeat, but Fareeha remained resolute.
„You know the rules, little ones. If you behave you'll get another story tomorrow, alright?"
Slowly the children started to get up and leave the room, until only Fareeha remained, still sitting on her chair, running her fingers over the cover of the book. It looked well-used but not worn, and it was obviously handled with great care.
„That was a sweet story." Angela said, still leaning against the doorframe.
Fareeha startled and whipped around, her expression turning sheepish when she saw the doctor.
„You think so?"
„Sure do," the blonde replied, „and the kids definitely agree."
Fareeha got up and walked a few hesitant steps towards the blonde before stopping, still a good distance away. She nervously tugged at her headscarf and held the book close to her chest, a far cry from her confident and secure body language when they were out in the field.
So there they stood, briefly glancing at each other before averting their gaze. Two grown women, one a doctor and one a soldier, and neither could think of anything to say.
"So, uh..." Angela started, desperately grasping at anything, "I, uh, I didn't know you were Muslim."
The moment the words left her mouth she wanted to slap herself. Such an insensitive thing to say! To her relief, Fareeha only chuckled briefly.
"Not really, to be honest. I mean, I know a few prayers and all that, but my mother was never big about going to the mosque back home. It's more of a...cultural thing for me." - that awkward tug at the hijab again - "You know, still being connected to my home, to what's left of my family..."
And there the blonde wanted to sink into the floor again.
"I'm sorry Fareeha, I didn't want to bring up unpleasant memories."
"It's quite alright, really. You didn't know." came the reply, accompanied by a dismissive gesture. Angela wasn't sure if the sentiment was true or not, but her curiosity had been roused.
"If, erm, if you don't mind me asking, where do you originally come from?"
Fareeha looked up, surprise evident in her eyes. "Oh, uh, Egypt. I thought that would've given it away by now." she said, pointing towards the tattoo below her right eye.
"I didn't want to presume." Angela replied.
"It's fine, really. I'd like to say I'm proud of my country, but...well, let's not go there."
The self-deprecating laugh following that statement tugged painfully at Angela's heartstrings, and she didn't dare venture another question. That left them in an awkward silence yet again.
Fareeha broke it, eventually. "So I was going to get a quick bite to eat, would you like to join me?"
Angela hesitated a bit before allowing herself a shy smile.
"I'd like that."
so, not much going on here. I just have this headcanon of fareeha being a 'cultural muslim' (is that actually a thing? I don't mean any disrespect to devout muslims), and I wanted to get a bit of quiet interaction between them. A bit of a reprieve from the first chapter.
Song of the day is Quelle Valeur Reste by Alpinist. Awesome, unfortunately defunct german hardcore/crustcore band