Nazmeera looked at Hamza's sleeping form and contemplated between waking him up or dealing with the after effects of her nightmare her self.

Raising shaking hands to run it through her hair and tug at the dark locks.As Nazmeera closed her eyes,her mother's lifeless eyes flashed to her and she opened her eyes,putting a hand to her chest as if willing the pain away.

Deciding not to wake Hamza up,Nazmeera looked at the time and seeing that it was only 2 am she decided to offer her tahajjud prayers.Her Lord would help relieve her of her pain and that she was sure.

Hamza's sleep was disturbed by the sound of someone's muffled sobbing and he shot up, looking to his right expecting Nazmeera to be there but she was not,yet he heard the sobbing which was muffled but not by much.His eyes wandered around and finally landed on Nazmeera's bent form,shaking body and raised hands.

Hamza immediately got off the bed and made his way to her side.He kneeled down besides her and reached his hand forward to touch Nazmeera's shoulder.His heart clutched when she startled at his touch and raised her head to look at him,eyes red from crying and trails of dried up tears as well as fresh tears running down her face.

"Nazmeera." Even though Hamza had whispered her name,he watched how her body shook before more tears ran down her face.

Nazmeera had tried her best to prevent Hamza from waking up and seeing her in such a vulnerable state once again but seeing him in front of her right now struck something in her.One part of her wished he would get up and walk away while the other hoped that finally Allah sent someone,who would try and save her from her nightmares.She hoped Hamza would hold her and tell her it all would be alright.

{....At that moment the angels.      surrounding them,the angels passing by and the angels in the heaven said "Ameen" for her final hope....}

Hamza did not think twice before gently pulling Nazmeera closer to him until her head laid on his shoulder and her legs stretched out.

"Shhhh." He said as Nazmeera tried fighting his hold on her,"Cry it out Nazmeera.Do not hold it in.I promise you will feel better.I'm...." Hamza took a deep breath before continuing,"I'm here for you."

Nazmeera tried holding her tears in but at his words she let it all out,her hands reaching up to grab onto his t-shirt.She cried for the first time in front of someone since she was thrown out from her father's tribe,she allowed her walls down and let her tears flow freely.

Nazmeera was thankful that Hamza held her without saying a word.Nazmeera did not know how long she cried or when Hamza picked her up and sat on the bed holding her to him.

Once she felt that she would not be able to cry anymore and her throat was perched,she just laid her head against Hamza's chest letting her thinking power come back.

Once it came back,Nazmeera realized just how close she was to Hamza and sat up,away from him which made Hamza frown at her even though she did not see.

She attempted to talk but winced at the pain in her throat from her crying,Hamza noticed and took the glass from the bedside table.He handed the glass to Nazmeera who drank all the water and then spoke.

"I....I'm," Her still did not look at him and cleared her throat,trying to mask all the emotions she had shown before speaking again,"I'm so sorry that you had to wake up because of me."

If she had been looking at him she would have noticed the fact that he shook his head and that his eyes held an annoyed look,"Don't apologize.You are my wife,it is my duty to care for you no matter what circumstances of our nikkah."

Hamza heard her give a humorless laugh,"Woman like me aren't worth of any person to take care of them.A girl who's mother died,a girl who's father doesn't care and a girl who's value was only that of being a second wife does not deserve care.My place is a small tent,on the side with no one but myself for company.A few visits from you every fortnight to ensure that I am impregnated and left to my own devices after that.That is what I am worthy of,I'm not worthy of care.I don't deserve that four letter word."

As she spoke Hamza's blood boiled.Who had fed her such lies!Who had told her such sick things!And why had she believed them!

"No Nazmeera.You are wrong.You are strong that's why you go through such difficulties.You are worth of care and so much more.Yes you might be my second wife but that just shows how great you are.No one in this world thinks about someone else's happiness over their own,no one will agree to get married for someone else's nikaah,not unless there's a catch.Yet you did this without asking for anything in return.So yes you do deserve this four letter word because you deserve it."

Nazmeera listened carefully to him but shook her head at the end,"That didn't bring my father back into my life.That didn't bring my mother back from the dead.All it did was make me a burden on you,Aamanah and this tribe.That's all it did."

If the words before made his blood boil,these words made him infuriated and he moved his body in such a manner that Nazmeera and he were face to face,he held her by her shoulders to keep her still when she tried to move.

"You are not a burden on me or Aamanah or this tribe.You are my wife and I refuse to hear you to like this about yourself.You are worth my care,my attention and...," Hamza paused then continued after taking a deep breath,"And one day my love."

At his words,Nazmeera turned to look at him but he got up and went to bathroom.When he came back he had a washcloth in his hands which he did not hand to her rather he gently wiped her face.

Nazmeera was taken back by both his words and actions.Hamza went back to the bathroom and when he came back Nazmeera spoke.

"Jazakallah Hamza for looking after me."

Hamza smiled at her,"Sleep Nazmeera."

Hamza saw how her eyes seemed to go a bit wide and he asked her what was wrong.

Nazmeera brought a hand up to her throat and rubbed it before looking down and speaking,"I...I had a...a night....nightmare."

Hamza's eyes widened,"Why didn't you wake me up? "

"Because I didn't want to disturb hour sleep and I thought I could handle it alone."

Hamza cleared his throat,"Nazmeera if you don't mind me asking.What are your nightmares about?"

He saw the way Nazmeera begun fidgeting and how she looked down.

Nazmeera contemplated whether telling Hamza would be the right thing.She had never told anyone what her nightmares usually consisted of but Hamza had comforted her he had given her hope,he deserved to know.Taking a deep breath she spoke.

"My mother's death."

Hamza gasped and watched as tears fell off Nazmeera's face he pulled her to him and let her cry once more.

"She...she died in front of me an...and I could do both...nothing about it.She cried...cried and begged but I...I couldn't help her.I couldn't help the woman who bore me."

Hamza closed his eyes as he felt her words hit his heart,poor Nazmeera must have been young when it happened yet it still haunted her.

"They didn't help her,they could have but they didn't.They left me to watch my mother breath her last."

Hamza did not have to ask who the them was he already had a feeling he knew who she spoke of.

Nazmeera's tears did not stop and Hamza held her once more but this time sleep overtook her and she fell asleep with her head rested on his shoulder.

Hamza attempted to move Nazmeera but when she whimpered he did not have the heart to put her on her side of the bed.He pushed himself back until he was laying down with her upper body resting on his.

Even though Nazmeera slept,Hamza did not even close his eyes because her words kept him awake.

Everyone amongst the tribes was aware of what had happened to Nazmeera's mother,Ayesha.She had been married to a man who was also married to her grandmother's sisters daughter,a woman who held great hatred towards Ayesha yet having no choice but to have her as a second wife.

At first the man Ayesha married treated her well but after a time period he begun ignoring her and leaving her alone for days on end.

No one really knew how Ayesha died but some said that it was due to being poisoned while others said that she was suffocated.

There had been a court case when Nazmeera had accused her father's first wife for being the reason of her mother's death but due to her age no one listened and the court case ended.

Hamza looked down at her head and wondered that perhaps Nazmeera had been right,perhaps her mother had been killed and if that was the case then he would get Nazmeera and her mother justice.

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Nazmeera had a pounding headache and she squeezed her eyes tightly together before attempting to open them and she winced at how dry her eyes were.It took her a moment to realize that she was not holding a pillow but rather it was Hamza,who's arm was around her.

Memories from the night before flooded her mind and she sat up quickly.She looked at Hamza who was already looking at her from before and he did not bother looking away.

Nazmeera attempted to move off the bed but Hamza's hand on her arm stopped her,"Nazmeera,we need to talk."

Nazmeera shook her head,"No we have nothing to speak about.Forget what I said last night.Forget everything that I have said to you."

Hamza's hand tightened despite her attempts to move,"No I won't because you need to talk it out.You need to tell me everything because if there was someone behind your mother's death then I can help you get justice."

Nazmeera's eyes filled once again and she shook her head,"No one get my mother justice,no one but Allah.They were left then and they are still living today but Allah will make their guilt eat them up and it already is.Their children are paying for what they did to my mother and they are suffering by watching their children suffer.Taqdeer is in Allah's hands and they will be punished by Him."

Hamza's hand had gotten loss which gave Nazmeera an opportunity to get up and walk away into the bathroom.

Hamza ran a hand through his hair.With Nazmeera it was one step forward,three steps backwards.This made him think,just what had happened to Nazmeera at her father's tribe.

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As Salaam Mu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu.

Yoh,anyone else's heart breaking for Nazmeera's suffering?

Anyway,,I hope all my readers are in good health.

I tried making this chapter extra long since I haven't updated in a while.

I might update later today or tomorrow but no promises since in a weeks time I start my final exams,the finally exams of my entire schooling career.The way time flies yoh.

Tahajjud:Early morning prayer.
Taqdeer:Destiny.

Take care people and remember me in your prayers as well as others writing.

Fi Amanilah.