"Do you Shehzada Sher Shah accept Aiza Mubarak daughter of Haneef Mubarak as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"Alhamdulillah", replied Shehzada.

There was loud expression of happiness with people shouting and congratulating all around. I stood in one corner, forgotten as tears dropped from my eyes one by one. The happy look on his face was like a sharp dagger poking through my heart yet I continued to breathe... To live...

He took Aiza's hand and I couldn't bear to watch anymore. I ran. Away from the pain, away from him, away from destiny... In to darkness, with no direction, just running where my legs were taking me. I hit something and fell..... down and down and down and suddenly woke up with a start on the chair beside the bed. Sweating and panting. It was just a dream Mayera. I tried to calm myself trying to make no noise lest I should wake Maa.

I gently caressed Maa's face as she slept. I hadn't slept the whole night myself trying to comfort her. Nothing had eased her pain as I sat by her and spoke words of courage. Her moans broke my heart and I could do nothing. Early in the morning I had sent for Hakeem Hamid. Seher Khala and Dayima came with him. He gave her a stronger sleeping draught and now Maa had fallen asleep. They all had left one by one.

I dipped the sponge in cold water and wrung it before placing it on her forehead. I was in a tired state myself with loose strands from my hair encircling my face.

Making sure she was sound asleep I got up from beside her and finished my households chores. After preparing a light soup and the tincture I sat down with a sigh. Tears flowed from my eyes as they rested on her frail frame. She looked so weak and vulnerable. She couldn't even sit up by herself now. Her condition had detoriarated so slowly and gradually that I couldn't believe she was the woman who used to cook jalebis for me and chase me around the house.

Someone knocked. I opened the door to Saira and Hammad Chachu.

"Assalamualaikum", I greet them.

"Walaikumassalam. Saeed we heard Haleema was very sick", said Hammad Chachu quickly walking in. I nodded. "This is the worst condition I have seen her in. Do not make noise. She slept just a while ago".

Saira rubbed my arm. "Do not worry. She might get better by tonight. Aren't you coming for the crowning then?"

"No Saira, of course I cannot". Hammad Chachu was reluctant to leave without me. "I'll call Dayima or Seher to stay with her".

I absolutely deny it. "I am not leaving her and going anywhere in this condition. You people go ahead without me".

"I guess that's it then. Shehzada had specifically asked me to bring you along. He will have to make do without your presence. Send a word if you need anything. I'll come to check myself after the ceremony is over".

I bid them goodbye. Even while feeding and cleaning Maa I can't help but wonder how the tasks are going on. Close to sunset I am sure the crowning must be over. I wished to know how Shehzada had fared. Like an answer to my prayers Saira returned.

"Saeed! Shehzada is Shehenshah Sher Shah now!" She gave me a tight hug. "Congratulations teacher. Your pupil just shows what an excellent training you have given him".

I had been expecting this and my heart soared with joy. "Alhamdulillah".

"So, are you ready to become a Malika?", she asked wiggling her brows. Despite the current situation I smile. The dream I had just proved I would not be able to bear parting with Shehzada...a Shehenshah now. I had ignored and locked away whatever I felt for him, never acknowledging the burning desire. Deep down it did exist and I couldn't hide my true reality from my own self.

"Are you ready to become a soldiers wife?", I counter question. She chose to keep quite for she knew the more she teased me the more I would tease her.

She updated me word to word on all that had happened and I felt proud of Shehenshah.

Maa groaned from the bed and I immediately ran to her side. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. I sat by her and held her hand. "Mayera, I raised you to be a strong girl. You mustn't let my absence affect your life. You should live your life to the full and follow your every dream before you join your father and me in eternity".

My heart broke at her words. I had become a master at swallowing pain and tears. Unfortunately Saira is used to living a peaceful life and these painful emotions are too much for her and tears freely ran down her face and she quickly wiped them away.
"Maa please. Do not talk this way. You are not going anywhere. You are staying by my side. You are going to recover. I am not strong enough to even spend a day without you, so you have to become healthy again!"

Though she wanted to reply she didn't because she was in too much pain. Saira left after dinner as Hammad Chachu and Hakeem Hamid came in. I put on my veil and covered Maa generously in a blanket. Hakeem Hamid took her pulse and his face fell. I caught that expression before he quickly hid it. I knew there was something wrong. He spoke to Maa kindly and used selected words which neither gave hope nor expressed threat.

There was knock again and this time Hammad Chachu opened the door and in walked Shehenshah Sher Shah. His royal self in elegant clothes looked out of place in my small house. I felt a jolt pass through me as our eyes met. He looked upset and full of complaints but before he could start lecturing me his eyes fell on Maa and the words died in his throat. In a flash he understood why I hadn't turned up for the crowning. He kneeled by Maa's bed next to me.

"Assalamualaikum", he whispered to her.

She slowly faced him. "Walaikumassalam. Allah answered my prayer. You have come at the right time. Do you remember your promise?"

"Yes I do", Shehenshah replied.

That's surprising. "What promise?Wait, have you both met before?", I asked. Both Maa and Shehenshah take no notice of me and continue their conversation. Hammad Chachu and Hakeem Hamid are as surprised as I am.

"Are you ready to fulfill it now?", she asked. I was clearly not understanding where this was going.

"Yes, I am", he replied. Maa looked at me. "Mayera, remember you had told you will marry any man I choose?". I nodded. "Here is the man I choose for you. What do you want as meher (obligatory wedding present from husband to wife)?"

She was choosing Shehenshah for me? What? How? My confused brain was unable to process anything. Seeing me lost Hammad Chachu helped me. "Her meher will be same as that of Fathima (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Muhammad (peace be upon him). I just nodded in agreement.

Maa looked at Hammad Chachu and Hakeem Hamid. "You two can be the witnesses. I Haleema, wife of late Abu Fazal, want my daughter, Mayera bint Abu Fazal to marry Shehenshah Sher Shah with the meher being equivalent to the meher of Fathima (may Allah be pleased with her). Please make sure my wish is carried out". Her weak voice easily told how difficult it was for her to string two words together.

Both Hakeem Hamid and Hammer Chachu assured her they would.

Maa peacefully fell back on the pillow and sighed, "Alhamdulillah".

Another knock on the door disrupted the peace. Hakeem Hamid opened it. Mir Saleem stood outside panting. "My father and brothers just escaped your highness".

Shehenshah immediately stood up as Hammad Chachu joined him. "Gather the troops. Send men in every direction. We want Mir Jafar dead or alive".

I walked outside with them. Shehenshah turned to me as Hammad Chachu left. "Go! I can take care of myself. When it comes to choosing between wife and kingdom, you should choose the kingdom. Not that it means you love your wife less, it just shows how far you are prepared to go for your people".

His jaw tightened as he held my gaze and I knew he was controlling tears. "I'll be back soon to make you my lawful wife". With that he was off.

I walked back in and sat beside Maa. I held her hand and it was ice cold. "Maa", I called. There was no reply. I slowly tapped her cheek. No response. My body went numb as the reality hit me and I looked at Hakeem Hamid. He sadly shook his head as my world dissolved into darkness.

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A/N

The concept of Meher/Mehr

In Islam, it is an absolutely obligatory condition of marriage that the groom-to-be fix and gift an amount to his bride-to-be at the time of marriage, according to his means or according to his brides demand. This obligatory gift that a man gives to his bride in marriage is known as mehr in Islamic Jurisprudence or Fiqh terms.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 4 Surah Nisaa verse 4: 

And give the women (on marriage) their dower (mehr) as a free gift; but if they of their own good pleasure remit any part of it to you , take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.

 This Mehr is a right of the wife, and she may spend it as she wills; but if of her own free will and good pleasure, the wife wishes to share a part or all of the mehr amount with her husband, there is no harm.

 The amount of Mehr is not fixed in Shariah. A rich man may offer according to his status and means and a poor man according to his; and a woman may accept or demand more according to her wish. It is something that is offered by the man according to his status, and accepted or rejected by the proposed bride as she wishes.

 Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3206 Narrated by Amir ibn Rabi'ah

A woman of the Banu Fazarah was married for a dower (mehr) of two sandals. When Allah's Messenger (saws) asked whether she was satisfied with two sandals regarding her person and her property and she replied that she was, he (saws) gave his approval.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 3209 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik

AbuTalhah married Umm Sulaym, the Mehr between them being acceptance of Islam. Umm Sulaym had become a Muslim before AbuTalhah, and when he asked her in marriage she said, "I have become a Muslim, so if you become one I shall marry you." He then accepted Islam and that was the Mehr arranged between them.

 A mehr in Shariah can be as paltry as two sandals or even only the declaration of a shahadaah of faith..or it can be a treasure of gold and silver, or an amount of cash, or property, or absolutely anything else which is accepted by the bride. 

As long the bride-to-be accepts and is satisfied with the gift of the mehr proposed or offered by her husband-to-be at the time of their marriage; it would suffice to fulfill the obligatory condition of determining the mehr at the time of marriage in Shariah. 

After migration to Madinah, Fatimah (r.a.) lived with her father (the Prophet (saws)) in the simple dwelling he (saws) had built adjoining the Prophets mosque. In the second year after the Hijrah, she received proposals of marriage through her father, two of which were turned down. Then Ali ibn Abi Taalib (r.a.) plucked up courage and went to the Prophet (saws) to ask for her hand in marriage. In the presence of the Prophet (saws), however, Hadrat Ali (r.a.) became over-awed and tongue-tied.He stared at the ground and could not say anything. The Prophet (saws) then asked him: "Why have you come, O Ali?Do you need something?" Ali still could not speak and then the Prophet (saws) suggested: "Perhaps you have come to propose marriage to Fatimah."

"Yes," replied Hadrat Ali (r.a.). At this the Prophet )saws)said: "Marhaban wa ahlan - Welcome into the family," and this was taken by Hadrat Ali (r.a.) and a group of Ansar who were waiting outside for him as indicating the Prophet's (saws) approval. The Prophet went on to ask Hadrat Ali (r.a.) if he had anything to give as mehr. Hadrat Ali (r.a.) was an extremely poor man and he humbly replied that he didn't. The Prophet (saws) reminded him that he had a shield which could be sold.

Ali (r.a.) sold the shield to Hadrat Uthman (r.a.) for four hundred dirhams and as he was hurrying back to the Prophet (saws) to hand over the sum as mehr, Hadrat Uthman (r.a.) stopped him and said: "I am returning your shield to you as a present from me on your marriage to Fatimah (r.a.)." 

Hadrat Fatimah (r.a.) and Hadrat Ali (r.a.) were thus married probably at the beginning of the second year after the Hijrah. She was about nineteen years old at the time and Ali (r.a.) was about twenty one. The Prophet (saws) himself performed the marriage ceremony. At the walimah the guests were served with dates, figs and hais (a mixture of dates and butter fat). A leading member of the Ansar donated a ram and others made offerings of grain, and that constituted the walimah or marriage banquet of the marriage between Hadrat Ali (r.a.) and Hadrat Fatimah (r.a.).

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A dear friend of mine suggested I get Aiza and Shehzada married. However I knew if I did that 95% of my readers would have my life.

The next best option was suggested to me by my Bestie. It was she who asked me to put in a dream! :)

Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.

Lots of love!
Dr Mystic