Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar,La ilaha Ilallah, wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahil hamd!

Salaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh. The long wait is finally over, Alhamdulillah. Wishing you all a happy Eid. Now, my Eid present to you guys...
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To every tear shed, there's a promise from God...
To every promise, there's hope
In hope, there's light at the tunnel's end
Indeed, Allah is the Grand Author of our lives...
Therefore... for every tear shed,
There's a happy ending... A Victory Eternal!" (A.A.I.M.)

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"Look, young lord, considering you're new here, and I desperately need some money for my little girl's medications, I'll charge you a little for my services, alright." the old man Khidr said, as he looked up into the sky, as if enshrouded by the very essence of sorrow itself.

In that moment, he'd really look like the epitome of all that is sad in this world. Arkaan sighed.

"By Allah, if not for that, I wouldn't have even charged a coin! I hope you understand"he smiled with such sincerity and righteous indignation that could move all hearts, as he looked at Arkaan from the corner of his eyes.

If not for the ever-present avarice he tried to keep subtle behind his solemn expression that Arkaan could easily read, and his overtly ostentatious behaviour, maybe Arkaan would have given him the benefit of the doubt.
Arkaan kept silent and smiled. This was really a strange tactic to even him.

He was not really using his services' excuse to try and extort Arkaan, and Arkaan knew this. "money for his little girl's medications... " Arkaan thought. This man was playing on his humanity to extort him!

If it were true and Arkaan refused him, then it'll only go to show what a heartless person Arkaan was, without a shred of gratitude to an old man who even bothered to help him! And if it were false, which Arkaan strongly believed to be most likely the case... as long as he couldn't prove it, if he refused, it'll still be a show of heartlessness on his part!

All loose ends in this con were tied, and strangely enough, there was a definite price the man had set! If it were simply begging, then it'd be a case where one could decide how much to give in alms to the beggar. Yet, 'some money for my medications' called on a definite sum! This was a rare occurrence against the notion 'a beggar has no choice'!

Arkaan sighed as he said, "How much does the medication cost?... The old man was elated, as he looked at Arkaan with a gracious light in his eyes."Just six gold coins! "

"Just?!!" Arkaan's pupils dilated. In his pocket right now, after purchasing the leather bag, only eight gold coins remained; even though his remaining funds would be coming later on by the arrangement he had made on his journey, this was quite exorbitant for medications that were made affordable for the sake of the underprivileged. This was just...
(╥﹏╥)

Yet, since he already decided to help the man, he removed the six gold coins from his pocket, carefully making sure the other two did not follow, for he didn't know what the man might say afterwards. He used to think he was an expert in these things in the past, but--- this man had trancended!

Handing over the gold coins whilst trying to curb the nudging pain in his heart, he tried to constantly remind himself of the blessings involved in charity, Arkaan smiled painfully at the wizened old man.
The old man gingerly took the gold coins, as his eyes lighted up in unconcealed greed. Noticing his own inappropriate avaricious behaviour, he looked at Arkaan ingratiatingly, "Young lord, may you be blessed by the Lord of the seven skies! You're indeed a gem among the youthful generation of today--- rare to the extreme! "

Not ceasing to praise, and send blessings upon Arkaan, he led him to a road leading straight to the southeastern stream, across which was the Al Maghribi estate. At this point, he left him.

By this time, the reddened sun was slowly falling below the western horizon. Arkaan stood, silently looking at the stream ahead of him.

"Brother, you've just been duped!",Arkaan turned around to find a light skinned youth about his age, reclining on a wooden pillar of a closed stall nearby.
He had a sombre expression on his calm face, which flickered with disappointment,"The old man Khidr must be known by even you, right? "

Seeing Arkaan's lost expression, he continued,"He earlier came to me, saying he needed money for medications which cost two gold coins. Tsk tsk, even after probing him intensely, he seemed to accurately know the orthodox medicines like a professor of medicinal arts...".

The young man then turned to leave, without saying anything further. He was a decent looking youth like a noble born. His general clean-cut appearance gave him the look of a dandy.

But at that moment, all Arkaan had on his mind was intense shock. He stood there like one who had been sentenced to death by the guillotine."..tw- two gold coins! This man is flawless!" Arkaan really felt ashamed at having been duped like a naive little child. Against this man, Arkaan was proven that he was just a legend in his own mind; and yet, he felt that the shamelessness of the wizened old man was just too wicked.

Yet, trying to achieve a neutral thought, so he wouldn't lose the blessing of his charity, he refrained from badmouthing the old man, or thinking bad about him.

Even as he proceeded to make his way eastward toward the stream, a figure in complete black, rushed past him, with standing brooms and a mop in hand. As if suddenly realizing something, the figure turned back gracefully to look at him.

Arkaan had almost gasp in shock, as he seemed momentarily stunned in place for a while. The girl in front of him was most probably in his age group. She had a dreamy kind of fair beauty, one that would make it difficult to lower one's gaze, if mistakenly chanced upon. He wondered at her in captivated silence.

Even before he could recover his senses, he suddenly remembered something; a little girl in the past, no less beautiful, giving him her food from her knapsack in the past. That time, her smile seemed to carry his senses away..

They were in middle school, and he was seven years old. That time, his father had long since disappeared...

"H- have we met somewhere before?...", Arkaan almost stammered. His memory of that little girl, and the resplendent beauty in front of him were enough to send him haywires.

Maryam laughed gently, her clear soft voice ringing," Of course.., though you were unconscious that time!"

No matter how you looked at it, Arkaan's question, though strange, was also quite funny to her, since she believed this was really their first time 'consciously' meeting one another.

She looked at the boy in his matching outfit and bag; even with his innocent and chaste handsomeness, he looked quite the glamour boy.

"She doesn't remember."
Arkaan was silent for a while.

Seeing that he didn't say anything anymore as he stood there like a newborn watching the world for the first time, she continued," I'm Maryam, the daughter of Hajj Ya'qûb from the Al Maghribi family. If I'm not mistaken, you're our guest... Arkaan, right? You've already met my brothers, Zakariyya and Abdullah...even little Isa."

Usually, Maryam wasn't this long-winded, so she didn't understand why she was trying to make up conversation with this guy, who--- she couldn't remember meeting before this and yet, she felt she had known him all along...

"Maybe, I'm just trying to ease his tension... After all, since he's not with Zak, and that look on his face...he must be lost..."She thought.

At that moment, Arkaan realized his inappropriate staring and lowered his gaze as he said,"Yh... " It was almost a whisper. Against this girl, he seemed to momentarily have lost his courage and outgoing personality. Or perhaps, he was just disappointed she didn't remember something as important to him as their first meeting...

"Or maybe I was wrong, and she's not the one..."

She mused at his bashfulness, which made him even cuter."I guess you're lost...The market is like a maze afterall. I can show you the way. It's just ahead, we cross the stream on old man Wang's canoe, after which is the estate!" She continued as she waited for his response.

"There's only one way to know."

At this, Arkaan turned crimson. Though it wasn't a bad thing, yet it felt inappropriate to try that. He shook his head.

"No, I can't ask her that."

Just when Arkaan was about to offer to carry her load, they heard a loud group come, almost bumping into them.

"There you're, Arkaan!...Little sis!... "The clamorous voice of Ismail resounded in Arkaan's ears, waking him from his absentmindedly daydreaming.

"Maasha Allah!, all safe and sound!" Ismail said, playfully 'examining' Arkaan.

"Elder sister!, you've been gone long. I've been waiting on you for about ages, then I saw Elder brothers approach looking for Arkaan... ", even as Aasiyah approached with a wicker basket in hand, talking in an aggrieved format, she saw Arkaan and quietened down, coyly.

"Yaa Akhii!, don't go missing from me again...do you know how worried I was to the point of death. This market, it's easy to get lost here. Next time, I'm definitely coming with you, okay...", Abdullah said in an exasperated tone.
Suddenly realizing Arkaan was not alone, he turned respectfully and in an adorable tone, greeted Maryam,"Yaa Ukhtii..." Maryam smiled and responded.

Zak, arriving at the side, noticed Arkaan's general modesty towards his sister Maryam, whom many would lose control at seeing; he smiled.
His admiration for Arkaan was increasing every single time as he was getting familiar with his character.
Before the taunts of the members of Eastern Waterfall, he showed fearless courage, and defended the honour of his halaqah.
Considering his previous reserved nature when he first awoke at their home, Zak wouldn't have thought him capable of that, he was also left quite puzzled about Arkaan. And now, before an astonishing beauty of a sister, he acted demurely.

Zak had no question on Maryam's modest and chaste demeanour, on the contrary she was known far and wide for that, even as well as her compassion.

Seeing Arkaan respect her, and act modestly towards her the way he did, he felt nothing but praise,"alright, let's go before we miss the maghrib salah, and our feast tonight!" Zak beamed joyfully, as he slung his arm jovially around Arkaan, and pulled him ahead."nice bag ~~", Zak turned and discreetly gave a polite nod to Maryam.

Zak and Maryam were close, so she understood him and smiled.

Ismail who was holding Maryam's wicker basket which he took from Aasiyah, handed it over to Abdullah, and collected the brooms and mop from her, after much coercion.

Maryam laughed warmly at her brother's conduct. They never failed to act like she was their treasured princess, even now that she was grown.

"Shukran, Elder brother Ismail", Maryam smiled thankfully.
She then turned and collected Aasiyah's wicker basket so swiftly that Aasiyah didn't see it coming; she looked quite pleased with herself.

Ismail wanted to say something, but she eyed him the way a naughty little sister would her caring Elder brother, who spoilt her, and Ismail had to keep silent.

Aasiyah and Abdullah began debating on their own little things as they followed the brother-sister duo in front, led by Arkaan and Zak, as they headed for the Al Maghribi estate.

"...Hmph!... So that's why you gave us that scrappy excuse, and took off in a flight!" Zak chided quite upsetly in a friendly tone, as he examined Arkaan's new leather bag.

"I'm sorry. " Arkaan said as he laughed, his heart feeling warm at Zak's friendly concern for him. This was his first true and sincere feeling of having a friend he felt was for the sake of Allah, since childhood; afterall, they only took to him kindly for His sake.

Most of his past associations that were friendly were ephemeral, and not always so good...

Zak made him feel free like himself, as if they were friends for quite long...

"But, it's quite classy..." Zak said in sincere praise," I never knew you had such fashionable taste! Maasha Allah, Kān!"

"Pfft..."Arkaan stifled his laughter,"says the boy who has ladies swooning over him."

Remembering Ukashah's statement, Arkaan couldn't find it hard to believe. This brother and sister duo are really blessed in physical appearance than most people. He thought of Maryam...

"So, you're now siding with Ukashah, eh~" Zak said, as if grievously wronged.

"Who said there were any sides?!", Arkaan laughed in pleasant astonishment as they continued on, the sun setting behind them as twilight entered, and the sound of various adhans could be heard all over the South district and beyond, in a cacophony...tingled the air mystically...

"Yh, so what's the meaning of Kān?"...

•••

A half moon hung low in the evening sky. It's ripe and luminous glow lit the South district of Madinat-ul-Asghar, amidst the occasional street lamps.

In one particular calm and serene neighbourhood on the Mt. Shirah landmass, a woman in a chartreuse burqa gently moved in graceful strides like the cicada, fluttering in the silence of dead winter.