"A place out of imagination,
Sand in eyes,
And a cry of a vengeance,
Waiting for his lies."

♤



Their footsteps fell in sync on the ground. The night deepened upon the place and winds grew colder. His quiet steps made it hard for her copy her moves. His eyes shined with amusement as he sensed the footsteps of caravan camels walking far away in the desert.

A taut smile grew on his face and his eyes darkened as he sensed the evil air around him. It grew darker and coiled around him. Creasing his brows together, he pulled Layla closer to him and gestured her to walk infront of her.

Cautiously, she stumbled and walked avoiding looking at him. Stumbling on the cold grainy sand she walked as he guided her from behind. Anticipation grew taut under her muscles and she grew rigid, sensing unknown air around her. It shifted and uncomfortable surrounded them choking in the night.

He sighed under his breaths, as he sensed the caravan camels coming closer to them. Jaw tightened as he remembered he can not use his magic in the middle of the night. A hurricane growled inside him as the footsteps grew louder and he strutted near to her.

Her steps felt to halt as she sensed him closer. His warmth enclosing her senses, coiling amd messing with her heart. Chanting Astagfirullah, under her breath she turned and was met with a small gesture.

His hard eyes fell on her and signed her to stay quiet. The sudden shift in the air made goosebumps arise on her arms. He was not touching her, but even his near-ness messed with her brain.

"Ahlan, Baraq." They heard a hiss and instantly, his body grew taut and rigid. Before, she can turn around to see him, he caught her veil in his fist amd motioned her to not turn.

"Even if you stepped a little out of place. I will make sure, you never go back to your place." Venomous words released from his mouth made her pin him with a glare.

"لقد نزل اليوم."

"The day has descended."

Kohl rimmed over eyes. Carrying a lantern in one hand and saddle. With another. Upper body covered with pashmina robes and heavily intricate keffiyeh adorned head stood proudly. Gold ornaments overflowing from his head to neck.

Baraq's other hand curled around her waist from a safe distance.

"هكذا كانت الإنسانية."

"So, has the humanity."

A bark of laughter resonated in the eerie silence and she stepped closer near Baraq.

Layla's face grew frown as she tried hard to comprehend what they are talking about.

"سوف يعبدك الثراء إذا وافقت على العمل معي."

"Richness will worship you if you agree to work with me."

Baraq fisted her veil and she feared for it be pulled away.

"مثل هذه الأعمال لا تناسبني. لقد توقفت عن الخطيئة."

"Such works aren't my cup of tea. I have stopped sinning."

Barak knew he was lying and the man knew that too. There was no sin left to ve done by Barak. But, Barak wasn't doing that for himself.

"كذب. وهذا أيضاً خطيئة عظيمة."

"Lie. That too is a great sin."

His voice grew menacingly cold as he leaned over his Camel's neck and continued,-

"1000 قطعة ذهبية لهذا الجمال بين ذراعيك."

"1000 gold coins for that beauty in your arms."

Baraq's eyes darkened and he securely pulled her closer with her veil.

"أي نوع من الرجال سأكون إذا بعت امرأتي مقابل القليل من العملات الذهبية. مع العلم أنها تستحق أكثر من هذا العالم العظيم."

"What type of man I will be, if I selled my woman for few gold coins. Knowing she is worth more than this great world."

His challenged voice grew an octave deeper.

"منذ متى بدأت تسمية أي امرأة أخرى باسمك؟"

"Since when have you started naming any other woman after you?"

Pulling Baraq closer with his collar he hissed at him. Her face collided with his shoulder and he caressed her covered head. Her breath hitched and eyes widened.

Hissing at him he jerked his hand away. His blood boiling and body growing with fire. Fire, where it came from? He didn't knew, but something about protecting her felt right.

For the first, he followed his heart.

"منذ أن وجدت الذي صنعه لي الكبير."

"Since I found the one Al-Kabir made for me."

Pulling themselves away from him he stepped back.

"كايف، ابتعد عني وعن زوجتي."

"Kaif, stay away from me and my wife."

Hissing, he backed away and walked away with Layla still in secured in his arms.

Her mind alerted her about a particular word and her eyes bored into his aide profile.

"What?"

"What did you talked about with him?" She asked trying to get a look from of Kaif.

"Don't. And why would I tell you about some private conversation, that you wasn't a part of? You are not my wife." Grumbling he released her from his arms and gestured her to walk ahead.

"Wife. That's what I heard. You called someone wif-"

"It should not affect you and I didn't called you. So, turn around and walk ahead." Hissing he asked her to walk when she turned to him for answers.

"I am not your slave to walk whenever you say and stay quiet whenever you say." Her eyes welled up with tears. As frustration pricked on her skin. What was happening?

"I want to know. Every. Single. Detail."

A lump formed in her throat, restricting her from speaking and gulping a sob and accusingly, pointed at him.

"You brought me here, you left me there alone to die, and now there infront of a stranger you acted like you know me and is saving me?!" Eyes wide with anger.

"I am sure you were the one who ate my family." Voice hoarse and heavy from the sob trying come out. Tears fell on her abaya wetting her veil.

"Take me back to my place." A cry escaped from her throat as she crouched down and fisted the grainy sand in her hand. Like, time sand slowly escaped from her fist. Like how she couldn't get hold of sand, she couldn't get hold of time.

This was second time she was begging from him. Crying infront of him.

"Please, I-" choking on a sob she pleaded to him.

Closing his eyes tightly he rubbed his face and turned back to see if Kaif has went away or not. Seeing, Kaif smirking at him made a sigh release from his mouth.

"Listen,"

Crouching closer to her, he tried to speak.

"No, I don't want to. Leave me where I was." She flailed her arms and cried.

Creasing grew wild, gathering his brows. His hands held her arms tightly as he stopped her flailing arms.

"He was there to take you away and to sell you. He asked me to sell you. Do you want that? To be a slave like that. What about your parents and family?"

Releasing another sigh he continued.

"I was getting 1000 gold coins for that. For selling you to him. I am sinner. I know. But, I would never lose someone's dignity for my own pleasure. I know you have a family-" A chuckle made him pause.

"Whose family? Family as in parents, siblings?" Her eyes held questions and she was speaking none of them.

"I-i don't know what you are talking about. I never had a family. I never." And her body shook with sobs as she quietly looked away from him.

"You ungrateful woman. I knew you have a family. I saw those photo frames,-"

"They went away." His breath hitched.

"They left me alone. Alone to fight with this world. I have no one." He couldn't breath anymore. His eyes blurred but there were any tears in his eyes. Something pained in his heart, but it wasn't his pain.

"I don't who you are. But, please leave me alone. Thank you for saving me from been selled to be a slave. But, that life will still be better than this. Atleast, I won't have any hope."

Baraq saw red. She talked so awful that he wanted to slap her.

"One more word out of you and I will slap you hard. Want to be selled, right? I am standing right here, now you will walk to your own destiny. To him or to me." Saying, he stood up and stood a little far away from her.

Words spewed out in anger made regression coil around her heart. Walking to Baraq was a humiliation and walking to that stranger was a life turning point which would devastate her life to the extent she didn't know.

Night dimmed low as she slowly stood up on her feet and curled her hands into fist.

She knew walking to that man will end up her life, so she chose Baraq over everything not knowing, bow he will become her everything after that.

Baraq doesn't care where she was going to walk so he turned around and saw the night dim more lower.

Hushed footsteps walked in his made a contented feeling feel his heart in a way he never felt.

"What's your name?" She asked standing at a safe distance.

"Baraq." A smile spread over his lips under his mask.

"I am Layla. I chose you."

Gulping she shifted her form on her feet as she felt heat crawling under her abaya.

"I am glad to be chosen by you Layla."

TBC.............