Chapter 9
City of Gold-٠دÙÙØ© اÙØ°Ùب
What would hopeless lovers know of peace?
When their beloved was at arm's length, they dared not reach out.
Only when distance consumed them, did they mourn for what could have been.
Abdul stared out at the moon from behind the caged window, the only light within these dark, damp cellars. It filled the small space, comforting him.
"You fool," the sound of the sultan's voice made him rise from the floor.
It has been a week since his imprisonment. His hope for justice was diminishing.
"I am no fool." Abdul replied, still weak from his encounter with Usman.
Ibrahim mourned.
The boy before him had been bewitched by something for which there was no cure. Love.
"Only a fool would fight a general. Only a fool would stand before a man who has been undefeated. You acted with recklessness... Why?" Abdul sneered, his face barely healed from the battle.
"For your daughter."
The sultan's hands shook the steel bars which separated them.
"Enough!" he warned icily, glaring at the traitor before him.
"I took you in, I raised you. I trusted you with my child!" He shook his head, sighing.
"Where did I go wrong?" He asked himself, glancing at the boy.
"When you let your daughter go with a tyrant." Abdul spat out, his hate not wavering.
The sultan shook his head, remorseful.
"I thought some time here would help you heal and eventually return. It seems I was wrong." He motioned towards the guards.
"Extend his sentence, there will be no hearing for now. He needs more time to reflect."
"I have no intention of changing my mind. I lived for her and I will die for her!" Abdul screamed, his mind set with purpose.
The sultan held his anger, turning away from the boy he once considered his son.
"Then you can rot here."
His final words silenced Abdul, tears almost filling his eyes. He fought them, allowing the sadness to turn into rage.
"I will not be a coward like you" he shouted out as Ibrahim left the prison, ignoring his warning.
"I will escape" Abdul whispered, looking back at the moon which now shone brighter than before.
"For you Laila, I have to escape."
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Her eyes travelled around, seeming to only observe when in fact, they searched for a single presence. She was hidden behind thin palanquin curtains, her riding camel slow and gentle.
Laila had initially appreciated the gesture. Stationed at the centre of the caravan, riding at a distance from his terrifying presence.
Still, she wondered what heaviness her heart had held, that she could not stop his appearance in her mind.
They had been travelling for three days, mostly at night, stopping only to sleep.
For three days she had not met his eyes.
His commanding voice echoed around the camp but he had yet to speak a single word to her.
His play of indifference was strong. As though she did not live to him, he neither avoided nor sought her.
If not for how overwhelmingly Laila could feel his gaze, even she would have thought her existence was forgotten.
She froze when he passed, stopping only for a second whilst commanding his warriors. He was harsher when around them, expecting faultlessness in her protection.
Or perhaps she was fooling herself into believing Usman cared.
Day turned to night as the camel sank to the floor and a tent was put up in her name.
Maryam assisted Laila in her exit, careful with her healing injuries. The lady nodded in gratefulness, turning slightly to possibly catch a glimpse of her husband.
Usman was nowhere to be seen, only his people busy setting up camp.
Would he have visited me tonight? Laila childishly wondered.
"We are not far from Dhabah now" Maryam announced, leading Laila to her tent.
Dhabah
This is what they called their city. She had never heard of the likes of it in Arabia, and yet it was considered its shining jewel.
Who knew the secrets of this beautiful prison?
"Mama!" Isa ran to join them, excitedly jumping onto his mother's lap. He gazed at Laila before whispering into Maryam's ears.
Laila scrunched her brows, curious as she listened attentively. Maryam patted her son's head, facing her.
"It seems I will have to leave your company. My husband is in need of me," she suspiciously veiled herself, quietly leaving.
Curious as Laila was, her eyes stubbornly closed.
She searched for the soft mattress laid for her in the appropriately sized tent, falling less than gracefully before pulling the soft blankets around her.
The night's deception was of peace when her mind was consumed with loneliness.
With not a soul to turn to, tears became her sole companion.
She sniffled, attempting to wipe the wetness from her face only to have more follow. Weeping in silence until the fabric of her abode slowly opened.
Usman.
They stared upon each other, their eyes speaking in unison.
"You-?" She began, voice low.
Why are you here?
He quietly approached, silently laying beside her.
She stiffened, attempting to wipe stray tears without peaking his attention.
It was soundless as Usman found himself turning towards her.
"Why are you here?" Laila finally asked, following his actions to face him. He reached out, his finger wiping the wetness on her cheek.
She heard him hold his breath, sounding restrained.
"I cannot find the answer to that question."
He placed a finger on her lips. Wanting her silence before she could even speak.
"Tonight, I could no longer stay away."
She watched as his eyes stared into hers, and then slowly close as he allowed himself to rest. She slowly followed, permitting the night to end.
His arms around her,
His warmth comforted her.
The smell of him overcame her.
If it were not for his low breaths, perhaps she would have even suffocated.
How he had enthralled her.
.
Laila felt her eyes open, the light of the sun relentless in waking her from a long awaited slumber.
Her attention immediately turned to her side, only to find the spot empty.
How foolish, of course he wouldn't stay.
Still, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered as she took in his lingering scent.
Why did he affect her so?
"Laila," the sound of her name diverted the thoughts of her husband. She recognised the voice, allowing Maryam to enter.
A smile covered her face as she raised her eyebrows.
"I pray you slept well," she placed down a tray of food. Laila returned the expression, hungry as she reached for the dates.
"And you too."
Maryam nodded, seating herself on the floor as she filled a glass of water and passed it to Laila.
"We arrive in Dhabah today."
Thoughts of a huge city filled with shows of wealth and power filled Laila's mind. She was not excited to enter a city owned by those known for invading and destroying.
"Dhabah, what kind of place is this?" she asked, watching as Maryam bit her lip.
"It is a great city," Maryam spoke after a pause.
"Dhabah is a place which cannot be explained. One must see it, and live within its walls, to truly know why it is called the city of gold." Maryam stood, taking the now empty tray.
"Some come to Dhabah as beggars and leave as kings, only... they leave behind their souls." She shrugged her shoulders, a wary look in her eyes as she left the tent.
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Usman's voice was heard throughout the camp as he harshly shouted orders.
His presence was beginning to become overwhelming as he demanded perfection from his men. Never had she seen him so tense.
Laila was nervous, wanting to avoid him at all costs.
It was different in darkness, there was no hesitation with the cover of night.
In daylight however, he was suffocating.
She was afraid of him, afraid of his eyes which only looked towards her.
Till yesterday she had wished he would even glance her way.
Now, covered from head to toe; in front of this man's gaze she had never felt so bare.
He watched as she dropped her face, almost embarrassed that she had been caught seeking him.
"Laila, your camel is ready" Sana called, distracting her. Grateful, Laila hastened to walk towards her riding animal.
His eyes did not leave her.
She knew, she felt them.
"Are you nervous?" Sana asked as she helped Laila board the camel.
"Should I be?" Laila replied. Sana shrugged her shoulders,
"I would be." She offered a final smile before closing the curtain.
-
By midday, they had left. The only sign of their stay being a burn out campfire.
She felt it before she saw it, the cool air.
Dhabah.
The walls were bigger than anything she had ever seen, large blocks piled on top of each other to form a defence that no army could destroy.
As they approached, the walls only grew higher. The entire city was enclosed, protected.
She could see the height of the buildings within, huge domes covering the city, one was particularly larger than the rest, made with gold and shining underneath the desert sun.
The city's name could never be denied.
The entrance was guarded by armed men. They squinted as the party stepped forward, attempting to recognise them.
It did not take long for the guard's expressions to change as they rejoiced. They signalled towards men atop the walls, causing the sound of drums to fill the air.
The bustling city behind the walls went silent,
And then it exploded.
From all around, there was cheering. The men formed a way for their warriors to enter.
Usman dropped his face covering and straightened his stance. He took his sword and raised it high as he rode into the city.
His fellow warriors followed suit, joining the victory dance.
Laila could only watch in astonishment as her own camel entered the celebration.
A place unlike she had ever seen.
Exiting from the dome shaped entrance, her eyes met hundreds of people gathered facing the city square.
Their heads turned her way as her camel came forward. The people chattered, whispering as they awed. Despite the covering of her palanquin, she felt bare to them.
Children ran around the prince's entourage, one song on their lips.
"The captured princess is here, the captured princess is ours."
The camel came to a halt behind the fleet of warriors who had run forward before. They stood waiting behind golden gates, eager for the praise of their sultan.
The gates finally opened, revealing nothing short of a garden of heaven.
Here, the sanded floor ended and instead cool, white marble covered the floors. A large fountain stood in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by beautiful buildings held up by strong pillars. Small bits of greenery were dotted around the garden, with pools of flowing water from the fountain.
The palace was a beacon of wealth. Coloured tiles covered the walls with decorations of calligraphy. The carved inscriptions were painted in gold.
Laila gulped as her camel dropped to the floor. A hand pulled open the curtains of her palanquin.
"Come Laila, we will take you to your quarters." She heard Sana say as she was led across the haven.
Usman and his soldiers were no longer in sight, leaving only Laila and her closest behind. The rest of the camp had already dispersed in the city square.
Grateful for the silence, Laila nodded her head and followed the only one she could trust for now.
Correct words could not be found to describe the beauty of her surroundings.
Yet the fear of praising her prison silenced her.
Her own living quarters were larger than the entirety of the floor of her home.
A balcony even led to a beautiful view of the gardens.
"A bath will be made for you, so you can freshen yourself before you eat. You must be famished!" Sana smiled.
Laila returned the gesture, "you journeyed with me too, please go rest," she pleaded, sending her away before closing her eyes and allowing sleep to come.
âââ
"So, you have the girl" the sultan sat lazily on his throne, twisting a golden coin between his hands.
Usman nodded, his head slightly bowed.
"And the terms?" The sultan glanced at his most prized possession.
The greatest warrior in all of Arabia.
And his greatest feat.
"No terms my sultan, there was only the marriage." Usman couldn't help but grimace at what was to come next.
"You bought just the girl?" The question did not need an answer.
"The small city had already been under siege. They hadn't anything to give." Usman's explanation was cut short as the coin in the sultan's hand was thrown across the large room.
"There is always something to give. Yet, you thought this girl was enough." The sultan pointed at the gold he had thrown with a smirk.
"Imagine that to be her, the princess of Al-Shujae. Even if she is thrown out, it should not make a difference to me." The mention of her ignited a fire in Usman's heart.
He held his hand in a fist, bidding his anger to subside.
'My sultan, we originally intended only for the princess... to restore our honour-"
"This is why you are not yet ready!!" The sultan stood from his seat, pointing towards Usman in anger.
"Our honour is not restored by merely returning the girl to her rightful place, we are owed reparations for the shame we have endured!" He began to step down from his podium, stopping only when he had reached Usman.
"'My son," he said lovingly, placing his hand on Usman's shoulder.
"You have much to learn before you can carry the burden of my throne."
Usman tensed as the sultan left.
He looked toward the golden coin which lay flat on the ground.
Laila.
Her name alone caused an ache in his heart.
The thought of her consumed his entire being until he was no longer himself.
Losing himself to a woman that could not be his.
A woman who could destroy his very soul.