Khan's Wife
introduction
FL dad Bahadur Sherzad khan
Head of the khan family of kotli . proud,just , unforgiving.his word is law
ml father Jahangir khan
Head of the rival khan family of Mianwali .once Sherzad khan closest friend now his bitterest enemy
FL Ania khani
(FL ,22)Sherzad 's eldest daughter.soft spoken obedient.with hidden fire in her soul love her younger sister more than her own life
FL sis Sonia
(FL sis *21*) beautiful, rebellious, selfish, engaged to Jahangir eldest son,Zain
mL Zain Jahangir khan
(ml 26) Jahangir' s son .stern , quiet , carries the weight of family honor.has never smiled in anyone's memory
ml sister Zara khani
(24)Zain's younger sister sharp tounged but kind hearted. Ania's secret childhood friend
FL mom Nusrat begum
Sherzad 's wife . dignified but fragile.her daughters are her entire world
Rashid
The family driver.loyal ,speaks little but sees everything
Tariq
Distant cousin handsome, bankrupt, the man Sonia runs with
Hope you guys will like my story
Draft
The baradari ( courtyard) of khan Sherzad 's haveli glittered with a thousand oil lamps. It was the night before Sonia's engagement to Zain Jahangir khan an alliance that would unite two of the most powerful families
The air smelled of jasmine and rose water and roasting lamb . Somewhere a dhol beat slowly.
Sherzad khan and Jahangir khan sat together on a raised takht of wood,their silver beards catching the firelight once they had been blood brothers they had cut their thumbs and mixed their blood over the Quran years ago swearing friendship until death their sons had played together as children
Their lands had shared water from the same river
ml father Jahangir khan
tomorrow "lifting a cup of kehwa that steamed in cold night air "we will no longer be friends Sherzad
FL dad Bahadur Sherzad khan
"Sherzad raised an eyebrow the firelight flickered weathered face" we will be family
ml father Jahangir khan
"laughed a deep rumbling sound that made his servants smile" you always speak truth brother even when it cuts
They touched cup . The kehwa was sweet with cardamom and honey. Neither man knew it was the last peaceful drink they would ever share
Inside the women's quarters
Ania was braiding Sonia's hair
Sonia set before a mirror her reflection impatient and beautiful, gold jewelry layed scattered around her, her engagement lehenga crimson with real gold thread hung on a stand
FL sis Sonia
tighter apa"she snapped"I want my eyes to tilt Zain khan should not be able to look away
Ania's hands continued their work
FL Ania khani
Your eyes are perfect as they're you don't need to hurt yourself for beauty
Sonia rolled her eyes so dramatically that Ania had to stop braiding
FL sis Sonia
You always say that. You think everything is perfect the world is not perfect Ania it's a cage and tomorrow they'll lock me inside Zain khan cage
Ania paused hand mid braid
FL Ania khani
Zain is a good man respected and quiet
FL sis Sonia
*quiet like grave*"Sonia interrupted, whipping around to face her sister" he never laughs, never jokes , never dances at weddings he looks at people like he's calculating their worth in rupees per kilo, l have seen him, Ania. At the last jirga he sat like a statue while men argued
FL sis Sonia
A statue made of ice
Ania took Sonia's hands in her own they were cold
FL Ania khani
"Sonia listen to me a good husband is not a poet who sings for you A good husband is a wall he protects,he provides he"got cut off
FL sis Sonia
"he what?"Sonia pulled her hands away "he loves?"do you think Zain khan is capable of love?do you think that frozen face has ever felt anything except duty and pride ?
Because secretly. She didn't know either.she has only seen Zain khan three times in her life each time from behind a veil, each time from a distance he was tall ,broad shouldered, his face was all sharp angles he had never smiled not once
FL Ania khani
"he is honorable,"Ania said finally. This is more than most men
Sonia stood up her silk dupatta sild off her shoulder
FL sis Sonia
Honor is a word men invented to control women I will not be controlled , Ania. *not by abba ,not by Zain khan,not by anyone*
FL Ania khani
Then what will you do?
FL sis Sonia
"whispered"run?
FL Ania khani
Where will you go ? you have no money of your own,no skills the world outside these walls is not kind to women who ...
Sonia voice was sharp as blade
FL sis Sonia
Just stop you sound like Ammi . like a frightened bird who has never left his cage
Ania flinched but she said nothing she simply picked up the brush and began smoothing Sonia's hair again in silence the way she had done since they were children the way she always do because that was Ania's role the eldest. The steady one
Because that was Ania who cleaned up the messes while the younger one flew free
She didn't know that tonight the mess would be too big for any brush to fix
The haveli had fallen silent the guests had retired the servants had blown out the oil lamps leaving only the dim glow of emergency lights along the corridors even the dogs were asleep
Sonia knocked softly on the door of Tariq, her distant cousin ...a dashing bankrupt rogue who had been visiting for a week under the pretense of family business he opened the door in his shirtsleeves a cigarette between his fingers his eyes half closed with sleep
Tariq
You calmed "he whispered"
FL sis Sonia
"I have the car keys,"Sonia said,
Her voice steady like a glass that has already cracked and is waiting to shatter "Rashid is asleep in servant quarter.the security cameras on the east wall go blind at 2: 15 for maintenance "
Tariq stared at her the crooked grin that measure love and hated in equal across three provinces
Tariq
"you're terrifying, Sonia khan"
FL sis Sonia
No "she stepped closer her eyes was dry.her hands didn't shakes "I am free
They slipped out into the night the east walls was dark exactly as she predicted the car her father second vehicle,a black "Toyota"started without a sound Tariq drove Sonia sat at the passenger seat , her small on her lap
Three changes of clothes,all her gold jewelry 70 thousand rupees she had saved over to years and a photograph of Ania
She didn't know why she took the photograph. Guilt, perhaps love or the strange knowledge that she was leaving behind the only person who had ever truly loved her
Sonia left behind her engagement dupatta the crimson one embroidered with gold draped over a chair in her room she left behind jewelry box,still open she left behind a single letter on her pillow written in Urdu
Forgive me but I would rather die than marry a stranger I would rather be nothing than be property
Tell abba I am not his goat to sell . Tell Zain khan to find another bride Tell Ammi ...... tell her I am sorry
the morning of ashes
Her mother's voice high and cracking,pierced through the walls of the haveli like a blade then her father roar a sound she had never heard in her twenty two years it was the sound of a lion being gutted
She run her bare feet slapped the walls of the haveli like a blade she pushed open Sonia's room door
The bed was untouched the dupatta layon the chair the letter was crushed in Sherzad khan's fist
FL Ania khani
"what...... "Ania began
Her father turned .his face was not angry it was worse it was empty
FL dad Bahadur Sherzad khan
You sister"he said each word like a stone dropped into a deep wall"has destroyed us
Begum Nusrat collapse on the wall her dupatta covering her face her body shaking with sob
FL mom Nusrat begum
She is gone......"she is gone my daughter is gone"
Ania took the letter and she read it once . Twice ...thrice the words blurred
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