Living Royalty

24. What was this feeling?

Samiha's P.O.V

The night after we got back from the reception was one to remember. I introduced Asif to all my ex-workmates and friends present at Anna's reception, and they were all overjoyed to meet the one of the 'Princes'. They literally called him Prince Asif, even though deep down, I wanted to scream telling them not to, or it would make him even more big headed. But Asif took it surprisingly well, which was unexpected! He didn't become smug or anything, thankfully.

When we left the venue after the reception, I was surprised when Asif didn't take the turn leading us home. Instead, he went somewhere else. Blame my overactive imagination, or my dramatic nature, but scary thoughts started entering my head, and without thinking, and on impulse, I started ranting.

"Asif, listen, I know you don't like me, and you can't stand me. I know I woke you up early from your sleep yesterday morning and today also, but can you think this through? You can't possibly do this to me -"

"Samiha," he cut me short, but I ignored him and carried on with my rant.

"You can't possibly take me somewhere just like that! What do you want to do with me? Kill me? Oh wait, you're a Muslim! Murder is haraam, how can you do it and it's forbidden? Or do you want to just dump me somewhere to get rid of me?"

"Samiha! Are you crazy? What makes you think I'll do that?" He said, bewildered.

"You hate me!" I pointed out.

"No, I don't. Maybe you hate me, but I don't hate you," he said.

"So how do you explain your behaviour towards me?" I asked. But Asif didn't answer. He kept his eyes focused on the road and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. All of a sudden, he turned to me.

"We're here."

"Where?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows.

"The place where I come for fencing. It's really late right now, so it's going to be completely empty so you won't be able to see me fencing since I won't be having any opponents," he said.

"You know, Samaah was always interested in archery, and Arif ended up being good at it. But I've never been interested in fencing. As in, it's never struck me that maybe I should look at people practicing fencing and be interested in it," I told him.

"I didn't bring you here to make you interested in it or to watch it, I brought you here to see where most of my time goes. I spend a lot of time here, ever since the fi-" he stopped abruptly.

"Ever since the?" I questioned.

"Nothing. Just basically, I've been practicing fencing over here for a very long time. Someone I was very close to had introduced fencing to me, but at that time, I wasn't interested at all, so I didn't think much of it. When that person passed, I took up fencing because it reminded me of them and whilst doing it, I felt closer to that person," he said.

"Wow! That's really interesting. I don't want to pry or anything, but if you don't mind me asking, who was that person? It's totally fine if you don't want to tell me though," I said.

"That person was my brother," he said, quietly. His brother? Wasn't Arif his only brother. As if reading my thoughts, he went on. "Arif is my twin brother, but I had another older brother. Older than Aliyah also. He would be 29 right now. His name was Adil. Our parents named all of us with names beginning with 'A'," he let out a short laugh. "So Adil loved fencing and he used to bring me here with him. I was about 10 years old, and he was 15, but he always dragged me along with him. I used to get frustrated, but I had no choice but to come because Adil was a mama's boy and mum wouldn't spare me if I didn't listen to him. He wouldn't take Arif though for some reason. I used to go, but no matter how much he insisted, I wouldn't get up and join him. Then, after his death, I started coming here and I learnt fencing. Now it's what I do most." His voice shook a little, but he didn't break down. I was glad he didn't because I wasn't close enough to him to know how to comfort him.

"I'm so sorry for your loss. I know how hard it must have been for you. I haven't lost any siblings Alhamdulillah but I've lost someone beloved to me. My mother's youngest sister was my age, a year older than Samaah. She was our aunt, and the two of us were very close to her. She was like my second sister after Samaah since my mother treated her more like a daughter than a sister. She passed away in a plane crash seven years ago, when she was just seventeen. It was very tragic," I narrated.

The two of us stared at each other, and I felt an emotion that I didn't know I could feel pass through me. His eyes were so intense and I found myself lost in them. He was so beautiful, and I wanted to fall for him. I didn't want to be a woman who didn't feel anything for her husband. I wanted to be in love with my husband. But I knew I couldn't be because of how he was. His gaze did not move away from my face and his eyes bore into mine. I hoped that my makeup was intact, I wanted to look equally as good as he did.

"I've never seen you lose your temper," he said, still staring at me.

"I'm learning how to control it. Although, I did lose it the day before yesterday. I shouted at Samaah really badly," I said, feeling guilty all over again.

"But in spite of how I've behaved with you, you've never even once raised your voice at me," he said.

"Because in Islam, we respect our spouses," I said

"I really need to start doing that," he said.

I chuckled. "You do."

"I will. Now we need to get going or mum will get worried. I normally stay out till quite late, but never this late," he said, starting the ignition.

As we drove off, my mind wandered off to our conversation. For the first time, Asif had spoken to me willingly. He had treated me like his wife, and like I actually existed. I don't know why, but every time we looked at each other as he drove, an unfamiliar emotion would pass through me. No, I wasn't in love with him, so what was this feeling?

Were things getting better? Would they improve from now on? Will Asif change completely and become the way I want him to? Will we finally become a proper couple? Only time will tell. I prayed to Allah to make everything go well.

♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤♤

Finally Asmiha decided to work properly. Asif is getting better. Samiha is beginning to soften towards him. Alls good so far, but will it stay that way? Read on to find out.