15.... I will repair You

Rooh Farah 

A hearty meal was presented in front of me in a big tray, This is the first time I'm seeing this much rice for a single person. There was a tomato soup on top and Big Chunks Of Meat! Something i haven't ate in like four years, not even on Eids, since that unfortunate incident.

Beside it sat a fruit basket, consisting of several colours and shapes of fruit of which i knew only few.

After that, sat a big cup of hot pap of which they added fresh milk and caramelised sugarcane water.

Aziza's kids were following behind when she entered the Room but seeing me they hide behind their mother's back.

"Jasrah, Amrullah greet your aunty" she ordered.

" عمتي مساء الخير(Good evening aunty)"

Greeted the younger boy who's like 5. So even young kids here can speak Arabic?.

I didn't understand what he said so i just smiled in response.

"How is she our aunty?" The older one Jasrah asked.

"She your uncle's wife"

The not more than 8 years old kid dramatically widened her eyes in shock and hit her chest.

"Which uncle? My uncle prince?

أما سرقت رجلي؟؟

(Amma she stole my man??)"

"Don't spit nonsense here, i told you, you can't marry your mother's brother!!"

"But he told me he'll marry me when i grew up. I love uncle prince amma please help me, I'll never find a handsome man like him" 

I didn't realise i was smiling, I've never seen an 8 year old as dramatic as Jasrah.

But when i saw tears in her eyes my face fell.

"I'm his first choice" she said to my face then merched her way outside holding her little brother, followed by their nanny.

She turned her attention to me after they left, 

"Eat everything, I don't want a single grain of food left" 

I stare at the sheer amount but nodded with a "yes" anyway.

I thought she's going to leave immediately but it seems like she's staying to watch me eat so i started taking the delicious food quietly, i didn't scavenge on it because Faris didn't allow prince Namir to starve me.

I didn't eat halfway when my stomach started sending me 'Full' alarm. Noticing that Aziza moved closer. "I said not to leave a single grain on my plate" she started feeling the fruits herself and feeding me, then helped me gulped down the now warm pap, which is the most delicious pap I've ever had.

After I've finished everything, i requested to pray maghrib and Isha altogether and she allowed me. Nobody here prays either, what's wrong with this rich people?! I thought only poor people neglect their daily prayers, but even when Allah has given everything to these people, they still couldn't stand for less than 7 minutes just 5 times a day?.

Ofcourse... I minded my business. 

After I'm done they took me to Aziza's personal bathing chamber. 

Inside sat a huge wooden tub. Filled with warm water and rose petals.

"My brother love roses" 

Okay but what does that have to do with me? For I'm only his maid.

They added some essential oils to the water and now the scent filled the entire chamber.

She asked the servants to undress me. And i close my eyes in surrender as they took my rag off me since i can't stop them, they left me only in my lower undergarment.

"Ohh Farah you need a lot of work, I'm no longer sure if 2 weeks will be enough."

"I'm sorry " i quickly got on my knees again.

"Get up- get up! My brother don't like apologies, he's sick of being apologised to every minute"

I stood up again "yes ma'am " 

"I'm glad that you're a quick learner so you should regard what i just told you as our first lesson on the Prince".

"Yes ma'am "

"Now get into the water"

I did as instructed once again. 

"Scrub her" oh i thought I'm doing it myself.

They started scrubbing me with all their might so i yelped in pain. My body is sand dry but i still feel pain because of my injuries and damaged parts. She immediately ordered them to be gentle and i was surprised that after were done the bathing water has already changed colour, and the smell is now the mix of scent and odour, and they have not even wash my hair yet.

They changed the water the second time but only add some soap, and began untangling my hair. After a lot while, they finally succeeded in getting my hair wet and began washing it with the soapy water. It took them alot of energy and repeatation for the browny foam to change to white. So they applied some slimy paste on it and covered it.

"It will help your hair to get softer. It's a mixture of egg whites, henna and other ingredients" she explained.

And they changed the water to bath water again with the petals and everything. Fortunately the water is almost clear this time so they brought out small blades and i was asked to lift my hands up. I did! And the forest i was growing there was revealed.

I'm just 17 i know but I'm half caste, the rate at which my bodily hair grows is really different from my siblings and every full Hausa young lady of my age.

They did not bother bringing out small blades and started cutting down the tall trees of the forest since I'm now almost cleaned. They are working on both armpits and it's ticklish since i never shaved before, but i didn't move since Aziza is seated right in front of us and inspecting everything.

She asked me to go behind the curtain and shaved down there myself. She demonstrate how to do it safely without injuring myself but i still got two cuts there and they hurt like crazy.

When i got back into the last water i nearly screamed in pain, i never knew small cuts will hurt this bad.

This time they added a rose scented soap and it dissolved almost immediately leaving out millions of bubbles and lushy scent. They washed and rinsed me then message my whole body with different oils including my hair. 

I finally got to see it's full length again now that is untangled after 4 years, they brought a hot coal and added bakhoor just to put the fume under my hair covering it in the luxurious scent.

Then i was dressed in a white single layer of cotton cloth After everything i returned to my room. With how relaxed my body is all i want to do now is sleep, but Aziza entered again.

"You'll be wearing white clothes untill the period of your stay here is over. Your skin layers will be releasing their toxins, your sweat will stain and might even smell but with constant cleaning it'll come to pass.

You'll be taking your baths twice a day, before the sun rise and after the sun has set, because I don't want your skin under the light of sun for the meantime. So you'll not be going anywhere during the light of the day. I'll provide tutors of all kind there is, you'll be taught everything, when i said everything i mean including the way you should breath in the palace." 

By the time she's done talking i couldn't even breath. I knew it's going to be a war, but i never knew it's this kind of war. 

"We're going to swith to silk clothes when I'm satisfied"

I have never even seen someone wearing silk in my entire life, but no! That's not enough to tempt me.

She smile seeing the fear in my eyes. 

"It's going to be fine, you can do it Farah." 

What a big fat lie.

She drag me up to place me in front of the tall mirror at the side of the room.

"If you don't believe it, then believe this new Farah can do it, she's different from the old one"

And when i look myself in the mirror, i almost couldn't recognise the Farah in me. This farah is not miserable! For the first time in my life i felt tears of joy instead of agony coming from my eyes, the tears were cool instead.

She smiled seeing the grin on my face. 

"You think you're damaged, so i promise to repair you." She placed her hand on my shoulder from behind. 

"I don't know why Namir chose you, but you see, he's never chose something worthless, but you'll play a crucial part in our survival. Farah if you promise to be by Namir's side untill the end, then I promise to make you own something the whole world will envy you for having." 

She raised a brow with a proud smile plastered on her lips. "Would you like to know what that is?"

I nodded excitedly.

"Prince Namir's Heart!"

I quickly shook my head. 

"No i don't want it please!!!".

What will i do with a monster's cruel Heart?

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