I'm going to start an FF, which will be COMPLETELY different than what anyone has written around here 😛, well I'm quite sture it's different 😆. Ok, so Riddhima's name will be changed to Rida and she's going to be an Arabian princess from the Umayyad dynasty during the 8th century. Haha... I know you guys must be like.. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY?!?! 😳 It's going to be a historical romance and I might use a little bit of Arabic here and there, that is if I can figure out how to write proper sentences in Arabic 😎. I'm not going to say anything about Armaan's character yet, it's supposed to be a secret.. shhh! Try and guess who he's going to be!
Here's a teaser:
"Ya habibti (Oh, my love. Habibti is an affectionate term used to call someone you love.)! Open the door! Your father has brought yet another suitor! He is extremely charming I must say!" A shrilly voice from the other side of the door yelled.
The soft gentle breeze blew across her face as she slowly opened the large marble windows of her room. Her hair blew over her face. The slowly rising sun shone in her face, revealing a beauty, a beauty which wasn't perfect, yet it was perfect at the same time. She smiled down at the city of Al-Andalus, the city… her father ruled justly over. The noises of labor rang through her ears. One day, she would rule over this magnificent city, with her prince. The thought of a prince turned her cheeks slightly crimson. Of the million proposals she received from far away dynasties; she had refused to accept any, as she did not find them suitable.
She, Princess Rida bint Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammed bin Abd-Allah, of the Umayyad Dynasty in Al-Andalus, had more than just noble blood, wealth, and beauty. She had noble manners and was a well educated young lady. Not even an ounce of pride lurked in her heart. Down to earth and humble as anything, she loved spending time with the poor.
A loud bang on the door brought her back to reality. "RIDA!"
"Huh? Uh!" Quickly wrapping her head with a shayla, she opened the door.
"What took you so long?! I've been knocking on this door of yours for so long!" A stout, yet young woman with rosy cheeks said.
"I was… sleeping." Rida lied blankly to her maid.
"Lie! You can't fool me, habibti!"
Amina was a maid in the castle. Well, for everyone else she was a made, but for Rida, she was the closest friend she ever had. Rida smiled at being caught. She had never been able to lie suitably. Her expressions made the better of her.
"Ahh! Mashallah! You look like a fairy when you smile!" Amina complemented Rida's beauty, making her blush harder.
"Amina! I'm not even dressed up! Oh! How is the new suitor?" She hauled Amina into her room and shut the door behind her.
"He is the most handsome thing I have ever seen!" Amina sighed dreamily.
"You can go marry him then," Rida replied snappily, turning her face away.
"Who will marry a fat lady like me?" Amina slumped on the bed, putting on a heartbreaking expression on her face.
"An equally fat prince!" Rida giggled, hugging Amina.
"Ah, you are insolent!" Amina exclaimed, hugging Rida back.
"But I still love you," she said, as she placed a kiss on Amina's rosy cheeks.
"Oh dear! You made me forget what I came for! You father is calling you to the Prayer Room, freshen up and meet him. He has a lot more work to do, you know that, girl! He cannot wait around all day for you! Now let me go attend to the new suitor." Amina left the room, bobbing eyebrows at Rida.
As soon as Amina left, Rida sighed and wondered how many suitors would come along before her prince would come.
"Hadhir (Present, respectable term.), Abi (Father, literally means someone who was a part of your upbringing, so it means more than biological father.)," she said, as she peeked into the Prayer room to see if her father was in there.
"Udkhul (Enter), ya binti (Oh my daughter)." Her father, Amir Abdur-Rahman, was a stern man and did not endure with any type of nuisance. He was extremely disciplined, yet soft and loving toward his children.
Rida entered the room, her head bowed with respect, knowing what to expect.
"Ya binti! You are a beautiful young woman, so many suitors have come to see you, yet you refuse them all! I want you to get married, for your own good! Do not take me wrong, you are not a burden on us. I want to see you settled before I pass away."
"Abi! Don't say that! When the person designed for me comes, I'll get married. Don't worry too much." Her father and his sweet blackmailing. She saw a smile twitch on her father's lips, as he turned his face away.
"Will you meet the new suitor?" he asked her.
Rida remembered Amina's words.
"He is the most handsome thing I have ever seen!"
Maybe he was worth a look. "Na'am (Yes)."
"Excellent, get ready."
~Coming Soon~
June 14, 2008
~Prologue~
I'm sure most of us know nothing about Islamic history and its influence in Europe because it has been neglected from history books that we study today. The rich contributions of the Muslims of Spain and the other parts of the vast Islamic empire have been banished from our studies… And it's sad. Sad, because the credit is not given where it is due.
I don't want to make this sound like a boring history lecture, I want you guys to step into the shoes of the Umayyad princess and take a look at Islamic history through her eyes… Who knows, it might be more interesting and fascinating than you think?
Abdur-Rahman the first conquered Spain, which under his rule was called Al-Andalus in 756 until his death in 788. He conquered without any bloodshed nor did he force its inhabitants to accept Islam. Everyone enjoyed religious freedom under his rule. Science and technology flourished. Spain was the center of knowledge. The Muslims contributed greatly to the fields of medicine, astronomy, pharmacology, agriculture, geometry, architecture, arts, literature and much, much more! Their studies influenced the Europeans… but do they get any credit for their achievements?
A century later came Abdur-Rahman the Third, and no, they were not related. None of the Amirs (rulers) were related because they were chosen for their ability of leadership rather than their lineage. He ascended the throne at the age of 22 and ruled for half a century!
Nevermind all that now, and imagine yourself to be the princess who lived in a tolerant and beautiful land… *sigh* I wish I lived back then rather than now… Imagine how peaceful it would be to see Christians, Jews, and Muslims living in harmony, oh and not the mention the Hindus as well, but they weren't in Europe though :P…
Ahh… I know you must be getting bored with all this history… but if anyone is interested about knowing about Islam in Europe… there are a few documentaries… trust me, they're not boring, they're magical!
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=7DB06BAC35A7AAE9
I found a virtual tour of the palace: http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200604/alhambra/tour.h tm
OMG!! It's SOOOOOOOO BEAUTIFUL!! This is the insides of the AlHambra Palace in Grenada, which is a museum now.. Google AlHambra for more pics if you guys want, it's SOOOOO beautiful! 😆😆 I feel like I'm actually inside of it 😍.
I'm going to try to continue this week... Otherwise, on the date up there 😃.
Part 2:
Rida sat in front of her mirror, applying dark black kohl to her eyes. Her grey eyes were even more noticeable around the darkness of the kohl. She did not bother to put any powder on; her skin was already glisteningly beautiful, soft and smooth, like the fur of a nectarine. She chose a pair of golden bangles, studded with precious rubies from the Mughal Empire. She slipped the delicacy to her long arms.
It was a hot summer day. Flies and mosquitoes swarmed around her. Their buzzing and movements amused her, and being the poetess she was, the perfect words materialized from her mind…
You have a house where the curtains are perfect for
Musical evenings but let us understand one thing:
The flies do the singing, the mosquitoes accompany them,
And the fleas are the dancers.
{Written by Abu Abdallah ibn Sharaf (Cairo)}
Oh, but how she hated them going into her ears!
"RIDA! Stop playing and get ready!" Amina said, standing at the doorway, watching the princess catch mosquitoes into her palms and then letting go, disgusted. She was surely a weird princess.
"Oh yes! Amina, will you help me? I hate all this jewelry."
"Ufff! Are you even a girl?"
"Huh? Of course I am, otherwise that stupid prince wouldn't come to see me, would he?"
"Shush! I just heard, he's not a prince, I'm not telling you what he is though. Now tell me, which one do you want to wear?" Amina dangled two pairs of earrings in front of Rida.
"Whichever you'd like to wear, they look the same to me," she said, not as amused as Amina, who was drooling on the golden, ruby studded earrings. "What is he, if he is not a prince?"
"I told you, I'm not telling you!"
Rida was brought into the formal meeting room, her long red gown sweeping the floor. Her jaw almost dropped seeing the man sitting on the cushions, reclining on the pillows. His DARK curls fell to his shoulders, his sharp eyes scanned her face, but he suddenly dropped his gaze in modesty. He had a pointed chin along with a pointy noise and velvety black eyes… She shot Amina a noxious glare. He was handsome for Amina, not for her royal highness!
Rida took her seat on the cushion across him, actually, was literally dragged to the cushion in front of him by Amina.
"Abdul-Malik ibn Zuhr, physician, pharmacist, surgeon…" and the list went on and on.
Ya Allah! Why couldn't he be a poet and writer like her? She had to do something to get rid of him. She beckoned Amina to take a seat next to her and whispered something into her ears, which did not pass the sharp eyes of the surgeon. He knew she was cooking up some plan to get rid of him, and he was sure it was going to be lame by the looks on her face. He laughed to himself.
"Something funny?" Abdur-Rahman, Rida's father, asked.
"La'a, La'a!(No, no!)" he replied.
"So tell me, do you like her?"
"Well, yes, of course, but I don't think she likes me! Look." He slightly lifted his finger, pointing at her, who was giving him an unpleasant look. She looked away, sensing his gaze upon her.
"I suggest the two of you should talk in private," Abdur-Rahman announced. "Take a walk in the garden."
They walked around the lush gardens of the palace not uttering a single word. Every time he looked at her, she was battering her eyelashes and twisting the ends of her shayla, bowing her head like a shy bride. Abdur-Rahman did mention that his daughter was a poetess and had studied a little bit of medicine from his late father, but she looked like a village girl to him.
"Um, would you like to recite one of your poems?" he asked her, feeling more awkward than he had during his first surgery.
"Heh?" Rida said in the weirdest tone her vocal chords could produce. Her insides giggled seeing the stunned expression on his face.
"Nothing…"
They had circled the entire courtyard, him trying to ask her questions while she kept making producing the strangest noises, acting as though she did not understand him.
"Amina, please get the drinks from the kitchen!" Abdur-Rahman ordered after the two had come back from their walk.
"Amina, wait! I'm coming too!" Rida said, and ran after her.
"She can talk?!" Abdul-Malik asked in shock.
"Of course! Why?"
"She… uh didn't talk to me."
"Her way of refusing a proposal," Abdur-Rahman sighed.
"Amina! Add red pepper powder in the drink!" Rida said, grinning evily.
Amina gasped. "This is no way to treat your guests!"
"Oh come on Amina! You want me to leave the palace right?" She crossed her arms. "Oh! Did you find a rat yet?"
"RAT? Oh, yes, I put it under his cushion. You are wicked, Rida! He is such a nice man!"
"Shall I send a proposal from your side?"
Amina glared at her.
Rida carried the tray glaring inimically at Abdul-Malik. He hesitantly took the crystal glass full of red liquid from the tray, frightened she had put something in it.
"Eeeek, Eeeek!" something squeaked as he took a sip of the drink.
"SSSS! AAAAAAA!" He looked at the rat on this shoulder, licking his ears. His mouth burned from the drink. He took another sip, only to realize that the drink was the cause of his agony. And the rat was still on his shoulder, inhaling the smoke coming out of his ears. "AAAA! GET OFF! AAAA!"
He hobbled around the room. Everyone from the servants to the adviser hollered with laughter at his state. Even Abdur-Rahman could not control his laughter.
"The princess is crazy! I refuse to accept this offer!" He dashed for the door with the rat chasing after him.
"Eeek! Eeek!"
The room echoed with booming laughter.
"Rida! I have not seen a naughtier princess than yourself! Your father is quite disappointed, you should know," Amina said, wiping the tears of laughter from her cheeks. "He's going to send your mother to scold you, you know her anger!"
"It's okay, I'll say sorry and do a few chores for her," Rida decided.
"Whatever you wish! But Rida! Why did you not like him? He's such an educated well-known man, and soooo handsome!"
"Ufff, Amina! Stop putting nazhar on him! He'll get sick. Poor thing, he won't know the cause of his illness! Oh and would you like me to send your proposal to him?"
"I doubt he plans on visiting this castle again!" Their laughter echoed across the room again.
"GET HIM!"
The angry mob chased him as he clutched the precious diamond in his palms, fleeing the society. He would most probably get his hands cut for stealing. He ran faster and faster, the world around him blurring. Dirt splashed over his already dirty rags. He turned around for a second to see a hand trying to grab him. His pace became speedier. He ran into an alley and climbed the brick wall and ran as fast as he could to the nearest shelter, the diamond still safe in his hand. Unaware of the surroundings he had just landed in, he ran, reaching a castle he climbed into the nearest window. He heaved a sigh and leant against the cold tile wall.
Hearing the sound of a soft giggle, he turned around to see the most beautiful sight in his life, more beautiful than the diamond in his hand. Her blonde hair was blowing slightly, her body swaying to her musical giggles. But as soon as she turned her face, he saw a look struck with terror. He studied her features… Her grey eyes matched his, her rosy cheeks, her long eyelashes, the slightly flat yet cute nose… her tousled and messy hair… He closed his eyes, etching her image in his mind.
Frightened at the horrendous sight in front of her, Rida stopped giggling. A well built, yet dirty man stood in front of her. The sight of him disgusted her. He seemed to have been wearing those rags ever since his birth. All of Al-Andalus had running tap water and baths and this man!
"WHO ARE YOU?" Rida yelled. The way he was looking at her was making her panic. She doubted the man's intentions. Realizing that she was uncovered, she quickly grabbed her shayla from her bed which she had removed when she and Amina were chatting.
She had started yelling at him now. Afraid that someone would catch him, he quickly walked up to her and put his hand over her mouth and watched her beautiful big eyes grow larger.
"SHH!"
Rida yanked his hand off her mouth. "Don't touch!"
"Ok, ok! I won't, just let me stay here for the night."
"WHAT?"
"Yes, I'm trying to flee the people, I just need to be safe for the night, they'll forget about me in the morning when they realize the diamond was fake."
"You… stole a diamond?" Her jaw dropped open.
"It was FAKE." he shrugged his shoulders. "Can I stay? I'll leave before you wake up."
"Fine!"
"What's your name?" He asked her after a while of sitting on the ground with a book which she had given him, which he was holding upside down, admiring the pictures. He could not stand not knowing her name. She seemed so mysterious to him.
"Rida."
"It should be Jameela…" (Jameela means beautiful, for a female. For a male it would be Jameel.)
Another icy glare was thrown his way.
"Ahemm… since you're not going to bother telling me your name, I'll tell you myself…. Armaan."
"You're Persian?" She said, not lifting her gaze from her book. Armaan wondered what was so interesting in these books. All those symbols he could not make any sense of uninterested him.
"Yes…"
"How do you read books upside down? I've tried but I get a headache," she said earnestly.
"I-I… I can't read…" he bowed his head, knowing it was a shameful thing. The entire country was filled with free schools but he was never interested and he had no one pushing him to study either. But now, at this moment, he wished his parents had been there at that time to push him to study…
Rida was shocked. He barely bathed, could not read, and was a robber while the entire country was educated, clean, and valued Islamic morals. She wondered under what circumstances this man had spent his life, that made him what he was now…
I'm not sure many of you like the history idea 😆... It's not going to be mushy gushy like HeartBeat... it's going to be a love story between a princess and a Persian thief 😳 I'm gonna try and make it as spicy as possible 😃... Does anyone know any good historical romance novel... I can't seem to get the style properly. and... Im SO not pleased with this part its so boring and long... anyways, people, PLEASE comment!! I want to know what you guys think of the story. Criticism is appreciated!
Cricket
Anupamaa
