In true Alheena form, she wasn’t concerned, even in the smallest measure, of offending him. Actually, she hoped to offend him because then he might just decide she wasn’t worth his
headache or maybe he would just kill her. She was fine with either scenario. She decided death was preferable to living with this repugnant creature.
“Why do you insist on keeping me here?” she asked defiantly.
“I love you,” he replied, unmoved.
“You love me! You don’t know anything about me!”
“I know how beautiful you looked on your wedding day, how spirited and happy. I had to have you for my own.”
“But I am not yours. My nikah happened. You did not kidnap me soon enough.” “Doesn’t matter. We will break your nikah soon enough.” “I will not break my nikah.”
“Dearest, I am 542 years old. I have 542 years’ worth of patience.”
Almost out of nowhere, several young women appeared. They glided toward Alheena and picked her up off the ground.
“The ladies will bathe and clothe you.”
“Great Hakim! Please take me back to my husband!”
“What man would want a woman who spent her wedding night with another?” “I was unconscious on my wedding night!”
“Who will believe you? You humans! You take so long to accept the inevitable!”
She heard his deep, guttural echoing even inside the palace. She recognized the chamber from the night before. It was a beautiful cream colored marble with matching silk curtains and draperies. Every luxury was in this chamber. She was well taken care of by the ladies, and they mistook her silence for acceptance. On the contrary, she was simply contemplating this remarkable situation she found herself in.
Just from the brief conversation she had with him, she realized that he would not be easily provoked into killing her. Taking her own life was unacceptable to her. Although death would be most welcome if it came from a hand that was not hers. She decided that if Allah put her into this situation, she would see it through.
She refused to eat for most of the day, but in the evening she dined with the Jinn. After their meal, he provided entertainment for her in the form of his considerable magic. He set off fireworks the likes of which she had never seen with a snap of his fingers. Various animals would run through the room and vanish. She took it all in dispassionately. Surprisingly, he grew tired from performing so much magic. He withdrew to his chamber, and locked her in hers.
The next day passed the same way that the first had. In the evening, he entertained her. She still was unmoved. However before he retired, he told her to be ready to travel in the morning.
“For what purpose are we traveling?” she asked.
“Because we can, dear.”
In the morning, she waited for Hakim by the oasis. When he arrived, he was 20 feet tall and carried with him a wide crystal chest that almost resembled a pavilion. When she glanced closer at it, she saw the diamonds strewn on the four corners and center of the chest. She wondered what exactly would be done with this unique and unusual object.
“I can take many forms, Alheena. This is my traveling size. Do you like it?” he laughed.
“Do you like the chest, dear? It is for you to travel comfortably in and keep admiring eyes off of you. I will destroy anyone who dares look at you.”
Before she had a chance to reply, he scooped her up off the ground so she stood in the palm of his hand. He promptly placed her inside the chest. As he closed it, she saw him take out a large lock. He locked her inside. She exploded.
“Stop locking me up!” she screamed.
“Let me out!” she screamed again.
He ignored her. She felt the chest being picked up off the ground and felt it fly through the air. Yet inside the chest, she felt like she was on solid ground. She started to look around. Although the crystal chest was closed, there was light all around her. She couldn’t help but marvel at how on the inside, the chest looked like a proper room. It was arrayed in such a way that it was comparable to her chamber in the palace. In the evening, she marveled still at how the light changed to resemble the evening sky, so she felt like she was sleeping underneath stars.
Hakim did everything to make sure that Alheena did not feel like she was in a prison. He did not succeed. In fact, he made her whole life a prison, and there was nothing he could do to make her forget that.
Of course, he was oblivious to that fact. In the midst of his self-centered, narcissistic agenda, he thought if he dazzled her with magic, she would grow to love him. When in fact, her unexpressed hatred was what was really growing.
Weeks passed, and they traveled to many beautiful places. They would spend the days exploring, with him performing magic for her. When he grew tired, he fell asleep with his head in her lap. When she was sure he was fast asleep, she would walk around whatever area they were in and pretend she was free. Sometimes, she would imagine she was with Azad. Crafty as Hakim was, he made sure that he fell asleep in a place where even if she did run away, she couldn’t go too far.
She dreaded the evenings when he would come into her chamber and try to make love to her. She spurned him every single time. Not only did she find him revolting and the thought of him touching her nauseating, she considered herself a married woman. She remained determined to be loyal to her husband.
Alheena even had that choice taken from her. After two months of rejecting his advances night after night, Hakim grew impatient.
“I am tired of this game,” he sighed.
She fell unconscious again, just as before. However when she awoke this time, she found herself lying naked next to Hakim. He was naked as well. Alheena looked around and saw blood.
“I do believe your nikah is broken, and you are currently without husband,” he snickered.
Horrified, she yelled, “Get out!”
He simply responded with a smile, “Ever one to make things difficult, my love. Surrender would be so much easier for us both.” Then, he vanished.
She immediately went into her bath. She never felt so dirty in her life. Yet, she couldn’t seem to wash his filth from her. She lay in her chamber for hours in complete desolation and wretchedness.
She pondered her situation. He would never return her to Azad or give her up. Even if the demon found an ounce of mercy in his heart and returned her, her nikah was broken. Azad would never want her now, even if she was forced. She accepted that she had few options. She would have to let this beast be her husband.
So, the nikah was performed, and Hakim officially became her husband. When she made love to him, she pictured Azad, who she still considered her true husband. Once when he came to her bed, he gloated about how no man but he had touched her and how no man ever would touch her. This arrogant boast enraged her. With each day that passed, her hatred for Hakim grew.
One day when Hakim was performing magic for her by their oasis and had fallen asleep, she saw a young traveler passing her who looked just like Azad. She longed for him so badly, to reach out to him. Everything that she had longed for since Hakim’s abduction came upon her in an instant. Thoughts of the wedding night with the man she loved and the life she could have had overwhelmed her. When she approached him, he was frightened. She turned around and looked at Hakim, in his 20 foot glory, snoring loudly.
“Don’t worry,’ she said, “He sleeps soundly.”
“Are you sure, Madam?”
“I will protect you from him, if you make love to me.”
“Madam, that’s not necessary,” he responded, rather bewildered.
“Yes, it is,” she responded quietly, kissing him softly.
Because of her beauty, he found himself unable to resist her.
When Hakim locked her in the crystal chest, she pondered what she had done. She had never thought that she would be the sort of woman to betray her husband. Surprisingly, she felt no guilt for what she had done. Her hatred for Hakim was such that any small injury to him would give her pleasure. This act of hers
was no small injury. He took away the one thing that she valued above all other things, her freedom. If he could do that, then she had no qualm taking away the fidelity he so coveted.
This thought inspired in her the desire to take away her fidelity again and again. Why injure his honor once? Why not do it again and again? She felt no loyalty to him whatsoever. He deserved her wrath above all else, and he would get it.
Every time she would lay with a different man, she would notice how the men reacted. Most men were lustful, excited by so easily satiating a desire. Other men resisted a little, very little, but eventually gave in. She had no respect for any of them and found herself more and more disappointed in men.
She was numb to the act itself, just a means to an end. She got very little pleasure from it. In fact, the only time she remembered with any sort of emotion was the first time and only because he so resembled Azad. She relived it many times because she knew it was the only way she could ever be close to Azad. It was the only bit of tenderness she had in an otherwise hate filled life. She treasured it.
Years passed in this way. Her only solace was that Hakim’s gigantic ego led him to believe her when she said she did not want children at that moment because she only wanted to be with him. So, he gave her a potion to keep her from getting pregnant. It was partially true. She did not want children with the ridiculous demon, but she also did not want children with strangers she would never see again.
So her plan was able to proceed for years in this way, while Hakim suspected nothing. Since he was happy, surely she must be happy. At least in his mind, she was.
All the while, she was able to proceed through her deeds without emotion. Until one day, two travelers passed through their oasis. Alheena spotted them as Hakim was performing his magic for her and reminiscing.
“Remember four years ago, when I claimed my bride on her wedding night? I saved you from years of boredom with that mortal. Who besides me could give you such a life, my love?”
“No one but you, my love,” she replied with a forced smile.
When he fell asleep as usual, she walked over to the two men, who were clearly frightened.
“You have nothing to fear from this demon. He will not wake any time soon.”
“This man is your husband?” one asked.
“Yes, and you both must make love to me while he sleeps.”
“Madam, no please, we’ve given up such things.”
“If you do not, I will scream, and he will rip both your heads off.”
Then, they did a curious thing. They started to argue about who would do the deed first, neither wanting the responsibility. Finally, she interrupted them adamantly reminding them of their fates if they did not proceed as men.
So the older of the two went first. Then, the younger lay with her. They both clearly did not enjoy the act. They only did it to keep from being killed.
Then, the younger of the two asked her something no one had ever asked her before.
“Madam, why do you do this?”
“It is true that this jinn took me on my wedding night, giving me no choice but to marry him. Since then, he has worn my fidelity as a symbol of his honor. So I make sure I take that fidelity as many times as I can.”
“He has never known?”
“No, never. Now go away from here and forget you saw any of this malice!”
Then, she went back to her husband and put his head in her lap while he slept.
She overheard their conversation as they were walking away.
“Women are truly powerful and treacherous things! Even this powerful genie is not immune.”
“Yes, he truly suffers worse than we do!”
When she heard that, it almost made her want to scream to wake her husband so he could tear them apart. However, she didn’t because she didn’t want to witness or be the cause of such a brutal scene.
Their nonsensical comments enraged her. She knew nothing of their suffering, but to think that Hakim suffers! She, powerful and treacherous! What power had she had for the past four years? Is she more treacherous than the monster who kidnapped her after she had already married another man? Men could obliviously inflict whatever pain on a woman their whims fancy, but if she responds, she is the treacherous creature. And she thought nothing more could ignite her.
So she continued her mechanical, meaningless seductions, sparked by her hatred for Hakim and the judgments of the two men.
As time went on not only were seductions mechanical, but her whole life was such. She would allow Hakim to entertain her, make love to her, and take her wherever she wished to go, but she felt nothing in each of these situations. Even the hatred that initially pushed her forward subsided. Alheena felt the fire that had kept her alive for so long slowly diminish.
Then one day, she saw another odd scene in the oasis. She saw a man and a woman traveling together. She left Hakim where he lay sleeping and hid herself behind a tree to listen to their conversation.
“I have missed you so. Most merchants leave their wives at home, so when you asked me to accompany you, I was thrilled,” the woman started.
“I am so glad I brought you with me on this trip, my love. I miss you so much when I leave, also. A husband and wife should not be separated so much. A few more trips such as this, and I will have enough for my own shop. Then, nothing will separate us.”
Then they hugged for what seemed to Alheena like quite some time.
The husband looked around and said, “No one appears to be here. I want to love you right here next to the water.”
Alheena watched their lovemaking and was in awe. There was so much passion and love between them both. She had never felt either of those things when making love. Alheena watched this man caress his wife as if it were all he could do to keep from devouring her. The wife kissed and touched her husband with all of her being. They completely belonged to each other in that moment. When the husband climaxed, he cried out, “How I love you!”
“Oh, I love you,” the wife responded quietly.
Alheena walked away, careful not to disturb them. Without waking Hakim, she climbed back into her crystal chest. She cried like she had not cried in many years. Her opportunity to know this kind of love was snatched from her. Now, all she knew was hatred. She longed for this kind of love but knew it would continue to elude her, especially living with Hakim and continuing on the path she had chosen. After what she had just witnessed, she realized she was hurting herself more than Hakim.
She had to end this situation, one way or another. She knew he would not just let her go. She decided the only way to free herself from this situation was to tell him what she had done. In all likelihood, he would just kill her but that was better than living the way she had chosen to live.
Hakim came to her later that night, wanting to make love to her. She refused him right away. He never grew angry when she did this. He would calmly convince her. He actually never spoke a harsh word to her. He treated her with every kindness, but of course, she could never bring herself to love him.
“What’s the matter my love?” he asked, in a sweet tone.
“I don’t love you. I have never forgiven you for taking me away from my old life. I never want you to touch me and have never wanted you to touch me. I just accepted what befell me but no more.”
“What madness has overtaken you that you say these things to me,” he responded, a growing edge to his voice.
“I cannot live the rest of my life the way I have been living it,” she said, voice shaking.
“I give you everything! You have never wanted for anything!”
“Except freedom. You took the one thing from me that I value above all else. Anything else you have given me after that has meant nothing.”
“My heart means nothing to you?”
“What heart? All you desire is power which you have displayed to me all these years! Nothing else.”
He said nothing. No one had ever spoken to him in this way before. He was at a loss as
to what to do.
“There is more Hakim. Since you hurt me and ruined my life, I struck at you in the only way I could. The pride you have in the fact that you are the only man who has enjoyed me I took from you. I took that from you many times. You know you sleep very soundly.”
“You dare speak to me in this way? I could rip your head off!” His voice rose so highly it shook the crystal chest.
But Alheena remained steadfast and unafraid.
“Do your worst! I am neither alive nor dead!” she cried. Then, she burst into tears, which was something Hakim had not seen since he first married her.
Despite what Alheena felt towards him, he did feel some affection for her. Her tears were unbearable to him, so he left her alone.
When he returned, she stopped crying. She sat unemotional and ready for his wrath.
Instead, he silently picked her up and took her out of the chest. Then, he smashed it.
She was ready to be smashed next and looked at him resolutely. She would not beg him for anything, even her life.
“I am tired of you. Live or die. What you do now is no concern of mine. I will let you keep whatever riches you can carry and leave you where I see fit. Is that acceptable to you?”
“You will just let me go? You will not punish me in some way?”
“To let you live with yourself and what you have done is punishment enough. Whether you live or die, I still cannot have you. I think you know by now I could never hurt you, no matter what.”
“I am grateful to you,” she responded.
He took her to a town she had never been to before, where she recognized no one. She could start fresh, another gift from him.
“Now live in the matter you deem fit,” he said.
“Thank you for this, and I hate you less,” Alheena responded.
Then, he was gone. She knew he would never bother her again. She looked down at the chest that carried the jewelry and treasures Hakim let her keep. It looked just like the one he used to lock her up in. When she found lodging, she smashed it and bought another one. Although her future was uncertain, she was excited because she could create her life in whatever way she wanted.
Shaherazade's Daughters Page 13