In the corner of the capital city there was a locality called Gharib Kothri, where the under privileged people of the kingdom lived. Tumbledown cottages lined its dingy alleyways. It was here that Hakeem Hamid Ansari and his brother Hakeem Javed Ansari had established their apothecary and Matab  with the view of serving the underprivileged.

Though the sun had dawned bright and clear, Hakeem Hamid Ansari knew no peace. It was not just the death of the Shehenshah that worried him, it was also his brother. He sat on his prayer mat after Fajr salah, asking Allah to ease his troubles. A single tear rolled down on his cheek as he raised his hands in dua.

All the memories from his childhood came rushing back to him. He and his elder brother had always been inseparable. They used to run around the city and knew it's every nook and cranny. They used to play in the fields, bath in the river, fly kites on terraces, spy on Qasim Miyan, whom they believed was a magician in disguise, steal the tasty jalebis their Ammijan used to prepare and eat them hiding behind the well. They grew up learning the art of healing from their father. Those endless trips into the bowels of the jungle searching for herbs, learning to preserve them, the pounding, crushing, oozing and mixing of tinctures. The soothing smell of herbs that lingered in their home.... it all came back to him.

With every new memory came more pain and tears came more profusely. Oh, how had they grown so apart? How did these walls build up between them? Didn't his brother long for him as he longed for his brother? Why had Javed bhai become so distant and shrewd?

He remembered where it all began....

*Flashback*

It was a beautiful morning. Hakeem Hamid Ansari had just returned from the jungle with the herbs he had gone to collect.

"Assalamualaikum warahmathullah wabarakatuh Javed bhai", he said greeting his brother who was pounding roots in a mortar pistel.

"Walaikumassalam warahmathullah wabarakatuh Hamid" replied his brother. "Did you find the root of Anjabar?"

"Yes! I found a cluster of them and also few other herbs that we are running out of" said Hamid. "Is the breakfast ready, yet? I am hungry"

"Ask the ladies", said Javed.

"I will" replied Hamid and entered the door that connected their apothecary with the house. He saw that the breakfast was already served on the dastarkhan. He went back to the apothecary to call his brother to join him.

"Breakfast is served Javed bhai, let's eat first"

"You go ahead, I'll join you as soon as I am done with this pounding" replied Javed

"How can you say that Javed bhai when you know I never eat without you?"

"Of course,dear brother, let's eat first" said Javed, getting up and dusting his clothes.

There was a sound of hooves and knocking on the door.

"I'll see who it is", said Javed.

He went to the door with his brother at his heels and opened it. Outside stood a soldier.

"Assalamualaikum, Wazir-e-aala requires immediate assistance of a Hakeem. I have come here to take him with me" said the soldier.

"Walaikumassalam, I'll come with you. Just let me get my supplies" said Javed.

Hamid helped his brother pick a few necessities.

"I wonder what has happened" said Hamid. "Why didn't the Wazir-e-aala call for the Shahi hakeem? It's not everyday that a normal Hakeem from Gharib Kothri is called to the palace."

"Maybe the Shahi Hakeem is unavailable Hamid and have your breakfast, don't wait for me" replied Javed as he left with the soldier.

Hamid waited and waited, it was almost evening by the time Javed returned.

"Javed bhai, what happened?"

"Wazir-e-aala had a fever Hamid, I made him our usual sharbat and zimad"

"It took you so long?"

"No, Wazir-e-aala insisted I should stay untill the fever comes down in case he needed my assistance again"

"I see, how is the palace? Did you see the Shehenshah?"  asked Hamid excitedly.

"I am tired Hamid. We will talk tomorrow", Javed left the room.

This wasn't like Javed, he never ignored his brother or his questions. In fact they used to spend a lot of time discussing what the interior of the palace must be like. Now that he had actually been inside it Hamid expected he would share the details with him excitedly.

Maybe Javed bhai is unwell, thought Hamid. Hopefully he will be better soon. Oh, how wrong he was! Javed was frequently called to the palace after that and he grew more distant until one final day Hamid saw him packing his clothes.

"Javed bhai are you going somewhere? " enquired Hamid.

"Yes, the Shahi hakeem has retired and I have been asked to take his place. Wazir-e -aala has assigned me quarters in the Shahi housing. I and my wife are shifting there today."

Hamid was broken. He couldn't understand this change.

"Javed bhai, are you leaving me alone? "

"You have your own family to take care of Hamid, you will not be alone. You can visit me any time you like. This is life, you never know where you have to part ways".

No matter how much Hamid pleaded Javed remained undeterred. Within hours Javed was all packed and left with his family.

Hamid had tried to keep in touch with his brother but all his visits and letters went unanswered. He knew there was something holding his brother back. Behind the curtain of his I don't care attitude, there was still some love left. If only he could re-ignite it. If only he could see his brother once.

*Present*

He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his wife, Seher gazing at him. She looked at his tear stained face and cupped it in her hands.

"You were thinking of Javed bhai, weren't you? " she asked softly.

"Wherever he is, he is not happy Seher, I can feel it. I want to meet him once, just once. I want to hug him. I miss him so much." Fresh tears streaked down Hamid's face.

His wife lightly wiped them away with her thumb.

"You know habeebi, Allah alone knows why He does what He does. We are mortals, our knowledge is but limited. We just accept His decisions and move on for we know what is happening is for the best though we may see it as a trail. Allah is seeing you suffer and never forget, with every hardship comes ease". She smiled at her husband and planted a kiss on his forehead.

How her words and love comforted him. He thanked Allah for giving him a righteous wife for it is the best blessing a man can ever have.