Author's Note: Eid Mubarak guys! Just like a promised- Special Eid Bonus chapters! Your Eid gift from me. Have a blessed day. 

The songs will give the chapter the mood it requires. It's finally time. 

******

The week was long and every minute of every hour was painful. Shah Nawaz was frustrated that his men hadn't found Meh'r-Bano. He grew frustrated day by day and now it was Thursday. In his luxury hotel room he marched along the room, restless, impatient and anger growing. Uzayr argued with him returning back from roaming the street.
"You listened to a mad man! You followed his mad visions and bought us here! There is no one named Meh'r-Bano here!"
"Is that what you are searching for? A name?" He pointed at Uzayr.
"What else!"
With a mighty kick, he flipped the wooden table upside down. "You donkey! What is the first thing you do when you try to escape?"
Uzayr looked around the hanging purple damask curtains and shook his shoulders.
"Change your name you idiot! You change your name! Search for Hoorayn! Search for an appearance! Search for her eyes! Do I have to do everything myself!"
"We haven't got a picture of her."

Shah Nawaz stripped off his white kurtha and threw it onto the floor. To remain hidden in the crowds, he wore a black kurtha with a black shawl. The city was driving him crazy. He needed to release his stress and anger.

Making his way to the lobby with Uzayr and six guards following him. He stopped when he heard music pounding from behind two large doors. He walked towards the door where a uniformed staff stopped him. 
"Sorry, Sir. This is a private party." 
Shah Nawaz glared at the young boy. Uzayr stepped forward and flashed his handgun at the boy who winced and stepped away. Kicking the doors open, the pounding music bled into the lobby. Spot lights, music and cheer filled the bustling party hall with scantily clad dancers entertaining the crowd. He breathed in the madness and smiled like sending his adrenaline pumping.  

Making his way into the noisy hall, his presence was louder than the music. The partygoers of young girls and boys watched the group of uniformed men, and probably a war lord gate crash their private party.  The men and women glared at him, pulling away knowing these warlords were armed. The dancers glided their bodies with the rhythm of the music, bending like they had no bones in their body. Shah Nawaz made his way to the VIP area and removed the men in suits. He sat on the throne and tilted his head back closing his eyes. He couldn't see Meh'r-Bano. He'd lost her image. But he couldn't forget her eyes, those diamond eyes, glittering like the green sea. He snorted a line of cocaine delivered by his guards and felt the rush straight to his head.
"Meh'r-Bano." He missed saying her name.

A young dancer dressed in red sequinned skirt and a short crop top swayed her hips making her way to Shah Nawaz. She shimmied her bursting cleavage in front of Shah Nawaz's face slithering her body in his lap and pressed her bare feet on his knees and shaking her anklet to attract his attention. Turned on by his ruby decorated turban that announced his power, his guards represented wealth and the handgun tucked in his waist made her wild as he was dangerous. Shah Nawaz lifted his head. She was pretty. He smiled. Young with an agile body. He raised his hands to his guards who removed the sexy and flexible dancer away. Tonight he was focused on one goal; find Meh'r-Bano.
It was hours later, when the sun set, darkness set in when Uzayr made his way into the hall and whispered in Shah Nawaz's ears.
"We found a woman called Hoorayn."
Shah Nawaz's eyes shot open.
"She has recently arrived in Khari and serves food to the poor. Tonight."
Shah Nawaz's heart pounded with excitement. He shot to his feet. It was time. 

***

In the small hostel room, Meh'r-Bano finished praying and folded the prayer mat. Tonight was Thursday and she would help at the darbar and serve hot food to the poor. Sayeeda was still pressurizing her to attend the evening show and concert, but her heart wasn't in it. Joy disappeared from her life. She settled for normality.
"Here" Sayeeda handed her a folded dress.
"What's this?" Hoorayn looked at the dress.
"It's for you. Take it."
Meh'r-Bano was confused. She took the chiffon, wine red dress and it fell to the ground. This  was Sayeeda's dress she wore for Eid. She saved up for it.
"This is expensive. It's your favourite dress." Meh'r-Bano gasped moving it away from her body.
"I want you to wear it." Sayeeda smiled. "For tonight. It has been so long I have met a genuine friend. I've never been so happy Please, don't say no. I know you hate wearing colourful clothes. " Sayeeda grabbed Meh'r-Bano into a tight embrace.
"Please wear it tonight. We don't get time to wear nice clothes, always covered in mud and clay. We deserve a little bit of happiness."

Reluctantly, Meh'r-Bano agreed to go to the  concert and dress up for Sayeeda. It was a sweet gesture and she thanked her.
"You are always wearing black. I'm bored of it." Sayeeda called out to Meh'r-Bano who was changing in the bathroom.
"You are beautiful and need to dress up a bit more." Sayeeda texted Nabeel to be waiting at the darbar. Her plan to match Meh'r-bano to Nabeel was going well.
Standing in the bathroom and looking at her reflection, Meh'r-Bano chocked with tears. It felt wrong doing something for herself. Shafiq was gone. She thought of him every day. The day she left Jahanpur flashed before  her. She returned to steal some essentials for survival and met baba by coincidence. Once she left him she went to the grave yard. There, in the dead of the night she saw the two freshly dug graves. She sobbed making her way to the graves; father and son.
Sitting at the graves she was chocked with tears.
"Please forgive me Shafiq. I betrayed you." Leaning on the mound of soil she curled her hands into balls with fistful of soil.
"I didn't deserve a loyal and loving husband like you. You gave me a home, a family but my stupid ideas and dreams to change Jahanpur was my downfall. Where do I go now? I have no one."
She crawled to her father in law's grave but there was no words. Her heart shattered. His gummy smile, his wide eyes with joy looking at her she would miss for ever.
"Oh babu- I failed you. I wasn't there for you. Did you suffer? Did you feel pain? Oh Allah!" She sobbed uncontrollably. "I am unfortunate, I am a curse."
Tears filled her eyes staring at her reflection. She leaned over the sink unable to stand up. The grief was fresh like she left Jahanpur only yesterday.
Stepping out of the bathroom, Sayeeda eyes widened with adoration as the dress fell like a waterfall at her feet. Meh'r-Bano couldn't see the beauty in herself. She was a curse causing her husband's death followed by babu.
"You look amazing!"
Wrapping the large black chador around her head and body, Meh'r-Bano felt safe. She felt better.
"Let's go." The less attention to the dress the better.
"I don't know what I will do with you. You're beautiful- you should enjoy it. Look at Nabeel, he's absolutely gaga over you."

Like Sayeeda had planned, Nabeel accosted the pair in the streets. The young man was full of energy and eager for the concert tonight. He hot footed to walk by Meh'r-Bano's side but she walked on ahead.
"Hey- what's up with Hooryan?"
Sayeeda shook her head. "The moment she wore that dress her mood changed like always. I don't know what goes on in her head."

Nabeel buzzed around Meh'r-Bano trying to ignite a conversation but she hummed and walked aheaad in return paying him little attention. Making their way to the busy darbar Nabeel followed Meh'r-Bano with Sayeeda both cracking jokes along the street and excited about the show they would see later tonight. He took out his phone and showed her pictures of the set up.

"It's going to be great."

All three walked passed the white SUV where Shah Nawaz sat watching the group walk past and make their way to the darbar.
"Is that her?" Uzayr leaned forward trying to make out the woman draped in a black chador. "It can't be- if it is who is that son of a bitch?"
Shah Nawaz glared at the man. He couldn't make them out.
"Do you want me to find out?" Uzayr reached for the door.
"Le oh yaar hawale rab de, Mele char dina de, Us din eid mubarak hosi, Jis din phir milegi "
Shah Nawaz repeated the poetry calling the day he would meet the most cherished  as the festival of  Eid  Day.
Shah Nawaz  removed his turban and grabbed his large black shawl. It was time to set the trap. 

****

Making their way into the darbar the Meh'r-Bano  and Sayeeda dashed into the women's quarter where Bibi Shifa scolded them for being late. Sayeeda paraded Meh'r-Bano's new dress for Bibi Shfia to observe.
"MashaAllah girl, you look lovely, but it's very busy out there. There are lot of people waiting. Take this." She gave her a tray of biryani with a steel spoon to serve the rows of poor worshippers.

Shah Nawaz draped a large black shawl over his head like a hood and the rest around his body to conceal his burly figure. He took off his Peshwari leather chapals and made his way on the marble ground to camouflage into the crowd like he would do in the forest, conceal in the bushes to get his eye on his target. He sat amongst two young men where he was given a ceramic clay bowl made by the local pottery. Keeping his head down he pulled his shawl over his head concealing his face. It was time to sit and wait for his prey to come to him. Without a move, without a hustle from the ground. She must not know it was him. One wrong movement he could lose her again. He peeked from under the shawl waiting for her. Uzayr and the guards scanned the length and breadths of the courtyard to find her.

Nabeel made his way to their row and began shovelling rice into their bowls, when he was about to shovel rice into Shah Nawaz's plate, Shah Nawaz covered the bowl with his ring dressed hands.
"No." He stopped him.
"Move along." He instructed with his hand.
"Don't you' want it?" Nabeel was confused. His hands dripped in expensive jewellery yet he was begging for food. Something was wrong.
"Go." He ordered pointing with his finger.

The two young men began munching the food eating with their bare hands and slurping the water. Shah Nawaz eye was on the servers, then he finally spotted Meh'r-Bano and his heart skipped a beat. 
Kneeling on the marble floor with her bare feet, she conversed with the people she served making them feel human. This was the first time he clasped eyes on her since she left. Eight long months. She was alive and well smiling at the poor people she served and making conversation. He was mesmerised lifting his head from under his disguise. His heart pounded against his ribcage like a drum and blood gushed to his head. He felt alive again.
Hoorayn. He sighed. She turned as though his whisper was a call. Quickly, he dipped his head and pulled the shawl over his head. From the corner of his eye, he watched her work her way along the row refilling the people's bowls. Holding the tray of rice she asked if people wanted a re fill. Slowly, she made her way toward his empty ceramic clay bowl. She was gaining closer. His heart thudded with excitement.  Finally, she reached him. He pushed his bowl out.
"Shurkiya." She thanked the people she served. They were invested in the food, but only Shah Nawaz was invested in her.
Meh'r-Bano approached a young man who demanded a refill of his already filled bowl. The young man didn't respond and clawed handfuls of rice into his mouth. She looked at the empty bowl next to the young man.
"Haven't they served you?" She looked up at the strangely covered figure. With his shawl over his head, she couldn't make anything. The man pushed his bowl forward. She scooped two servings into his bowl. The man pushed his stell glass forward.
"I am thirsty." Said Shah Nawaz.
"They haven't served you?" She was surprised by the lack of service. Everyone deserved a good serving of food and water.
"I'm sorry." She kneeled down to take his steel cup.
"I haven't quenched my thirst for eight months, four weeks and three days."
His growl of a voice sent chills through her. He was strange. She shuffled closer to him.
"I will get you some water." She rushed off towards the serving station grabbed a steel jug of water. She made her way back and kneeled on the ground moving towards him.
"We must be busy that's why you didn't get served." Kneeling on the marble floor she reached out for his glass and began pouring. Once she filled the glass the man reached out and that's when she spotted his expensive stone ruby ring. He wasn't poor. His hands were large and strong. Where had she seen the rings before? Sweat beaded her forehead. Something was wrong. Who was he? She held her breath. She lowered her head to peer under his hood of the shawl. Shah Nawaz looked up. He straightened his shoulder and pushed his chest out. His steel grey eyes sending fear through her body. She gasped dropping the jug of water. The music and sound around her stopped. Like a lion sitting in waiting, Shah Nawaz shot to his feet removing his shawl and revealing his burly figure and towering height. Meh'r-Bano fell back on the floor. She froze staring up at him. He's alive! Shah Nawaz was in front of her. She gasped.
"Eid Mubarak, Bulbul." He smirked running his hand over his beard. She stared at him in utter fear. 
"The Eid moon has been sighted." He drew reference to the poetry Sai Baba sang to him. Today was the festival of Eid for him. Adrenaline rushed through his blood seeing Meh'r-Bano before him, just like the very first day he met her at the bazaar and caught sight of her eyes concealed in the chador that he couldn't forget to this day. She was here before him.
Uzayr and the guards rushed around the darbar. Terror spread through the crowd and the qawwali players paused watching the armed guard surround the darbar. Meh'r-Bano couldn't move. Her legs gave way. She trembled.
"I've come to take you home."
She shook her head. Her voice chocked her. No. I'm never going back.
"You're alive!"
Bibi Shifa ran into the courtyard hearing the raised voices shocked to find armed men surrounding the sacred darbar.
"Who are you? What are you doing here? Fear Allah! This is a place of worship- take your guns away!" She yelled.
Shah Nawaz raised his hand at the woman whilst keeping his eyes on Meh'r-Bano.
"Worry not woman. We are here to take what belongs to me. Then we will leave."
"Who are you?"

Gradually, Meh'r-Bano rose to her feet pulling her shawl around her- her mouth dry and hands sweaty. Watching the man terrify Meh'r-Bano with his towering height and strength of presence, Nabeel rushed to her protection.
"What's going on?" Said Nabeel.
Shah Nawaz turned to the pencil thin neck man. It was him sniffing around his bulbul. His hands curled into balls of anger. He could blow his brains out here.
"Stay away." He controlled his anger knowing that he was out of Jahanpur and didn't want to create more attention from the authorities.
"Who are you?" Nabeel looked up at Shah Nawaz, he'd not seen a man of his height and figure like him. Where had he come from? Was he a giant?
"Stay away!" Yelled Nabeel.

Shah Nawaz took out his hand gun and pressed it to his head. Meh'r-Bano took the opportunity and ran for her life. She ran towards the women's quarter believing he couldn't follow her. Sayeeda was terrified for her. Who were these people? Meh'r-Bano ran into the safety of the women's room, but Shah Nawaz knew no boundaries, he made his way into the quarters swinging his arms pushing passed the visitors. Meh'r-Bano escaped from the rear entrance bare foot, she looked left and right for guards and escaped at the far side of the darbar. Her heart racing terrified- how did he find her?

Meh'r-Bano gasped, panting her way. Terrified Shah Nawaz would catch her. She looked over her shoulder but it only slowed her down. He was catching up on her. Racing past the traffic, pushing past the carts, her arms powered her body faster until she saw an escape. An alley leading out of the bazaar and quickly took a left. Winding through the alley gasping for breath she couldn't run faster. A sharp pain pierced her abdomen. A stitch. She was in pain but continued running to escape Shah Nawaz. The pain now sharper she couldn't go any further began knocking on a door.
"Help! Can someone help me!?" She ran further along. "Help!" Someone help me!"
Now, Meh'r-Bano was in eyeball distance of Shah Nawaz. He gradually approached her with a menacing stare calming his breath.
"Can someone help?!" She cried out for the final time. What would he do? She could lose her freedom, her life and everything she worked hard to build. He wanted revenge after she stabbed him. She loathed Jahanpur. She lost everyone and everything. There was nothing for her. She didn't want to go back, dead or alive.
"Please help me!" She backed away when she knew there was no where to go. No one dared to open their gate for her. Shah Nawaz mounted his shadow over Meh'r-Bano, his bulbul was trapped.
"Don't you dare come near me!" She cried out. "I'm not going with you."
"You're alive, bulbul."
It had been a long time since she heard that name.
"Is this where you been hiding? Do you think I wouldn't find you?" His body softened, his ice cold heart warmed seeing her nose ring.
"I would rather die that go with you-"
"You called me- I came." He opened his arms wide with his shawl hanging off his arm like eagle wings. She shook her head and backed away.
"You confessed your sins to the panchayat- you then stabbed the king of Jahanpur." He thumped his chest.
"Do you think you could run away?" He smirked. "Never, Bulbul. Never! You're coming back with me to face your sins!"
Meh'r-Bano screamed as Shah Nawaz reached out and grabbed her arm. She fought back, pushing him away but he was a powerhouse, there was nothing she could to escape once he held her. He pulled her into his chest holding her arms forcing her to look up to him. Tears filled her eyes.
"You belong to me, Bulbul. You can't escape me."

Fear filled her body when he glared at her, his fingers digging into her arm.
"Please- let me go." She cried.
In a last minute attempt to escape, she stamped on his foot and turned to run away, but Shah Nawaz grabbed her from the waist and lifted her up. Throwing her over his left shoulder she screamed out as he carried her like he would carry a wounded gazelle after a hunt. Walking proudly with his hunt, back into the bazaar, the shop keepers and customers glared speechless unable to intervene due to the armed guards with their fingers on the trigger. Meh'r-Bano screamed fighting, kicking but Shah Nawaz's grip on her body was firm carrying her like a she was light as a feather.

Raising his hands to the guards, Shah Nawaz made his way back to the SUV's. Sayeeda was gobsmacked, what was happening? Meh'r-Bano kidnapped by war lords. As Shah Nawaz lowered Meh'r-Bano on the ground her fight to flee was relentless, yelling and pushing. Shah Nawaz expected a fight, so he pressed a handkerchief doused in chloroform and pressed it upon her mouth and nose. He held her body against his chest waiting for her rigid body to give in and calm down. The strong scent of the chemical was almost instant taking over her body and giving in falling into shah Nawaz's arm faint and lifeless. Shah Nawaz breathed in the softness of her musk, the jasmine from her hair and like cocaine, it sent him high and wild. He lifted her legs with ease and carried her into the back of the car.

The convoy of cars made their way out of the bazaar and back on their hour and half journey back to Jahanpur. 

With Meh'r-Bano sitting beside him and slanting her head leaning against the window, Shah Nawaz couldn't take his eyes off her. She was alive. A million thoughts plagued his minds. He thought she was dead. How did she survive the forest? What was she doing in the mountains? He looked at her hands. Her nails tidy, cut and hands soft and clean. Dressed in a beautiful wine red dress like a bride, he couldn't tear away his eyes. He took her foot and dusted the dirt off. His eyes trailed all the way to the side of her slender neck. He took a deep sigh thinking of the day she stood in the kitchen and he watched her from behind, tie her hair up and revealed her slender neck that caught him off guard. He was tempted to touch her neck that day, run his fingers along her neck, and dot her neck with small soft kisses. Now, she was in front of him, unconscious, unaware and back from the dead. His body filled with warmth thawing the ice formed around his heart. There was something about her he yearned, he needed her, and now she was here. He brushed the long intruding coiled hair blowing on her face and curled it around her ear. Leaning into her he breathed in her scent sending his pheromones wild and crazy.
"Bulbul." He breathed. "You're all mine." He sighed. "I won't let you out of my eyes." 

Unconscious and abducted, Meh'r-Bano's freedom came to an abrupt end. Shah Nawaz's relentless stubbornness to find Meh'r-Bano and bring her back to Jahanpur was over. 

He remembered her confession she announced at the ultimate panchayat, her arms opened wide, looking up at the open heavens above. 
I, Meh'r-Bano, am a fallen widow. I was charmed by Choudhary Shah Nawaz wolf-like eyes and fell in love with him. He gave me his time, his attention and allowed me to dream and made me feel alive.

Shah Nawaz lifted her hand and pressed it against his lips and kissed her fingers. His restless heart eased. Meh'r-Bano was finally found.