Amina's pride 5

AMINA'S PRIDE

Episode 5

She was even more beautiful in person than in a picture. Her green eyes were little coals of fire. They could pierce into the darkest places of a man’s mind. Mallam Tukur’s daughter was a paragon of beauty. And Hazim had a feeling that Abdul wouldn’t resist her good looks. The thought of his friend finding love again, made him excited.
“Amina!” He bellowed as he reached her.
He almost stumbled when she heard someone call her with a strange accent. When she looked up, she recognized him at once. It was Mallam Hazim, her husband.
The Kanuri’s spoke Fulani in a strange accent; this surprised her.
“You are very pretty.” He took off his cap and searched her eyes deeply.
Amina didn’t know how to respond, she blushed.
“Don’t be shy of me. Prepare for the one who needs to see those crimsoned cheeks.” Hazim chuckled and collected the box from her.
His response didn’t sit well with her. It confused her.
“What?” Amina stuttered.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you.” Hazim paused in his steps.
“Tell me what?” She felt something clog her throat. She didn’t like the look on the man’s face.
“I am not your husband. I only paid for the matchmaking.”
Amina’s inside swirled in confusion on hearing this. Her heart broke into a wild race.
“I don’t understand, if you aren’t my husband, who is?”
“Mallam Abdul.”
        
Amina couldn’t believe her ears. This was the most ludicrous arrangement she had ever heard off. If this Abdul man really wanted a wife, why didn’t he come and pick her himself? He seemed like a very cocky person and Amina began to regret her elopement.
The ride on Hazim’s horse was quiet. The man hadn’t said anything to her; neither did she bother him with any question. Something bothered her deep down, but she couldn’t voice it out.
The name, “Abdul,” wasn’t novel to her. Her father had always spoken of a man who sabotaged his chances of owning a ranch like Idris. They had been engaged in a War, and some of Abdul’s men had died. She had never taken the story seriously, because her father had become a vindictive man.
However, if her husband was the same Abdul, then she may just have gotten herself into a trap. She quivered at the thought of being married to someone who hated her family. He would treat her worse than Idris would have treated her.
One thing was certain; if her husband was the same man her father spoke about, she would flee Kanem Dazau, first thing in the morning.
***
Abdul had been staring out the window of his room from the time Hazim had left to fetch his new bride. If Fatma had been here, she would have told him to forgive Mallam Tukurand move on with his life. She had been the sweetest person he’d ever met. He would always live his life, the way she would’ve wanted him to. Mallam Tukur had offended him, and not his daughter. Maybe marrying Tukur’s daughter was revenge enough. It was time to let go of the past and face the future.
His heart leapt when he sighted the beauty on the horse. She wore a green dress, with a silver scarf upon her head. Abdul found it hard to breathe as she came off the horse and took off her scarf. Waves of thick raven hair tumbled upon her small shoulders. Her sparkling eyes were the finest he had ever seen.
Amina had stepped into his Ranch. Abdul had a feeling he would never be the same again. He moved away from the window and decided to do the right thing. It would take him time to get over Fatma, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be friends with the delectable petite woman.
“Welcome to Lord Abdul’s Ranch.” Hazim dragged her trunk and led her towards the main house.
But Amina wasn’t paying attention to him. She was fascinated by the lush green vegetation of the ranch and the little spring she spotted ahead. This place was a lot different from Dafa. She felt at home and alive. This was strange for her.
“Master Abdulwould be eager to see you,” Hazim continued, he wore a mischievous smile, knowing that no sane man could resist someone like Amina. Not even “grieving,” Abdul.
She cleared her throat and riveted her mind back to something that bothered her. Though she liked her new environment, she wanted to meet the owner of the ranch first. She wanted to set eyes on her husband. Only then, would she take a final decision.
The duo hadn’t reached the entrance when Abdul stepped outside of the house. Amina felt her neck stiffen as she locked eyes with him. He was far more attractive than Hazim. He stood tall like a tree. His body was firm and lean. Like her, he had black hair, only that his’ was short. It was the darkness and the broodiness in his eyes that allured her.
They possessed an ancient sadness. His eyes were unhappy and sorrowful, but still attractive. Amina had never experienced this sort of thing, but a yearning arose within her. She desired to comfort him; to be with him, to be his friend. Why was Abdul so sad?
“Um, let me drop your trunk inside.” Hazim cleared his throat and hurried past the lovers. He noticed the way they looked at each other. It was too soon to assume, but Ander knew they would end up together.
Abdul was spellbound by her beauty. Her green orbs carried words of softness, consideration and kindness. How could she possess the same aura as his Fatma? He found it difficult to utter a word in her presence. She was his goddess, and he was enthralled.
Amina was the one that broke the magnetic gaze and she cringed at the first words that popped out of her mouth.
“Are you the enemy of my father?”

Hazim dragged the boxes into the house and towards the room that had been specially made for Amina Tukur. He was excited that his old friend Abdul was starting to crawl out of his shell. After the death of Fatma, Hazim had feared that Abdul would lose his mind to depression. But now that the attractive Amina had come, he was rest assured that Abdul would be fine.
“Where are you going with those boxes?” A sharp female voice called out to him.
Hazim recognized the voice at once. In the whole Ranch, there were just two women; Keerna and Nabila. Nabila was the senior cook and a milk maid. Keerna washed the clothes of Abdul and some of the cow boys. These two were very close friends and they spent their time gossiping about the happenings in Kanem Dazau and the handsome men in the ranch.

To be continued…
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