Obedience

Obedience
Anxiousness was radiating off her in waves as she found her bottom lip shivering. She could
feel his heated gaze on her. Her tongue had gone dry, throat parched, and more so when she
felt him nearing her.
"Sir... Shehryaar... sir... don't do this... no... I need money... don't do this," she began to utter
gibberish when she saw him coming toward her. He came and stood near her as she tried to
hide in the wall. He held her arms.
"No... sir... sir... not this... I'm a pious girl... never touched by anyone... no sir," she was crying
her eyes out while trying to set herself free from him.
"Sheharzaad!" he shook her body, but she was shaking her head, reiterating those sentences
and crying.
"Sheharzaad!" he suddenly shouted, making her body shiver profusely.
Her vision began to blur.
He screamed at me... he is displeased with me... he will send me to the cell again?
She thought.
And shook her head to herself while looking at him.
"Not... that cell... chains... no...no... pl-ple-" her voice began to drawl and then suddenly, her
eyes weren't able to make up his face and closed automatically as the next moment
everything went blank.
..........
Her eyes opened as they came in contact with the ceiling. She was drenched in sweat from
the nightmare she just had. It was pulling her back to her past.
The room was brightened by the light coming off the window, and she could feel a cool
breeze as the glass door to the balcony was open.
She sat up, looking around, unfamiliar with the new area. She was still in her bridal dress. It
took her more than a minute to recall everything that happened last night, and her eyes
widened. She placed her hand on her mouth as a thought began to worry her so much.
'I didn't fulfill my duty... I denied him... oh god!'
Worriedly, she placed her hand on her forehead as her eyes jutted out and her mouth hung
open.
What had she done?
How would she face him?
Will he punish her?
Her face was turning pale.
She shouldn't have reacted that way.
God knows what he would do as she removed her hand from her forehead and looked up at
the wall while forming a fist with her hand and biting her knuckles.
Suddenly, the door to the walk-in closet opened, and he entered the room, making her heart
skip a beat. She suddenly straightened up and removed her knuckles from her mouth,
looking at him with her wide, worried eyes.
What would he do?
She began to think, looking at him.
His gaze cursorily matched hers, and her heart skipped a beat. She could feel the weight of
his gaze on her even as he moved past her to the dressing table. She straightened in her
seat, her heart hammering against her ribcage, too loud in her ears. Her fingers twisted
nervously in her lap as she watched him, unable to tear her eyes away. He was calm, too
calm, and it unnerved her as he turned toward the dressing table and brushed his hair. He
was dressed for the day, wearing white shalwar kameez.
Sheharzaad's heart abruptly staggered toward her throat as she began to think that he
glared at her, and it was a warning glare. It was enough to freeze her. She was thinking that
he was angry with her because of what she did last night.
She denied him.
And she was not supposed to do that. The silence in the room was almost deafening. Her
thoughts swirled, mixing with the knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach. Would he lash
out at her? Would he act like it never happened? Or would he punish her in some
unforgiving way? Her breath caught in her throat at the thought, but she couldn't stop it
from playing out in her mind.
His displeasure with her was chilling her to the bone marrow as now she began to think of
how she should fix this crime.
Her hands tightly clutching the sheets. He placed the brush back on the table and proceeded
to roll the sleeves of his shirt, revealing his arms. Veins protruding at places. His eyes
focused on the task as he wasn't looking at her, but she was staring at him.
Her breath suddenly hitched, and she jumped in her place when he suddenly turned around
and looked at her. Tilting his head up, he gave her his undivided attention. His eyes
connected with hers, and her eyes drifted to the sheets. The air between them seemed to
thicken, every second stretching painfully long. She tried to swallow, but her throat was dry,
her hands now trembling slightly as she gripped the edge of the bed. He hadn’t spoken, but
she could feel his unspoken words swirling in the tension. She didn’t know if he was angry
or calculating, but the uncertainty was almost unbearable.
Her heart pounded in her chest, lurching to her throat.
Folding his arms, he stared at her, and she struggled to keep the tears of terror in her eyes.
He must be so displeased with her...
And she was aware he was a man who could control her every move, bend her to his will,
and punish her in ways that would chill her to her very core. She had no doubt that if he
wished, he could make her regret the smallest mistake for the rest of her life.
The time she spent in the cell was evidence of that.
Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. The sharp sound cut through the thick silence like a whip,
causing her to jump in shock. Her gaze snapped upward involuntarily, her eyes wide and
filled with uncertainty.
She bit her lip out of nervousness, her teeth sinking into the tender flesh as she tried to
control the anxiety rising inside her. She was terrified, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away
from him. The air was thick with tension. His silence spoke volumes, and she could feel
every muscle in her body screaming to run, but she knew better.