Ishq E Taqseem | عشق ا تقسیم

Prologue 

A little girl played on the roof of the haveli as her grandmother looked on. Birds flew across the peach sky which blended into pastel blue as the sun was setting and the Maghrib azaan could be heard from a distance. 
Her mother was inside the haveli, making chai and snacks for all three of them, as she played on the roof to her heart’s content. 
Cars honking and people shouting on the streets could be heard nearby, the commotion of the city alive as ever. 
The old lady was sifting through some old letters and smiled to herself as she was skimming them all, reminiscing back to the times she had with the person who wrote them. 
She recollected the memories she had with this person as they held a very special place in her heart and the only way she could feel close to them was through these letters. 
Their meeting and love story which followed soon after was nothing short of tumultuous turns and full of highs and lows to keep one another close. 
The times were simpler then, but the events which followed the meeting between them both were nothing short of harrowing for everyone involved. 
The little girl spread her arms out and ran back and forth across the roof of the haveli. As she faced the old lady, she ushered her to come nearby gently. 
She ran over with a curious spark in her eyes and peered at the letters her grandmother was looking through. 
‘What are these papers, Nano?’ the girl asked, her interest piqued as she saw the various letters in different shades of brown with their wax sealed envelopes scattered across the table. 
‘They’re called letters, meri jaan. I’m going to tell you a story about them.’ she smiled with a slight grin at the little girl. 
The little girl’s eyes lit up with excitement at the old lady’s reply as she made herself comfortable in her lap ‘Oooh! What is this story?’ 
She had lots of questions for her grandmother but she knew she had to sit and listen to the story first. 
‘It all started on the 13th July 1945…’ as they both looked out to the Lahore sky.

Part I: Mulaqat

Chapter One: 13th July 1945 

Weeks before Eid-Ul-Adha 

Husna gazed out the window in the back seat of the car, daydreaming about what life would bring for her today. 
‘Everything okay ma’am?’ her chauffeur Taimoor glanced back towards her, noticing a change in his client’s behaviour. 
‘Yes, Taimoor sahab,’ Husna gave a reserved but hopeful smile towards him. 
‘It’s a big day today for the Abbas family, isn’t it?’ he chuckled as the car pulled up to Husna’s desired destination, the local bazaar. 
Husna nodded and smiled once again at Taimoor. Although it was a big day for her father Muaid Abbas, with the launch party of his new law firm in Punjab, she could not help but feel pulled down by a sense of guilt for trying to get away from the buzz of it all. 
‘Shukriya, Taimoor sahab. Allah Hafiz and enjoy the rest of your day!’ Husna exclaimed, picking up her bag and walking into the bazaar. 
The Lohawar bazaar was bustling with many people, in anticipation of Eid-Ul-Adha, as they were preparing for the big festival in celebration of the holy pilgrimage Hajj in a month.
Husna had plans of her own - to meet with her friends Sehar and Maya, in their favourite café hidden within the alleyways of the bazaar. 
As Husna made her way to the café, she could not help but feel exhilaration for the day ahead. 
The bazaar was teeming with fresh spices and brand-new clothes to excite people. Husna glanced at one or two lehengas which she admired greatly, one especially tucked in the corner with a bottle green velvet top and vibrant skirt with a matching flowery shawl. 
Sehar and Maya were sitting at the window seat of the Aafreen café, with a cup of chai in their hands, chatting away as Husna walked in. 
The Aafreen café was truly Punjabi at heart, as the owner Sultan Malik was born and brought up in the province; it burst with vibrancy, with vintage newspapers framed and dotted around the property proudly.
‘Asalamu Alaikum!’ Husna grinned as she placed her bag down on her seat. 
‘Walaikum Salam, we were just talking about you, actually.’ Maya giggled and glanced back at Sehar as she sipped her chai. 
‘And what were you saying?’ Husna said after glancing at the menu. 
‘We were saying…’ Sehar glanced at Husna, curling her lip, ‘how you should’ve been at home preparing for Uncle’s launch party tonight! What’s wrong Husna?’
Husna rolled her eyes at Sehar’s serious glance. ‘It’s fine honestly, I’m not really needed there anyway as I would have only helped Ammi and the servants in preparing food for the guests.’ 

Daniyal woke up to the sound of a ruckus in his family’s apartment. As he heard commotion downstairs, he gave thanks to Allah for seeing another day. 
‘Dani, aajao!’ his mother Farah shouted from the kitchen while she was preparing his breakfast. It was the dawn of the final day of his Business and Finance exams at the University of Hyderabad. 
As he quickly ran down, he questioned his mother ‘Ammi, kya hua? What was all the noise down here for? You had me worried something happened to you or Abba!’ 
‘Mera beta, kuch nahi hua,’ she gently squeezed his cheeks. ‘Jao, jaldi karo. Get ready for your last exam and Insha’Allah we can celebrate tonight.’ 
Daniyal beamed at his mother and ran back to his room in the small apartment. 
Although today was the day that could potentially predict his future, he could not help but feel enthusiasm at the thought of finally making it big in the finance world. 

Husna and her friends chatted the hours away in the Aafreen café as they gossiped about people passing by and caught up on their everyday lives. 
Sultan came up to Husna’s table and served the fresh food she had ordered for her and her friends. 
Fresh vegetable samosas were placed intricately on the metal platter and an array of pots of chutney accompanied it. 
‘Enjoy, dear Husna’ he smiled at her gently as he placed the food on the table. 
People were filling in and out of the café as they savoured the escape it provided from their mundane lives. Some left unwanted newspapers which were sold to them throughout the bazaar on their tables. 
On the table next to them, a newspaper was discarded so Husna picked it up. The headline read ‘LOCAL POLITCIAN STIRS TENSION IN CABINET AMIDST RUMOURS OF PARTITION.’ 
Husna raised her eyebrow as she couldn’t make out the image of the man below the headline but he had a strange sort of familiarity she couldn’t put her finger on. 
Sehar shook Husna out of her daze from the newspaper image and headline. 
‘What are you doing Husna? Forget that newspaper!’ Sehar took the paper out of Husna’s hands and placed it on the table. 
Sehar placed her cup of chai on the faded newspaper image, snapping Husna out of her suspicions. 
‘One day Insha’Allah, I’ll be a teacher and have the privilege to teach little children about the world in Geography!’ Sehar grinned as she broke off a piece of the fresh samosa and munched on it happily. 
Maya smiled, ‘I hope to become a well-known social worker and help young adults with their personal worries and issues, Insha’Allah.’ 
Husna smiled at them both as she broke off a piece of the samosa and dipped it in the mango chutney that was on the platter. 
‘What about you, Husna?’ Sehar cocked her head and looked at her friend intently. 
Husna tapped her chin and thought to herself ‘Hmm…I hope to work in the humanitarian sector one day, maybe as a charity worker or leader, in order to make a positive impact on society Insha’Allah!’ 
Maya and Sehar grinned at each other and Maya said ‘Insha’Allah. We’ll be gearing change in society slowly!’ 
The girls laughed together as they savoured the tasty vegetable samosas and chutneys and finished their last cups of chai. 
As the beginning of the Asr azaan began to echo across the city, numerous people rose from their seats to go and fulfil their duty of prayer. The girls looked towards one another sadly as it meant the ending of another one of their Aafreen adventures. 
They finished their portion of samosas and gave their salams to Sultan who was going to close the café as soon as they left. 
As they made their way out of the empty bazaar, they gave each other their salams and goodbye hugs. 
Sehar gave Husna a tight hug whispering ‘See you tonight at Uncle Muaid’s party?’
Husna reluctantly smiled at her best friend, whispering back ‘I’ll see Insha’Allah. If not, you and Maya can always come and see me in my room.’ 
Maya smiled at them both as they all stepped outside of the Lohawar bazaar into their individually chauffeured cars. How crazy to think that escaping their rich, affluent lives meant living like the commoners amongst them. 

Daniyal left the exam hall, pleased to be finished with the last of his exams at the University of Hyderabad. Sameer, his best friend, trailed behind him dismally. 
‘Kya hua, bhai?’ Daniyal chuckled as they got out of the suffocating exam hall and onto the campus grounds, which were teeming with exhilarated students as exam season was finally coming to an end. 
‘I totally failed that!’ Sameer looked wide-eyed at Daniyal, annoyed with what outcome was soon to come for him and if he was really meant to get his job at the top financial offices of Hyderabad. 
Daniyal put his arm around him ‘Whatever Allah writes for us, bhai. We both know that’s the right way to go forward.’
As the boys grabbed their bags and made their way out of campus, Daniyal noticed the back of Fahad’s, his once good friend, head. 
‘Fahad bhai!’ He yelled out to him but noticed how his friend attempted to slip through the crowds of excited students. 
As Sameer was sorting through his bag, Daniyal said ‘I think I’ve just seen Fahad bhai, I’m gonna try and get him so we can all talk together.’
Sameer nodded as he held one of his pencils in his mouth, trying to gather the mess in his bag together. 
Daniyal ran and pushed through the numerous people in the crowds to finally catch up to Fahad. 
He tapped his shoulder as Fahad looked back in a reserved, nonchalant manner. 
‘Bhai! Sameer and I were looking for you, how did the exam go?’
Fahad nodded ‘I appreciate that, bhai. Theek hai, it went as well as it could shukar alhamdullilah.’
Daniyal felt an unwavering distance between Fahad and himself. As Sameer caught up to them both, Fahad rolled his eyes and began to walk off. 
‘Arey! Didn’t you want to come and celebrate the end of exams with us, Fahad bhai?’ Daniyal shouted as he paced quickly away from them both. 
Fahad waved rudely to them both as he walked off in a different direction to the rest of the students on the streets of Hyderabad. 
Sameer sighed ‘Huh, that’s very strange of him. Not like the Fahad bhai we know at all.’
Daniyal nodded in agreement as the boys made their way to the local bazaar, to have a celebratory cup of chai after completing their exams.
As the boys left the campus and made their way into the local bazaar, they noticed it was heaving with students after exam period came to an end. 
Sameer and Daniyal got their fresh cups of chai and decided to sit at one of the tables near the back of the bazaar so they were nowhere in sight but they could observe the people around them. 
The bazaar was buzzing with lots of students. Loud hoots of laughter could be heard from some tables as the students were either having celebratory meals or snacks and cups of chai to mark the end of a hectic exam season. 
A loud exchange of cheers could be heard from one table as a group of boys clinked their cups of chai together and raucously laughed together. 
‘How are you feeling, Daniyal bhai?’ Sameer questioned him as they both savoured their cups of chai, but noticed his best friend lost in the distance. 
Daniyal smiled at his best friend ‘Kuch nahi. I was just thinking if Fahad bhai was okay, he used to spend all his time with us before and now it’s like we no longer exist to him.’ 
Sameer looked solemnly at Daniyal and nodded ‘You’re right. Remember that time when we bunked classes and explored the city that day?’ 
Daniyal chuckled at the fond memory Sameer was reminiscing to him. 
‘Remember the time we got told off by the professor and had to write out lines in his office together that one semester?’ 
Sameer laughed at Daniyal’s reminiscence ‘Oh my, I remember that day! Fahad didn’t give a care for the world that day but we were so scared to come back to the professor’s office.’ 
‘He was so carefree and laidback, yaar’ Daniyal responded sadly ‘I really hope he’s okay, this isn’t like the Fahad we know and love.’ 
As Sameer finished up his chai, he noticed Daniyal’s anxieties about his dearest friend increasing. He put his arm on Daniyal’s shoulder gently and gave him an understanding look. 
‘We just have to take his word for it, Daniyal bhai. We can only trust and hope that he’s safe in the hands of Allah.’ 
Daniyal nodded back at his friend and finished up his chai.

Husna made her way into the Abbas household, hours before her father’s launch party was due to take place. Servants and planners were hectically running around as the last preparations were finalised. 
Husna’s mother, Safa came running into the hallway ‘Husna! Where have you been?’ she raised her eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips.
Husna sighed with exasperation, she had confided in her mother the night before about the need for escapism from the frenzied atmosphere of the household. 
With her father’s launch party inching closer, people were constantly coming in and out of the household and Husna could never find peace, so she went to her second home, the Aafreen café. 
‘Come on, let’s go up to your room. I’ll be back in a few minutes everyone, carry on!’ her mother gently brought her up the stairs as she noticed an uneasy quietness. 
As Husna made her way into her bedroom, her eyes pricked with tears ‘Ammi, does this party have to happen tonight?’ 
Safa gently shut the door ‘Husna, you know how I feel about your father’s business, but this is necessary. If you’re not feeling well enough, you can always stay in your room.’ 
‘That’s not the point, Ammi!’ her lip quivered, tears flooding her down face gradually. ‘People talk, all the time. I want the life we used to have before Abba’s business, the simplicity and peace.’
Safa hugged her daughter tightly, as she sobbed softly in her arms ‘I miss you, Ammi.’
‘Shh’ she gently stroked Husna’s hair, ‘Everything will be okay, Insha’Allah.’ 
Husna nuzzled her face closer into her mother’s arms. She wanted time to stop at that moment. Everything seemed perfect. 
Suddenly, they both heard a firm knock at the door ‘Everything okay in there?’ Husna recognised the approaching voice. It was her father’s older brother, Uncle Saad. 
Safa gently eased her daughter out of her arms, wiping her tears and kissing her forehead gently and whispering ‘I’m here with you, meri jaan, okay?’ 
Husna nodded and composed herself before her uncle came into the room. Her mother gently opened the door ‘Saad bhai, what a nice surprise!’ 
‘Asalamu Alaikum Safa! I came to see my favourite niece of course.’ Husna slightly cracked a smile at the comment. Uncle Saad had always been her favourite, he always treated her to many things when her father was too busy. 
‘Walaikum Asalam, Uncle Saad.’ she bowed toward his chest and he responded by gently touching her head. 
‘Are you both excited for tonight?’ he grinned at them both. 
‘Yes, of course! Husna had to run a few errands in the bazaar, she only just got back. We were discussing outfits for tonight’ her mother replied and nodded towards her wardrobe as a quick signal. 
Husna hastily placed her bag on the bed and opened her wardrobe ‘Of course, and I needed my favourite uncle’s opinion on tonight’s outfit!’ 
Saad chuckled loudly and folded his arms ‘Well, you can fire away! I’m all ears.’ 
Husna looked through the array of shalwar kameez in her wardrobe and picked out the most elegant of the bunch, a royal blue velvet tunic with straight pants with a patterned green shawl to match. 
She pulled it out and smiled back at him ‘What do you think of this, Uncle?’ 
‘Perfect! Elegant and classy, just like you,’ he nodded in approval and Safa laughed away.
‘Let’s leave our very own shehzadi to get ready for tonight. You never know, there might be a couple of boys there,’ Saad winked and tapped his nose. 
Husna laughed as they left the room, but deep down she felt anxiety for the night ahead. 

Daniyal sat down at the dinner table for dinner. After coming back from the bazaar, his mother specially made his favourite dish daal chawal to celebrate ending his exams. 
His mother placed the freshly made pots of daal and chawal on the table as the family sat down to eat. His father Hamad walked in after a long, hard day of work in Hyderabad’s local office. 
He placed his bag on the sofa and lazily dragged his feet to the kitchen table. 
Daniyal could hear Farah tut under her breath as she looked back to see her father’s belongings lazily scattered across the living room floor. 
Daniyal tried to take advantage of these many little moments they had together, as his parents were constantly bickering over household and financial issues. 
Passing his exams and gaining a top job across Hyderabad meant things could change for the better, but that meant the support of both of his parents coming together. 
Farah spooned the daal chawal onto Hamad’s plate furiously as he looked up at her, too exhausted to even say a word. Daniyal sighed and put his face in his hands as his mother began to spoon his portion onto his plate. 
As she began to sit in her own seat, Daniyal took the ladle from her hand and spooned her portion of daal chawal onto her plate and winked at her whilst doing so. 
Farah gave a half smile to her son as he placed the lids onto the pots of daal and chawal and put the ladle onto the mat. 
As the family started to eat together with an air of unease, Daniyal cleared his throat and looked at both of his parents innocently ‘Ammi, Abba’
‘Let’s end this here. I have my results coming out in two weeks’ time, I want your support together.’
Farah began to play with the daal chawal on her plate ‘Aap sun rahey uski baat?’ she said in a passive aggressive tone to his father Hamad. 
Hamad rolled his eyes ‘Tell your mother that she needs to get her act together when upholding the household duties then we wouldn’t be sitting here.’ 
An argument was bound to happen so Daniyal began to pick up his plate of daal chawal and get up from the dinner table.
Daniyal sighed, he knew what this confrontation would end up to be. He gently caressed his mother’s hand, signalling to ask if she’ll be okay. 
Farah nodded morosely towards her son and whispered ‘Theek hai.’ She began to eat her food slowly as did Hamad. 
Daniyal slowly placed his plate back down on the table remorsefully and ate slowly along with them both. 
He said near the end of the meal, ‘‘Fine. I’ll sort something out with Sameer bhai. Insha’Allah things will turn out better once I get my results and a job to provide more income for us.’ 
His heart sank because his parents could not compromise once for his happiness. One of them would always end up hurt or exhausted. 

Context: The Abbas family adults and their guests are drinking out of champagne glasses to show the caste differences present during society at the time. These are not accurate depictions of Muslims as drinking alcohol is deemed forbidden in Islam. 
Husna did her last preparations of getting ready and looked in her mirror, she touched up her kajal and placed her dupatta on her side. 
She did not really care what the night would bring, whether any boys would approach her or not. All she wished for was for the night to end as quickly as it started. 
She walked down the stairs of the haveli elegantly as her Uncle Saad greeted her at the bottom ‘The princess must have the best entrance, of course.’ 
She bent her head shyly and took his arm, hearing the many voices of the guests who had arrived early for the canapes and drinks of the Abbas Solicitors Ltd. launch party. 
Husna smiled, feeling relaxed with her uncle as he stood tall beside her. The many guests’ eyes pried on her beauty and elegance. 
Saad whispered in her ear ‘Everything okay?’ as he smiled along with Husna as the voices began to rise again after their entrance. 
She nodded and saw her friends Sehar and Maya in the corner, tucking into their canapes. 
They both squealed quietly as she made her way to them ‘We’re so glad you’re here!’ as she hugged them both gently.
‘We’ve been looking around,’ Maya winked and nodded across the array of the boys dressed up in suits around the room. 
Husna rolled her eyes ‘You two!’ and giggled loudly as she made her way to the canape table.
She looked at the variety of food that was on offer before the main attraction of the buffet was available to all the guests. As she picked her favourite out of them all, the variety of samosas, she glanced up and saw one of her recently acquainted friends from her father’s new business, Rayaan. 
‘Asalamu Alaikum, Husna’ he grinned slightly and looked over at her friends as he picked up his second helping of canapes, the seekh kebabs. 
‘Walaikum Asalam, Rayaan’ she smiled happily ‘How have you been? I hope Auntie Faryal and Uncle Yusuf are doing well! Let me know when they’re about and I’ll give them my Salam.’ 
He nodded and before she went, he hastily said ‘What are you doing nowadays?’
‘Oh, just helping Ammi and servants with household chores, and the occasional times I’m free, they’re spent with Sehar and Maya exploring Lohawar.’ 
Rayaan nodded and smiled ‘That’s good, shukar alhamdullilah. I’ll let you get back to them both, have a great evening!’
‘You too,’ she smiled back in a friendly manner and made her way to her friends as they raised their eyebrows and looked at one another.
‘Chup karo’ Husna hushed them both ‘There’s nothing between us both and you know that. He’s a lovely friend.’
‘Okay, okay!’ Sehar grinned as she finished off her canape. The chime of a knife on a glass was heard as the anticipated guests looked around to see Muaid and Saad standing together in the middle of the room. An announcement was bound to be made. 
Husna smiled at both of their joys as they announced the Abbas Solicitors Ltd. law firm, opening officially tomorrow morning in central Lohawar, marking a momentous occasion for her family and the esteemed guests of tonight’s party. 
Saad raised his champagne glass for a toast ‘To the Abbas Solicitors Ltd. law firm!’ as the rest of the guests replied to it in harmony, with whistles heard amidst the cheers. 
Husna smiled as she hugged her friends, maybe this night wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be.

As the night went on, the guests were signalled to sit at the large dinner table in the dining hall, intricately set by Husna’s mother and the haveli servants earlier with the specific cutlery and plates.
Husna sat by her friends as the waiters and waitresses hired for the night served their two course meal to them. In the first course, freshly cooked chicken karahi and daal was served in hotpots alongside boiled rice and buttered naan to accompany them. 
As Husna plated up her food, her mouth salivated at the food around her. Before eating, she made a little dua of gratitude for being surrounded by her friends and having fresh, delicious food to eat at the palm of her hands. 
She finished her dua and recited Bismillah before beginning to eat her food.
Sehar whispered ‘We’re so glad you joined us at the party tonight, Husna!’ 
Maya nodded as she savoured her daal and boiled rice ‘Haan. We were certain you weren’t going to join us but you gave us a pleasant surprise!’ 
Husna giggled as she tucked into her chicken and naan ‘This food is so good, yaar!’ 
The girls smiled alongside her and exchanged looks as they noticed Rayaan glancing towards their way, as he was sitting in between his father and Husna’s father. 
Husna was too busy enjoying her food to notice Rayaan’s looks towards her. 
As the main course was coming to a finish, the waiters and waitresses came to the table and took the plates away. 
Sehar nudged Husna’s arm playfully and signalled her to look at Rayaan. 
She smiled at him in a friendly manner as he exchanged a shy wave towards the girls. 
Maya whispered ‘I wonder what he’s talking about with your father and his father.’
Husna rolled her eyes ‘Why do we even care?’ 
Sehar giggled at Husna’s attitude ‘Does he annoy you?’ 
‘No but you guys are definitely annoying me!’
Maya breathlessly giggled and covered her mouth so she couldn’t make it obvious to the other guests what the girls were laughing about. 
Husna started blushing so she nudged both of the girls hardly ‘Stop it now!’ 
‘Ouch!’ both the girls winced in pain at Husna’s signal and became quiet as the waiters and waitresses brought the dessert plates out. 
The plates included a dessert trio of gulab jamun, vanilla ice cream and halwa. 
Maya’s eyes widened as the plates were served in front of the guests as they all began to tuck into their individual dessert plates. 
Husna savoured each of the desserts on her plate as the combined tastes of the sweet gulab jamun, the fresh and soft vanilla ice cream and the sweet but spicy halwa danced around in her mouth. 
‘The food tonight has been top notch, yaar!’ Sehar grinned as she finished off the last of the vanilla ice cream on her plate. 
Maya smiled towards Husna and said ‘I’m really proud of you for joining us tonight, Husna. I know you said you didn’t really like your dad’s new law firm and everything but he did really want you here tonight.’ 
Husna smiled towards both of the girls ‘I’m glad I could be here with you both too!’ 
As the evening gradually drew to a close, guests were filtering out of the dinner in their pairs one by one. 
Husna’s mother and father lingered by the door as the last few guests made their way out of the haveli and into their chauffeured cars. 
The girls stayed behind with their parents as they were lethargic after a long meal and socialising with the array of guests at the party. 
‘I’m so full I could burst!’ Sehar yawned and Maya nodded in agreement. 
Husna smiled at both her friends as she could see the onlooking crescent moon shining above them in the bay window at the front room of the haveli. 

As Daniyal made his way into his bedroom after the quiet but tense dinner with his parents, he yawned in exhaustion and crashed onto his bed. 
He looked out of the small window of his house to see the crescent moon and smiled in hope at it. He shut his eyes to make a small, heartfelt dua as the moon reminded him that people too have their phases, and everything will eventually pass. 
Daniyal’s father passed by his room and noticed his son lying on the bed in exhaustion. 
‘Sab kuch theek hai?’ he cleared his throat which signalled Daniyal to sit up frantically. 
‘Abba!’ he exclaimed in fright as his father stood in the cramped, dark hallway of the house ‘Haan, sab kuch theek hai.’ 
He smiled and sat by his son at the end of his bed. He gently patted his head ‘Jeetay raho, beta.’ 
Daniyal gave a half smile awkwardly, he didn’t really understand why his father was showing so much friendliness all of a sudden and he hoped there wasn’t any motive behind this. 
‘Are you okay, Abba?’ 
His father smiled and rubbed his eyes tiredly ‘I don’t know how long I can maintain the household, Daniyal.’ 
Daniyal’s eyes widened in fear at what his father was saying but he jokingly laughed it off ‘Abba, don’t worry. As soon as I pass my exams and graduate from university, things will get easier for us Insha’Allah.’ 
His father gave him an awkward hug and got up off the bed. As soon as he saw him walking the other direction to his parents’ bedroom, he lay on the bed again and moaned in exhaustion. 
All of this is so hard to maintain. The expectations, the responsibility. How am I supposed to keep this family together when it’s falling apart at the seams? He thought to himself anxiously. 
As the crescent moon shone above in the sky, little did Daniyal know what was lying ahead for him and who he was bound to meet amidst this.