The soft sound of hooves of three horses walking on the wet grass could be heard from the close distance. 

These three horses were not in rush. They carried their riders idly. Though, they were the horses of battlefield but they knew the mood of their master. 

Three horses entered into a serene looking white building which iron gate was opened for everyone. 

There was red bricks path in front of them. They went ahead, as silent as predator, though it was not a place for hunters. 

People around them, started to take notice of them and stood and bowed in front of them.  

Those horses; two brown and one onyx black; regal as they were but that honor was for their masters, especially the rider of black horse. 

Suddenly, the said rider pulled the reign of his horse. The black horse, Hawa stopped gracefully without making any noise.

It was silent as predator like it had part of his master in it. 

The other two followed the lead of their master.

“Mr. Asfandyar! It is forbidden for soldiers to come to Ashiyan. Perhaps you have forgotten that according to the law of this country, No ruler can rule over Ashiyan.”

He narrowed his eyes at the insolent girl who dared to raised her voice before him.

Asfand Yar… This name was lost somewhere in the dust of time.

Now he was the king Aurangzeb.

Shah-i-Dasan…

The killer of brothers…

Asfand Yar was lost somewhere inside of him.

This little girl who grew up in an orphanage named Ashiyan was not suited to call the King of Time by his name.

He looked into the girl’s brown eyes. There was only hate written there. Such hatred, which was in the eyes of almost every citizen of Gulistan for this imposed ruler.

He ordered his soldiers to stand outside with a wave of his hand and dismounted from his horse and stood in front of the brown-eyed rebel.

The rays of the sun were falling directly on her cheeky face. When he stood in front of her, the sun looked at the back of this ruler angrily, who had taken his prey from him.

The sun did not know that light turn its back on those who fall prey to Asfandyar.

Her brown eyes had more depth than Asfandyar's dark eyes.

In front of Ashiyan’s gate, a red brick paved road led straight to the residential building, which was surrounded by green fields on both sides.

Some girls were sitting on the grass with books, some had big baskets on their shoulders in which they were picking herbs.

As soon as Asfandyar stepped in, every eye was drawn to him, whether they showed it or not.

“As per rules you should have come here after taking permission.”

“As a rule, the door of the Ashiyan is opened to all.” He spoke for the first time with his arms folded on his chest and the silence before the storm in his dark eyes.

Ashiyan was not only an orphanage and training center, but also a shelter.

Brown eyes smiled sarcastically.

“There are only women in this part of Ashiyan. So, as per rule, men should inform before coming here.”

This girl’s tongue was neither staggered for a moment, nor her brown eyes showed reverence.

Adid not like this girl, he had decided in that moment.

“Only King has the power to make and break rules.” His one sentence was heavy on all arguments.

A sneer landed in the brown eyes. “Does the law of the king of Dastaan outweigh the king of all the worlds?”

The king of Dastaan was speechless.

“Jannat! What is this way to talk to guests?” He was not the one to silence the girl.

Jannat …? He startled at the name. The search for the one with the same name had brought him to Ashiyan.

If she was the Jannat he was looking for, then the stars must have laughed at him today.

Seeing the person coming, she immediately stood aside politely. Even the spectators also became as if they were busy with their own work.

Every part of this person demanded respect.

When she stood in front of him, he bowed respectfully to greet her.

“Princess Gulrukh…”

Although Asfandyar discovered the practice of killing the men of the royal family, but he did not forgotten the tradition of bowing down to greet the elderly women of the royal family.

Princess Gulrukh carefully looked at the young man standing in front of her. He was her cousin’s son whom she had met for the first time.

His shoulder-length black hair was tied back. His dress was made of lion’s skin, which was probably a gift.

For where he belonged there was neither forest nor wild animals.

However, the people there were no less than bloodthirsty wolves.

His wheatish complexion was mixed with the red of the deserts, which was giving greyish hue to his complexion.

There was a deep dagger mark running from his chin to his neck.

His features were sharp as any aristocrat and his dark eyes shone with intelligence as well as cruelty.

If not for the hardships of war and the desert, he would have been a handsome young man.

He was still… in his own way.

“Your almighty!” she bowed her head in response, but did not bow down on knees.

Princesses never bow, Asfandyar knew that.

But he did not know that the princesses made others bow down before them.

“You won’t call me Asfandyar?” Mischief danced in his eyes. An evil that had no innocence was diabolical.

“You also did not call me from my relation. I have left the title of Princess Gulrukh a long time ago. Everyone here calls me Khala or Phuphi. Well, I’m also your aunt by blood. But my brother was also your kin and blood. When you didn’t think for a moment before killing him and his family, what kind of relationship we will have…?” she raised her head and saw the ruler standing in front of her.

“I thought Ashiyan is not ruled by any king…” The ruler looked at the Jannat that was standing like a statue.

“It is correct. It was a rule made by our grandfather Hatim that no ruler would ever rule over Ashiyan. My father didn’t, neither did my brother nor would my nephew if he were alive. Every human being standing within its boundaries is equal.” she paused, then looked towards Jannat and said, “Anyway, you are our guest. The way for the guests is from the other side.” she motioned for him to go the other way, but he raised his hand and refused.

“The work I came for is done.”

“Pardon?”

“I want this girl.” He pointed at Jannat.

Asfandyar noticed that with his sentence an imperceptible uneasiness spread through every being in the garden.

When he saw the insolent girl’s reaction, her body was tensed and her lips pursed.

He looked at Princess Gulrukh, she was apparently calm but he could feel the storm in her eyes.

“You may have forgotten that no Ashiyan's girl will be part of any man’s harem or become a concubine. Provided one wishes to marry…”

“According to the rule, the royal healer of each new sultan is from Ashiyan. So this girl will be part of the court, not the harem,” He replied calmly.

He was giving her a place in the court in return for her insolence.

He was a generous king, they must believe it.

“What do you know about her?” She was a princess and an elder, so she had the right to argue with the king. Otherwise, where was this courage in someone else?

“Is there another Jannat here? If not, I already know about her and I don’t need to know more.”

“There is a better healer.”

“ is the one I want…” The king was determined.

“She is too young for this duty and…” the princess was still obstinate.

“My brother’s healer…” she tried to argue.

“Tried to poison me.”

“I can also give poison.” Jannat’s lips were silent, but he could hear her from her expression.

“The people of Ashiyan hold their oaths very dear. She will also take one before starting her duty.” He addressed to the princess, but told to Jannat.

Jannat who had forgotten her limits in front of him.

When she would come out of the walls of Ashiyan, then she will be remembered who rules?

“You should hire a male healer.” The princess tried a last resort.

“You talk about the welfare of women, princess! So are you afraid to make a girl a part of my court?” Now this argument shut the princess's mouth.

“Very well then!” She turned to Jannat. “Get your stuff ready.”

“But in your absence…” Jannat wanted to say something in protest.

“I am present here Jannat.” Jannat shut her mouth by Her mentor’s blunt tone.

“Don’t bring shame to my name after going there. And speak to everyone according to their rank.” There was a warning in the princess's tone. She knew Jannat’s untamed temper and her mood.

This student of her was very dear to her, She did not want her to be hanged on the pole for any insolence.

“Now give me permission to leave.” Asfandyar interrupted their conversation and once again bowed his head respectfully to the princess. “And I hope healer Jannat will be there when I get back to the palace.” There was a big wicked smile on his lips, with a hint of triumph.

He motioned for his soldiers to move, knowing that the flames from those brown eyes wanted to consume him.

 But what difference do these things make to kings?

If someone could have burned to death like that, he would have been burned to ashes six years ago, when such brown eyes were on fire because of him.

No… it wasn’t that girl. Whoever she was, he never wanted to face her.

He was praying this from the heart. But he did not know whether his prayers had any effect or not.