I stared at my brother, puzzled by this news. I could see why it would be troubling for him, but I couldn't help but wonder, was he sure of what he had seen?

Are you sure? I asked. He didn't look so confident.

"No. I am not. However, the more I think about it, the more I am convinced that what I saw was the insignia." Asad replied scratching his head.

I didn't ask him anything further as I picked the broom and stepped away from him. I wanted to think; maybe it was not a matter that should trouble us. But then again – how many times did someone so important come to a drought stricken village like ours?

The insignia wasn't too hard to recognize either, if the light of the Moon fell on it from a certain angle, one could see the beautiful golden crescent moon – anywhere.

And it did happen to be a full moon night, which meant that it was certainly less dark and the insignia could have caught Asad's attention.

However, the question still remained – why would someone so important be in our village?

Also, did it have something to do with what the Moon had said?

I closed my eyes and my thoughts flew back to the when our mother used to tell us stories about the Royal Family. She told us that it was essential that the youth knew where they came from, that the past was equally as important as the present. The Royal Family have been ruling over us ever since I was born. It was in the same year that our current Monarch's father had killed his wife's brother to take the throne.

The taking over of the throne had resulted in people retaliating, riots had happened all around Alam, but Monarch Shams was a clever man. He had started his reign but cutting down annual taxes from villages. He had also forgiven all the debts certain villages owed to the Treasury.

He was a lucky man too because that time the God above had poured down rain in abundance, which resulted in crops to be grown and the villagers to be happy and healthy.

Soon the people realised that maybe living under the reign of the new Monarch wasn't too bad. He was far more liberal and merciful. He was also smart, as it was him who had started the Falaj system – a system of irrigation where groundwater runs through a channel dug in the earth.

It was Monarch Shams who had started the concept of the 'insignia of the Monarch' – whoever carried the insignia was someone who was very important, among the inner circle of the Monarch himself.

The insignia –  a golden crescent moon – was adapted by our current Monarch too.

"Ayah!" Asad's voice jolted me from my thought and I realised that I was crouched with a broom in my right hand, staring stupidly at the wall.

"Where did you run off to?" Asad asked, shaking his head and laughing at me.

I huffed and looked away, doing my chore as I was supposed to do.

"I am going to get some water from the local well." He informed me ignoring my annoyance with him.

I shook my head and got up. He blinked and looked at me confused.

I will go. I could do with a walk. I signed to him.

He sighed loudly, but didn't say anything as he handed me the empty steel buckets that he was carrying.

"Come home fast. Don't start daydreaming on the way."

I glared at him for a long time while he grinned at me, then turned to go out.

"Ayah?" He called out again and the change of tone told me that he wasn't playing with me anymore.

"Don't worry about what I saw, okay? I wasn't in the right state of mind last night; it must be me being completely delusional."

I nodded my head to show him that I understood, but I was positive that yesterday wasn't a figment of his imagination. The Moon did warn me that everything was about to change, maybe this was what She was referring. The worse thing was, I wasn't too sure either. I did not know what to believe or not to.

***

The sun may have been falling from its apex, but that did little to curb the heat. I wrapped the thick maroon shawl around my face to prevent the hot tendrils to burn it. I licked my lips to keep it moist as I walked through my village towards the local well.

Usually, I would have seen young kids playing around with their friends, screaming and shouting. But the heat had confined the people into their houses – only men or women at work were seen and it was evident from their tired faces, that they didn't want to be there either.

Few people caught my gaze as I walked on, but barely anyone gave me a nod to greet me. I was used to such reaction by now, even though my parents were respected people and my brother, one of the most eligible bachelor of the village, I was considered the black mark in my perfect family. The reason was fairly simple, I was mute.

If it was up to my village, I wouldn't be alive now. They would have thrown my infant body to the flames because there was no room for a disabled person in our village – such person was merely an added burden to our already wretched state.

I sighed and adjusted my grip on the handle of the buckets as I marched on, I decided to stare at my feet, it was better than looking at people's face and meeting their skeptical gazes.

There was a queue near the well, when I reached it, men and women were standing in front of it with their own bucket, talking among themselves in a soft murmur, too fatigued to speak with energy.

I joined the queue as silently as I could, but the clanking of my steel buckets against each other, grabbed the two women's attention who stood in front of me. They narrowed their eyes a little at me and moved away, keeping a distance as much as they could.

I shifted my weight from one foot to another, not meeting their gaze as I stared at the bricked wall of the well.

The Falaj that connected from the well was almost dry, with little water streaming. On a different circumstance, one would see children playing about in the sweet and cold water of the Falaj. It had always provided relief to us in the heat.

"Yasmeen, come. Stand with me." I heard a voice of a young boy from behind while I was peering at the Falaj and I stood straighter.

He might have been grabbing his sister's hand too hard because I heard a loud wail and couldn't help but turn around.

"Sorry." He muttered sheepishly at me and I wondered what he was apologising for as he tried to keep the toddler near him, who had decided to wander about. The boy, himself, was no older than eight and I could already see the fruit of hard labor in his body and limbs. There were dark circles around his sunken eyes and he looked like as if he hadn't had a good day's meal for a long time.

However, when he caught me staring at him, the strength of his gaze made me look away. He had grown up too fast, he was no more a child even at such a tender age. He was a man.

The queue moved slowly and soon enough it was my turn, I tied the rope on the handle and dipped it in the well, hoping that I wouldn't get dirty water. Feeling the bucket fill, I pulled the rope with all my might and untied it. I did the same thing with the other bucket and made my way away from the queue.

I gripped the handle tighter and tried to balance both of them in a way so that not a lot of water would spill out as I walked. A hint of red had spread in the sky which told me that the sun had finally decided to set.

"Yasmeen!" I heard the boy suddenly cry out in exasperation and couldnt help but turn and look. The boy had his eyes narrowed at his little sister, who stood there looking sheepishly at her feet. The content of one of their buckets was spilled on the floor, spreading all over. From the looks of it, the little girl must have done something, making the water spill.

He looked furious, while the toddler stared at him with wide eyed innocence– she must be four.

He looked up, his gaze wandered to the end of the line and his shoulder slumped. I did the same and sympathy rose in my heart for the boy. He would have to wait for another hour to have his turn with the well again, and looking at his situation, it looked like he needed the water desperately.

Before I knew, what I was doing, my feet had decided to walk towards them. He met my gaze with suspicion but this time I didn't look away as I smiled underneath my shawl hoping he would realise I was friendly.

I reached down to straighten his toppled over bucket and positioning it properly so that it remained put, I poured the content of one of my bucket into his.

When I looked up, he was staring at my face wide eyed, as if not used to having something good done to him. In an affectionate manner, I ruffled his hair with my hand and grabbing both the bucket I walked away.

I hoped it would make him realise that no matter what the circumstance he was in, he was still a kid.

I didn't care to wait for a 'thank you', not every gesture of mine needed appreciation or gratitude.

Yes yes, I finally uploaded! This chapter, again, is not my best one, but I am getting into the groove of things after a break. Believe it or not, Ayah is tough person to get into.

This chapter also has a bit of info dump, I tried to even it out, but this was the best I can do. I know for sure, I will come back to it while editing. o.o But now you know about the insignia of the Monarch and its importance. You also got a brief history of the monarchy of Alam. I wonder what you think?! :OOO Do let me know ;)