Alhamdulilaah, I've made a plus for us all (I've been motivated😊). So, let's sit back and read in serenity. This is a part of the former chapter. The next one, in shaa Allah would be coming, though it would take some more time, but according to our agreed time limit of course, in shaa Allah.

Dedicated especially to Fjhabs who asked for prayers.May Allah make everything easy for all of us, and ease our way to goodness and happiness.

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Far within the heart of the mainland, a city was overflowing with life in an amazing and spectacular display of brilliant multicoloured lights, and incomparably sparkling beauty. That night, it was bathed in fragrances and vitality, under the luminous yellow half moon, as usual. This city had the ingenious of human artifice meet with the pure essence of nature in a wondrous splendour, underneath were the people who prided themselves over their nobility and achievements. It was the City of Lights, also known as Madinat-ul-Anwar. It was the capital city of the whole kingdom 'Al Qalb-ul-Ard', and the single most beautiful and vast thriving among the seven provincial cities, the City officially
called An Nûn!

Within this most beautiful large and lively city, to its northmost was the famous incomparable 'Ath-Thurayya". It was an infamous group of seven magnificent architecture representing the Pleiades. One of the seven grand structures was the 'Sky Legacy Haven', which housed the young royals and nobles who came to study various forms of knowledge, art, and skill, even in statesmanship!

The exceptional scholars who taught them, and lived here, were recruited from all over the country and beyond. It was a generally quiet and peaceful retreat, away from the noise of the bustling city even at night.

The buildings here were made of strong and durable fragrant wood, resistant to weather and insects, and it still exuded rich royalty and golden style, elegant and yet simple. The people here lived in their own separate rooms, and yet all the apartments were conjoined, so there was privacy, and yet no one could be too secretive. Also, as people dedicated to learning, in spite of their nobility, all were required by the scholarly elders to be as simple as possible, to check pride and arrogance.

One particular finely furnished building was within a secluded corner among the clusters of conjoined wooden structures. It emitted a lonely aura, and was dark, in contrast to the still light-filled neighbouring rooms, where people were up studying into the night.

Surprisingly, the front door was opened ajar, so one could just walk by and see everything within...
Inside was neat and exquisite, much different from the rooms of others here with books scattered all around. That was another problem, students were prevented from having house helps to assist them. So, those who had no prior training at home, had to suffer and adapt by learning all such things nobility weren't allowed to do.

The furniture within was high quality, with chandeliers and other exotic stuff. Apparently, the person here might have been an exception to some rules against too much royalty. The room-lengthed wide windows were opened, and the curtains raised, facing the open North sky and stretch of forest.

The room was dark from the offed lights. Near the opened grand windows was a finely carved desk and chair made with simplicity, yet in exquisite design. Upon the desk was a stack of books, a vase of flowers, and... an old and neat pocket Qur'an.

A young man exuding a scholarly air, sat on the chair made of high quality solid wood. If one paid close attention, one might discern also with him the golden aura of nobility. And yet, he appeared simple, considering his status.

He was a slender young man with sideburns tailing in a fine goatee, in an elegant green robe. His brown hair had strands of red blended within in an amazing hue of flamme de Vesuve. His brown melting chocolate eyes gazed absently at the dark mystic night outside, lost in their own thoughts and dreams....

"Memories are beautiful things... aren't they?",a voice clear and crystalline like a perfect songbird smiled from across the dark room, just at the door's threshold.

" Yh, they're.."the scholarly man answered melancholically without looking away from the calm dark night sky outside, only the maiden moon in solemn radiance to see, upon the starless enveloping cover. It reminded him of his loneliness in this vast world, he was the last line of the King Sulaymân. The serene night sky gave him such peace, as if within just a single sigh he could let go of all worries in the world, and be free at once to choose his own story.

The youth in his blooming teenage years, who stood at the threshold smiled. He still couldn't understand why this man liked the darkness like that, even though he had seen him do this several times. This youth wore clothes voluminous, the colour of coral, and yet appeared simple as can be. He had a book in his hand, which he began reading out aloud.

"Ephemerality teaches us to cherish things while they last. It puts value on life, family, friends, happiness, memories, and many more; thus, teaching us to live to the best of our strength..."

"...Recollections of the heart. They're powerful ties that bind our hearts, things we share with our loved ones. The happy memories are those we spend with family and friends. They give us also the strength to keep on going; thus, an undying will is created, and the heart becomes a vessel of many powerful feelings."

"They are never lost - even after an eternal lifetime. Some painful memories exist also to give us a lesson."

"They teach us to keep on going, we've survived through thick and thin...we can't give up now."

"They are important experiences that are not to be forgotten. They give the tinge of happiness to our days of joy when they arrive, after long sufferings."

"Inna maAAa alAAusri yusran(Indeed, with every hardship [will be] ease.)"(Qur'an 94:6)

He ended, reciting the Qur'an verse in an appealing voice, that suddenly cleared the young man by the window of his absent thoughts, and left him to ponder on it. The pleasantness of the recitation seemed to ecstatically inspire his heart, as if to join in the recitation, a melodious voice of ethereal praises, in glorification with mountains and birds...it was one of those recitals...

"Which books have you been reading, Prince Firdaws?... I think you should stick to your normal curriculum..."

Prince Firdaws smiled, his ethereal beauty, the purity of winter seemed to light up the dark room.

This was his soon-to-be brother-in-law. His elder sister, Princess Hafsah was betrothed to the crown Prince of their southeast neighbouring country for as long as he could remember. Even with the skirmishes that were occurring in that country, the young couple still remained tied, mainly due to Princess Hafsah's own resolve.

Prince Firdaws had become really good friends with him even with the age gap, and tried to make him always smile. This was much more so because, he could see the heaviness that weighed the crown Prince's shoulders, like an immovable mountain.

If his beloved sister was going to be facing the same problems in the future, then he might as well try to cheer the guy up, so he wouldn't fall into darkness and pull his sister in it with him. After all, that was the main reason he'd become friends with him in the first place. Free the heart from its chains of burden, live life like an unrippled lake, reflect the vast sky! Become a King in the making, one that radiates domineering positivity and warmth, like the glorious morning sun!

"You still think of them, don't you?..." The Prince suddenly began walking towards the youth who still watched the dark night sky.

"Not a day passes, when I don't hear her lively laughter across the palace walls... red hair the colour of life...her free spirit...and the lavender fragrance of home... And dad..."His eloquent silvery voice almost broke as he halted.

He closed his eyes and stilled his heart. When he opened his eyes again, they became like steel. He had to be strong, not emotional over what had already passed...

"Memories of home,...You know, it's amazing... At that time all this happened, you were here, and within the safe walls of the college of King Dhul Qarnayn. If someone asked me, I'd say your dad knew what was happening and sent you out, or at least he forebode it..."Prince Firdaws thought aloud.

Ihtisham steeled at this. He always did, whenever the astute young Prince of Al Qalb-ul-Ard mentioned his thoughts out loud to him. Perhaps, somewhere in his heart, he also believed it.

But then if that was so, then the Queen would have been the first to be sent into safety. Even as he thought this, he remembered his mother's strong will to stay by her husband through heat and snow. He sighed...

"If that was so..., then my younger brother Prince Ukashah would have been his priority..."Crown Prince Ihtisham said as he looked at the luminous moon, and remembered his brother with a face like polished jade and laughter of a bright day .

Then he murmured,"He would have been my priority..."

Hearing this from Ihtisham, made Prince Firdaws remember what his mother, the Queen had once told him," Love doesn't promise us that we would live forever with our beloved. But it does promise us, that we'll have someone who would always look out for us, even with their lives..."

Prince Firdaws sighed. From what he had heard of Ukashah, the young Prince might not really be dead. His father had told him the rumours, but everyone had kept it from Ihtisham, fearing he might go out of hand worrying and searching for his brother. His enemies might even use this as a trump card against him, and he might end up even endangering Ukashah who might be safe somewhere in hiding.

Even he, who had become Ihtisham's bosom friend had kept that secret from him, for his own safety...

Suddenly, Prince Firdaws smiled, remembering what his elder cousin, Prince Reyaz had told him about they going on a little trip before the Grand Qur'an Ramadan competition would begin that year, to Tâ Hâ...

The famous five Quraa... One was called Ukashah..

I can't wait to meet them... once again. He thought as he stood near Ihtisham.

They looked out, beyond the dark horizon in comfortable silence, each lost in his own thoughts.