The streets of London were crowded. There was a fog in the air. But not too thick. Amna and her nephew were sitting beside each other in a horse-driven carriage.
The sun was partially visible behind grey clouds. The weather was frosty. Lord Saif kept rubbing his hands together to keep them warm.
They were on a poorly constructed street now. Lady Amna could see homeless people standing hopelessly in alleyways.
"Here we are." Lord Saif announced.
The carriage stopped in front of a hut. There was a board adjusted on the front of it.
"Madam Natasha's Fortune Telling." Lady Amna read the board. She stared at her nephew with both eyebrows raised high above her eyes.
He assisted her in getting off the carriage.
"You always wanted to have your palms read." Lord Saif said.
"I lost that interest a long time ago." She told him.
"It will be quite amusing to hear what she says about your future." He said.
They started walking towards the abode.
"Whatever fortune tellers tell about your future is that which is not worth telling about." Lady Amna said.
Lord Saif stood aside and made way for his aunt to enter first. She passed through the beads-covered entrance and her beloved nephew followed.
There was an exotic smell inside the room. Strange-looking exotic masks and figures were adjusted on the walls. The room was dark except for the bright light coming from the large candle in the center table
A mysterious African woman sat behind the table She motioned for both of them to take a seat and they took two across from her.
"Here to see what the future holds for the both of you?" Madam Natasha asked.
Lady Amna and Lord Saif exchanged awkward glances.
"You are quite mistaken Madam Natasha." Lord Saif said. "She is my aunt. And we are not lovers."
A smile passed Madam Natasha's chubby face. She wore black eyeliner and had a red-colored bandana pulled over her forehead. She also wore several bracelets around her wrists. Her eyes were bloodshot. As if she hadn't slept in months.
"Who goes first?" She asked them.
Lady Amna reluctantly extended her hand out. Madam Natasha held it gazing at her palm. She started examining it by touching the lines.
Suddenly, Madam Natasha's expression changed. She gazed devilishly at Amna with those bloodshot eyes. Amna felt a chill run down her spine.
"What is it Madam Natasha?" Lady Amna asked politely with fear tingling her throat.
"I can't read this." Madam Natasha said.
She held Amna's hand more tightly.
"What do you mean by that?" Lord Saif asked suspiciously.
"There's something unusual about the lines." Madam Natasha said.
She tightened her grip even further on Amna's hand.
Lord Saif stood up from his seat. "This is absurd. We're leaving."
Amna noticed the black woman's eyes burning into hers. She tried to free her hand. But the hold was too tight. She was scared the psycho would end up breaking her wrist.
"Aunt Amna?" Lord Saif asked.
The woman finally let go of her hand. Amna rubbed it getting up from her seat. Just then, Natasha rose from her chair and grabbed Lady Amna again.
"Read my lips girl." Madam Natasha told her.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Lord Saif exclaimed.
Madam Natasha ignored him. "Only you can save your soul. No one else."
Lord Saif separated the two. He held his aunt by the shoulders. And raised an angry finger at the gypsy.
"I will shut you down for good!" He shouted at her.
They turned to leave the place.
Lady Amna looked over her shoulder at Madam Natasha. Who just stood there. Silent. Unmoving. An unnatural look in her reddish eyes.
***
"Mahmood, get me a glass of water please." Lord Saif ordered.
He added a final touch to the face of the painting. It was a portrait of his aunt. She wore a beautiful silk light-blue dress with a white hat. Her pose was stunning.
Mahmood nodded and left the main lounge.
"Can't I just take a peek?" Lady Amna asked her nephew.
He waved his paintbrush at her. Lady Amna sighed. She was already tired from staying in one pose for too long.
"Remember Amna." Lady Rebecca said. She was sitting on a red-leather couch at the end of the room. "He isn't trying to justify your beauty but rather his artistry."
Lady Amna and Lord Saif exchanged glances.
"Tell me Lord Saif." Rebecca said. "What came in your mind after I announced that statement."
Lord Saif grinned adjusting his paint tools. "Truthfully, I was amused that you could say something so true."
Lord Saif couldn't help but stare at his aunt's grace. The calm sunshine poured through the window and onto her face. Made it even more spectacular to look at.
She noticed him. And gave him a strict look. He blushed and continued painting.
"Lord Saif. I wonder if you could paint a portrait of me sometime." Lady Rebecca suggested.
"I have a wonderful idea. How about I paint a picture of you and your husband-to-be getting married?" Lord Said teased.
"The bride and groom only smile at their wedding because they know that life after marriage is not at all joyful." Lady Rebecca said with a smile. "Paint our picture as it will not age like me and my husband-to-be would."
Lady Amna smiled. She has the most remarkable sense of humor.
Mahmood came back with a tray carrying a glass of water. Lord Saif accepted it and drank it in one gulp.
Mahmood turned to Lady Amna. "Madam I have just received a call from your sister, Lady Sara. She is inviting you and Lord Saif to her mansion at eight o' clock tonight."
Lady Amna held her chin and wondered whether she should go or not. She stared at Saif as if he were concealing her answer.
"Lady Sara has also invited me to her party." Lady Rebecca said. "You must join me Amna. And so should you Lord Saif."
Lady Amna still held her chin. She was thinking hard.
"We should accept Lady Rebecca's proposal, Aunt Amna." Lord Saif explained. "After all, hasn't it been quite long since you met your sister?"
52Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfQsHfM6U8
Lord Haroon Haider had three daughters: Sara, Rida and Amna. Sara was the eldest and the most selfish while the other two were blessed with good hearts. Rida and Amna were like the closest friends. After Rida and her husband had died, Amna took care of their only son.
Sara had one daughter, Lady Michelle, with the French lord she had married. She was quite beautiful. A captivating brunette with emerald green eyes.
"I wonder why your sister married him." Lady Rebecca said.
She was pointing to a tall man with short dark-brown hair and a trimmed mustache. He was standing in the middle of four people, boasting about a certain topic.
"Yes. My sister always had a thing for the French. Quite ironic." Lady Amna said.
"Love and life both share one feature, irony." Lady Rebecca said.
The crowd left the tall man alone. He noticed his sister-in-law and her friend walking towards him.
"It does not seem as you have grown." He told Amna lifting her hand slightly up and kissing it.
"Age is just an illusion, Lord Francis." Lady Rebecca remarked.
Lord Francis kissed her hand as well.
"Lady Rebecca. Your words never seize to amaze me." Lord Francis said.
"A woman's words should always amaze a man, or else the man would seize to be amazed by her completely." Lady Rebecca explained.
"That explains the reason for my decaying marriage." A woman said.
She appeared next to Lord Francis. She held a glass of champagne in one hand. She was voluptuous and had beautiful green eyes and long silky-black hair. She partially resembled Amna.
"How has it been lately Amna?" She asked her.
"Everything's been fine. Saif is releasing his greatest work tomorrow." Amna said. "Hope to see you at the art gallery."
"Aunt Amna. I missed you." A teenage girl came over to her. They exchanged kisses on the cheeks.
"Michelle. You have grown." Lady Amna remarked astonishinly.
"And you haven't Aunt Amna." Michelle said staring suspiciously at her aunt. "Have you seen Lord Saif?"
She searched for him over her aunt's shoulder.
What does she want with my nephew? Amna thought jealously.
"Oh, there he is". She said and ran past her aunt.
A slight pain forced Amna to reach for her forehead. The pain grew. Sending a violent shock ito Amna's skull. She was slowly losing her balance. Her vision was becoming blurry.
"Are you alright?" Lady Sara asked.
"Just a slight migraine." Amna explained. "It'll be alright."
Suddenly, she heard someone or something calling her. As if she were standing alone in a dark forest. And hearing a breeze whooshing through the trees.
She looked over her shoulder. She saw Michelle and Saif chatting happily with each other. The migraine was gone. But the howling noise still remained. And she knew where it was coming from.
Lady Amna turned around to leave.
"Where are you going?" Lady Rebecca asked with concern.
"I am going outside to get some fresh air. I'll be back in a jiffy." Amna said walking towards the front entrance.
She passed a group of other guests. And finally got out of the mansion. She descended the long steps. A carriage was slowly passing by. She called the driver and got inside. She told the driver the address and they were off.
ns 15.158.61.46da2
