Chapter 4 Mr. Faiz

Mina's pregnancy did not reduce her affection for Firdaus. Firdaus is still the child she has been waiting for for more than 15 years. So that Mina already feels normal when she wants to have another child.

Now she understood why Sophia was given the utmost attention from Bilal. Mina felt it. The pain, the discomfort he felt. That tiring nausea. Hunger that knows no time. Staying up late due to uncomfortable sleeping position. Squeaky waist. The spine that often hurts.

Mina cries every night because of the pain. Bilal rubbed it like he had rubbed Sophia in the past.

"You are doing jihad. This pain is an expiation for your sins," Bilal said as he had told Sophia. Firdaus also took care of the sick Mina.

***

The cavalry suddenly surrounded the small village that Sophia lived in. A few nights ago the Parko Tribe stalked life and they found runaway slaves there.

The Parko Tribe easily captured the slaves. However, a man who forced open the door to Sophia's house was silent in front of the door. He found Sophia was praying Asr.

"Bring all!" the leader's orders.

The man ran to the leader. "Sir, there is a Muslim woman in the house," he said making the leader dismount from the horse and approach Sophia's house.

Sophia was raising her hand silently. All that could be heard was the woman's sobs.

"Assalamualaikum!" said the leader entering the house.

Sophia turned to him. "Wa'alaikumussalam," replied Sophia, who immediately approached her at the door.

"Who owns you?" asked the leader.

"What is this?" Sophia asked back.

"Bring them all!" shouted the leader and a man also grabbed Sophia's hand to take her to the Parko Tribe's residence.

***

Once there, Sophia and the other slaves' hands were tied with ropes.

"If it is true that your God exists and is real. Why didn't He save you from the capture of the Parko Tribe?" cynical Adnan whose hands are also tied.

"Are they really Muslims? But why do they enslave people?" Sophia asked herself.

Sophia and the slaves stood on their knees before the house of the Parko Tribe Elders. The bustling city became excited because it managed to catch the escaped slaves.

"Who is the veiled one?"

"Why is the slave wearing a headscarf?"

"Don't all the runaway slaves not have any religion?"

"He's pretending to embrace Islam!"

People's insults and insults were directed at Sophia, who showed her identity as a Muslim woman.

After long deliberation with the leaders in the city, the Parko Tribe Elders decided to return the slaves to their masters. However, Sophia did not have an employer. He's not a slave.

So Sophia was taken prisoner and forced into slavery to be sold in the trade. Right on that day, the beautiful and smart Sophia and Sholehah were bought by a young man named Faiz for 2,000 gold pieces, to be used as gardening slaves to take care of the fields.

Sophia became the most expensive slave there because of her intelligence, beauty and piety.

"I will fulfill the responsibility of providing for you. What do you need?" asked the young man.

"I need a prayer rug and all for prayer. The rest I hope for your mercy," replied Sophia.

Sophia thought that a slave would definitely be forced to work without being fed and even tortured by his master.

"Your job is to do the gardening and prepare all my necessities. I will travel often to oversee this City. You are responsible for all my possessions and house, you can use whatever you want in this house. When I come home, I don't want to wait. take a shower after traveling, prepare warm water for me with a warmth that doesn't burn my skin and doesn't freeze my bones. After bathing, I want to eat my dinner at 5 pm. I also like the milk that Gana'an sells. After the dawn prayer you have to buy the milk is in the market. If it's later than that, you'll be in a long queue and I don't like waiting," explained Faiz.

"I'll forget all that," Sophia said innocently.

"I spent 2,000 gold pieces on senile slaves?" Faiz said making Sophia look down more deeply.

"Maybe you can teach me first. What should I do from the end of the morning prayer to bed time," said Sophia.

"You? Am I your friend?" asked Faiz.

"So what should I call you? I've never been a slave before."

"I am your master, I am your master!" Faiz said.

"Yes, Sir," replied Sophia.

Faiz was about to smile. This was the first time he had gotten a slave who had never been a slave before.

"Do whatever you like. Tomorrow I will show you what you have to do from waking up to falling asleep," said Faiz and was about to leave.

"I want to ask," Sophia said making the man turn back to face her. "Slaves say they are bought just to sleep is that true? Then what about me? Isn't that an act of adultery?" She continued.

"Adultery?" asked Faiz, frowning and approaching the girl. "You are lawful to me. I don't even need to marry you. You are my slave, you are mine. Even the marriage contract is weaker than my ownership contract. There is no adultery between the slave and his master. You are a slave. If you are a Muslim you should study the book. I think you're smart, you're actually this stupid. 2,000 pieces of golden are wasted for a shallow brain like you," continued Faiz.

"Why like that? Why not get married?" Sophia asked.

"Are you really a Muslim?" asked Faiz.

"I was converted to Islam 8 years ago by my husband," replied Sophia.

"Husband? Then where is he now?"

"I left him in the forest."

Faiz sighed. "How long were you left behind?"

"7 summers," Sophia answered.

"7 years? He is no longer your husband," said Faiz.

"Look Sophia. You are mine from now on. You are my slave. Slaves are just like sisters, wives, family. Like that, do you understand? I have you completely. Even if I hold you like this," said Faiz, pulling Sophia's hand. to bring her body closer to him. Sophia was surprised and restrained herself. "What are you afraid of? I can act like your husband, your master, your brother and it's all lawful for me," he continued.

"But the slaves said that they were bought just to sleep. They didn't even get any benefit from this slavery system," Sophia said.

"I bought you and got my contract of ownership towards you in full. I gave you a comfortable place to live, I gave you food and drink. You can even do whatever you like in this house. Isn't that a benefit?" asked Faiz.

"But they bought it just to sleep."

"Actually a master buys slaves to give him work in a matter that the master cannot take care of alone. If he buys slaves just to sleep, then it is not justified. want to sleep with you. But I need a woman who is good at taking care of my house and fields. I need a woman who is trustworthy with my assets," explained Faiz.

"Why don't you just get married?" Sophia asked making Faiz pull his hand closer with eyes that pierced the girl's eyeball. "Sir," continued Sophia, who immediately realized her mistake for calling her master as You.

Faiz let go of the girl's hand. "Do whatever you like in this house," he said and walked away. He didn't even answer Sophia's question.

It's not that Faiz doesn't want to get married. It's just that he was afraid of losing again. After his wife was caught in adultery with another man and received a caning sentence. Now Faiz's wife has died after 3 days of the caning ended.