Akbar's Bride

I first met the storyteller, Rashid, in an old teahouse in Kabul. We spent weeks together dodging checkpoints, moving like shades around the … [Read more...] about Akbar’s Bride, Complete

Omar left for the monastery on the next morning before the camp awakened, traveling with speed up through the mountains away from the tents. The … [Read more...] about Akbar’s Bride, Day 8

Rashid rubbed his hands together and folded his arms. It was his habit as a story drew to a close. ‘The silversmith looked at the casket, opened it, … [Read more...] about Akbar’s Bride, Day 7

‘Omar is in the old city, and it is Friday, day of prayer, so he has to wait. He has to take time to find lodging for the elephant. He begins to … [Read more...] about Akbar’s Bride, Day 6

“Things do not always happen as they are planned, you know,” the old monk said and gestured to the party to sit and eat. Feet shuffled over teak … [Read more...] about Akbar’s Bride, Day 5

‘Omar felt he had been traveling for weeks, heat by day, cold by night, dusty all the time, pitching tents at night by mountain streams, crossing … [Read more...] about Akbar’s Bride, Day 4

We sipped tea as charcoal dropped through the fire grid and fine dust scattered, disappearing like truth itself. Rashid opened his tale in a low … [Read more...] about Akbar’s Bride, Day 3

Behind Rashid hummed the murmur of conversation, and as he spoke a shadow slid past rice sacks piled up in the corner. I heard the rustle of fine … [Read more...] about Akbar’s Bride, Day 2