Chapter 69

[MEMBERSONLY]

Rabba Ve everyone!!

I would like to thank everyone who has commented on the last update. I have been moved by some comments, fascinated by some, and even felt like admiring some for their truthfulness that they found the chapters not so enjoyable. Thank you to each and everyone who loved, liked, enjoyed and got bored by the chapters. You are ALL special to me and through your comments, it is your young hearts that I embrace!!

To those who asked me questions: How did Master Aman sense that she was not the girl for him? Like I told some of you, read the Orchard Chapter again and tell me what you think he must have felt towards the end of the chapter.

Special thanks to Arhasian poetess Medharees for her amazing song that has once again captured my heart's strings to tune in gratitude.

Neevankrish: Yes dear! I do love and work a lot in my brain and in my heart to make this FF perfect in every way I can.

Leena: You are special and you know why.

Harsh: Your smiles do matter a lot, dear.

Love the deep thoughts of Riti, Yush, surprise entry Hoopoe, Mavs with her gift, the friendly comments of saomom, samarablog, Sophie, rockingsoni, Saga, Vidya, subiscs, revathy, lakshmin, Farwa and Shijina, KP, Sara, Torr and Shruti and many others whom I cannot name now for the constriction of time...

Welcoming new reader moon8387 to our Inn in Arhasia, on behalf of all my dear readers and Comrades.

I know, after giving the spoiler in the Cottage, many of you are waiting for me to stop my chatter and get on with the tale. Well, I shall let you wait no more...

Chapter One Hundred Thirty Three: A War and A Worry

Sunday morning was pleasant over the land of Arhasia and since Lord Arnav didn't have to go the Industry, he sat in his Library, dressed in a white shirt and dark pants, while the morning rays seeped through the windows.

Just then, a knock sounded on his door and he murmured, "Come in."

The door was opened and Master Aman stepped in, "You called for me, Master?"

Lord Arnav looked at him, his eyes cold, "Where were you last day? I had sent you to see to the Chinese Princess' departure, hadn't I?"

"Yes, sire," said Master Aman, bowing, "And I did. Just as you had ordered."

Lord Arnav was visibly fuming, "Don't lie, Aman. I didn't expect this from you. I saw you travelling in the carriage with that youngest Gupta sister sitting beside you!"

Master Aman looked confusedly at his Master, "But, sire, I had told you the Chinese Princess has insisted on seeing her."

Lord Arnav stared at him and then frowned, "You did not."

"Well, I am certain I did read that letter out to you, Master, but I assume you hadn't heard it because that was when the stepladder accident happened in the Orchard."

Lord Arnav stood up, "Don't try and give me excuses, Aman. Just stay in the circle of your service and do what you are told to do by me."

"Yes, sire," said Master Aman, bowing and then he was dispersed for that day.

Lord Arnav stood there, before his table, fuming within. The image he had seen of her with Aman in the carriage was too heavily bearing upon his mind. He didn't know why, but he was too angry.

She had seemed to be so happy with him...why did she have to be happy with only other men!

Clenching his fists, with the rise of a new anger, he stormed out of his Library and walked downstairs. Just as he was walking past the living room, he heard laughter from the ballroom which had always been left unvisited.

"What the!" he frowned at the huge double doors of the ballroom and, in the next moment, with quick strides, he was before it, swinging the doors wide open.

Stepping in, his angry searching eyes fell on the two girls in the center of the room, brandishing swords that had been taken down from the wall (for cleaning) where they were placed as decoration.

Kushi gaped at the man at the door, her sword falling with a clang to the chess-checkered ballroom floor and Lady Lavanya stopped in her laughter, and looked over her shoulder, her cheery expression turning to one of shock when she saw him. She walked to him and asked, "ASR? What are you-" and then she remembered, "Oh, we forgot today was Sunday."

"What is all this?" he asked, his cold eyes sliding from Lady Lavanya to Kushi who stood far off in the center of the vast room, looking everywhere but at him.

"We were preparing for the ball-"

"What ball?" asked Lord Arnav, scowling at Lady Lavanya.

"The ball that Lady Anjali-"

"I gave no grant for any such balls to be conducted," said Lord Arnav coldly.

"But-"

"Lavanya, just go and do something sensible, something of regal class," said Lord Arnav.

Lady Lavanya placed the sword in her hand to the floor and then addressed Kushi, "Come, Kushi, let's go."

Kushi stepped forward, her eyes cast to the ground, when Lord Arnav said, "She is going nowhere. Just you, Lavanya."

Lady Lavanya stared at him, "But-"

"There is something I must clear with her regarding why she went to the Industry last day," said Lord Arnav, wanting Lady Lavanya to not ask any more questions, "She will join you presently in your room."

Lady Lavanya cast a forlorn look towards Kushii who was pleading with her helpless eyes to Lady Lavanya.

"You will not harm her," Lady Lavanya said firmly to him.

Lord Arnav stared at Lavanya for a moment, "I do not know why you have begun defending her so, but no, I will not harm her."

Lady Lavanya looked at Kushi, trying to strengthen her with an assuring smile, and then she departed.

As soon as Lady Lavanya left the ballroom, Lord Arnav turned to the doors and shut them heavily.

Kushi gasped, and stared at him. They were alone in the huge ballroom and she didn't like it one bit especially with the rage he was in.

He turned around, his cold gaze on her. He stepped forward and with a quick flick of the tip of his boot, he let the sword, lying before him on the ground, fly upwards and his quick hand shot out and he held it by the hilt.

Kushi gulped and as he continued moving towards her, she walked backwards, but nevertheless he was nearing the center of the huge ballroom, the sword in his hand, casually hanging by his side.

His catlike strides made her heartbeat race and she backed away until he stopped and yelled, "Not one step backward."

Kushi froze where she stood.

He frowned at her, "Pick up your sword."

"What?" Kushi stared at him in disbelief.

His expression did not change, "You must really enjoy laughing and riding with Aman..."

Kushi frowned as soon as she comprehended what he meant, "I was called to the Industry by the Princess."

Lord Anrav refused to listen and continued, "You even play swords with him, don't you?"

"I don't play with anyone," she retorted, "Master Aman is a good friend who has helped me to keep my sword skills intact."

"Then let's see how well you've fared under his help," said Lord Arnav, his head lifted proudly.

Kushi paused, unsure.

Lord Arnav smirked, "What? Are you afraid to par swords with me, Kushi Kumari Gupta?"

Raged, Kushi stepped forward and picked up the sword on the floor, "I am not scared of you, Lord Raizada."

His eyes shone with casual delight as he watched her ready the sword in her hold and wait.

"Who will come first?" he asked, amused.

"We'll come at the same time," said Kushi, firmly, her hands gripped around the hilt of her sword which had begun to tremble.

He saw it and smiled furtively, "Alright, we come at the count of three. One...Two...Three!"

Like a sudden storm let loose, Lord Arnav and Kushi rushed forward with their swords held before them, but the force with which they crashed into each other, sent Kushi hurtling backwards to the floor while Lord Arnav stood his ground and looked at Kushi as she sat up.

He held out his hand to her but she stood up by herself and picked up her sword.

"You must know, Kushi," said Lord Arnav, "If it were men playing, they could have rushed at the same time. But you are a girl and you are ten times weaker than me."

"I am not weak!" Kushi said and slashed her sword at him but his sword easily deflected her move.

Kushi thrust at him again and once again he shielded the sword from touching him and then easily moved her sword away from him.

Kushi's pride was hurt but she was still determined. Her hair, which had been tied in a bun came loose and Lord Arnav stared at her for a moment.

Panting, her hair open and framing her fair face, her eyes fierce and her lips pressed in determination, she was a delight he was ready to gaze at for time immemorial.

In that very fraction, when he had let his thoughts wander, Kushi made a move, unaware that he was not paying attention and she realized this was only when she had let her sword near him. He recovered quickly and tried to move his sword to deflect her move while she too tried to stop her sword from touching him, but her abrupt withdrawal brought the sword to slice slightly on the skin of his left shoulder.

Kushi gasped and dropped her sword, rushing towards him, while he looked down at his shoulder and saw the line of blood seeping out from the cut in his white shirt. He looked up and glared at her, stopping her inches away from nearing him any further.

"Pick up your sword," he said in a low, threatening voice, blood still seeping from his arm.

Kushi shook her frightened head, her hands over her mouth, "No, sire, you are hurt...'"

"Pick it up, I say!!" he barked at her, his gaze cold.

With trembling hands, she walked back and picked up her sword, but she held it down, her shoulders hung in remorse.

"Fight me!" he ordered angrily.

"No," she whispered, tears filling her eyes, "No, I cannot. You are hurt."

"I said FIGHT ME!!" his flaming gaze burning her courage.

"No," she said one last time, and then gasped as he rushed at her with his sword. Raising his right hand, he brought his sword down and if Kushi hadn't lifted her sword up and barred the other sword from descending, she didn't want to imagine what would have happened.

She didn't know why he was so angered suddenly but she realized there was no stopping him. She had to fight him even if he was bleeding and in pain.

"Fight!" he yelled at her and she obediently swung her sword at him, and he deflected it and yelled, "Again!"

The next few minutes were insane. She swung and thrust and deflected and he kept her fighting him relentlessly. His shoulder was bleeding, staining his white shirt with the red, but he never did tire.

"Fight! Fight!" he barked at her, in mad encouragement. The tears in Kushi's eyes remained there, not falling, as the fierceness in her gaze returned and she fought him hard.

Swinging her sword, circling him and parrying her steel with his in every which way, it was almost like a dance. He stood there stiffly, making her fight him and fail to harm him anymore.

"Fight!" he said one last time.

Circling where she stood with her hair flying, Kushi swung her sword and brought it down on him and his cold eyes were on her as he lifted his sword and with one hard swipe, he made the sword slip from her sweating hands and fall to the cold floor with a clang.

Kushi stood there panting, staring at her fallen sword, and then before she could react, he had dropped his sword and rushed at her, pressing her to the wall which stood close to them now, owing to all the movement they had done in the fighting.

Panting and panicking, Kushi stared at him, wide-eyed, "Sire?"

"Tell me, Kushi," he ordered, a drop of sweat running down the side of his face, "What have you learnt?"

"What?" Kushi was confused and lost.

"Practice!" He barked at her, "You need more practice!"

"I''..." Kushi didn't know what to say.

"And if your motive to learn sword-fighting was to fight me, then it is not from Aksah or Aman that you must take training but from ME. Get it?!"

Kushi gasped, "Sire'.." Again, she didn't know what to say. That was when her eyes fell on his shoulder, "Your shoulder..."

He didn't take his eyes off her and he kept her pressed to the wall before him.

Her fearful gaze was on the red cut in his shirt and her fingers reached towards it.

She stopped, afraid he might not like it; but he gave no signs of moving away, so she let her trembling fingers touch his shoulder.

The moment she touched the red warm blood on the wound, tears streamed down her cheeks, and she looked up into his eyes, "I'm sorry. I am really sorry."

Lord Arnav stared at her with that slight frown but said nothing. Instead his hand moved to his sleeve that had been stained red and, with one pull, he ripped it.

Kushi gasped, "What are you doing?"

He held the stained strip of cloth before her, and she stared at it and then at his face.

She realized what he wanted her to do.

Trembling fingers reached up and took the cloth he was holding.

There was a pail of clean water on a table near the window in the ballroom, and Kushi dipped the end of the cloth in it and then returned to him and began cleaning his wound.

He watched her as she cleaned his wound, bathed in the sunlight from the window, and she felt utterly uncomfortable under his studying gaze. Her hands trembled as she worked on his wound. Thankfully it was not a deep wound. Just a tiny cut which would heal soon.

Kushi pressed the cloth onto the wound and her gaze travelled to his face, to see if he was in pain. But he seemed to not be even aware of the cut.

He simply stood there, staring at her, his eyes dark and unreadable.

She looked away, and focused on his wound, tying the long strip of cloth around his wound.

"You have still a long way to go if you ever need to learn to par swords with me," said Lord Arnav, his eyes glinting purposefully.

She worked on his wound as she answered, "Long or short be the way, I will one day defeat you and this is my word."

"You will defeat me?" he asked her, cocking his eyebrow, "You really will?"

Kushi looked at him and said firmly, "Yes, I will defeat you."

"You cannot," he said confidently, "I am well-versed in every skill there is."

"You cannot be," said Kushi, having finished her work on the wound, "You are a hard man and you might be good only in hard skills." She began to step away.

"Is it?" he was amused, and suddenly pulled her to him, his face inches away from hers, "Tell me, what skills come under the title of soft?"

Kushi paled as she stared at him. The proximity was making it hard for her to put on a brave front and her voice would be far from firm.

A strand of her hair had slipped onto her forehead when he had pulled her to him. He blew on her face, moving the strand away, and she closed her eyes, surrounded by his manly scent and her senses flustered.

He continued in a low voice near her ear, "Name me one skill you cannot see me do. And make sure it's not knitting because that is strictly a woman's business."

Kushi almost smiled at the image that had crossed her mind: Lord Arnav dressed in Nani's gown, sitting in Nani's armchair, knitting.

But Kushi kept the humour in her head at bay and then opened her eyes to look into his eyes, "Dancing."

"Dancing?" he stared at her, taken aback.

She gave a single confident nod and said, "You cannot dance."

"I so CAN!" he said proudly, frowning.

"No, you can't," said Kushi, "I cannot imagine how a stiff arrogant man like you will let music move you!"

He frowned down at her, "You really think I can't dance?"

"You cannot dance, I am certain."

Lord Arnav's eyes glinted, "I will prove it to you, then, that while you are an utter disaster in swords, I am perfect in everything. Even dancing. I suggest we keep this challenge open for the ball."

Kushi's heart leapt. He had actually said yes to the ball!! Because of her! Oh Kushi, you are a genius! But of course, she reasoned sensibly with her excitement, I didn't know it would turn out this way.

"What have you to say to that?" he asked her, his eyes fierce with a battle thirst.

"Yes. As long as this challenge is just between us and no one else knows of it, the ball shall decide which one of us is the better dancer."

He smirked, "It's a deal," and then released her.

"Then I shall see you at the ball, sire," said Kushi, with a proud lift of her head.

"At the ball," he stated with finality, and watched her make for the door, "And after the ball we will toast to your defeat and my victory."

Kushi rolled her eyes and opened the door. She looked over her shoulder at him and said, "That toast you can only make in your dreams because it will be my victory that will be celebrated on the night of the ball."

"We'll see, Kushi Kumari Gupta," he challenged, his eyes amused.

"Yes, we'll see, Lord Arnav Singh Raizada!" and with that she shut the door, sealing the fire of a night that was to come soon.

Alright, that's enough for today. Like I had told our Yush, a chapter exclusively for the Green-Eye and the Green-Heart. *wink* Once again, I DO NOT want long comments and I will never insist on them. As soon as you read the chapter, even if it is one word or one line, just quill down your immediate reaction to the chapter before that fresh first-hand feeling goes away. Questions are welcome and I will gladly answer them through PMs or in the next update.

But wait till you see what's in the next chapter!! *sly grin* INDEX

Aquiline2013-01-25 08:16:04