NOVEL~*Hiding behind a Stranger*~Thread 8~ Chapter 13 - UPD 20th Aug - Page 70

Originally posted by: divyavm

Writer-e-khaas,

A beautiful , beautiful chapter ... after Chapter 12, I was left wondering how the awkwardness and tension of the incident would change the dynamics between Akbar and Harka. Would any of that awkwardness and tension remain?

Instead what I found was the same mutual respect and decorum on the surface, while the connect between them continued to grow inwardly with more signs beginning to rise externally as well, albeit subtle.

Today, my take is more my view of how Harka and Akbar are perceiving their evolving emotions and connections.

Hopefully, I have understood how they are feeling, at least directionally. If I have misunderstood, feel free to correct.

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"What is this that ..."

Harka

What is this that brings a twinkle to my eye as Bindiya sings rhymes in your praise

What is this that I feel comforted knowing that I understood you correctly, in how you would stand up for two women

What is this that disappoints me when my mirror image (Gauri) seems to remind me that I need to be detached from you

What is this that brings me back towards you when Chacha Sahib explains the restlessness in your eyes

What is this that makes me arrive to heal your horse (or is it you as well) ... as the feast in my sister's honor awaits

What is this that allows me to feel no shock, no ill-will when you initially turn away my help

What is this that slowly stopped me with a sigh, when I hear you say my first name for the first time

What is this that brings a smile to my face when you softened to say please for my help

What is this that wants to make your burden lighter with a joke about whether you can sing Bahadur to sleep

What is this that draws me to the endearing bond between you and Bahadur and brings a smile to my face yet again

What is this that makes awry the rhythm of my heart as I think back to what caused your hand to be black and blue

What is this that allows me to recognize your appreciation with a nod of your head

What is this that makes me invite you to the feast, well knowing you don't attend any meals outside of home

Akbar

What is this that grounds my feet in its spot as you arrive, though my mind tells me to dash to get the hakim

What is this that brings to my attention every detail of your radiance and elegance, even while my mind is preoccupied with concerns about Bahadur

What is this that overcomes my initial apprehensions, to change my mind (which I rarely do)

What is this that allows me to entrust you with my Bahadur

What is this that makes me instinctively call you by your first name

What is this that makes me soften to ask you to please take a look at Bahadur

What is this that makes me notice your every move, including the pace of your anklets

What is this that makes me want to protect you from every glance and badwill

What is this that ensnared me in your trap as I fell for your joke to lull Bahadur with music

What is this that attracts me to your enchanting smile and musical laughter

What is this that conveys our mutual appreciation and gratitude in simple silence

What is this that tries to overcome the dark voices of my past, the pain that robbed me of my childhood and innocence

What is this that threatents to bring more shifts to my already turbulent life, including my lifelong pledge to eat food only from the hands of Chacha Jaan

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I don't know what "this" this is quite yet ... and maybe that is what made it beautiful ... the fresh reactions, the surprising actions, the new turns ...

A special mention of how much I love Chacha Jaan- a special take 5 to him:
- How cute was his scratching his head in confusion while meeting Harka; also how he stopped himself when he realized it was not decorum
- How sweet of him to try to lighten the situation about the feast for Harka's sister, extolling his well known cooking "skills"
- How caring of him to sneak out and call Harka to help with Bahadur; he did it knowing how much Bahadur meant to Akbar, but knew Akbar would have stopped him if he knew Chacha Jaan was going to talk to Harka
- How endearing was how he took care of a young Akbar, from scraps of clothing to food ... the only touch of humanity in Akbar's painful childhood

Probably, sweetest of them all is the bond between Akbar and Chacha Jaan.

Now, how long will you make me wait writer-e-khaas to know if it is Harka's food that will make Akbar break his pledge to eat only the food of Chacha Jaan?

P.S. In case you didn't notice that was 13 each for Harka and Akbar to celebrate Chapter 13 :)

Originally posted by: durgeshnandini

I totally loved this splendid chapter 13...

It was dhamakedaar in its own sweet way. And this time too the flight has reached its destination,that is our thoughts, with smashing success. So kudos to the Captain 👏👏👏

So this chapter is all about... what I call it..

A Hasee toh Fasee... The Trap of Smiles wala chapter.

All of them smiled... some because they had fallen in the Trap of inherent decency, sharp wit and power punches, some smiled to lay out a Trap, alluring enough to attract and amuse the cleverest lot... whereas someone else smiled at the memories of a warm, and assuring smile.. that lit up his present and past 😊

The smiles of the impressed... they smiled and smiled and weaved their joy into songs.. the burden of the grateful, was unburdened in the burden of the song... till She fell into the Trap of their Smiles 😳

There was another, who logical and farsighted, so she saved herself from falling in that Trap... but dear Gauri, the Trap of Smiles, is spread all around, if not now, not here, maybe somewhere else, anywhere!!

So beware!!!

She smiled and smiled... and He was Trapped!!

A bleeding soul, and a worried heart. What it takes to heal both in a go... A mirth laden Smile, and a Trap of positivity, and the magic is done.

When He denied, She left a stride...

He reversed His rules, yet She held Her pride...

She walked in, and He bid others aside...

So when He was worried sick, She joked and Smiled!!

And the Trap worked of course, He was taken in... again and again and again.. till He was all but sucked in. The Trap. The magical Trap.

Smiles from.. The Paradise Lost and Smiling at... The Paradise Regained,

Who can say what a smile does? It shows jest? Yes.

Poignant agony? Yes again.

But above all else, it assures of the Paradise. Like a mirage, though illusive, promises a thirsty traveller of an oasis closeby...

Like a smile promised, an orphaned twelve year old, that the world, seemingly cruel, still harbours shreds of humanity...

A Smile does not have the bliss of Paradise, but it assures, that Paradise, isn't lost after all, that it's there.. waiting for you, and that it is truly blissful 😳

It was a beautiful experience reading your update. Thanks for the pm and Update soon 😃