NOVEL~*Hiding behind a Stranger*~THREAD 24~CHAPTER 29 upd 10th MAR - Page 7

Originally posted by: melovesja

Both pics is 👍🏼 find but I love this most because this part touch my heart. 😳

Writer-e-khaas,

Does each chapter out-do itself or is it that each chapter builds so beautifully on the prior that each chapter becomes part of a running favorite? Or, in other words, the whole story has become my favorite? Likely the latter.

If the last chapter saw raw tension, the tension continued to simmer here. There was physical tension aplenty- the grasp of the wrists, the resistance, the heated momets, the attacks of knife and emotions, "the edge of his jaw that brushed her ear", the closer breaths. And, can I say the final "Adab" brought back a flutter of the first "Adab" after the feast. After all, it was still the intriguing Akbar that stood before Harka and us.

Yet, what simmered even more to the front in this chapter was the internal tensions and pain of our leads. They were each facing their own denials and conflicts, but what emerged from this churn seemed a common path forward for how these wounds will heal and the ray of hope that I as a reader was looking for.

Akbar: He was consumed by an internal battle that was cutting his heart into pieces; he wanted to show his truth, but was realizing more and more how steep his mountain of lies was. He wanted to release the burden of his guilt, but not at the cost of burdening her more. He wanted to save Harka from pain, but discovered how deep the pain was that he had inflicted. The chapter was very much an emotional journey for him to try to get Harka to turn his way. The highlight for me was the different approaches he took with Harka during his emotionl journey; my take focuses on key moments for me, written as if in Akbar's words:

1. The pain and concern. What was the pain that was greater? Was it the bleeding of my heart, the bleeding from your attacks, or the blood of your hands from the rough edges of the knife? It was only your pain at the fore. Yet, my words of concern rang false to your ears.

2. The attempted catharsis. How could I save you from the pain and anger bottled up inside you? I offered myself in silence to vent your every anger with both knife and word. Yet, even that catharsis was viewed with annoyance and frustration.

3. The momentary respite. When all seemed lost, I was gifted a moment of respite. Destiny gave me a chance to support you during your dizzy spell. Yet, with the cold water you splashed on your face, you also wiped away that momentary breath of air from me.

(Side note: this may be my favorite line of this chapter - "Maybe it was spurred by the subconscious belief that she needed him to support herself - even if only temporarily." I felt it reflected the story to come- that he will support her whether she asks for it or not and destiny would give him that chance)

4. The emotional rationality. When my impatience was doing no good, I tried to entreat to the rationality of your heart- how I had never behaved like Khalil, how I had never wanted to be a Mansabdar before, how I had calloused every part of me to find you. Yet, nothing stacked up to the lies that you counted beyond the fingers of your hands.

5. The tact. When my lies and I still stood a stranger in front of you, I turned to your own words. Parnagarh, and saving its people. Using me for your gain; as your words accused me of doing. Now, when I retreated from you with an "Adab", I had finally discovered space and Parnagarh were the path to heal.

----

Harka: was going through her own major battle of heart and mind, between the Akbar she knew and the stranger she saw in front of her. And while, she did not make it apparent, there were definitely a few chinks in the armour of new-found hatred for him as she saw glimpses of the Akbar of Aidabad. My take on the moments that stood out, in Harka's own words:

1. Who was this enemy that doesn't even break the glass of my bangles with his strength?

2. Who was this enemy that offered his blood without a flinch? And this is only the blood I could see, not the blood his heart was shedding within.

3. Who was this enemy that showed how he had calloused his hands to find me but my heart was too callused by betrayal to acknowledge his toils?

4. Who was this enemy that had saved me from my own moment of weakness as not a knife or drop of poison was remaining in my reach?

5. Who was this enemy that seemed to be the only path to save the very Parnagarh I feel he has endangered?

----

In the end of the chapter, Harka sets out to save her people, her Parnagarh. It will be only a matter of time before she realizes that Akbar will be her pillar of support in this journey.

Hence, at the end of the chapter, all roads leads to Parnagarh, a road of recovery for both our Akbar and Harka. I am quite excited the moments that this road trip will bring. I hope I am right :)

I am also excited by moments I feel you foreshadowed throught the chapter- the day when she will listen to his journey as a "introduce her to a sick abused deserted hungry little 11 year old boy" and the time when she will see his love for Parnagarh reflecting his love for her.

I am ready writer-e-khaas for what's next! Thanks again for a beautiful, engaging chapter.

Originally posted by: Kuki715

Lashy di... 🤗 . Loved it❤️

First the teaser pic... I took a whole minute to admire it before reading... so beautiful ...

I just can't get angry at any of them. They are justified... . Heera's accusations, his reasons 😭. This time I felt bad more for khan Sahib... But even in this state, they understand each other so well. He knew she wasn't going to hurt him with the knife.

It was saddening that now Heera calls him Ustaad Sahib and not Khan Sahib 😔. How everything has changed. When she wanted to be with him, no one approved, not even he, and now when everything is set, they could be together forever, she doesn't want it💔.

Lashy you had me read this twice. On first pass I saw crossed swords and point scoring. So I did a second pass for some clues 🤓 ...

Smouldering in silent anger, Heera whimpered a hurried prayer as she watched his profile closing in on her - the profile of a cruel man who'd given rise to several violent tempered beasts like Khalil.

- doesn't the above paragraph capture the state Harka was in. She is convinced AMK is sly at best, evil at worst...

Be done with it... please...' she fervently wished.
At least that way, she would be free - free from living an eternal hell, from living in eternal pain and from suffering eternal humiliation in front of her people.

She waited for that 'freedom' to come. But it didn't come.

Lashy 👏 for the 'freedom' in quotes. Coz really, the 'logic' of Harka and reality have parted ways a while back and are very far removed.Eternal hell, eternal pain, eternal humiliation will only be endured if she ends this life and enters eternity now in this muddled state. No, this isn't 'freedom'. Freedom will come by pursuing life and the solutions that are right there for her in the person of AMK. Embittered, bruised ego, broken spirit, I don't know how these heal quickly but somewhere she does understand that the answers lie in the here and now.

How can she begin to trust him. Harka has every disadvantage stacked against her. AMK has all the facts and the information she never had. He can stand with his hands behind his back, he can put up with the wild knife swings of a slip of a woman who cannot even see well enough to maintain balance. How can she even trust her own judgement when the guilt of falling for him is feeding her bitterness. But it is now that I hope to see Harka discover some new strengths she didn't know she had. It is only when she starts to like herself again that she can be Harka again.

Instead, he took a step closer.

AMK has had only one source of inspiration - the intense intimacy; He may rein it in, try to pour cold water on it, but it is the source of his energy and what inspires him to work out the best strategies to stay one step ahead of his Huzoor. The Shehzaade's Chief Intelligence Officer lives and breathes for Harka!

And wait! ...

These fresh allegations against his deeds and his character - were another stab in his chest. A fatal stab. And this instance, not because she was 'wrong' about him, but because she was mostly 'right'. Making it near-impossible to defend himself. Thus reducing the essence of every sacrifice he'd made for her, to nothing!

I see here that he has suffered a 'fatal' blow of some kind. When he began living and breathing for Harka, did she gain the power to do this to him? Are there degrees of 'Fatal' ? ... or is this 'fatal stab' going to bleed out to a final end... 🤔

Kudos Lashy for pointing out that Harka's 'wrong' and 'right' opinions/feelings about him are interchangeable and therefore meaningless. His sacrifices are not nothing; they will stand the test of time.

And wait! (again) ...

And he would not allow that very troubled part of his life be ridiculed and dismissed by anyone - not even by her.

Lashy, I am so glad you have reserved a part of him that he is not willing to share even with her ...yet...maybe never? ...

Wait..what... 'HE? He took them both?'

Yes, Heera, he did. 😆

Originally posted by: luvuyuvi

Shruti, this paragraph is so painfully superb but unfortunately true...loved your comments. You're a star girl⭐️⭐️⭐️

@ harshu di, your musings are brilliant as always👏👏, especially first one...but missing your PB updates, but I understand you are busy😛

Originally posted by: divyavm

Writer-e-khaas,

Does each chapter out-do itself or is it that each chapter builds so beautifully on the prior that each chapter becomes part of a running favorite? Or, in other words, the whole story has become my favorite? Likely the latter.

If the last chapter saw raw tension, the tension continued to simmer here. There was physical tension aplenty- the grasp of the wrists, the resistance, the heated momets, the attacks of knife and emotions, "the edge of his jaw that brushed her ear", the closer breaths. And, can I say the final "Adab" brought back a flutter of the first "Adab" after the feast. After all, it was still the intriguing Akbar that stood before Harka and us.

Yet, what simmered even more to the front in this chapter was the internal tensions and pain of our leads. They were each facing their own denials and conflicts, but what emerged from this churn seemed a common path forward for how these wounds will heal and the ray of hope that I as a reader was looking for.

Akbar: He was consumed by an internal battle that was cutting his heart into pieces; he wanted to show his truth, but was realizing more and more how steep his mountain of lies was. He wanted to release the burden of his guilt, but not at the cost of burdening her more. He wanted to save Harka from pain, but discovered how deep the pain was that he had inflicted. The chapter was very much an emotional journey for him to try to get Harka to turn his way. The highlight for me was the different approaches he took with Harka during his emotionl journey; my take focuses on key moments for me, written as if in Akbar's words:

1. The pain and concern. What was the pain that was greater? Was it the bleeding of my heart, the bleeding from your attacks, or the blood of your hands from the rough edges of the knife? It was only your pain at the fore. Yet, my words of concern rang false to your ears.

2. The attempted catharsis. How could I save you from the pain and anger bottled up inside you? I offered myself in silence to vent your every anger with both knife and word. Yet, even that catharsis was viewed with annoyance and frustration.

3. The momentary respite. When all seemed lost, I was gifted a moment of respite. Destiny gave me a chance to support you during your dizzy spell. Yet, with the cold water you splashed on your face, you also wiped away that momentary breath of air from me.

(Side note: this may be my favorite line of this chapter - "Maybe it was spurred by the subconscious belief that she needed him to support herself - even if only temporarily." I felt it reflected the story to come- that he will support her whether she asks for it or not and destiny would give him that chance)

4. The emotional rationality. When my impatience was doing no good, I tried to entreat to the rationality of your heart- how I had never behaved like Khalil, how I had never wanted to be a Mansabdar before, how I had calloused every part of me to find you. Yet, nothing stacked up to the lies that you counted beyond the fingers of your hands.

5. The tact. When my lies and I still stood a stranger in front of you, I turned to your own words. Parnagarh, and saving its people. Using me for your gain; as your words accused me of doing. Now, when I retreated from you with an "Adab", I had finally discovered space and Parnagarh were the path to heal.

----

Harka: was going through her own major battle of heart and mind, between the Akbar she knew and the stranger she saw in front of her. And while, she did not make it apparent, there were definitely a few chinks in the armour of new-found hatred for him as she saw glimpses of the Akbar of Aidabad. My take on the moments that stood out, in Harka's own words:

1. Who was this enemy that doesn't even break the glass of my bangles with his strength?

2. Who was this enemy that offered his blood without a flinch? And this is only the blood I could see, not the blood his heart was shedding within.

3. Who was this enemy that showed how he had calloused his hands to find me but my heart was too callused by betrayal to acknowledge his toils?

4. Who was this enemy that had saved me from my own moment of weakness as not a knife or drop of poison was remaining in my reach?

5. Who was this enemy that seemed to be the only path to save the very Parnagarh I feel he has endangered?

----

In the end of the chapter, Harka sets out to save her people, her Parnagarh. It will be only a matter of time before she realizes that Akbar will be her pillar of support in this journey.

Hence, at the end of the chapter, all roads leads to Parnagarh, a road of recovery for both our Akbar and Harka. I am quite excited the moments that this road trip will bring. I hope I am right :)

I am also excited by moments I feel you foreshadowed throught the chapter- the day when she will listen to his journey as a "introduce her to a sick abused deserted hungry little 11 year old boy" and the time when she will see his love for Parnagarh reflecting his love for her.

I am ready writer-e-khaas for what's next! Thanks again for a beautiful, engaging chapter.

Magal did a double take 5! 😊

@Harshu: Thanks so much! I enjoyed asking those questions, imagining myself as Harka.

@Chitti (aka as Anusha): the "freedom" point was amazing - what an observation !

Originally posted by: divyavm

Writer-e-khaas,

Does each chapter out-do itself or is it that each chapter builds so beautifully on the prior that each chapter becomes part of a running favorite? Or, in other words, the whole story has become my favorite? Likely the latter.

If the last chapter saw raw tension, the tension continued to simmer here. There was physical tension aplenty- the grasp of the wrists, the resistance, the heated momets, the attacks of knife and emotions, "the edge of his jaw that brushed her ear", the closer breaths. And, can I say the final "Adab" brought back a flutter of the first "Adab" after the feast. After all, it was still the intriguing Akbar that stood before Harka and us.

Yet, what simmered even more to the front in this chapter was the internal tensions and pain of our leads. They were each facing their own denials and conflicts, but what emerged from this churn seemed a common path forward for how these wounds will heal and the ray of hope that I as a reader was looking for.

Akbar: He was consumed by an internal battle that was cutting his heart into pieces; he wanted to show his truth, but was realizing more and more how steep his mountain of lies was. He wanted to release the burden of his guilt, but not at the cost of burdening her more. He wanted to save Harka from pain, but discovered how deep the pain was that he had inflicted. The chapter was very much an emotional journey for him to try to get Harka to turn his way. The highlight for me was the different approaches he took with Harka during his emotionl journey; my take focuses on key moments for me, written as if in Akbar's words:

1. The pain and concern. What was the pain that was greater? Was it the bleeding of my heart, the bleeding from your attacks, or the blood of your hands from the rough edges of the knife? It was only your pain at the fore. Yet, my words of concern rang false to your ears.

2. The attempted catharsis. How could I save you from the pain and anger bottled up inside you? I offered myself in silence to vent your every anger with both knife and word. Yet, even that catharsis was viewed with annoyance and frustration.

3. The momentary respite. When all seemed lost, I was gifted a moment of respite. Destiny gave me a chance to support you during your dizzy spell. Yet, with the cold water you splashed on your face, you also wiped away that momentary breath of air from me.

(Side note: this may be my favorite line of this chapter - "Maybe it was spurred by the subconscious belief that she needed him to support herself - even if only temporarily." I felt it reflected the story to come- that he will support her whether she asks for it or not and destiny would give him that chance)

4. The emotional rationality. When my impatience was doing no good, I tried to entreat to the rationality of your heart- how I had never behaved like Khalil, how I had never wanted to be a Mansabdar before, how I had calloused every part of me to find you. Yet, nothing stacked up to the lies that you counted beyond the fingers of your hands.

5. The tact. When my lies and I still stood a stranger in front of you, I turned to your own words. Parnagarh, and saving its people. Using me for your gain; as your words accused me of doing. Now, when I retreated from you with an "Adab", I had finally discovered space and Parnagarh were the path to heal.

----

Harka: was going through her own major battle of heart and mind, between the Akbar she knew and the stranger she saw in front of her. And while, she did not make it apparent, there were definitely a few chinks in the armour of new-found hatred for him as she saw glimpses of the Akbar of Aidabad. My take on the moments that stood out, in Harka's own words:

1. Who was this enemy that doesn't even break the glass of my bangles with his strength?

2. Who was this enemy that offered his blood without a flinch? And this is only the blood I could see, not the blood his heart was shedding within.

3. Who was this enemy that showed how he had calloused his hands to find me but my heart was too callused by betrayal to acknowledge his toils?

4. Who was this enemy that had saved me from my own moment of weakness as not a knife or drop of poison was remaining in my reach?

5. Who was this enemy that seemed to be the only path to save the very Parnagarh I feel he has endangered?

----

In the end of the chapter, Harka sets out to save her people, her Parnagarh. It will be only a matter of time before she realizes that Akbar will be her pillar of support in this journey.

Hence, at the end of the chapter, all roads leads to Parnagarh, a road of recovery for both our Akbar and Harka. I am quite excited the moments that this road trip will bring. I hope I am right :)

I am also excited by moments I feel you foreshadowed throught the chapter- the day when she will listen to his journey as a "introduce her to a sick abused deserted hungry little 11 year old boy" and the time when she will see his love for Parnagarh reflecting his love for her.

I am ready writer-e-khaas for what's next! Thanks again for a beautiful, engaging chapter.