HBAS Chat corner - Page 11

'Enough with the suspense, Khalil... what does that mysterious scroll say?'

'Alright alright...' he grinned, having had his fix of sadistic pleasure for then 'I've just been informed that one of the most powerful Hindu kingdoms is withdrawing support from Parnagarh... which means, its allies will stop backing Parnagarh too... I've found the perfect opportunity to avenge myself against the Hindus and the Ustaad... the perfect opportunity to get back my assignment, my pride and power!'

...

Khalil turned away to observe the skyline from the slits of the tent, plans brewing in his mind. The future held interesting prospects again. Yes, he would get back at his foes by taking everything that was his - the mission, the money, the power AND the Sahiba.

Bansi

'Heera... answer me truthfully... have you done something that you mustn't?'

Should she just lie?

'Are you hiding something from us, Heera? Have you developed feelings for him? Is that one of the reasons you've been reluctant about marriage?'

Her insides cringed, as she came to the shattering realisation that this might be the end of the road.

She didn't want to say 'No'. She couldn't say 'Yes'. So, she stayed quiet like a criminal caught in the act, choking up in grief, bracing herself for the shattering consequences of her actions.

Her continued silence thereafter did the rest - revealing the truth to them - subjecting her to a relentless spell of emotional hell since then.

Had kakasa kakisa punished her for her actions, she would have borne it with no complaints. However they'd decided to cast her away from their lives. And this was crueller than anything she could endure.

Wiping her eyes, Heera stood up to bid her Godparents farewell, her respect and love for them unshaken 'kakasa... kakisa... thank you for all that you've taught me... thank you for the affection and care you've shown me over the years... I will cherish your love and our good memories till my last breath!'

The lone young lady offered them both a bow.

At the capital.

...

'Huzoor...' Khalil stepped in. He had finally found the perfect break 'If we seized Parnagarh, it would help you recover from these setbacks by regaining power quickly...' he paused, letting the idea sink in 'imagine the trade... the business... and the money you would own, if we got a hold of those iron ores!'

'Are you suggesting I must attack Parnagarh NOW? When things are already so strained?' his eyes narrowed 'Have you lost your mind?'

Khalil calmly tied his arms 'You don't risk angering the Hindu kingdoms, if you attacked Parnagarh... not henceforth...

...

The general raised his brow into a smug frown. 'A trusted source has just let me know that their Sahiba... Harka Sahiba...' he let the name Harka linger on his lips. Somehow, it had a very appealing ring to it 'Harka Sahiba turned down a marriage proposal... and has gone against a few powerful members of the Rajput community... so, many kingdoms that were backing Parnagarh, have started withdrawing support!'

'...in fact, she has been cast out... shunned! Wouldn't make a difference to anyone other than her villagers, if she was alive or dead hereafter...'

'Khalil... I'm aware of your mind games... I've shown you a lot of leniency... and I'm taking a stand against one of my best men, based on your suggestions... so you better make it worth my while...

...

'Of course!' Khalil nodded, his smile evolving into a gentle grin as he felt the sudden rush of blood coursing through his veins. What an exhilarating feeling it was to have slyly snatched the mission back from the Ustaad. Tit for tat! 'And what do I do with the Sahiba?'

'The Sahiba' The Shehzaade took a deep breath - like he did every time he gave unpleasant instructions 'Find her... wherever she is... Bansi... Parnagarh... midway... wherever...'

'...don't bring her to the capital... her presence here might raise a storm...' The prince looked aside for a flash -

'finish it stealthily, unlike what happened earlier... stay within your limits... and no one must know what happened!'

Bansi

Heera leaned across the table to get hold of a small silver box. Flipping open the clasp, she rummaged through its precious contents till her shaky fingers could feel what they were after - the diamond hair ornament that kaki had braided in her hair barely three days ago.

'Heera?'

She clutched the gift, tracing its delicate design for a while - until her pent-up despair could stay buried no longer. They unleashed in the form of the soft heart tugging cry of an abandoned daughter, reducing the heiress to a slumped vulnerable mass of emotions.

'Heera?'

It was a good half hour later that she found the strength to explain. 'Ask the maids to get packing... we must leave...'

* * *

The capital - A campsite

Chapter 25. Her Confession and His Bargain..

The hunting grounds..

...

'What?' Signalling his guards to put their weapons down, the Shehzaade turned to greet his visitor with a guarded smile, trying not to betray his astonishment.

'Salaam Ustaad... it's been a while...'

'Salaam Huzoor' Jumping off his steed, Akbar rushed towards the prince, offering him an adab as he did so. 'Khalil! He's returned from Kabul?'

'Yes he has...'

'Please enlighten me Huzoor... I assumed that Khalil was not meant to be allowed into the capital so soon... then, why is he here... and where is he off to?'

...

...

'Apparently, the Sahiba of Parnagarh has been disowned by many powerful members of her own community... so, other kingdoms have gradually withdrawn support too...'

'Yes... possibly disowned by Bansi too...'

'B... but why?'

'...of what I'd heard... she declined a marriage proposal It seems...she has turned down a proposal from a powerful Rajput kingdom'

His royal features grew rife with a roguish sadism on observing how Akbar's skin had become a rich crimson, the veins in his temple throbbing visibly - maybe from the blood rushing to his head.

He was right! So, the great Ustaad had committed the cardinal sin of growing too attached to his 'assignment'.

'Huzoor, I cannot answer for the Sahiba, but I do have a query about myself...' his remark stopped the prince in his tracks 'I wonder what 'I' might have done to deserve such disfavour from my master?'

Driven to the brink of desperation by his master, Akbar was in dire need of a swift comeback. And it was at that critical juncture that he suddenly remembered - he had one weapon left in his arsenal. One game-changer.

The Farmaan.

Bansi

...

Her expressions turned shades duller 'the Kunwar took away my name... my respect... my relations... my honour... if only he had taken away my conscience too... then I would've convinced others it was all a lie...'

'What!' Gauri's heart lurched, skipping a beat 'What are you saying?'

'I haven't been able to deny the allegations... because those allegations weren't entirely false...'

She glimpsed at the deity in the box, a mellow smile surfacing on her lips - similar to the kind one would have when narrating a sad story. 'There was a young lady... who'd lost everyone dear to her... she was afraid she might lose her own life too... when trapped in the jaws of terror and loneliness thus, unbeknown to everyone else, she met a man... he said nothing much... but... by his presence, by his silent actions and his protectiveness, he began filling a void... he seemed to possess this key that would open the doors to a new world... a world away from terror and loneliness... suddenly... one day... the lady found him lying in a canal, on the verge of death... she could not bear the thought of losing him, so she put her heart and soul into reviving him... into bringing him back to life... her efforts paid... he opened his eyes... however, he was not in his full senses... maybe it was because he was not in his senses that day that he decided to come out of his shell... he went on to express what he really felt for her... now, she could have stopped him, but she didn't... because she'd been wanting to know what was on his mind too!'

'Before we left, what did Khan Sahib say? Didn't he propose marriage? Did he ask you to wait for him?'

'Let's say...' there was a subdued bitterness in her voice 'that of the two of us, he was wiser... he was quick to realise that we had no future...'

Soon, she wiped the side of her lashes..'I plan to finish what jiji had started... diplomacy is the only weapon I have left... hopefully, it'll help me save at least SOME of Parnagarh...'

The Capital

At the palace

By an uncanny twist of fate, he was currently enjoying an upper hand over the Shehzaade - and he wanted to keep it that way for as long he could..

...

'But you want something... what is it?'

'Huzoor... do you remember... that incident when you were crossing the desert once... your troupe was attacked... fortunately, my men and I had uncovered the assassination plot and reached you promptly...'

'but what's important Huzoor, is that we managed to get you out of that attack, safe and sound!'

'You gave me a promise that day, Huzoor... remember?' Huzoor... with your permission then, I request for a promotion ...If you could put in a word to the Shehenshah, and let him know that I would like to be promoted to the rank of a special-ranking Mansabdar... A Mansabdar, permanently posted at Parnagarh!''

'I'm giving it to you in writing now...' he started penning down his promissory note ..

'Then with your word as assurance, can I take it that my family and my men will be safe... even if and when I'm not around, to protect them?'

(Continues on P 59)

Karkuzhali.