NOVEL~*Hiding behind a Stranger*~THREAD 51 - CHAPTER 56 - Upd 12th Dec - Page 16

Originally posted by: lashy

'Look at me... at my eyes, Khan Sahib... and you will find your strength, your 'will' to fight, therein'

She continued to embrace his face with one hand - moulding the tender valleys of her palm around the rugged contours of his profile, continuing to share her powers with him. Her clasp was not a mere clasp then. It was an imprint, a silent message that this blind woman was leaving behind for her husband. It was an armour, a reminder that his wife would fight to protect him as fiercely as he always did for her. It wasn't a mere clasp. It was a union of two forms, a spell rousing him to shed this skin of tragic past and rise with strength anew. It was haven, a promise that she'd take him to a place far from pain. It was home, a gesture meant to make him reclaim his lost identity.

So, Akbar let his features willingly succumb to her, letting her touch leave its imprints, letting her fingers make love to him in ways she knew best, letting himself surrender to the armours of her protection, letting her keep him afloat - so he could be fed the next morsel and the ones thereafter.

And as promised, she was apparently leading him away, to a place far from the pain, riding towards home. With every stride they rode, the sordid reminders on his back faded further and further - as if he was indeed shedding this skin of tragic past, and rediscovering himself anew!

'Wait... pain fading... am I...' His head was light - yet, it was the first time he was thinking straight 'I... I am hallucinating... H... Heera... what have you added to this?'

In response, his Begum gave him a few sips of water, wiped his lips with a cloth and lay him down.

"They cannot take away our self respect if we do not give it to them.

- Mahatma Gandhi

For Khan Sahib, his sense of respect and identity was greater than his own life. And Heera knew it. She was like a queen, adorning the helmet on her husband's head and offering the sword her prayers as she sent him off to battle. There is a very high possibility that he might never return. But she would at least live her last days in the Imperial fort, knowing she gave her soulmate back the one thing he valued most!

Originally posted by: lashy

I know that we use the HBAS characters for this... but I currently am a living example of it... your presence here is the one that's kept me going even though the forum is quieter and things are not what they once were!👏

You are worried about the silence on the forum and NOT the chaos in the HBAS house, Sahiba?😕

Originally posted by: roseraja1915

👏

Lashy Sahiba, the first excerpt was exceptionally written. It was a mere hold on his face to keep him awake but your stupendous writing took us to a whole new level of wonderment! ⭐️

Thank you thank you thank you thank you... thank you so so so so sooo much - hugs to the power of a thousand for noticing that 'power of the clasp of a blind woman on her husband' part ... it was meant to be a very poignant moment...

It was literally ... 'trust me... stay awake for 2 minutes, Khan Sahib... eat what I am giving you... and you'll know no pain after that'

And all this ^^^ while she KNEW she was giving him something Haram. And that he might never forgive her for it.

SO the sentiments had to be right from his side AND from hers... he trusts her SOOO much, he doesn't question her whatever she gives him (even though it tastes putrid)...

And she KNOWS that, she KNOWS she's sorta misusing his trust on her, entrances him using her claps and her eyes, manipulates him using his unshakeable belief in her and feeds him a drug he would not take otherwise! It must be so painful for her to be doing that (since she is such a pure person by nature) but it was a beautiful manipulation - she was ready to take on the 'sin' and the 'unforgiveness' if it meant he would get back his pride/identity!

Which is why she doesn't answer him either, when he asks her WHY he's hallucinating! She doesn't want to lie to him further...

But of course, Akbar being Akbar went a level further and understood WHY she'd done it after he awoke!

It took me a whole 2 hours to slip into Heera's/Akbar's shoes and get the gist of that part right - while keeping in mind that the reader doesn't yet know what is going on then!

Sending him off to the duel , with his respect, dignity and identity intact, like a true warrior!

And that is why she did all of the above^^^

Both the pictures ( have yet to see the movie ) are brilliant picks! 👏 👏 👏

Originally posted by: binduprasad41

Aww... she is your chellam... knows you too well ... don't worry! 🤗

One request...whenever you both will meet ! 😳

Please give my lashy di one tight hug from me too ! 🤗

Originally posted by: roseraja1915

You are worried about the silence on the forum and NOT the chaos in the HBAS house, Sahiba?😕

>>> You know what I'm referring to 🤗 but, here's a hug

Bindup,a hand to pull you up when you are down serves a better purpose than one that pats you on the back when you are up!👍🏼

>>>👏

Chellam , Lavanya , James - Sayyid, Mohan who were encouraged and NSS who encouraged!👏

What more could one ask for , Lashy Sahiba? 🤗

Lashy Sahiba, now that your Xmas preparations are almost done, get your bags packed for the customary post-update seaside vacation ,courtesy of Selvi!😉😆

>>> I'm waiting for her to send me to some travel destinations!

Originally posted by: roseraja1915

You are worried about the silence on the forum and NOT the chaos in the HBAS house, Sahiba?😕

Originally posted by: Kalgi22

Nah.. She's used to all kind of chaos.. but not the silence. 😉 😆

Originally posted by: Kalgi22

Nah.. She's used to all kind of chaos.. but not the silence. 😉 😆

Originally posted by: lashy

I do chaos well... 😎