NOVEL~*Hiding behind a Stranger*~THREAD 52 - CHAPTER 57 - UPD 28th Jan - Page 24

Originally posted by: karkuzhali

Chapter 57.

The Story thus reaches the heights ..

The author presents the update like unveiling the canvas

With the artist's impression revealed with all the charm endless

I do not know how many days or months the author took

To portray the scene in the arena every corner and nook

Starting from the grief stricken father Chachajaan

To the loyal man of the protagonist Chota Zayaan..

It was like watching a suspense filled Hollywood thriller

Sitting biting our nails to know who is the ultimate winner..

In the arena the noble father is concerned about his only son

On whom he had till now bestowed all his love and affection

His heart is torn with the cruel spectacle he may have to face

" Please Khudha..do not make me see my son die with disgrace.."

There in the cell, she bore a pathetic sight to witness

Sitting curled up in a corner like a girl in distress..

Chanting the words," Pray.. he endures the assault..and get the pardon"

Hoping that the hardened heart of the Shehzaade becomes molten.

The Royal family is present in the arena with high expectation

Curious to know about the fate of the Ustaad in conclusion..

Among them seated is a noticeable woman in blue veil

With the heart pounding and praying for his victory in full scale

There the Kunwar gets ready to fight with the Ustaad the battle

The scores with him for a long time , he had waited to settle

And..what a dramatic entry of the Ustaad on the field!

The Shehzaade wonders, " How ?How did he get healed?"

"How could he fight the two warriors?" worried are his men

A voice comes as a prophecy, "Haven't you heard of a wounded lion?"

The duel starts- taking her position, our commentator Sahiba

Gives a lucid account of the fight, stroke by stroke, without a flaw

Like a commentator in the test match who doesn't miss anything

She describes every step of the fight that takes place in the ring

Whereas the Kunwar uses his poisonous brain to defeat Ustaad

He in turn uses his tactful brain to outwit the prince, the fraud.

Allowing his opponent to waste 40 strokes, he makes him weak

Bounces on him like a wounded lion, with vengeance to wreak

"Khan sahib, my character was maligned..I was dragged to the sabha.."

" The Prince will regret..This one is for you my Heera"

The evil man whose evil mind planned to use a poisoned dagger

Turned out fatal on himself , he fell with his dreams going shattered

Hearing the news, she sits like a noble woman, in her cell

Feeling happy that he has acted as a prop against her life's battles.

The frenzied crowd celebrate the victory of the moghul warrior

Whether the Parnagarhis or the locals, each having their own reason whatsoever

Eagerly wait for the next duel with the second opponent to ensue

Sitting with fingers crossed hoping he would get through

The story stops here bringing back the readers to the ground

Who , along with the spectators, were watching the events spellbound

We thank the author who has artistically painted the canvas

Let us cheer her by clapping our hands, for her magnum opus!

Karkuzhali.

Originally posted by: selvi1275

Selvi firstly, georgia... arre wah! Used to seeing your words in bolded ariel! Have a soft spot for Georgia, I do!

A bone-rattling start indeed...a painful hollow forming in my chest...Red...the colour of resentful vengeance of the Shehzaade...indeed...and now it flows from me for Him...Bang on.🥳...Wonderful start...we've arrived in Ch:57

What an introductory start to your words too!👏 You picked on the colour that spoke of sacrifice, pain (The Ustaadis) and the colour spilled (Mahendar)

So they've arrived here with a plan...spread out in the arena ...to sway the crowd at the right time...

Yes!

Chachajaan's pain...so vividly portrayed..😭...

The emotional upheaval of Ustaad's men for their mentor and Parnagarhis for their Leader... the fear of Heera for her Husband...excellent...Lashy...👏😳

Thanks da!🤗

The scrolls being sent out just the night before and that too at a late hour... so the emotion is intact... for the recipients to act... Brilliantly planned by Tejraj 👍🏼

The emotion will be hot... but also another important reason - if they'd sent the scrolls out earlier - the word/secret would've reached Shehzaade's ears by then na... through his spies... the very scroll that's ended up becoming Heera/Akbar's death sentence might become disastrous for Ustaadis and Parnagarhis even before the riot breaks out!

So, to protect themselves, they distributed scroll only a few hours before, in the night!

What the...😲...the Shehzaade's mind has got so muddled in these 3 weeks...... his resentment for Akbar and Heera...more vehemently coming out from him...😡.. And probably looking for the missing old owl Farooq to kill his conscience altogether...😡

He is battling his demons! An egoist will forever be battling those... the lesser the ego you have the lesser inner turmoil you'll face

New Entry in C:57...⭐️Who is this mysterious lady.....what did she do secretly.😕..for Khan Sahib...

🤔 Hmmm I wonder

Mahendar wants to erase his sins with a victory in the Duel.....hmm. But his parents now know of his deceitful and immoral actions... wonder how they feel about their son now...😔

Knowing them... I'm sure they'll still blame the Parnagarhi baisas for everything😡

Ustaad's entry into the arena...🥳...Walking upright, but ...still going with a secret plan, I think...

Of course... while 20% of his stature might have been the 'recovery' effects... 80% was a facade to make the enemy believe he was sick and let his guard down!😉

But this itself has shocked the Kunwar and Shehzaade 😆 and the Kunwar wisely not taking the Ustaad lightly...👍🏼... All others are in doubt about how he will fight...

Shehzaade/Mahendar aren't fools either

And the Ustaad has his own plans for wasting the Kunwar's and preserving his energy...☺️...But...What...😲😲..he was given no weapon other than a dagger...why?...How?...😡

Yeah...with only a dagger, he has to plan wisely...😉... which of course he can do very well...😎...

Ok this one you misunderstood Selvi. He had a sword na... ille na how would he go 'CLANNNG'?

He had a sword... (the impure Mughal one that pierced Mahendar, remember?😉) He didn't take it out for the first 60 strokes, because he didn't want to tire himself - a good sword is a heavy weapon. And you keep whirling it in your arms is an excellent cardio workout!😆

Why he didn't take out a dagger and aim it at Mahendar (which Ustaad is best at) is because Mahendar was covered by impenetrable armour from head to toe - and the dagger would've just bounced off it. So he just resorted to the one sword in his sheath, and waited to take it out when he was ready for the 'CLANG'

But, when Mahendar lost his kataar (poisoned dagger) and his too-tight arm guard, he used the opportunity to the full, to take advantage of his unmatched aim!😉

recently stitched wounds are tugging with this dodging...ohhh.😭...Fox Farooq ...you deserve very special treatment for this...😈

Ustaad has evaded 40 strokes of Mahendar and still the Kunwar has the nerve to twist-talk the happenings... 😡😕

CLANG...

Yayyy... ...God .. my breath caught...then erupting into this BIG smile..☺️...wow...what a feeling...❤️. .. Thanks Lashy...☢️

Awww

But it's only 40 strokes, Akbar wanted to wait 60 strokes... ok let's wait...

Silly silly silly silly me! I did a similar mistake during the archery contest and you caught me there and now too... amended the number in the update😆

so where was I?... hmmm. CLANG... and the Kunwar was pushed back three steps back...🥳

My...My... 😲☺️what a show of the POWER of Ustaad... so this is the true image of the warrior AMK...

At the risk of sounding errr silly, can I join in and say I loved that part too!

Poisoned Kataar...😲😡..bl****...🤬 Mahendar...I want to rip you up into pieces.😡... is this how he planned to defeat the "powerless, dying, almost dead Ustaad..😕... He is indeed a lethal poison...he will never change his ways...Hopeless coward...

How can a wily man ever let go of his ways?

Ustaad...pulling his enemies down to his level of physical strength... wow... really Wow... 😳

😎 Punch line ma

when waiting for the update, I knew Akbar will recover and gain some energy...but fighting 2 able fighters is no joke... but here the Ustaad has planned it all perfectly...

Kudos ..Lashy...⭐️👏

Thanks da

And the Kunwar is not far... 😕misleading the Ustaad regarding his left hand... but poisoned kataar is outright dirty trick...🤢...

As I said, wily man - he was always a trickster!

And what a turnaround...the kataar in Ustaad's hand now... ... Kudos to the Ustaad...he has really exhausted the Kunwar physically and Mentally...😎 for the Kunwar failed to decipher that the Ustaad would only go for the exposed body...and that is where his own poisoned kataar stuck him... than vinai thannai sudum...

Let's do the dinka chika Selvi

Ohhh nooo...his death was swift......but then the Ustaad needs to conserve his strength for his fight against Khalil...A numbing shock for his Father, family, and his supporters... I do feel for the Manswar party...his wife( poor girl) ...all of whom Mahendar had dragged to pits of misery... but I don't feel an ounce of regret for him... Durga died a death million times more painful than his... his betrayal pained Heera and Parnagarhis much much more...😭😭

I TOTALLY AGREE with this! Excellently said...

But on second read, the phrase ...for a lone passing moment, he felt relief... It's like he doesn't have to be a hypocrite now... but then his other characters are still intact... so No... I'm happy he is finished...😊

WOW! What a way to explain that feeling... 👏 accept my bow Selvi

Heera's happiness...❤️the promise of her husband...Lovely scenes and recollections...Yes they've stopped The Kunwar...They've avenged their betrayal...and Durga bai...by killing Mahendar ... however she comes back to herself... ...the fear for his life doing that... 😳

He's hurt and Khalil is a beast ille, even with one hand

I liked the conversation between Mahendar and Akbar...👍🏼...the name that haunted him all these days came back during the Duel ...to trouble him...that deadly final blow ... for Heera ... brought serenity in me...if only he'd said it aloud for Mahendar to hear...

Awww

the impure steel of a savage Muslim commoner - bl*******...🤬 Ustaad's sword is indeed impure coz it came in contact with this poison filled man Mahendar's blood...😡

Seems like it really grated on your nerves that bit... but that is him... one hand feeling guilty for Durga till the end other hand still sitting on his throne of prejudice and refusing to get down! Narcissistic to the core...

The Shehzaade undoubtedly is very happy to have taken out the fiercely poisonous Kunwar from his way ... he is not ready to leave the negativity out regarding the Ustaad yet...And fishing for any sense in his muddled head is useless...

You've summarised him very well too😆

Where did that cunning old fox or owl go... did he run away into hiding... already... or is he doing any scam to bring down Akbar...that seems highly likely...coz he thinks Ustaad is done for ...and their group would win... so what is the need to run away...😕.

Let's not forget the secrets about him and his liaison with Khalil that came out in the court... he is the most cunning of the lot and knows how unpredictable mood the Shehzaade currently is in following Akbar's betrayal!

Now Chota Zayaan...the NSS guard finally gets a name...wait... Chota.?...related to Chota Faizaan?... really...let it be so...😊

Not in blood, but by characteristics definitely... I'd call it one the uncanny ways of fate...

Mahendar was looking for a substitute for Durga and found a replacement (a poor one)

Azeez wasn't looking - still grieving over the death of his buddy - and fate landed him a perfect match!

Ustaad tending to his wounds ... and Khalil being brought in...RED LINE...

...12000 already over?...😲😲😲.HOW?...ok I see it's 9500...

😆

What is that Lady waiting for?... What did she do?... who is she?...

No sign yet...???...INSTEAD she spotted?..???...

at that time Khalil was being led in... So she is looking for something else...???... ..what?...who?... ... ... 🤔

she ran her eyes around the arena pathways...

.Shahensha?... Farooq?...

W&W da!

Fantastic chapter...Lashy... Thank you...👏⭐️

While we'll be rejoicing over AMK's victory over swine...🥳... you've given us something to chew about until the next update...😆👍🏼

What lovely cruise liners... omg you are treating me to 7 star luxury!

Originally posted by: lashy

Awww no need to feel shy, Wishu! I see you've gotten yourself acquainted yourself with us...Rekha and Lavanya so sweet of you both 🤗

18... what a lovely age to be, to dream, and more!

Originally posted by: Ifakdha

Yes all the HBASians are very sweet they welcome their new members with a big heart and I am very happy to become one of them 😊

Originally posted by: Sandhya.A

Lashy, send your nervous man on a permanent holiday. He is not needed at all. Your chapters are getting better and better and better

>>> ☺️

And this one is so good that it has brought back aunty after a looo...oong time. 😎

What a surprise, ille?

Just on an impulse, i started reading your NJAPA ( only upto her Sharanu Siddhi Vinayaka though...😕) and i can clearly feel the huge leap in terms of language, choice of words, imagery and style of writing from then to HBAS. Not just because HBAS is a historical, my fav genre, but the overall quality.

While that was good,(I'll give you a sum up review at the end of it) HBAS is EXCELLENT. And i can only imagine how the next would be.

Originally posted by: Sandhya.A

Aunty, while you are still here please take a look at her short story, 'Tread quietly upon the tracks.' which is a sort of modern mini versionof HBAS.

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/jodha-akbar/5049650/short-story-tread-quietly-upon-the-tracks-complete

We are all urging her to continue the same though.😆

Lashy, i didnt mean just style and content (that is good in all your writings), but the effectiveness of the words and language. Here the two shot matched HBAS. 👍🏼