FF: Desert Rose (Chapter 7, Pg 35) 11/07 - Page 14

part 3
awesome...
poor Jodha...
whose hut is that?
is that Jalal?
cont soon dear...

👏

awesome the people of Rajputana reminded me of the people in England in Shakespeare days I knew they couldn't have gone directly to the queen with their complaints or they would have their heads cut off so Shakespeare wrote plays pertaining to the problems in society. That was clever of them nut nothing really couldn't have been done since the royal people would've known... but anyway I always loved that idea maybe they should bring it back into society giving people a chance to express themselves cuz its not like telling the politicians directly abt ur concerns in society is really doing anything🤓... When jodha went in the cottage n helped herself by cooking and cleaning reminded of snow white and the seven dwarfs instead there was a mean man possibly prince charming🤓... why did jodha's father send his soldiers after her and why does jodha seem to hate her father😕... was the mean man jalal? 😕

nice update continue soon & pm me

Loved the chapter and all the minute details you mentioned.please update soon😊

when are u updating?? this is the only ff i read!

update update update please...cant wait for the next chap...

Right. Will reply to the ones I haven't AND update asap. Not today but soon. Working on it, guys.

DONE! Finally! I am so happy that I finished this chapter! Didn't have enough time to do so this week. Do take a read, and lemme know your views! They are encouraging and amazing! ❤️

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CHAPTER FOUR

You don't attract what you want. You attract what you are.

- Dr. Wayne Dyer

The wind was positively howling now, shaking the shutters of the window and banging them against the bars. It was getting darker, inspite of it being early noon. The forest bore a deserted look with its occupants safely in their homes, the sounds only of the wind and rain. A black horse neighed softly at his brown companion in the stable, only to get pointedly ignored. With a puzzled glance at the frostiness, he butted his head against the sleek chestnut stallion's flank, making a bid for friendship. The stallion glared back and bared its teeth. Affronted with Storm's unfriendliness, the black horse turned his rump towards him and huffed angrily, looking out the door of the stable.

Lightning flashed at the moment, revealing a man and a woman in an intimate embrace near the window of a small hut. The horse whinnied a greeting at the woman who had handled him so gently. Gentleness was not what he was used to from his previous masters. Unfortunately, the woman was too preoccupied to notice his greeting.

Jodha gaped at the man holding her prisoner against the wall, forgetting her pain in her astonishment. He seemed to be watching her expression intently, his gaze sharp and astute. His sword was still at her neck, the other hand holding her wrist to the wall. Between her shock and embarrassment, she was also uncomfortably aware of his big body covering hers. She had never been this close to a man before. The feeling, while unsettling, also felt.. stimulating.

She squirmed, trying to break his hold on her hand. His body nestled deeper against her womb, his heat warming her from the chill of her clothes soaked by his. He was the only thing keeping her upright, her foot having given up on her a long time back. Her bound breasts were flush against his chest, her head tilted to glare at him.

He had been toying with her! He had known all along that she was a woman and had let her play her little charade. How had he known? Wasn't her disguise sufficient enough? Moisture trickled down her face, from the droplets that had fallen on her with the abrupt motion of his head. It tickled. She tried to wipe it on her shoulder, getting irate at his hold on her.

He gave a light chuckle at her expression, tugging her wrist in front of her, his eyes glinting with merriment. Sliding his hand over hers, he directed her fingers over her cheek in a tender rubbing motion. Smooth skin revealed itself in tracks down her cheek, the mud dripping onto her neck.

"Males don't wear fancy jewels, little cat. In case you were wondering." He turned the back of her hand towards her, sliding his fingers down to reveal the ring. The dratted diamond twinkled on her middle finger, sharing a jest at her expense. Her amber eyes widened, looking up into his dark amused ones. She couldn't believe she had been so careless! She had thought of giving it away few minutes ago but it hadn't once crossed her mind to take the ring off when she had decided to play at being a lad.

"Strange how dear mistakes can be, eh?" he whispered, his face wiped of hilarity again. She felt a chill that had nothing to do with her sodden clothing or the cold air. "I know now that you are hiding something. Your ring tells me you are either a thief, a highborn lady or a woman with a generous lover. Your clothing tells me you have something to do with the traitors roaming this forest, and your pathetic excuse for a disguise tells me that you do not want people to identify you. Tell me why that is."

She pressed into the wall as he bent menacingly, his hushed words sending terror spiking through her again. "I am not a patient man, and I have had my fill of your silence. You will answer my questions, wench, and you will do it fast or I swear in Allah's name that this day would be the most sorry one of your existence!"

He released her suddenly, moving away from her to point his sword at her. Before she could mourn the loss of body heat, her ankle gave way, making her tumble to the ground.

'How graceful, Jodha,' her subconscious yawned at her, least bothered with her predicament.

'Shut up, bitch,' she growled back in her mind, too distraught to consider the wisdom of fighting with herself again.

She braced herself against the wooden floor, her mind frantically searching for a way out. The sword clanged to the floor a few feet away. She eyed it guardedly. Did she have time to reach for it?

No, she didn't. Jodha groaned internally. The man was bending beside her, placing a hand beneath her chin and turning her face to meet his probing black gaze. "You are hurt." It was a statement, but she nodded jerkily. Anything to distract him from his preoccupation with figuring her out. "Where are you hurt?" he asked, his deep baritone shockingly gentle.

"My foot."

The sound of her voice surprised them both. He considered her for a moment, his hand warm on her chin. Jodha didn't know why she hadn't just spoken before. What purpose would it have served to pretend to be one of the soldiers? But the words had died out every time she saw his forbidding expression. She hated feeling so afraid. She had had enough fear in her life, and finding that it only changed forms to follow her around was unnerving.

He suddenly gave a light laugh, taking his hands off her face. "So, you finally have found your voice."

"Yes," Jodha spoke slowly, feeling relieved to have the silence broken. This meekness did not become her. She had left the Kingdom for a new life and with a purpose. She could not let a man tear her away from her path. "I found it the moment you found your civility."

His brows drew together at her pertness. "Oh, believe me; I have been more than civil under the circumstances. You are in the middle of the Mughal Empire and the methods of questioning here would make mine look like kindness."

"They must be raising barbarians in the Empire," Jodha mumbled, turning her face away. Choosing a moment alone in the wilderness with a virile stranger to criticize the Empire wasn't the brightest thing to do. But she couldn't stop herself from needling him.

"Is that so?" he spoke softly, his tone deceptively relaxed. She refused to look at him.

A moment of silence.

She saw a flurry of movement from the periphery of her vision. A moment later, hands encircled her waist, sliding beneath her thighs. Jodha squealed as the ground distanced away from her. Strong arms held her aloft, her weight a mockery of their strength. "What are you doing?" she squeaked out, tightening the arms that had reflexively gone around his neck.

A devilish smirk lit up the corners of his lips.

"What barbarians do."

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Jalal carried his shrieking bundle out into the rain, ignoring her frantic struggles and words cursing him to perdition. Ah, she was such a spitfire! She had been ready to do battle with a dagger in hand, her expressive eyes flashing her determination. With an injury, she had stood her ground, not giving any indication that she was in pain till she could withstand it no longer. She had even sniped at him from the ground, injured and intimidated as she was. Jalal admired courage like that.

She was also secretive, he reminded himself. He instinctively felt she had answers to a lot of his questions. There was something about her edginess, her reluctance that positively spoke to him of brimming revelations. He had to find out her connection with the brigands. Any connection with those outlaws made her a person of significance in the Empire's eyes. Jalal did not want to turn her over to them for harsher methods of questioning. The sooner she told him the truth, the sooner he could get his hands on the rats. And the sooner he could get back to the Palace.

"Put me down, you oaf," the woman shouted, pushing at his chest. "Are you trying to drown me in this rain?"

He grinned down at her. The ferocity of the shower was steadily wiping away the mud from her face. He was curious to see the face with the leonine eyes."Why? You don't like the rain, kitten?"

"Don't call me that!" she huffed, glaring at him. "You are a veritable madman!"

Jalal almost chuckled at that. He set her down gently, lowering her onto the muddy clearing. "Tell me your name," he commanded softly, holding her up by the waist. Her hands rested on his chest, her face upturned. He wiped the remaining mud from her face tenderly, holding her chin when she attempted to turn away. He didn't know why, but the woman intrigued him to no end.

"I won't! And cease rubbing my face," she complained. "You are like a mother wolf trying to lick her cub clean!"

Jalal couldn't help snorting at that. He wasn't a man given to much laughter. You get few opportunities to laugh in the middle of getting stabbed on a battlefield and getting assaulted by opportunistic people at your home. He removed his hand from her face.

An unforgettable beauty slowly revealed itself to him, as the rain pattered down on them. Olive skin glistened in the downpour, setting off a pair of almond shaped tawny eyes, high cheekbones and luscious rosebud lips. 'Allah!' Jalal thought, stunned. 'The woman is your loveliest creation!' He stood staring at her, uncaring of his surroundings. He had been conditioned to be a keen observer, his senses honed sharp from numerous battles. But he found himself stunned into immobility by the woman shivering in his arms. "Tell me your name, kitten," he whispered, mute appeal in his eyes.

"N-no," she spoke shakily, rubbing her hands together and blowing into them. His gaze was drawn to her mouth, his hands tightening imperceptively on her waist. She raised imploring eyes to his turbulent ones. "P-please let's go in. It's c-cold."

"I could warm you up."

The words hung in the air between them, spoken without thought. She gazed up at him in alarm.. and something akin to dread. He tightened his arms as she attempted to push away from him. "Cease, woman! Not against your will! But if you want to go inside, the price is your name.. And the promise of some answers. And do not even think of lying to me."

She continued struggling, stepping on his foot with her uninjured one hard. He gritted his teeth against the sharp pain, locking his arms around her like manacles. "You are a monster," she hissed.

"Name," he spoke the word quietly, his gaze intense.

"Jodha! My name is Jodha!" she was furious enough to scream. "I will answer your questions. All your questions! Honour your promise now and let go of me!"

In answer Jalal bent down and picked her up again. Kicking and screaming, he took her inside the hut.

"Jodha.." he tasted her name on his lips. "I am not a very honourable man."

To be continued..

Originally posted by: AkDha_Fan

Such a lovely chapter!!! The way you write always leaves me wanting more!! Very gripping... and that last line was cherry on the cake...!!!

Aww, thank you so much! I am so happy you found it gripping! Hope you like this latest chapter too 😃