Writer-e-khaas,
You had left me hanging in the last chaper ... I was left wondering what Akbar would say next in his conversation with Harka ... And I likely would not have guessed how far forward he would wander ...
In Chapter 9, I can't pin point what exactly I felt ... but it felt like many things were in transition ... a time of "changing equations" hinting of major shifts and upheavals to come.
Hence, the theme of my take is "Changing Equations" or if I wanted to be filmy about it "Badalte Rishtey" or "Hum Apke Hain Kaun";)
So, with that begins my take of the "changing equations" ... and while the takes are slightly smaller ... I now count a take 8, as a first! :) See what your writing makes me do!
1. Akbar was always inquisitive and intrigued by Harka and he takes a step forward to openly ask the questions burning in his mind about her disability. Till date, it was not only Harka's qualities and perfection that stood out to him, as there were many talented and exceptional women he had seen before, but also Harka's ability to overcome her own disability. So, he first asked her how she does everything overcoming her disability and later whether the weakness of her eyes was always so.
2. And there were a lot of changing internal equations within Akbar ... I really liked the dynamics of how you show Akbar's varied emotions ... how he is inquisitive ... yet remains formal ... yet he wants to keep a face of detachment. When you describe how he said - "Was this ... Was this how it always was" - I could hear his first assertive tone , soften with the second "was this". You bring his formality to life with how he thanked her for answering his questions patiently with a formal nod after a stint of silence.
3. And on the other side of the equation, while Harka is at first surprised he wants to make conversation with her, she still remains guarded. Before answering, she first observes him closely to make sure he has no bad intentions with his questions. Once assured he was just inquisitive, in one simple sentence she reveals to Akbar her own will power and inner strength to make do with the eyes and senses she has.
4. Harka's response leaves Akbar more inspired and impressed by her than ever ... As I said before, to me, Akbar is more impressed by how Harka "fights" her challenges every day to achieve what she does ... more than just what she achieves. As he has seen many exceptional woman who had accomplished much, but not with the same challenges.
And as you have hinted before, Akbar has overcome his own challenges in life. And only a person who has overcome challenges of his own, can truly value another who is overcoming challenges of her own without a complaint. Akbar valued Harka all the more for her disability and how she overcomes it.
5. And what a contrast it is to how Harka's Guardian viewed the situation. With another changing equation, Maharaja Chittaranjan asks Kunwar Mahender to marry Harka, to protect Hadka and her people, as the Kunwar had promised Durga. From the Maharaja's vantage point, he had already failed to save Durga and wanted to take no risk with Harka. It would be a challenge to find a worthy match for Harka given her disability and now the new scandal and risk that plagued her life. Hence, he felt Mahender would be the right one to bring stability and strength back to his Godchild's life. He knew he was trying to take advantage of Mahender's state of mind, but no one could blame the perspective of a pained Guardian.
6. Yet, in another changing equation, Harka was doing what she had to do to take her future in her own hands (as Akbar recognized she does). With her tact and perception, she was crafting her message to potential allies. The precision she may not have with her eyesight, she had with her words - making sure they were not directly critical of the Shehenshah and Shehzaade but still hit an emotional nerve with her description of Durga's valiant end. Harka tested the "hot iron" of her words by reading out Durga's emotional finale to her guards. Seeing the guards visibly moved, she was proving her Durga's words true - "Your [Harka's] mind is a weapon stronger than my [Durga's] sword."
7. And there was another underlying change in equation, as you reveal another dimension of the Durga-Harka relationship we did not know. Durga had been the reason for Harka's accident that had made her lose the strength of her eyesight. That is what had made Durga stand up as Harka's protector.
That makes me wonder what had Durga left to protect Harka before her death - was it in the form of the riddle, or the hidden farmaan, or something else?
Or does it mean that now Harka would achieve what she needed without Durga's armour of protection and with the weapon of her mind? Only time will tell, how this equation will shift.
8. However, the biggest changed equation that remained somewhat at large was between Akbar and Harka. While familiarity seemed to creep in from their earlier conversations, mystery remained with how Akbar responded to her in Marwari.
But perhaps, it didn't matter? As during their early conversation, Harka had reflected this may be one of their last conversations and that is why he wanted his questions answered.
Yet, what was to be a short stop in Aidabad was also continuing to change ... Mohan Banna's path to recovery was taking longer than expected as he was having a toxic reaction to the poison.
And hence, as fate (or you, writer-e-khaas, would have it), she would meet him many a time more. In the garden , she heard him first, then admired his horse from afar with Dhani, and saw them approach again ... as you leave Harka and us, hanging again, writer-e-khaas, on what this next conversation will unfold.
Thanks again for a beautiful, engaging chapter!
Jhanak
Shiv Shakti
600