NOVEL~*Hiding behind a Stranger*~THD 36~Chapter 41 (2 Parts) 1st Nov - Page 111

Originally posted by: --cute.manasi--

Originally posted by: Sandhya.A

Episode - 6

Lana tried her best to stifle her yawn. The carnivals, sounds, celebrations and rituals were not exactly her cup of tea. She preferred the quiet of her farms, the seriousness of her business, and spend her spare time amongst her books, admiring the pretty princesses and drooling over her Prince Charmings. She turned to her right to see how Azeez was faring. Going by what she saw, Azeez Shah was having the time of his life. Tasting the best dishes, joining the men in serious and light hearted talks, displaying his knowledge of weaponry, his mischievous humour, everything about him made him a little hero among the younger lot. The older men too were impressed.

Azeez having lots of fun 😆

He is enjoying this Mission so much 😳

"Do tell us what you think about this sword. " Two eager lads sought his opinion on their purchase.

Lana's uncle came towards her beaming with content. "Do you see there beti, the young man with the red and black turban. Being your guardian, i had decided on him as your husband. He is Vijender, a gold merchant and was quite skeptical when you arrived with your choice. But now i am content. Our Rajender Beta is so charming and witty. And a weapon trader and an expert at it too. It is sad that he lives very far from us all. But I am so happy for you." Lana felt guilty seeing the tears of joy in her Uncle's eyes.

Aww poor lana di ..

She feels bad for her uncle .

Why does Azeez have to overdo his part? But he was successful in holding the attention of most and giving Khan Sahib a clearer field. But where was Khan Sahib? How successful was he thus far. As Lana looked around, she saw HER hero give an unobtrusive signal from near the sherbet table.

At Kuki's house

Kuki said 'Sshhh' and signalled her guest to keep quiet. She thought she heard a THUD outside her window.

She looks cute 😆

She listened intently for a while, and hearing no further sound, said, " Yes, go on"

"Let me finish these pyaaj kachoris first" came the quick reply.

pyaaj kachoris 😛

At the mansion

"We have learnt the important rooms of the mansion and combed through the smaller ones. Just the 6 bigger ones on the first floor remain. Will you stay guard there near the corridor and give us a signal if someone comes up or anything alarming crops up? Let Azeez keep his audience distracted. "

Azeez doing his best to distracted them.😊

"What signal?"

Picking a glass cup on the table KhanSahib said "Have this and drop it so that it crashes. That will be the signal. We'll drop our work and check out"

Interesting signal 😆

Lana Sahiba took her place in the corridor with the glass of Sherbet in her hands, appearing to admire the paintings on the walls.

In Kuki's house

"Are you finished Afzal or would you like some more?" Kuki asked the boy across the table.

"Food at the haveli is excellent but i love your pyaaj kachoris very much. Khan Sahib picked me up from the streets and gave me a living at his stables, and you didi, treat me like a younger brother. I thank God, for blessing me with you all."

So afzal is the one

Aww so our shruti treating him like her small brother

How sweet of her 😳

He took another mouthful and continued.

"As i was saying, Shah Sahib has left with a little group. Khan Sahib too has gone with them. Sayyid Sahib and Lana Sahiba too."

"Lana Sahiba? Who is that? Azeez told me that they are going to buy horses and will be back in a week. What will a Sahiba do there?"

"Bindiya didi says that her Durga Sahiba used to be the best judge of horses ever. This Sahiba has a peanut farm and lives in a mansion there. Don't you know her? Azeez Sahib knows very well. I have seen him at the farm many times. Why even the day before yesterday when i was returning after delivering a letter i saw him enter the peanut farm."

Omg what have you done little boy 😆

The day before yesterday was the day of their perfect moon night boat ride. And Azeez was glaring at the pretty girl in the balcony. So he had been there after that.

Kuki's mind whirred up a lot of thoughts and Tomato men were hovering around her head. She decided what she must do as her hands instinctively reached out to her trusted pan.

Calm down Shruti 😆

Trust your love , thats the best thing we can do 😳

"Didi...didi...where are you lost? I must leave. It is getting late."

Ok so shruti found out someone who call her didi 😆

"Good bye my little secret spy soldier" Kuki waved at him, "By the way, do you know where they have all gone?"

At the mansion

"How i wish it were you and me Khan Sahib" Lana sighed at the painting of a couple at the corridor.

"Lana bitiya! What are you doing here, We were looking for yoi in the hall"

Her uncle's voice shook Lana out of her dreams and she sent the glass that she was holding down with a ...CRASH.

Omg what have you done lana di ...😲

This is the signal of khan sahib mission ...

I hope they didn't misunderstand this 😲

Originally posted by: lashy

By feeling guilty for Heera.. you mean why he's disgusted by Heera's lack of guilt, right? Because at this point he feels nothing but disgust for her!

To understand Mahendar Selvi, you just need two words to describe him 'Hypocrisy' and 'Narcissism'

A hypocrite is someone who magnifies others faults while minimising their own.

Which is why, he is disgusted by Heera's acceptance of a Muslim husband, while failing to his see his 'partnering' with a Muslim too.

Which is why, he is disgusted by Heera accepting the Ustaad - the mentor of Khalil, while he fails to see his own acceptance of an acquaintance with Khalil - the man who ACTUALLY murdered his lover.

He remembers Heera rebuffing him. Not once has he remembered how he humiliated her before and after that.

He sees her faults - but never his own. And refuses to allow someone like Tejraj voice it either.

He is a narcissist and his beliefs (chauvinism and pride) go with the era. Hence, he wasn't happy when Durga - his fiancee - refused to give him the Farmaan when he asked (in chapter 2). However, the unwitting punishment she endured for it was something far far worse than he'd ever imagined! It hurts his male pride that he couldn't defend her. But, his fanaticism is more important than all that! So much so that he swallows his ego and sits with her rapist, making plans over her grave.

Having said that, just because he is a narcissist, chauvinist or a hypocrite does not mean he cannot be tender towards a woman (his wife), does not mean he can't fall in love (Durga), does not mean he cannot have a conscience (guilt about his lover's death).

And it is these more human feelings that come up every now and again. Like any other bereaved lover, he is unable to get over her death and a replacement wife just does not cut it - though of course, he is just too proud to be able to admit it - even to himself!

And these tender/humane feelings take a backseat every time his hypocrisy, fanaticism and narcissism come to the forefront. But they are there, at the back. Especially since his conscience does know that he - and he alone - is responsible for Durga's fate.

And the longer he takes to accept it, the deeper he buries it, the more 'permanent' part of him this guilt becomes!

Like that ignored wound that was nothing to begin with... but will grow... and grow... into a cancer...

Then again, had it been any other lady who'd suffered Durga's fate because of his choices (any other innocent lady, who's not his lover... or not a Rajput noblewoman) - he wouldn't have lost any sleep over it!😊

So, yes... looking at it that way - he is a complex villain.

Originally posted by: lashy

1) Two things happened that night -

Durga turned out to be a warrior far greater than he'd imagined - taking the lives of Khalil's close men and thus invoking the wrath of this brutish warlord!

Khalil over-reacted to the entire scenario to such an extent that it shocked even his own side. To do that to a noblewoman - in her home - that too, to one who's already betrothed to a prince was something even the abominable 'Khalil' admits is a grave mistake (Even in chapter 41).

So much so that it had far-reaching consequences right up to the capital, causing set-backs to the Shehzaade himself. And Ustaad had to be brought in.

For the first time since his ascendancy to power, Khalil was removed from his position - and banished to Kabul.

So yes, while on hindsight it seems repulsive and foolish that he trusted Khalil, Mahendar was basically trying to jump in and have a portion of the cake (Parnagarh)before all of it was taken away - a cake for which he'd been carefully amassing all the ingredients for long.