|| - Lady of Labyrinth -||

“And most importantly you are a fearsome thing to behold in your own right!”

- The Wrath and the Dawn
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Curse, promise, secret, and bargain; words reeled in her mind as Kashi played with the dagger in her hand, watching the way its edge reflected the candle light. Her face was blank; pale although she was recovering fast. The look in her eyes was cold and sharp as she silently listened to Afreen’s account of the events transpired while she had been unconscious. To say the least, Kashi had been awoken into a chaos, much of which she had no idea how to deal with.

Afreen snatched her wrist with the dagger and pointed it at her own throat as she dropped to her knees. Kashi winced out of her train of dark thoughts as the movement caused pain to shot up her wounded arm.

“If you too believe that I’ve been a traitor, kill me at once Kashi Bai,” she finished in her usual haughty tone, although her eyes started to glisten. “Had it been my life on stake, I would never have bargained with McLane.”  

“Hush Afreen,” Kashi silenced her rather firmly, at the same time letting the dagger fall and clatter on the floor. “I trust you as much as I trust myself, please do not blame yourself anymore.”

“But commander Satyavaan –“

“Is a bitter man,” Kashi cut across, her eyes narrowed as she stood up. “I know he dislikes you rather strongly.” Afreen snorted, as if to oppose her use of such a soft word like ‘dislike’ to describe Satya’s disposition towards her. “But his opinion does not influence mine. Both of you are my people.” She turned to look at Afreen, her gaze determinedly blazing as their eyes met. “I trust my people.”

There was a pause in which Afreen watched as Kashi paced, hands folded against her chest.

“McLane!” She said after a moment, her tone furious. “The man ruins everything! Just because of this useless painting business Satya got trapped for no reason.”

It was the first time they had openly discussed the events following Aziz Khan’s adventure down the secret tunnel. The man seemed convinced that since the tunnel essentially led to the lawns of Shab; Kashi’s residence, it meant Meghdyuth had some connection with Satyavan who was in charge of guarding it.

Kashi knew at once that this reasoning was simply a mask to legitimize their age old feud. Aziz and Satya did not see eye to eye. It was common knowledge that the Nawabzada envied his foster brother. He was only making most of the opportunity. But since Kashi had been unconscious and consequently there had been no more sightings of the rebel Meghdyuth, it seemed most of the lower court was convinced that Aziz had caught the right man.

“He will not betray you, no matter what he is being put through.” Afreen said slowly, after a moment. Kashi turned to look at her, stopping in her tracks for her moment. She wondered why Afreen was not more pleased at the prospect of seeing Satya being punished, even for a crime he did not commit. There was a time when Kashi was convinced that she would enjoy killing the man herself, if given the chance. Something, between them seemed to have changed. But she did not have time to ponder on that at that moment.

“I don’t like to think in that particular direction,” she replied rather bitterly. “His silence is only going to cost him. It is better if we could act swiftly.”

Afreen eyed her for a moment, her eyes wide.

“You’re not thinking of pulling another Meghdyuth stunt are you? For that would be the worst way of repaying him.”

“Simply breaking him out would make him a fugitive,” Kashi agreed, her forehead creased as she thought more about the situation they were in. “Satyavan needs to be restored, not simply freed.”

Their conversation was cut short as the doors to the centre chamber where thrown open. Their sound amplified by the silence that prevailed in the mehel, caused both girls to jump. Kashi pulled her purdah to cover her face before Aziz Khan barged in, uninvited. Afreen adjusted her dark veil, hoping to pass unnoticed. She did not enjoy confronting Aziz or giving the excuse of her presence for him to lecture Kashi on what kind of company she should keep as a princess. However, the man did not as much as look at her, as he greeted Kashi.

“To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure, Nawabzada?” Kashi asked him, greeting Aziz with folded hands. The disdain was clear in her tone. She did not enjoy his presence either.

“Just a friend checking up on your wellbeing Rajkumari,” Aziz smiled at her, making it hard for Afreen to disguise her huff of annoyance. “Since it is my duty to ensure your safety these days, I thought I should personally make sure you’re comfortable here.”

“Very comfortable, thank you!” Kashi said curtly. “As I’ve always been.”

“Now – now, Kashi bai, one might think you want to throw me out,” Aziz chuckled, adjusting a candle closest to him. Afreen thought for a man as blinded by arrogance as Aziz Khan was, he read the situation rather well. But her thought was cut short as the man continued, “Is that any way a lady should treat her fiancé?”

Kashi clutched her fist tight enough that her nails were digging into her palm. It took all her restraint not to reach out to that dagger and do some real damage. If there was anyone she hated more than Akif Khan, it had to be this son of his. The mere thought of having any sort of commitment to him made her skin crawl. Swallowing the bile that rose to her throat at his smile, Kashi returned the gesture her eyes narrowed to slits.

“A lady is not supposed to meet her fiancé like this at all – strictly speaking of decorum Nawabzada,” she said sweetly, while her eyes flashed. As if to emphasise on her point, she pulled at the ends of her purdah, covering her face until her chin. “I don’t think Nadeera begum would be pleased to hear you were here.” Aziz coughed.

“What my mother doesn’t know would not hurt her,” he said softly. “Now that I am in charge of you – um – your mehel, perhaps we could be a little lenient on the decorum too.”

“That’s very generous of you,” Kashi cut in, her voice suddenly colder than before. “But unfortunately I’m still not fully recovered from my fever you see. My head is paining too much this afternoon – perhaps – some other day?” Hopefully not in hundred years! She added to herself as she sat down rather clumsily as if to prove her point. “I had just called Gauri to give me a head massage; I think she is on her way.”

“Well,” Aziz still lingered on the threshold, as if not entirely believing her words about Gauri but not brave enough to wait and find out either. “Think about it Kashi bai, perhaps we could see a sunrise together one of these days.”

It was long after he had finally left Kashi snarled and threw the ornate chest of jewelleries on the ground.

“Tell me why I haven’t killed him yet?” She demanded her own reflection, banging her fist against the dressing table. “I swear if he keeps this charade on, it won’t be long!”

“Kashi bai,” Afreen said slowly, it was unsettling to watch the maniac rage that possessed her whenever someone mentioned the childhood betrothal between her and Aziz Khan; something the latter seemed to do often. “Do you think he planned this?”

“If only he has brains to do that,” Kashi said gritting her teeth. “No, this opportunity has been handed to him on a silver platter. McLane! McLane did this!” She stood up again, hitting her elbow against the candle stand on the dressing table, which toppled down on ground. Kashi bent down to retrieve it and determination shone in her face by the glow of that candle. “He started this and I will end it. He will put things right where he has created trouble.”

“What is it that you’re planning to do?”

“McLane. He bargained with you isn’t it? Now I will bargain with him. Let’s see what this painter really wants from a conquered princess.”

**

“Sometimes your confidence is exasperating,” Andrew sighed, throwing a dark look at his friend who was serenely painting the landscape outside their window. Dave smirked at him, stroking blue into the sky nonchalantly.

“She will come,” he said shrugging.

“And what – may I ask – makes you so sure?” Andrew stood up and walked to admire the progress Dave had made so far on the painting. His eyes narrowed critically but he made no comment as he waited for a reply.

“Because no man – or woman – if we are addressing the present situation – has ever taken me by surprise… I’ve given Afreen enough reason to keep her word and I know she will.”

“Depends on how much influence Afreen has on the person you want to meet, doesn’t it?”

“Afreen will bring her.”

“But if she does not, you’re not really going to the Nawab are you?” Andrew pointed out cautiously. “You’re not planning to get her arrested.”

“No,” Dave confirmed with a ghost of a smile. “She is no use to me if her secret comes out.”

“And don’t you think she might work that out as well? Then your threat is no longer very threatening.”

“You my friend are very pessimistic up to a point that it is exasperating,” Dave finally set aside his brushes and turned to Andrew. “For this once I have calculated that possibility. I think you’re quite right in fact. That is why she had not contacted us yet. But if I am not wrong, I have intrigued her enough that she will come – sooner than we think.”

“You plan to bargain with her then?”

“Perhaps,” Dave said mysteriously. “It depends on what she is willing to stake. However, a bargain with Meghdyuth would be interesting don’t you think?”

Gobind knocked at their door and the two young men fell silent as the man was allowed to enter.

“Lady Afreen wanted to hand this to you, Mr. McLane,” the little man informed, as he presented Dave with a folded piece of parchment. Dave’s eyebrows knotted as he reached out and fished it out of the tray it was kept.

He read through the note briefly and his eyes narrowed.

“Interesting,” he muttered quickly re – reading the few lines inked into the yellowish paper. Gobind almost stretched his hand to take the note.

“Perhaps I could translate it for you sir,” he suggested stepping closer. David looked at Gobind and folded the paper.

“There would be no need of that Gobind,” he said calmly. However, Andrew noticed his eyes were gleaming rather mischievously. “But you could be of service to me,” he added then and the old man’s ears piped. “I believe there’s a Mahakaal temple here at Chandranagara? Could you possibly know where it is?”

It turned out that Gobind did not know but being the enthusiastic employee that he was, the little man soon went away to inquire and find out, promising to return within the hour with directions to the temple. After he went, shutting the door behind him Andrew turned to find his friend stretched on his arm chair, fiddling with the note he received rather thoughtfully.

“I believe that was not a ploy to send him away?” He asked, raising his eyebrows. Dave smiled leisurely.

“I stand corrected,” he said in an amused tone. “There is a woman who could – and who continues to – surprise me.” He offered the note to Andrew in form of an explanation.

Andrew took more time to read the local script than Dave had taken, for he was still learning the language of the people he was so fascinated with.

“In the path you aim to follow

Three moons sparkle in light mellow”

He read out, fumbling at a few words and looked at his friend for an explanation, frowning slightly. Dave simply nodded and filled in the rest of the verse from his memory.

“One is above while one is below

The last is bowed by every fellow…”

“Whatever that means?” Andrew sat down across from his still smiling friend handing him the note again. Dave glanced at the note and smoothed the paper. “And what does it have to do with the Mahakaal temple – how did you even know there’s such thing in this fortress?”

“The moon bowed by all – must be the one on lord Shiv’s head.” He said casually. Andrew frowned again, trying to recall the particular hindu god David mentioned and then nodded slowly. “I think we shall find the other two moons somewhere there.”

“So this is an invitation?”

“No, my dear friend,” David shook his head. “This is a test.”

**

||Glossary||

*MahaKaal – is another name for lord Shiv.

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Wherever you are and if it's raining I feel for you! I'm stuck in rain and my connection is acting up...almost forgot it's update day!

Anyway, enough of my sorrows.. I hope you enjoyed the update. Don't forget to hit the little star and shower your love.

What do you think of the development in Kashi and Dave? Tell me in the comments? Do you like this princess who trusts no one?

I'm so happy you made it down here!

Thanks for reading!♡