|| - Blisters and Bruises II - ||

"And the devil was once an angel..."
_________

“It won’t do to stay in dark tonight Kashi Bai,” Satyavan spoke, shielding the flicker of the lamp he brought against the assault of wind from the open balcony. Kashi sighed, a corner of her mouth twitching as she refused to tear off her gaze from the dimly lit stars overhead.

“Doesn’t make a difference, when I’ve been kept in dark for my entire life both literally and figuratively – Altaaf,” she turned around, an accusing gleam in her eyes and her face hard enough to make Satyavan gulp. “Did you forget to mention your alter identity to me?”

“She told you did she?” When he spoke Satyavan’s tone was low and guarded.

“I commanded her to,” snapped Kashi. “I couldn’t sit back without knowing who dared to betray a woman like Afreen!”

“I – I can explain,” Satyavan set down the lamp and approached her cautiously. “It’s not what you think. I had to take up that false identity while escaping a crumbling city. With my father dead and family being hunted down – I did not have a choice but to do as I was told, to lie low and discreet!”

“Oh of cause I know you’re not Altaaf, not really,” Kashi shook her head, disappointment oozing from her. “I just don’t understand why you would do that to someone like Afreen.”

“She wasn’t Afreen back then,” he protested bitterly. “She was Asfia.”

“And that changes what actually?” Kashi demanded. “Do you know Altaaf was the only part of her past Afreen held into – her best friend? She still speaks fondly of how he took a branding punishment for her – how he might still bear the scars on his back. The same scars ripped off your mask didn’t they?”

“Do you think I was hurt less to see what she had turned into?” Satyavan fired back suddenly. “No you don’t Kashi Bai, you have no idea of what it feels to know that all you’ve done to save her had been for nothing!”

Kashi gave out a low laugh, a humorless bearing of teeth.

“Do you honestly believe she enjoys what she does?” She stepped away, further into the darkness and turned her back to Satyavan. “Then I believe we have nothing more to discuss tonight.”

“Kashi Bai –“

“Leave Satya! I’ll see you again when you find it in your heart to explain yourself to the one who deserves an explanation. Not before that. Good night!”

**

David stood straight and rigid on the steps leading towards the barnyard. Glancing sideways at him Andrew thought perhaps the cold wind had frozen his facial muscles. His friend emitted such coldness that for a moment Andrew was afraid to imagine the next encounter between the two McLanes.

As the last of the twilight vanished they could hear the distant clopping of hooves and soon a carriage came to their view. Hanson who was driving the carriage saluted to the two gentlemen as they came to a halt before them and hopped down to open the carriage door for the lady inside. However, David had beaten him to it. The man stopped short and handed over the reins of the horses to the stable hands instead as he watched the brother offer his hand to his younger sister.

Keren McLane was fair like her father. She was tall, her face was sharp and her nose shapely. She had midnight dark hair and eyes of deep grey. She beamed as she accepted her brother’s hand and descended to the ground. Andrew offered her a short bow as her glittery gaze swept past him and rested once again on the grey eyes of her brother.

“Brother!” she said pulling David into an impulsive hug. “Dear lord, I missed you so much!”

David stood stiff for a moment before gathering his sister close. He patted her on the top of her head and muttered against her hair.

“Likewise!”

As they parted Keren glared at him mockingly.

“What? Such a cold greeting after three years? Are you sure you are alright brother?” She pretended to huff and turned to Andrew. “And you Mr. Kent, have you been feeding my brother one of your medicines again?”

“Would I dare, knowing the extent of your wrath my lady?” Andrew raised his eyebrows and chuckled. “I must say your brother had tempted me a dozen times to administer a sleeping drug on him, but the memory of your fury kept me in check.”

“That sounds reassuring,” beamed Keren as she linked her arm through her brother’s as they made their way towards their wing. “I’m so happy I get to spend time with my brother finally! I hear your sister’s here too. I guess every silver line must have its dark cloud – fear not, I shall deal with her accordingly.”

“I think Lillian would be charmed to hear that she has been called a dark cloud,” snickered Andrew.

David glared at them both as soon as the door to their drawing room snapped shut. Keren did not seem to mind. “It’s too bad I have only a few hours before I’m compelled to leave again.”

“What – you are not here to stay?” Andrew sounded surprised.

“Alas no,” Keren sounded disheartened. “I’m supposed to leave in the morning. I am here on an important business of my father.” She turned to David. “I’m here to deliver a special message to you…”

“I already know,” David told her shortly. Keren stared at him open mouthed for a moment and sighed.

“Oh I guess you do – since I’ve never ever managed to catch you unaware. But really brother you must let me surprise you at times –“

“Tell him he will get it.” David cut her off coldly. “Tell him that he has my word.”

“If you must know,” Keren said seating herself on one of the plush chairs uninvited. “He said he knows that. He simply wishes to remind you that your actions are creating ripples. It won’t take time before Nawab starts noticing them.”

“Tell him they are not ripples but a tide is coming.”

**

Moon was reduced to a thin string in a sea of blackness. There were the usual enormous desert stars that hung low, dimmed in their glory by the hundreds of earthen lamps lit around the fortress of Chandranagara, decked up to celebrate Diwali; the festival of light. Afreen reproached herself for the umpteenth time, trying hard to swallow the bitter aftertaste of betrayal. Perhaps she should not have shared her burden with Kashi Bai, no matter how much she was forced. Denying Kashi Bai something she was determined to get, in this case the truth, was a hard task. It was no wonder that even Afreen failed miserably at that.

There were footsteps approaching behind her knocking against the fragile wall she had built around herself to separate her conscious from the festive atmosphere around. Afreen did not turn around as she addressed the new comer.

“It’s strange how you can’t go by a day without trying to refresh my wounds Satyavan Miyyan,” she said bitterly as new tears stung the back of her eyes.

“It’s even more strange that you would accept my invitation.” Satyavan pointed out, a bit sarcastically.

“Kashi Bai called me here – said there’s something important to be discussed.”

“Kashi Bai sent me,” he told her curtly, before sighing. “She commanded me not to see her unless I’ve given you the explanation you deserve.”

“How gracious of her,” said Afreen sarcastically. “I’m sure you don’t believe I’m entitled to that. Rather tragic isn’t it? You’re here unwillingly and I am here listening to words you don’t really mean with equal unwillingness.”

She turned around, leaning against the stone railing of the balcony. The wind fiddled with the edges of her shawl as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Satyavan watched her in silence for a moment, gulping slightly as he noticed the clear stains of tears left on her cheeks. But when she spoke again in a quite brash tone there were no traces of how broken she felt inside.

“Let’s finish this quickly shall we?”

“Altaaf was an alias,” Satyavan complied with her command. Afreen closed her eyes, a silent breath leaving her slightly parted lips. “The man you knew as his uncle was the one who was protecting me and my mother after the fall of the Raja and my father’s death. We were being hunted then  - for reasons I’m still working out. I would not have returned if not for the word I’ve given to my dying father – that I will protect Kashi Bai at whatever cost.”

A pause stretched in which Afreen waited for more. Finally she exhaled sharply and folded her arms.

“That’s it?”

“Altaaf has always been a lie. He is no more me than you are Asfia.” Afreen choose not to reply, after a moment Satyavan turned to leave.

“You are right Satyavan Miyyan,” Afreen called after him. “You’re not Altaaf. You can never be Altaaf.”

“And you have no idea how glad I am about it,” Satyavan stilled in his tracks but did not turn around as he replied. “Kashi bai is wasting her time trying to mend things that have withered away a long time back.”

“Wait a moment –“ Afreen said suddenly in a voice very different from her broken tone. “If she sent you here, who is guarding her right now?”

Before Satyavan had replied the air shuttered with a thunderous rumbling. It seemed the force came from the noise itself, or it was the air pushing them down, the ground beneath them trembled and Satyavan pulled Afreen down on the ground with him just as stones started to roll from the broken wall above. There was a moment of dust and chaos before Afreen raised her head and managed to make sense of her vision. A fire was roaring on the opposite end of the lawn.

“Please tell me Kashi Bai’s not in there right now,” Afreen demanded after a dared pause flames were licking at the stones that were tumbling down fast bringing the mighty structure down with them.

**

Making their way inside the collapsing walls of Shab was nearly as impossible as Afreen and Satyavan ever forgetting their differences. Still they managed to form a united front this once and break through the flames engulfing the entrance, aided by the dry winds from the desert. Inside it was a disarray of dust and smoke. The heat brought instant perspire to their foreheads and smoke burnt in their eyes and lungs. Afreen coughed as she called out.

“Kashi Bai! Kashi!”

“RajKumari Kashi!” Satyavan joined in trying to secure a way up the half collapsed staircase and battling against his rising worry. “Watch out!” He stretched out a hand to push Afreen behind him as another block of stone rolled down the steps passing by the spot where she had been standing on a moment before.

Afreen glanced up at him for a moment, a thank you at the tip of her tongue. But she bit it back and nodded before pushing past his arm up the staircase in search of their princess.

“Kashi Bai!”

They had to break through the door to her inner chamber, the antechamber being completely overtaken by the fire. Afreen covered her face with her shawl before following Satyavan in. He had stilled at the threshold as if frozen startled by some sight before him and was blocking her sight. Praying Kashi Bai was not gravely hurt; Afreen squeezed under his arm and entered the smoky room. The window had already caught fire as was the curtain that hid the divan. Beyond it there was a dark unmoving shape, unrecognizable in the dancing light of flames.

“Rajkumari?” Afreen’s tone was so low as she called out, muffled by her hand clasped against her mouth. Satyavan did not waste his time calling out as the burning curtain dropped to the ground and curled into a ball of flames and embers. He jumped over it and reached the unconscious girl on the floor. From the fire light Afreen could already see a burn along her arm lying limply beside her. Her face was covered with her hair.

“Kashi Bai?”

Satyavan grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. There was a stain of soot against her cheek and her eyelids fluttered at his voice.

“I - I lost her,” She said slowly, her voice rough from inhaling too much smoke.

“Noor Banu?”

**
What happened to Kashi? What do you think? Is Noor the one responsible? Tell me in the comments.
Meanwhile it's Keren McLane in the header. What do you think about her?
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