|| - Scattered Ashes - ||

Without dark we'd never see the stars

- Twilight

Husain the new Bakshi flexed his knuckles emitting a popping sound in the unoccupied silence. The man with scorpions tattooed behind his ear and jagged scars down his throat and all over his arms had never looked more out of place in a peacock blue turban than he did while he bowed in front of the Nawab in the private court chamber. Khan was frowning, sitting on his divan, his eyebrows knotted together and teeth gritting he fixed Husain with an icy glare enough to give him frost bite.

"Unrecognizable?" He repeated the word smoothly in a low tone. "I see. And you are certain the corpse belongs to Rajkumari Kashi Bai?"

Husain swallowed. He was a spy in his younger days who was later horned into an assassin. Detective inquiries had never been his field work. Khan raised a hand to scratch the scar running down his cheek, preoccupied and mincing at the same time.

"I require a verbal answer Husain!" The man did not raise his voice, but Husain trembled all the same. The chill in Khan's voice was overwhelming.

As of late Khan paraded the corridors as a wounded animal. The ignorant outsiders attributed his mood to the injuries his daughter had suffered in the accident and the mounting pressure of finding the master mind behind the attack. But Husain knew better to struck off both the possible explanations for the above matter. He had been a close aide to Aziz Khan for long enough to know that Nawabzadi Noor Banu held no special place in the Nawab's heart. And as the newly appointed Bakshi he had received no pressing instructions to investigate the mastermind behind the explosion in Shab. The Nawab was more interested in investigating the death of Rajkumari Kashi Bai.

"Your daughter attested to it my lord," he said with the utmost faithfulness a spy could manage. Khan's grip tightened around the cushion his hand was resting on, almost squeezing the softness until his knuckles turned white. "And logically there could be no other explanation as to how a burnt female body ended up in Shab Mehel and Kashi Bai got disappeared."

"Interestingly I can think of just another." Khan said darkly, his eyes narrowing further into mere slits. "What are the reports from the spies you placed on Satyavan?"

"The commander is still grieving his failure."

"And that McLane boy?"

"Mr. McLane is preparing to leave for Madavghadh in a couple of days." Husain fell silent as Khan lifted one of his eyebrows and he gestured him to continue. "He is looking forward to spend time with his sister."

"– The same sister who came to Chandranagara for one night and left at dawn on the same day of Shab explosion?"

Husain blinked.

"My lord?"

"The girl whose carriage was sent back without checking on Nawabzada's insistence?"

"Miss Kent had requested the Nawabzada to –"Husain fell silent once more as Khan raised his hand.

"Very well," Khan said as he rose to his feet. Husain stepped back instinctively. "I wish to have a discussion with Shehezada* Usman. I believe he is in the vicinity."

"Yes my lord Nawab," bowed Husain. "Shehensha has tasked Shehezada with inquiring into the explosion incident."

"Of cause," Khan grimaced. "I'm sure Shehensha* is very interested to know where the attackers got explosives from."

Finally, Husain understood where the worry came from. If it was revealed that the Nawab was acquiring unauthorized explosives he was to face trouble with the emperor. Trying to smooth the understanding reflected on his face into something more appropriate Husain cleared his throat.

"Forgive my imprudence my lord, but may this servant inquire why you would seek an audience with the Shehzada?"

Husain licked his dry lips thinking he had appeased Khan enough for an answer. Tonight he will have something to share with the Nawabzada.

"Tell my son I have a spy to borrow," Khan said as he walked out. "There is only one woman who can make it in an out of Madhavgadh without betraying her true motives."

The giant double doors clicked shut after him and Husain sighed in relief. Even as a former spy he would not envy the prospect of entering the den of the witch Gayatri Devi.

**

The whip cracked in the darkness twisting and stinging like a serpent's tongue. Satyavan groaned as his skin split anew. Yet the pain was not enough to lift the burden on his conscious. In the bitter silence heavy with unspoken complaints on his numerous failures he raised his whip once more.

He had failed in protecting Kashi Bai, in keeping the word he had given to his father.
"Kashi is the key... Have her you have it all, lose her you lose it all. Kashi – Kashi is the key!" he shook his head as his father's last words resonated in his psyche. He had lost her. He had lost it all. There was no simpler way to put it across and the whip cracked once more.

Satyavan had ignored the sound of cracking as the door opened. In the dark practicing grounds the chime of Afreen's anklets made a distracting noise. He ignored her still. She served for no purpose other than to remind him exactly how distracted he was from his duty that night – the night he lost Kashi Bai.

"Self harm is no way of repenting." Afreen commented idly. "I believe you owe her more respect than this."

"Whatever it is that you mean," he said bitterly. He had been bitter as of late. Yet he could not help the fury that colored his tone when he addressed Afreen.

"You owe Kashi Bai a proper farewell instead of wasting yourself in the pits of self regret like this."

At that Satyavan choose not to reply. Afreen watched him for another moment, hands folded across her chest and eyes narrowed. She seemed satisfied that he did not raise his whip again.

"The river bank at noon. I shall wait for you."

She turned and left with no further explanation.

That was how Satyavan found himself at the river bank at present, committing himself to immerse Kashi Bai's ashes in the flowing water as per the rituals demanded. Other than a sobbing Gauri and an oddly transfixed Afreen no one was there to bid the princess their last farewell. Rising from the water after his prayers were done, Satyavan watched the last of marigold flowers floating downstream and went to join the ladies on the river bank. Gauri had collapsed on the ground sobbing with her forehead pressed on the dust. As Satyavan gripped her shoulders and urged her to get a grip on her sorrow his eyes landed on Afreen. Helping the old woman on her way back to the fortress Satyavan stopped short to address Afreen. His eyes were still on Gauri's retreating figure as he asked.

"You have something to say?"

"She is not dead."

Satyavan stilled not daring to draw the next breath in, only his eyes turned to find Afreen's serene profile as she gazed unfocusedly ahead.

"Who?" Although he could make a very wise guess Satyavan still asked.

"Kashi Bai is alive." Afreen barely moved her lips. "I have reasons to believe she is in Madhavgadh."

Questions brimmed within him, so did doubt. How did she know? Who told her? Why would Kashi Bai choose to leave without informing them? Why Madhavgadh where everybody harbored ill wishes for her?

"The Nawab and Shehezada Usman have joined hands over finding her. They believe David McLane has a hand in her escape."

"And you are going to Madhavgadh – as a spy?"

"I'm one of Kashi Bai's people," Afreen said determinedly.

Satyavan hummed in agreement. After the relief she had just granted him he did not have the heart to pick another argument with her.

"If Kashi Bai is alive by god's grace, to whom did that body belong to?" He choose to ask instead. Afreen shared his puzzlement.

"That is something you have to find out Satyavan Miyyan. I believe Noor Banu would have an answer for that." She stepped away, as if to leave and stared at him for a moment more. "I guess this is our last meeting for a while. Take care of yourself Satyavan Miyyan. Kudha Hafiz!"

Satyavan did not return her greeting at once. Afreen sighed after a moment and started to walk away.

"Afreen –"

She stopped although she did not turn around.

"Take care of her."

"Of cause." She replied. "If you can trust me."

"And be safe." He said it so softly that Afreen convinced herself it was a fragment of her imagination as she trotted away towards the fortress determinedly.

**

Noor watched the distant figures of Satyavan and Afreen, gathering her shawl around her body more tightly. It was not to ward of any chill but to hide her identity and her scars. She did not imagine anyone would expect to find her here as they bid adieu to the princess and a startled gasp left her lips as she collided with Andrew Kent as she turned around to leave.

"Here to send your friend off?" Andrew asked pleasantly. She gave him a wide eyed look, then remembered how puffy and red her eyes were and dropped her gaze immediately. Before he could inquire any further Noor was already fleeing his presence.

He watched her run away and pulled out a scroll from his pocket. It was the message David had written out for lord McLane, he was here to deliver it to the messenger discreetly.

My lord,

The tiger is pacing, circling an unknown prey. I am waiting for the phoenix to rise.

Yours faithfully,

Kingmaker

**
||Glossary ||
Bakshi - the highest position in regional military (military head)
Shehensha - Emperor
Shehezada - Prince (more accurately a son of the emperor)

___________

I'll give you a few days time to interpret what that meant and then we shall see what happened to Kashi Bai at her enemy's home.
Please do share your thoughts and vote, they make the process of writing so much more fun!
Thanks for reading!

Ps: header is Noor Banu running away;-)