Fog painting windowpane with its desired patterns, night was hauntingly beautiful. It had tinge of silver as moon was illuminated to its fullest and cold was sinfully cruel. Manik brought the wine bottles out of bar cabinet and looked at almost dozed off crew of his. They weren't any fancy men, he hadn't have any intention to keep them by his side but he knew they were the ones who won't harm Nandini. Living in camp all these days, he had known what was on surface and what was beneath. He put the bottles on center table of living room and they all looked at him at once. 

"Night is cold," Manik said and they nodded their heads in understanding. 

Picking up the food which one of his men had prepared just a few minutes back, he walked towards the stairs. 

"To the night we are going to spend in most lavish house of town," One of men raised the toast and rest of them laughed. Manik spared a smile before he climbed up the stairs leaving the drunk chuckles behind. Voices faded out as he walked towards her room. Closing the door behind him, he drew her attention towards him. She looked up leaving all the scattered photos on her lap. She was sitting in front of fireplace with all the pictures of her family cluttered on warm carpet. She looked happy, that Manik could tell. He put the food in front of her and she made place for him amid all the lovely mess she had created. Nandini gave him an admiring yet dubious look. 

"No, I haven't cooked all this," He informed and she smiled clearing her doubts. 

"I cannot cook very well," He added and served her the food. 

She smiled warmly and tasted it. Her eyes lit up announcing how she had liked it. 

"It's really good," She remarked and he too started his dinner. 

None spoke as they gathered the required calories to carry on. Manik walked to window to make sure curtains were down properly. He couldn't risk her. She got busy again in taking the pictures out of albums. 

He walked to her and stood just above her head looking at piece of paper in her hand. Smile touched his lips as soon as he saw a small girl in arms of a man in that picture. It has to be Nandini. She still looked the same if he was asked. 

"You know, it was when father had returned from his longest tour and I was so happy," She said as if knew he was looking at her memories. 

"Hmmm," He just exclaimed and then walked to her bed. She looked around to spot him and saw him going through stuff on her side shelf. 

"You know that was when my mother had scolded me so hard for leaping to forest and my father was pacifying me," She informed as Manik was looking at frame where she was almost crying and her parents looked to be in argument. 

He chuckled and then put that back. She again looked down at her beloved memories knowing how he would not say much. His silence was something she had started to love now. Love? She raised her eyes to look at fire, the word was as warm as that fire was. It can keep you alive and burn you at the same time. 

"You were beautiful," He said and her eyes snapped at him as if denying to register what he had said. 

"Huh?" She asked and he put the frame back. He didn't repeat what he had said. She smiled looking down at her belongings. Biting her lips, still thinking about his compliment, she could feel her cheeks getting a little extra hot. 

"This was when Mamma had dressed me up for annual day and I was told I am a princess," She told all engulfed in her little world without knowing what he was doing. Manik looked at her even more ardently. He was leaning on her bed while she was sitting like beautiful messy girl on floor in front of fireplace. It was minutes he was looking at her like that.

"You surely are," He uttered and she looked around to know where he was. She saw him leaning on her bed and he was surely gaping her since long because she could feel the bridge quite strong. He had his mind on her she could tell. She tried not to blush while he just adjusted himself to have a better view of all of her. 

"You never told about your mother?" She uttered as she went through more pictures of her pretty mother. Silence was already prevailed quite comfortably. She was so engrossed to even think what she had asked. 

"There's nothing about her," She heard him answering in dull voice. She looked up almost in a second. Her eyes met his gaze which didn't hold heat anymore. They held the cold she didn't like. She put down everything with which she was engulfed. He loosened his neck muscles and fell on bed taking away her view. Nandini closed her eyes cursing herself for blabbering without even thinking. She didn't know anything about his family but she knew it was something he hated to talk about. 

"I didn't mean to bring..." She said in low voice but got interrupted by his stony voice. 

"It doesn't matter," He replied and then didn't say anything further. This was the quiet she hated. She mentally cursed herself for starting this. Getting up in her place, she saw him looking at ceiling without an ounce of warmth. She would be lying if she had said she was not afraid. She was still very much afraid of his cold behavior and how he had all the might to kick her out and shut himself in. She could not be sure about him anytime soon. 

Gathering all her courage, she took steps towards him. He didn't move. He didn't tell her to halt in her place. Knowing him, she knew how he had all the idea what she was doing. Maybe that was an yes for whatever she was doing. 

"Manik," She took his name as she reached the edge of her bed. Standing there, she looked at him closely. His hands were vaguely thrown on bed, his one leg was folded and other was swinging down the bed. 

"Nandini," He said in low warning voice clearly indicating what not to do. She bit her lips totally getting what he didn't want. His mind was throbbing and he had all the ire to ruin everything. He knew it very well. He could sense she was still standing at edge of bed all lost in guilt and helplessness. He sighed aloud making her flinch at her place. He turned his face other way so that he could pacify his raging demons. She was not the one on whom he would ever wish to take out his ire. He felt mattress shifting, her scent was quite close. He looked at her side immediately and found her kneeling towards him. She looked like everything he needed but he couldn't burn her when he was on raging fire. He got on his elbows and tried to figure out what she was up to because her face was nothing less than dais of illegible emotions. 

"Nandini," He called her name only to be shushed by her tiny finger. As her finger touched his lips, he got up and raised to where their eyes were meeting. She crawled to him and he could just try not to gather her. 

He could see her close to him as she raised her palms to touch his face. As her sweaty palms cupped his face, that was when she had successfully shushed all his demons. He could just watch what she was trying to do. It was like one puzzle he wanted to solve while it was unfolding itself. Inching close, then closer, she had drawn the beast to the farthest corner. His heart held horses thereafter.  What was she up to? Her lips touched his forehead ever so softly and he gasped aloud. He closed his eyes. It was like he was invaded in most beautiful way ever. Her lips traveled down as her mild grip on her cheeks tightened a bit. She planted a soft kiss on his cheekbone and he gulped hard trying to bring his mind back at functioning. It was something never happened before. Nobody had made him felt so naked. She was undoing him and something screamed inside him as if finally was getting heard. 

"Nandini," He took her name but her finger pressed his lips while her lips still lingered on his cheek. She just prayed that her heartbeats weren't aloud because they were only thing she could hear. Blood had rushed down her ears as she kept taking steps. It had to be most intoxicating thing she had ever tried. Her sweaty palms gripped his face in other angle and she could feel her knees giving up. She was drained. It was something she had never imagined to commit. 

His lips moved under her finger and that brought her out of her haunting reverie. His breaths were fast, she could feel. Dropping another kiss on his other cheek, she waited to inhale enough courage. His hands gripped hem of her sweater making her crouch a bit. As he felt her breaths moving down, he opened his eyes and saw her so close. She was breathing on his nose and he could see her eyes were firmly closed. She was breathing heavily. 

Feeling his lips with tip of her thumb, she inhaled quickly to gather enough courage to take the leap. As she lowered her head to face his uneven breaths, she opened her eyes just to see how ardently he was looking at her. He was looking at her with everything she was unable to contain. His hands traveled to her waist gripping it in merciless clasp and she hissed. Their lips a breath away, their eyes into each other; he flipped her over and her back touched the cold bed. Her hair tossing on bed like blooming flower, her lips parted as perfect mold; he took a sharp breath making her thrilled more than ever. 

"What are you up to, Nandini?" He asked caging his raging emotions. 

"Huh?" She asked still in daze. 

"Are you planning to start something you won't be able to stop?" He asked and she closed her mouth coming out of enthralling encounter. 

"You are not angry?" She asked trying to touch his face. 

 "I am fuming," He answered making her all sort of hushed. 

"I didn't meant to.." He put his finger on her talking lips.  

"Not a word. You are much more interesting when you don't talk," He said making her buried in deep layer of blush. 

"What were you doing?" He asked taking her one wisp to play. 

"I thought I have made you angry," She answered innocently. 

"So you thought to set me on fire as compensation?" He asked and she looked sideways. 

"Look at me," He turned her face holding her chin. 

She kept looking at him pleadingly. He chuckled and she closed her eyes. He slid off her and she got up. Walking away from him instantly, she went to window to open it a bit. Before wind could calm down his racing heart, he stormed towards her to close it. 

"It's not safe," He murmured in her ear. His lips thoroughly touching her skin, she couldn't believe it was her leading this man who had all might to turn her into putty. She was definitely playing with fire and now its blaze was a bit too much to handle. 

She walked away carefully trying not to sound anything and quietly started to collect all the albums. 

________________

"Do you smell coal?" asked a soldier to another. 

"I smell cold, that's it," Another quipped as they cleared the bush off their way. 

"That house," pointed the first one towards Murthy mansion. 

"That's Minister's mansion," answered second one. 

They both looked around to find nothing. 

"Do you think it would still have some liquor?" asked the first one. 

"Do you think looters are fool to spare the gold mine itself?" mocked the second one.  

"But still, we can look for some," suggested the first one. 

Another one walked past him and stopped right in front of footprints. 

"They look fresh," deduced the first one. 

"Inform the unit," He commanded and second one ran back towards forest. 

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Nandini was fast asleep on big chair near fireplace while Manik was taking a tour of house to make sure there wasn't any breach. As he reached the living room, he saw his companions fast asleep. Wine bottles were emptied so he assumed they all passed out. 

He took the stairs to reach Nandini. As soon as he opened the door, he saw her shifting in sleep. Cold wind must have disturbed her sweet slumber. He walked to her and gathered her in arms. Putting her in bed, he put the quilt on. He was still trying to believe it was same girl who had almost kissed him few minutes back. It was everything he would want at moment or may be every moment but he knew that it was taking a lot from her. He sighed thinking how it could wait. He reached her nose and brushed it with his own. Kissing the tip of it, he suppressed the urge to peck her soft lips. 

Fire in fireplace was diminished to lowest as he couldn't give away her safety. He got settled in big chair and closed his eyes. It was still few hours till dawn and he knew he too needed some rest. 

Army man walked inside the house and saw six men lying there all inebriated. He slightly tapped one of them with his feet and that man just shifted in his place. He slowly collected all of their weapons and walked outside. He looked at dark forest and waited for his unit to reach. 

Manik opened his eyes hearing a faint churn. He looked around only to find a dead fire and sleeping Nandini. She had turned herself into a ball and Manik knew it was because of dead fire. She must be feeling cold. 

He got up with intention to tuck himself in bed to warm her up when he again heard a churning sound. This time he was sure he wasn't mistaken. He quickly looked outside the window to see the closed door flat open and churning with constant slaps of wind. He was alert. He quickly checked the windows if they were properly bolted and then turned to Nandini to ensure she was well tucked in bed. He walked out of room locking the door behind him but halted in his place as he saw some shadows ascending the stairs. He couldn't see anyone but shadows were getting bigger as each wooden stairs squeaked with each step on it. His eyes widened as he saw contours multiplying. It was not one person but more than one. He hided himself in fold of wall. It couldn't be one of his men because there was no way they would be up and even if they were, they won't ever head there. He took a deep breath as he heard footsteps nearing. His grip on gun tightened. He heard the footsteps fainting and he peeped out to see. Those were army men. Men in uniform were carefully walking across the first floor. He felt his throat drying as he thought about every possible scenario. He turned to look at the door. He couldn't let them near Nandini. He didn't know what that army unit had done to his men. He hadn't heard any gunshot and that was a relief. 

One of army men walked towards him when he again hid himself in fold of wall. Manik knew it was time. Before he could reach the door, Manik came out of shed and hit that man on head with butt of his gun. Before that soldier could scream, his mouth was palmed and he was dragged to window. Manik threw him out of window and there was a thud. His companions got alerted and that was certainly a call. Two more army men advanced towards the window and Manik snapped the neck of one while other one succeeded in holding Manik on gunpoint. 

"Move," asked the army man. 

Manik closely followed his body language. He looked at railing and then at soldier. Kicking hard in his gut, Manik threw him down the railing while that soldier fired in air while falling. Gunshot echoed in valley and Nandini got up with a jerk. She looked around to wish what she heard was a nightmare but to her dismay, Manik was missing and she could heard a brawl. Manik's men got up due loud thud in living room. They saw a bleeding soldier wailing in pain and then at men holding them on gunpoint. They were trapped. Their weapons were gone. Manik shot one of soldiers and that was cue for his men. They jumped into brawl to get rid of those soldiers who were having them on gunpoint. 

Nandini ran to door and found it locked. She ran to window and her nightmare turned out to be true. She saw army hustle in yard. 

"Manik," She shouted beating the door. 

"Open the door," She yelled. 

Manik heard her and ran towards stairs to take on rest of army. There were constant gunshots and yelps. Nandini kept yelling for someone to open the door. Scariest of scenes floated in front of her eyes. Her heart dropped at each gunshot. She heard every yelp and made out it wasn't of Manik. She was dying thousand deaths in each passing minute.

"Maniiikkkkkk," She called for nth time hammering the door. 

"Pleaseeee, open the door," She shouted hoarsely. Her throat had given up. 

She ran to window and saw more army coming in. They were plenty. She couldn't even think what they would do to them. 

She unbolted the window and tried to get out. She had to see Manik. She couldn't lose him. She stepped on thin ledge. She was trembling badly. A whimper escaped her mouth as she stood there helplessly. She couldn't jump and there wasn't a single thing through which she could climb down. She stepped back in room giving up. She walked around the room impatiently. Picking up the wooden chair, she ran towards the door wishing to break it. Chair got shattered in pieces but door stood intact. A piece of wood pierced through her flesh and she wailed. Letting out loudest cry, she hammered the door again with her arms but door didn't open. She slid down crying. 

"Manik," She called his name in low feeble voice. There was a chain of gunshots echoing in atmosphere and maybe that was  only assurance that it wasn't over. She held her hands near her heart to murmur prayers. She prayed that she hears those shots as long as she doesn't see him opening that door. She knew that's only way she could survive.  

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