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Khashiq was a dark land. It was darker than the color of raven or that sky of night.

It held it's darkness because of its history and present.

It was 1947,when the destruction came, eating alive every other living being of this very world.

On 15th of August when the country was breathing the air of freedom, the land of Khashiq was rotting without any master or god.

Only coal and blood was here.

No country wanted to take in the inauspicious land of Khashiq.

The blood was dried in the very soil of this land.

Situated near a royal land of Rajasthan, Khashiq is one land which is not present in any map of the world.

The common men is unknown by its presence however the rich and powerful cannot live a day without taking the name of Khashiq...

The land of Aryans.

Forgotten by Indians and Rejected by British.

This dark land was the only family of Aryan.

Aryan Rajput.

The first god and last god of Khashiq. The master, the landlord, the very first leader of Khashiq who took care of this infertile, dark land rotten with blood when everyone gave up on it.

......

The new morning brought nothing new to the world of Khashiq.

The grey lingered to every corner of the royal state.

As soon as the sun lightened the dark blue sky the morning soldiers came out and took the positions which were previously occupied by the soldiers of the night.

The long roads of Khashiq got filled with people of the very land. All of them moved towards the top of the hill stepping every step with devotion and strength. The ranigiri hill where situated the tall and marvelous sculpture of a great goddess of kaalshakti.

She was auspicious for everyone, she was a direct mother to the subjects, kings, sinners and saints.

Nirvana whose name came from one of his past lineages ascended the red stone steps with his naked feet.

On his right was his wife, Reyna following his every step like his soul or his shadow.

After them was Aks and Zehra. The first does not believe in the existence of mother kaal shakti and the second one believes in her existence blindly. After all it was the very same temple where her mother was brought up. She was a daughter of a muslim father and a Hindu mother. Both the religions were soaked in her presence.

Every eyes turned down as the two queen's beauty came in their presence.

Though the both men don't claim to love their respected wives but the way they are protective of them made the people think otherwise.

As the two couples reached the top of the stairs they found their mother, the great kaal shakti standing before them.

The idol was silent not saying a word but her eyes, the eyes of stone held true power that could belittle the great king of Khashiq himself.

"It would have been auspicious if the youngest king and his new queen would be here to perform today's morning aarti (prayer)," said a voice. Aks turned his cold gaze to the old lady, it was the sister of their dead mother. Nandini aunty, that's what the four Aryans brothers use to call her once but now it was limited to Mrs. Rathore.

She was their only family alive and she took it as a thing of pride.

"It looks like the new queen doesn't have any respect for the khashiq's rituals and the young king has forgotten all the rules after falling in love. As Khashiq's first and real queen it was your responsibility Reyna to guide them but it looks like you still have got a lot to learn," she spoke again, stating words against someone who was not even present there and then turning her unkind gaze to Reyna.

The queen of Khashiq smiled a bit, the taunt from the old woman was entertaining for her. Her kohl lined eyes which always carry confidence and fire swirled to the old lady.

The old woman gave her the same smile that Reyna was offering her, however suddenly she flinched as soon as the smile of Reyna's lips was replaced with something rageous.

"Newly married couples are not allowed to enter maa kaal shakti temple for the starting seven days of their marriage. It is their copulation period. Their only duty in the starting seven days is to love each other. That is their only worship. I am the real queen of this kingdom, don't teach me the traditions and the rituals of my own country," Reyna said, sharply cutting the arrogance of the old lady with her cold words.

The people of the kingdom hailed for their queen as soon as her words resonated in the cold air.

She was a queen and a queen does not need guidance. Not even from her King.

"I...ummm I..." Nandini stumbled in her words, feeling utterly embarrassed.

Zehra's lips curled from the corner in a small smile. She was quiet till now however seeing the malicious intention of the old woman she could not restrain herself. So with her words lace with pure sarcasm she spoke in a kind tone,"Don't worry aunty. In your age people tend to forget basic things. And about my brother in law and sister, they are Aryans now. They will die before losing respect for our traditions and forgetting our rituals."

Both the ladies hold knives in their tongues. One was bold with her choice of words and the other was sweet.

The subjects of Khashiq were eager to know how their third queen was. She too was not from Khashiq. She was a common girl from a small goan village of India. They did not get any glimpse of her yet but they were ready to wait another six days to get her glimpse.

"If you ladies are done with your daily soap drama then can we go ahead with this necessity," Aks said, sounding utterly disinterested in everything going around him.

He gave a boring glance towards the mother's idol and then looked away instantly. She was a myth. Who else will know this better than him.

Nirvana ignored the nonchalant attitude of his brother and the kind exchange of words that went between the women of his house and his mother's sister.

"Start the mantras, pandit ji (priest)," he ordered the priest and just like that the hymns filled the air with the sounds of bells.

....

On the other side, after taking care of her wrist wound Izan looked her in the eyes.

As soon as his eyes met hers Clover looked away.

"Do you feel shy around me ?" he asked his wife.

Clover did not know what to whisper. When he first came to her house she did feel shy and when he asked her hand in marriage she was drenched in shyness from the tip of her head to the sole of her feet. However after whatever happened last night now she was feeling scared more than shy.

Nonetheless she nodded in reply.

A smile curled on Izan's lips seeing her response and he leaned towards her.

Clover froze on her place when he suddenly placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

"I like you like this. So innocent, so shy, so pure just like a delicate flower. Like a softest four leaves clover who brings love and luck in one's life. Clover...." he whispered her name with depth.

Her heart felt heavy listening to that tone of his. His voice was heavy but so quiet.

She desired to look him in the eyes to know if he really meant those words or was acting but she was scared. So scared.

Seeing her hesitation Izan placed a finger underneath her chin and made her look at him.

Her breath hitched as soon as their eyes met.

Izan leaned one more time, this time placing a lighter kiss on her bruised lips.

"Why are you not what I imagined of you to be Clover ? Why do I feel someone's else's touch on your skin instead of mine...why ?"

Izan asked.

And that was the why Clover herself could not answer even if she had a voice or the courage to tell.

.....

Parting the flowing curtains Zehra welcomed the rays of sun to the room. It created a shine of yellow on her beautiful face.

She closed her eyes and relished the morning hue, her bangles made a tingling sound as she let go of her hold on the curtains.

The silence of the heavy room was serene, making her only aware of the beats of her hearts. The peace felt like a long lost friend. It flew far away from her a few years ago. However now that she tries to enjoy this loneliness rather than hating it she felt the same peace coming.

However, no good is everlasting for anyone.

All the silence was succumbed to nothing by the powerful footsteps of her husband.

She heard him coming closer and in three seconds the door of their room was pushed open revealing the devil in human disguise.

"Did you talk to her last night !"

The man roared with his eyes seething with anger.

Zehra did not flinch like she used to this time.

She parted her eyes slowly and turned them to him.

After coming back from the temple he has changed into a three piece black Dolce Gabbana suit. The sleeve shaped his muscular arms perfectly as the suit suited his tall stature. His long brown hair were tied in a sleek bun on the back of his neck. He no longer looked like a demonic rebel rather he resembled a perfect alpha male.

An alpha male with his eyes burning with outrage.

"I did not attempt to. It was her who called me, not the other way around."

Zehra answered in a monotonous tone.

"Bullshit ! You are lying. What else can I expect from a liar like you," his face was hard with resentment as he seethed out the words.

A shock flashed through Zehra's face at his words. He had never called her a liar openly. She knew somewhere deep down he thinks of her as some liar but he never called her a liar on face.

Her own face hardened with rage at his false allegations and she said with equal intensity,"I don't know what lies that witch has fed you but I am not lying. It was her who called me last night to let me know that you are with her, fucking her. It was not the first time she was doing it. She has done it quite a few times before but I guess she hid this little stunt of hers from you as she doesn't want to look bad in your eyes."

Zehra lost all her composure as she screamed out to him even if she wanted to do the exact opposite of it.

Her words fueled Aks's anger more. He could hear anything but not a word against his love.

He just had a call with his girlfriend and she was nothing but a crying mess because of all the filth his namesake wife spat at her last night. This morning he left her house when she was still asleep so she did not have any other way but to call him and tell him everything. Hearing her cries pained his heart and that pain only intensified his hate for Zehra.

"Your lovely girlfriend is a husband stealer and a No. 1 bitch. It is high time to come out of your delusional love world Mr. Aks Rajput or else ...."

Before Zehra could say a word more she was harshly thrown to the bed by Aks who was looking nothing like a human. His eyes were blood red and his veins were popping out of his forehead and neck. He looked at her with nothing but hatred and disgust.

Zehra removed the hair tendrils that were scattered on her face by his harsh push. She looked at the man in the eyes matching the intensity of his emotions.

"What ? Does the truth taste bitter ?" Zehra taunted with a smirk and then ended up laughing like a mad woman.

She pities him. He is in love with a witch. A true witch for whom he was nothing more than a precious possession.

"I feel sorry for you Aks. I really do," she said, showing him how sorry she felt for him.

Her words made his blood boil. His hands tightened in a fist as his temper flared up and he no longer held the control on himself.

The smile of Zehra's lips disappeared and her eyes widened and filled with deep fear as soon as she saw him taking out his belt, the memories of the first night struck to her like the coldest air and losing all her confidence she shook in her place.

"Aks....no."

She whispered with her lips shaking like a dry leaf.

The devil in him did not listen and started rolling the belt around his fingers ready to give the first strike to her clothed body.

"It is not my truth that is bitter Zehra. It is your tongue that is bitter. It is you who is bitter. YOU!!!" he roared and raised the belt in the air to hit her.

Zehra felt that old night visiting her again after a whole year. Scared, she closed her eyes and hid her face behind her palms as if it would save her from his ruthlessness.

In the great fear only one name ran through her mind and that was the name of the man who was hitting her..her enemy, her lover, her husband.

"Shukrana.. please...." her voice quivered, for the first time begging her shukrana who used to beg her to love him.

As soon as the words left her mouth something flickered in Aks's eyes. The belt fell from his grip on the ground with a loud sound and what was left was a dead silence.

Not feeling the pain that she awaited to feel, Zehra removed her palms from her face and opened her closed eyes.

She was met with a silent Aks who was looking like a dead soul into her eyes.

Something changed within him in a timespan of seconds but what it was she failed to figure out.

He looked in a trance as he slowly leaned to her, trapping her soft body under his hard one. Not leaving an inch of distance he felt her heart beating against his chest.

The proximity did not make Zehra feel anything even if she was feeling this closeness to him after the whole five years.

Aks who was silent as a sea had his dark eyes flickered to her dreamy eyes and then to her thick red lips.

Without exchanging any word he leaned and pressed a kiss to her lips.

Zehra gasped feeling his lips on hers after so many years. The nothingness in her changed into something and she felt her world stopping.

Her mind became numb and she let him kiss her.

Though she did not participate in the kiss, she did not resist as well.

It was their first kiss after their marriage. After one whole year of their marriage.

How she has yearned to get kissed by him again all those years and how awfully he betrayed her after all those years.

His lips felt the same even now but there was something different. It was the absence of love.

This kiss was unexplainable as it was carrying no emotions.

Her old Aks would give all his love to her whenever he kissed her and she used to melt in his arms and kiss him back everytime...not like this.

As slowly the memories of her old Aks faded from her mind, the memories of this new Aks took place and what only left was betrayal...no amount of lovely memory but a betrayal.

Zehra pushed him away from herself as soon as her thoughts became organized. Aks groaned, losing the taste of her soft lips. When he met her eyes he was met with nothing but disgust on her face.

"How dare you !" she whispered yelled, still on his side on the bed.

Seeing the look on her face, a smirk edged on the corner of his and he wiped the drool that was on his lips that he got from her mouth,"Just wanted to feel your bitterness. You really do taste bitter Zehra. No wonder your husband chose another woman over you."

He said showing no mercy.

His words wounded her like every time. Her low self esteem got lowered. Though she did not try to show that on her face but from inside she was crying.

Aks was about to say some more words which were harsher than before but a knock came on their door.

"Breakfast is ready lovebirds," Reyna said, from outside in a singsong manner, inviting them for breakfast.

Both the husband and wife looked each other in the eyes. It was Aks who got up from the bed first and then pulled Zehra with him.

Holding her hand in his he took her in front of the mirror and stood behind her.

He set her loose curls which had got messed up because of his fingers running through them when he was kissing her.

He let the evidence of their kiss linger on the corner of his lips that was her red lipstick.

Lastly arranging her pink dupatta on her shoulder and then arranging his clothes in a proper manner he held her hand in his hand tightly.

Looking at their reflection which make them look like a perfect couple Aks leaned to her ear and placed a dry kiss on her earlobe before whispering, "Don't tell."

.....