SACRED DECEPTION

11 || Known Stranger ||

I was still laughing when I noticed her thinking something and opening her mouth to say the thing which she was thinking obviosuly.

" But Kashi, I think whoever that man is.. he's trying to keep you away from Badshah, even if it meant assassining the King. Remember, he had offered you a dagger? "

The smile which was playing on my lips instantly dropped after what she said and I started interpreting the whole situation in my mind.

Yes. She was saying right.

I lifted my gaze again and found her looking back at me.

The room fell into silence again before the edges of our lips lifted a bit to form a smile which looked more like a smirk and she decided to break the silence.

" Are we both thinking the same thing? "

She asked to which I nodded before giving my reply.

" Yes, we are. "

She smiled widely on my confirmation.

" Let's say it together then. "

She said to which I nodded hurridely before smiling like a fool.

" Let's say it on the count of three, Kashi! "

She stated and I started counting instantly as we both smiled like idiots.

" In 3.. 2.. 1..! "

" As Aditya Hukum sa wanted to separate me from Sultan that night so he can be the that man- "

" The dagger he gave you is beautiful!! "

I immediately stopped after her words reached my ears and I looked at her in disbelief.

To which she just smiled and mouthed me a
' sorry '.

Why the fuck she's so cute? haha.

I was still smiling when Aayat's cheerful voice reached down my ears followed by the creaking voice of the main door of my chamber.

I turned my head slightly in her direction as Charvi was still busy with my hair and saw two other people following Aayat with a wide grin.

" Bhabhi jaan, King has appointed these two in your service as they are also most trusted in the harem you know? "

Harem, yes I have heard about it. Although we don't have harems in Kashikullam but I remember Bhai sa had told me something about it.
It is a reserved area for wives, female servants and concubines. I am his wife, so I'm living in his harem where he can come whenever he wants.

In a harem, only male which is allowed to come i is the king itself.

I was still thinking about this information which was expected but still diappointed me to the core.

He can pay me a visit whenever he wants.

I came out of the thoughts of harem and Badshah when Aayat started introducing me to the two unkown people who were standing in my room.

" Bhabhi jaan, this is Aafreen.. "

She said while pointing towards the girl who was wearing an olive colour attire- which I was not able to figure out what it was.

Her attire had a long kurta which was reaching till her mid thighs-

I was too focused in solving the mysetry of her clothes when Aayat's voice made me snap my neck in her direction and I saw her pointing towards the other person.

" And meet her, this is Chaand Bano.. she's an eunuch. "

The person whose name was Chaand Bano looked at me while smiling from ear to ear.

Yes, I have heard that harems are filled with eunuchs, they are kept here for security purposes.

However, when I looked at Chaand bano's arms.. they didn't like the arms of someone who could protect me.

I was too busy in figuring out Aafreen's attire and Chaand Bano's arms when Charvi nudged me with her elbow. That's when I realised that I was staring at them.

I immediately came out of my dreams and joined my hands together in order to greet both of them, but Chaand bano suddenly held my hands and opened her mouth to speak.

" Ab aap yaha bhi haath jodegi, Malika? "

( Now you will join hands to wish in Mughal Sultanate, Malika? )

After saying this, Chaand Bano and Aafreen started laughing and tried to push my hands downwards.. However, I didn't let her.

I looked at her and a smile found its way on my lips when she finally stopped laughing.

" Ji jodege kyuki humare yaha aise hi sawagat kiya jaata hain dosto ka. "

( Yes, I will join hands because that's how we greet friends. )

Nobody said anything after those words left my mouth as silence prevailed before Aayat cleared her throat and opened her mouth to say something.

" Bhai jaan has said that Malika can live in the way she wants to. Nobody will force her to follow our customs and systems. "

As soon as Aayat's words reached down my ears, my eyes came out of its sockets and I looked at her with pure shock in my eyes..

I can't believe Badshah actually said that. Like, why would he?

He's weird.

I was still busy in thinking about the reason why he would try to help me out when suddenly, a melodious voice of flute reached down my ears and before I could process this information.. Aayat held my hand and started dragging me out of the chamber while saying something.

" Bhai jaan is playing flute again, Malika!! Let's go! I don't want to miss anything! "

Oh, so King is playing flute.

Wait, he can play flute? I processed the newly found information in my mind and was not still able to believe that he is interested in something which is not associated with war-

I suddenly bumped into a wall- no, into a man because I was too lost in thinking about king!
Moreover, dragging of Aayat didn't help either.

But wait, what a man is doing here in the harem at the first place!!

I slowly moved my gaze to the man who was wearing a black turban and his face was covered with the end of his head wear.

I moved my gaze from his face to his clothes, and noticed almost everything abiut his attire. He was wearing a black kurta and a black shawl. And the intidimating look in his eyes didn't go unnoticed by me.

From his face, my eyes scooted downwards and noticed a weird tattto of eagle on his wrist-

I stopped noticing the man standing in front of me when Aayat asked him his identity and he suddenly started running in the opposite direction.

But before he could run away, Chaand bano threw a Mashaal right at him which was in her hands because of darkness, and the fire caught his clothes..

He turned towards us for a tiny amount of time, and I noticed the green embers of his eyes.

And in no time, he started running away from us and royal guards ran behind his fading figure.

As I again started thinking about those eyes.. eyes which felt like known strangers.

Sigh.

Right now, what I knew was.. I have seen those eyes before.

🍁

Mashaal - A long stick with burning material at one end..used to provide light.

Another Update!
Any guesses about the man in black?
Thank you for reading Veekshu99, RajniJugran

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