The successors to the first rays that had woken Aaryan were brighter and rather persistent. Siya's sleep was no match for them, and she came awake to a room bathed in the morning's radiance. A sense of wellbeing had enveloped her at some point as she had slept, and she woke under its umbrella. She turned her head to see the slight indent in the blankets from where Aaryan had been lying in what had become their unplanned makeshift bed . As wakefulness took over, she sat up abruptly, a deep blush covering her face and neck as she realised how they had slept here all night, next to one another. The impropriety of it was shocking to Siya and even more so was the realisation that it did not feel wrong. Surely she should be ashamed at her behaviour but for some reason, there was no sense of degradation, although there was embarrassment aplenty.
Siya tried to immerse herself in activity to stop her racing thoughts, wondering how on earth she would face Aaryan. As her thoughts turned to him, she looked around, wondering where he was. He must have left before her, and she speculated if he had left in the night itself, but that slight dip on his side of the blankets and some unseen instinct told her not. She rushed to freshen up, shy again as she looked at the state of her disarray in the mirror. Once hurriedly ready, she went downstairs, wondering why it felt so quiet in the Haveli. She could hear no other sounds, and Veer's usually rigorous neighing was conspicuously absent too. She strained her ears to see if she could hear anything from the chamber she believed he had selected for himself, right next to the one he had allocated to her. She hesitated at its door, reluctant to open it in case he was there. A knock yielded no response and she wondered if he might be inside and had not heard her. However, it still felt too quiet. Coming back to the central 'chowk' of the Haveli, she called out his name, softly at first, and then slightly louder. On getting no answer, she ran to the main doors, expecting to find them barred, but to her utter amazement, they swung open at her touch. Siya ran outside to where Veer would be kept stabled. The hay in which he would usually loll was disturbed and the beast was nowhere in sight. A strange panic gripped Siya.
She ran back to the Haveli, calling for Aaryan in earnest, running around the oddly empty building. She even rushed into his chamber this time, noting absently the clearly masculine touches to that room, with its heavy draperies and contrasting silk spread on the mammoth bedframe that seemed to dominate one side. She saw that his assortment of weapons lay in a bundled corner, clearly those he had not carried on his person, for she had noted that he was never entirely unarmed. She was too occupied with finding him to consider a more detailed inspection and ran out as soon as she established that he was not there. Siya tried to grab at calm, but it evaded her. She was unable to understand why such fear at his unexplained absence pestered her. She stopped in the main hallway as it struck her that this could be her chance. He was nowhere in sight; she could arm herself from his collection, hunt for a map he must have somewhere, and strike out for the nearest settlement she could find. From there she could try to send word to her father. Her mind revolted at once, and she told herself that the reasons were entirely practical. As he had reminded her, she had no horse and did not know the terrain. Yet, she knew that this in itself was not enough to deter her. No, something else held her back.
She felt like she was coming undone; her feet moved in one direction, and almost immediately scrabbled back in the other. Resolving one minute to make the attempt regardless, especially if she found a map in his belongings, she tried to suppress the distaste called up at this thought of betrayal. Betrayal? Are you mad Siya? The man took you hostage. He stole a national security secret and is a known traitor! Yet, her heart screamed in protest, almost stunning her with its force. Something in her knew that no matter what she had seen or heard, he was not a callous criminal. You surely are not going to believe that he is innocent, are you, you stupid, moronic girl? she berated herself. You saw him shoot that poor soldier dead. And the Nagabhata Map, he took it. Why else would he do that? At the same time, her mind recalled Sushena, and his respect and almost awe towards Aaryan, the old man's words once again rang in her ears, she remembered Aaryan's agonizing grief at the news about his friend, saw those tender eyes looking down at her through the mask and him holding her hands to calm her, promising that he would make things right. Each image crashed through her mind, hurtling her feet towards the terrace. Siya knew she was behaving entirely inexplicably but she was unable to help herself.
She soon reached the terraced balcony, from where she could get view the arid wilderness that surrounded the confines of the Haveli. She stood panting at the sandstone ledge that ran the length of the portico, but all she could see was the desert and the endless reel of pictures in her head that refused to still. He would not abandon her surely, she thought, fighting with herself to stifle the agitation that continued to expand within her. Just then, she saw what seemed like a distant cloud of rising dust, immediately followed by a rider astride a great black stallion. Her heart crashed inside the walls of her chest, its speed not dissimilar to that wildly racing horse that was approaching the Haveli. She shut her eyes in silent thanks - he was here.
Aaryan had had little joy in escaping the screaming harpies that had been unleashed by the sight of the sleeping princess that he had so desired in that moment, but known he could never have. He had hoped that his mindless gallop would help clear his head and restore his control and composure, and it had seemed to for a while. However, he had shortly after flagellated himself for not only having the feelings that had threatened to unman him that early morning, but also for having been stupid enough to leave the Haveli, and her, unguarded and entirely unrestrained. He knew her penchant for attempting hare-brained escape schemes. God knows what she would do if she woke and found herself alone and the doors unlocked. He had thus raced back, even faster than he had ridden out, spurring Veer along as if for some important battle. As the Haveli came in sight, he saw her at the balcony, and all his hard won control seemed to dissipate. The next instant he saw her dash away from the balustrade and by the time he reached the gates, she was running towards them. The sight of her, all fresh-faced and wide eyed with concern, made him want to sweep her off her feet, and bury his face in those lustrous tresses that flowed about her face. Instead, he fought the wave of anger that these thoughts brought and swung off Veer, facing her as she reached him, slightly out of breath.
"Prince Aaryan! Where were you? Is everything allright? I was so worried. I found you gone and Veer too. I had no idea- where did you go?"
Aaryan just looked at her with a strange expression, not saying a word, and Siya tried to force herself to stop. She knew she was being silly but the words would not stop tumbling out. Her hands were waving in his face and her voice rose, the pent up emotions gushing forth.
"How can you just go like this? Do you know how many bad thoughts I had? You were so sad yesterday about your Maa. I didn't know what had happened! You should have at least told me. The doors were open, there was nothing stopping me leaving or anyone entering. What is the meaning..."
"Just shut up, Siya." Aaryan could not stand this. Her artless concern for his wellbeing when he was responsible for her plight and having entirely inappropriate thoughts about her, made him feel terrible. "There is no need to be so dramatic. I had something to do. As for you leaving, why did you not? As I have said before, where would you go from here? That too without a horse? How long will you last on foot? And as for someone coming in, I wasn't far, and this place is rather hard to find, in case you hadn't noticed. And I am not a child that needs worrying after."
Aaryan knew he was being totally unfair and cruel. Her face fell, and she had slightly flinched as soon as he had uttered the words "shut up", making him even more furious at himself. She had become very still, and despite the fire blazing from her eyes, her face was a cold mask, except that in the same instant an odd sheen of tears covered those soulful orbs. Without saying a further word, but giving him a look that could have felled a lesser man where he stood, she turned on her heel and ran back to the Haveli.
"SIYA." Aaryan called after her, but to no avail; she was gone, slamming the front door as she went. Aaryan felt terrible, his anger draining away as swiftly as it had taken hold of him.
"Damn, damn, damn!" Aaryan wanted to stamp his foot like a child in anger. This had all gone wrong. He knew that he had been entirely unreasonable and somehow also knew very well that he was very soon going to rue his boorish behavior. Aaryan ran indoors too, finding the central area and kitchen empty. He bounded upstairs, stopping outside Siya's firmly closed door, trying to search for words. His call for Princess Siya was met with silence, as was his sharp rap on the heavy wooden door. Taking a deep breath, he tried the door, and as fully expected, it held, locked. He made a few further attempts to invite Siya to open the door, but his taunts about being childish had no effect, and he rather feared that they were doing him more harm than good. He kept recalling the stricken look in her eyes at his harshness and heard her saying she had been worried about him missing his Maa. And in return you reminded her that she did not try to escape but waited here, worrying over your worthless hide. Well-done Aaryan, great going. And you call yourself her friend? The self-recriminations were only adding to his inexplicable confusion and he decided to leave her alone for a short time; she would have to emerge soon to eat if nothing else. It was still early but she would need breakfast, just as he would, he tried to tell himself.
Siya meanwhile sat motionless on the bed in the chamber, her mind in turmoil. She couldn't understand why Aaryan's gruffness had hurt her so much. She had been behaving like his keeper and he had been right - she had not run. She knew they had called a temporary truce but even he had acknowledged that should she get a chance to, she would try to leave. But the reality was that she had not wanted to. All her energy had been focused on fretting over him and mixed in with that was the inexplicable sense of isolation and fear that had come over her thinking he had abandoned her. So he had been away on one of his stupid secret missions. Why did that make her so furious? She had wanted to rail back at him and fly at him in rage, but his snapping voice and terse words had made her tearful instead, which in turn angered her at her own weakness. Now her chance at escape was lost too, she fumed. Well, so be it. I shall sit here and not talk to him at all. That childish resolution gave her equally juvenile satisfaction.
*****
Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed this part? The next section will be up on Friday and if you are liking the changing equation between Aaryan and Siya and are excited about what more will come (I like to think a lot!), please do take a second to press that little star on your screen, and even better - please throw in a word or more with your thoughts:). Lots of love!