𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗢𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶 𝗧𝗮𝗱𝗸𝗮: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

4. It's beautiful..

"Should I? No, no that's so wrong. I can't." She bit on her nails, walking beside his figure in small and fast steps. She stepped on an apple, her foot rolling her down in a seated position. Wafa sahi kehti hai, I'm so clumsy! She groaned, but paused as she realized she was right beside his figure, her hands on his arm. Folding her legs, she sat there gulping. Her aim right infront of her.

"Yes, it's just that I....I have to check if he's breathing underneath this thing." She slowly moved her quivering hand upwards.

"Nai nai, parda kharab ho jaye ga isska!" She moved her hand back scratching her head. Though on the inside, she was very curious. Why does he hide his face behind this cloak?

"I'm just going to check if he's breathing or not!"

You can check his heartbeat, you know.

"No, why should I check his heartbeat. I'll check if he's breathing through his nose!" Convincing and bracing herself, she again moved her shaky hand and hurriedly pulled down his veil in one go.

Her eyeballs dilated, her mouth parting as she stared at his revealed face now. His closed eyes, a sharp nose, full lips , all his features were perfect. His face mildly hairy. His face had both the looks, handsome and pretty. Why'd he hide such a perfect face behind this?

Her thoughts cut off when her goggling eyes landed on the mark on the side of his right cheek. It was a wound mark, she could tell immediately. She had one on her arm too. It went down his cheek bone in a straight line. It looked deep and old. Just like hers.

Her hand lifted up itself to gently touch the mark but she instantly stopped when her eyes meet his greyish blue eyes which fluttered open to her horror. She pulled herself away with the speed

of light, until she was a ten steps away from him, attached to the wall, her dupatta falling off midways.

He touched his face, where the mark was. His hawk like angry eyes landing on her. "You saw it, didn't you?" The words left his mouth through clenched teeth, his voice dripping with venom as Bara's legs started trembling in fear. Why was he so mad?

"I-I.....I...was...uh...j-just-" She was horrified. She had never been this scared in the past four years. Watching him stand up from her blurry eyes, she was reminded of the past memories. The memories of the palace she wanted to forget. The pain. The misery. Her screams. Her cries.

"No, please don't hurt me. I didn't do anything. I am sorry. Please, stay away from me. Don't lock me up, please." She closed her eyes and started screaming while ranting these same lines, her tears falling non-stop. They were her memories. They were still so clear, how could she escape them when they were marked on her soul and mind?

Qasymbek, who was about to pick up his cloak and tie it back, froze in his place. Her screams rang through his ears in the silence of the slow raindrops outside, her shivering figure with the wall begging, his fists clenched, his heart clenched watching her in pain.

He picked her dupatta and took careful steps towards her, her voice subsiding slowly, but she never stopped her rant. "Please don't hit me. I will not do it again. Please."

"Shh..nobody's hurting you. You're safe here." Slowly wrapping her dupatta around her figure, he spoke in a hushed tone softly. He continued calming her down until she cried, sitting by her side.

The rain had stopped, they were both still sitting there, in the calm silence, until Bara's stomach growled loudly. She had stopped crying since a while ago and now the urge to eat something took over her thoughts. An apple landed on her dupatta which was covering her fully. Pulling out her hand, she took a huge bite of the apple, satisfyingly closing her eyes as the juicy fruit tasted like the best food ever.