If

fire without smoke

She's like a silent storm, her bare feet make no sound as she tours the room for the eleventh time. Khilji feels the waves rising high with every step Padmavati takes and he wonders when they'll crash down on him.
"What is it that you are doing? A prayer?"
Padmavati glares at him, trying not to look too annoyed. It's a prayer indeed. She prays for a way out of this trip to Malwa, which will take two months at least. She thinks she is almost three months old pregnant now. It will be very difficult to hide her five months old belly, if not impossible.
"Why do we have to go?" She asks.
Khilji steps closer to her, opening his arms. Padmavati can't find the will to step back but looks at him with wide eyes.
"What a beauty..." He says, reaching out for her hair. He wraps a lock of hair around his finger and brings it to his nose, inhaling her scent.
Padmavati is shaken to the core, seeing his eyes darken with lust. She can almost smell his desire to claim her right here and now.
She feels intimated just by his stare, it is scary and uncomfortable. But there is something she can't find the words to describe in her mind, being desired in such a strong way... Does not feel bad. It makes her feel powerful, unlike her intimate moments with Ratan. Everytime he touched her, Ratan's arms were so warm and welcoming that her knees would weaken in surrender. The world of love they lived in was small, home-like and most importantly theirs.
When Khilji looks at her this way, she feels the earth moving, winds blowing, rivers flowing into the sea and waves crashing to the beach. She feels the world is great and hers to conquer, when Alauddin Khilji, the man who has India under his rule, looks at her like he is ready to fight the world for her.
She answers her own question in a low voice, looking at him in the eyes. "You want to know if the prediction is true."
Khilji laughs loudly, letting go of her hair. "I already know that it is true, Padmavati."
"I want you to see it, too." He walks to the table where his signature and letters stand.
He lays a leather map on the table, wandering his hand on it. He pinches the cut on his neck, making the fresh wound bleed again. The blood from Khilji's wound, drips to the center of India and travels through the thin trails on the leather map. He swipes his hand over the map, colouring it in red completely. "With this wound you gave me, I'll colour the world in red, until it's no one else's but mine."

Padmavati knew many men who are deeply passionate to conquer. They all had a motivation whether it's a good or an evil one. Most of them were eager to bring justice, to save and protect their people, they believed in the good. She has also seen the ones who follow sinful desires because of their bad life experiences, animalistic upbringings and frustrations. Hence, she didn't believe that a human being can have such demonic nature, there had to be a reason. A reason not to justify the evilness, but to point a finger at, at least.

This belief of hers, dragged her into a deep curiousity as she watched Alauddin's dark, kohl lined eyes wander around the map. His hands were shaking in excitement at his sides when he raised his head to look at Padmavati.

He had the overwhelming desire to be the possessor of things. To be the only possessor of things, the one who owns the beauty on earth... The fuel of his passion was nothing but himself, there was fire, but no smoke. And this terrified her deeply.

Why?  Padmavati couldn't help but question him out loud. "Why do you want this world so desperately?"

"You have to come with me to see why." He said, coming back to next to her.

Padmavati's heartbeat was banging louder in her ears with each step he took. "What if I don't want to?" She said, stepping back.

He grabbed her beige dupatta, taking it off from her and revealing her chest. He pressed it on to his wound which is still bleeding, without breaking the eye contact.

"I'll make you want it."

***

Malika embroiders a piece of white fabric with golden thread, sewing on little beads, creating a floral pattern out of imagination. She has always been good at embroidery and loved making it for loved ones. Now, adorning this dress for her own child excites her, as she imagines a beautiful baby girl with dark hair and light skin wearing it.