The Two Kingdoms (Completed)

37.

Meera woke up to the peacocks in her balcony singing.
It was at least an hour or two before sunrise, Meera sighed as she saw the other half of the bed empty, but today she wasn't going to wallow like she did yesterday.

She picked herself from the bed and freshened up. She quickly made her way from the harem into the main courtyard where a few people had started their day, they stopped to greet her as she passed by.

Meera quickly made her way across the courtyard towards the fighting and training pits. She had been there once while Noor had given her the tour of the palace months ago.

She knew that the only face she wanted to see would be there. Meera could hear grunts and the sound of metal clanking from a distance and a smile stretched across her face.

As she neared the fighting pit, the sound intensified. The few men who stood there watching their king dance with his sword, dismissing every opponent took notice of Meera and bowed to her in respect taking a few steps back from the viewing platform giving her space.

Meera looked down at the pit of sand, she notice four men duelling her husband. A pink tint shaded her cheek as she saw his exposed chiseled chest which tapered into a 'V' and tucking itself into his pant.

His curly mop of hair bounced as he moved with grace, his sword had become a part of his arm, he moved with so much grace that it would put  the finest dancer to shame.
Soon three of the four men were on the floor, the last tried his best but soon succumbed to his sword.

"Bohot khub."

The voice made Haider turn in a flash towards the stand.

"What are you doing here ?" He said cocking his eyebrows. A faint smile played on his lips, he missed her face, he missed her scent, her touch, her presence.

"I am here." She said walking down the steps of the pit towards him. "To challenge the King for a round of sword fight." She said extending her arm toward the solider who had last duelled with Haider.

The solider looked at Meera with wide eyes, frozen, unable to comprehend.

"Talwar doge ya nahi?" Meera sassed.

The solider fumbled and handed over the sword to her.

"Malika e Hindustan aap haar jayengi." Haider smirked.

"Toh phir mere shohar jeet jayenge. Jeet toh meri he hogi anth mai, iss tarah ya uss tarah." She said smiling at him.

In a flash Haider picked up his sword and brought it down towards Meera, who successfully blocked his sword with her own, bending forward to push Haider back with all her weight.

"You are fast my queen." Haider whispered blowing hair on her face making her feel giddy for a second before she composed herself.

"I'm fast and I'm strong." She said and displaced herself making Haider stumble and roll on the floor as he lost his balance.

Meera took this opportunity and swung her sword skilfully towards him, Haider rolled on the sand dodging each blow by fraction of seconds.

"She is good." He thought.

Haider picked himself up from the floor and backed along the wall, still trying to dodge her blows.

"Meera bhuliye matt hum shohar hai apke." Haider panted still playing on the defence.

"Filhal toh aap shatru hai humare." She said.
Meera raised her sword to bring it down on him, Haider took advantage of her exaggerated motion to dodge aside and position himself behind Meera.