War For Love

~Thirteen~

"Tuck your dupatta (scarf) in your skirt." Sahib instructed before he started his lesson. Siya nodded her head as she tucked the free end of her dupatta (scarf) to the side of her skirt.

All the excitement and happiness drained out of her when Sahib removed the scabbard of the swords, revealing two bamboo swords. Siya was expecting the original sword, which had the power and edge to kill the enemy. How can she even defend herself with a bamboo sword? It felt like she had been robbed. Fraud. Her mind mocked her and she looked at Sahib with narrowed and confused gaze.

"This is not the original sword!" Siya said, glaring at the man in front of her, who in turn rose his brows at her. His face slightly tilted to the side as he looked at her with a look that made her look dumb.

"What were you expecting on your first day of training, Miss Siya? Do you even know how to hold a sword? How to block a hit? How to hit on the right time?" Sahib asked in his dangerously calm voice, which made Siya to open her mouth, only to close it later.

"Exactly." Sahib said when she didn't say anything in return. "When I'll see progress in you, I'll give you the real sword. Now, here, even this can do severe harm, so be careful, hm?" Siya nodded her head, holding the bamboo sword in her hand, it felt slightly heavy on her palm.

"Aren't bamboo's supposed to be light?" Siya wondered and Sahib again rose one of his brows, shaking his head.

"Not always. I could've given you a light bamboo sword too. But the war sword is much heavier than a bamboo sword, you need to get used to the heaviness of your weapon." Sahib explained.

Next what astonished Siya was the scarecrow Sahib dragged with him. What was the need of scarecrow in teaching sword fighting?

"Okay, so I'll teach you today the basics of sword fighting, which are basic attack and how to block an attack, okay?" Sahib said, taking his own bamboo sword, clutching the top of its handle in his right hand while the lower one in his left hand. Siya mimicked his actions.

"Wait!" Siya exclaimed, stunning Sahib for a second. She put her sword back in her scabbard before she walked towards Sahib, making him look at her warily.

Siya was so unpredictable that no-one knew what Siya would be doing next. She was the same woman who had broken all the rules to comes here and learn sword fighting, the women of her village weren't allowed to. Then why would she want to cease her training even before they start? Sahib however, looked at her with his eyebrows shot up, his arms folded against his naked chest, for a second distracting Siya, before she snapped out of it.

"You want to quit, already?" Sahib mocked, slightly relieved but majorly disappointed because her rebellious nature was what made her 'Siya'. And as much as he denied but the idea of teaching Siya seemed very pleasant to him. That way, he could spend more and more time with her.

"Barely." Siya snorted, getting down on her knees before she placed her sword in Sahib's feet before placing her head too.

Sahib was taken aback by Siya's action. He took a step back, his eyes widening like those of saucers and his fingers curled up in a fist when she touched her forehead against his feet. It wasn't the first time someone had touched his feet, every time he saved someone from the wrath of royals, people touched his feet— men, women and children too.

But Siya touching his feet wrong different. Wrong. She was equal to him. And that was the condition they had amid them before they started the training and before Siya started calling Sahib by his name. Then why was she defying her own rules?

"What in the name of Shiva (God) are you trying to do, woman!" Sahib snarled, not liking that Siya was bending down on her knees in front of anyone. Even if that person was Sahib himself.

Siya however, didn't look offended by his reaction, she simply smiled, not her usual mischievous smile but the smile that made the sky to melt. Sahib was still a human, who was founding it hard to keep his eyes off her.

"Nothing's wrong with me, Rudra. I just wanted to seek the blessings of my Guru (teacher) before starting the lessons. You know, when I wanted to learn about the medicines, no-one was ready to teach a girl amid a group of boys. So, I decided to learn myself and I used to sneak out of my house and secretly learn from the vaidya (doctor). But I could never seek his blessings because he didn't want me to learn. I have stolen his knowledge. But, you're right in front of me, teaching me. You will bless me with the power of knowledge and spirit to fight for the right, yes?"

Sahib froze from the words coming out of her mouth. Her voice held no anger, no jest, no torment, nothing. This was the most honest and raw words he had heard from her mouth. He gulped visibly, his Adam's apple bobbing as he nodded his head, his nails digging in his palms.

"Get up, Siya." Was all he could manage out. But Siya was oblivious to the storm unfolding inside his heart. His stoic, impassive face hide all the emotions and turmoil his heart had, very well. So well that she couldn't see past his expressionless face.

"Not until you bless me." Siya said in his firm voice and Sahib licked his lips, taking a deep breath in.

He had never blessed someone. Hell, no-one has ever asked for his blessings. She was the first one and he didn't knew what to say and how to bless but how could he tell her that? And the way his jaw was clenched and his eyes had darkened, it could be easily misinterpreted about the emotions he felt for her.

"I— I—" Sahib couldn't speak, he swallowed nervously as he gazed down at the woman, who he wished had the whole world, was now bending down in front of him. How could he see that woman bending in front of him, in front of whom his soul bows down?

"Don't know how to bless?" Siya asked and Sahib's eyes widened for a slight second, making her smile as she looked up at her Guru (teacher) with a mischievous but pure smile.

"You're a stubborn woman, Siya. You don't need my blessings to conquer any battle because you can get victory with your will." Sahib said, meaning every word of it. Siya's heart started beating loudly as she nodded her head at him, as she tried to keep her smile to himself.

"I'll take that as 'may you conquer any battle you wish with your will and determination.' Hm?" Sahib clenched his jaw, not answering her question and she giggled, getting up, taking a bit of soil on her finger before rubbing it on her forehead. Sahib was impressed by her. She looked really interested for someone who often made jokes out of everything.

"If you're done with seeking and giving blessings. Can we start today's lesson? It's almost time for people to wake up." Sahib said, gripping his sword, yet again and Siya nodded her head, mimicking his actions.

"Okay, you you need to keep your left leg ahead and right leg to the back. Remember, here your left leg is the leading one, okay?" Sahib asked and Siya nodded her head, placing her left leg ahead, just like Sahib had instructed her.

"Now, you need to position the sword straight against your shoulder and then pull it forward, to protect yourself from an attack. Like this." Sahib said, showing her, by moving his sword forward towards the scarecrow, his left knee bending slightly and Siya tried to imitate him.

"Not so slow, Siya. Your enemy won't wait for you to counter his attack, okay? And make sure to keep your actions more firm than delicate, okay? Let's try again." Siya nodded her head, following him and it seemed much more hardworking and hard than she had thought. How would it feel to fight with an actual war sword in an actual battle, then?

"What if my mind goes blank when my enemy is attacking me?" Siya asked and Sahib looked at her intently.

"It will if you don't practice enough. But when you practice daily, your body starts getting used to counter the attacks and block the hits. But for that, you have to work hard." Sahib answered and Siya realized, Sahib was much more paitent with her, as her teacher.

Sahib was a short tempered man but something about Siya made him swallow his anger and forced him to increase his level of patience for her. Or let's say, Sahib was working hard on himself, not to lash out on her.

"Now, once you block the hit, you need to bring your right leg forward, so that right leg is your leading leg, okay? And then bring down your sword in a straight line, against your enemy's neck. Remember your edge should be facing towards your enemy." He said, striking the scarecrow, making a clicking noise.

"But this sword of yours has no edge." Siya retorted, making Sahib to curl his fingers into a fist as he slightly glared at the woman in front of him.

"Are you forgetting what I told you in last night, Siya? You'll listen to me. You're learning under me and my rules. You need to follow them. Do you understand?" Sahib asked in his daunting low voice, that passed shivers down her spine. She licked her lips, nodding her head.

"Yes."

"Then shut up and concentrate! Bring your right leg ahead and bring your sword down on me." Siya almost rolled her eyes but stopped looking into his dark pools, knowing it wasn't the right time to aggravate him. Especially when he was the in charge now.

"With a little more force, Siya. We're not killing mosquitoes here. Bring your sword down with force!" Sahib commanded in his hard and firm voice, making Siya to swallow nervously.

"But— but that would hurt you!" Sahib blinked at her words. He should've been irritated by her. She still wasn't listening to him. He had asked her to hit him with force more than he can count on his fingers and yet she wasn't following. But her words that came out of concern made his lips to part. He closed his eyes, the sudden vibrations and fluttering inside him was messing with his mind and heart.

"You won't, Siya. Hit again, with force. Else, I'll show you, how it's done with force." Sahib threatened her but Siya still looked hesitant and she didn't do it. She couldn't hurt Sahib.

Sahib clenched his teeth, taking the position himself, bringing his right leg ahead before he brought the sword down on Siya's shoulder, not hard enough to leave a mark but hard enough to make her feel the pain and force. Siya's eyes clenched at the sharp pain that spread in her left shoulder, before she opened her eyes to glare at the man in front of her.

"Ah!" She winced in pain, rubbing her shoulder.

"What? You wanted to learn sword fighting so bear the consequences. Plus, you need to learn to bear the pain. And I told you multiple times to hit me. So, do again, Siya. With the exact same force. Maybe a little more but no less than the force, I used. We don't have all day." Siya pursed her lips, nodding her head at him.

"Fine." With that she took her position and brought the sword down on his bare shoulder, hard. Not so hard, but Sahib nodded his head, nonetheless. Before he brought his own sword down on Siya's sword, making her eyes to close at the clicking noise.

Sahib took a second to appreciate Siya, as her eyes was clenched shut. She was beautiful, so beautiful that he couldn't even describe. He gulped when she opened her eyes and their eyes met like two oceans meeting each other. Her lips parted as he took a measly step forward, the sword still amid them. Before anyone of them could've said anything, they heard a group of people coming their way.