War For Love

~Twenty Two~

It was dark when Siya reached the forest. Her family was still asleep just like all the other villagers and officials of the government. The whipping she had received two days before was still painful but it was nothing that could have hindered her work and passion. Sahib had asked her not to come for practice and yet she was here, waiting for him. And as if, Sahib also knew how rebellious Siya was because he too had come to the forest. A wide smile formed on her face as she saw Sahib coming with the bamboo sword in his hand.

"Good morning, Guruji (teacher)." Siya said, her tone almost teasing and Sahib narrowed his eyes at her, glaring at her slightly as he pulled the scarecrow with him.

"I think I asked you to stay at home, Siya." Sahib said, his voice serious and low, which only made Siya to smile sweetly at him, picking her own bamboo sword before turning to face him.

"You did and yet you're here, Rudra. You were expecting me today, weren't you? And how can I turn down your expectations from me, hm?" Siya said with her smug smile and proud voice. Sahib rolled his eyes at her in response.

"Actually, yes. I was expecting you because I know how bullheaded you really are and that you won't listen to me!" Sahib growled out, increasing Siya's amusement even more.

"Aren't you turning into such a charmer, day by day, Sahib? I'm afraid your complements would make me as red as a tomato one day." Siya said, smiling sarcastically at him and he simply stared at her, giving her one of his infamous 'looks'.

"Good for you. Pick up your sword and take your postion. Do you remember what I taught you last time?" Sahib asked and Siya pressed her lips together as she nodded her head.

"Yeah, that you'll make me run a mile extra for every unpleasant word I'll say, you don't want to listen?" Siya sneered, her eyes fiery as the fire. Sahib froze for a second.

His eyes shifted down to her feet. She had her shoes on now. He remembered how he had forgotten that day that she doesn't wear any shoes or pair of sandals when he had asked her to run for her lessons. Guilt stabbed his chest and he slowly looked up at Siya with remorseful eyes. The smile on Siya's face vanished when she realized her teasing made him to remember the blisters she had got that day from running.

Clenching her eyes shut, silently rebuking herself in her mind, she took a step forward, placing her hand on his as she looked into the depth of his dark eyes. She could understand how a person loses themselves in the eyes of other. She swallowed nervously taking another step forward, their bodies so close to one another, that they could feel the warmth rolling out from each other's body. Guilt, pain, remorse, everything got dissolved in the neverending yearning their souls felt for each other.

"I'll never make you do that again, Siya. I promise." Sahib said softly, his voice heavy from the proximity and guilt. Siya was the real reason, his body acted differently. Why his voice would drop down to an octave, the reason why his voice gains the sudden huskiness and how his eyes would darken when she would touch him. Sahib feared that in no time, she would gain control not just on his reflexs but on his mind and soul too.

"I know, Rudra. I was just teasing you. I'm really sorry." Sahib blinked twice, relieved that she wasn't angry or upset before he narrowed his eyes at her, gripping her left arm before he pulled her closer to himself, making her gasp.

"Are you now, Siya?" He asked lowly, gazing intently in her dark eyes and she gulped at how close his face was to her. Her upper torso was pressed against his bare chest and his warm skin burned her into ashes. She, subconsciously, bit her lips, gazing into his eyes, wide-eyed.

"You didn't had shoes on that time, dearest Siya. However, you have one right now. Try making me feel that again, and I'll make you run miles again." The threat was simple and yet it made her insides to crumble.

Siya could never tell if Sahib was joking or not. Saying in Sahib's language, when had he ever jested with her? But Siya wanted to test his limits. It was only with Sahib, she could explore lengths and depth of everything without the fear of judgement and failure. She wanted to explore everything with him. The limit of his patience and the boundary of his love. The depth of his eyes and the length of his spirit. Everything. She wanted to know how much of her sky, he can embrace. She wanted to explore every inch of him.

"I guess, I'll be running for a life then, Rudra. Because I am sure as hell to make you feel a lot more than what you're feeling now." Siya said in her soft voice, her fingers gripping her skirt to refrain herself from touching him. Sahib felt a storm raging inside him. How can a woman make him feel so many things at once? Especially when he didn't want to feel any of them.

"Then why don't you start it from now, hm? Three miles. Before I teach you sword fighting." Siya's eyes widened and Sahib almost snorted at her expressions. She clenched her jaw, rose her chin high as she started running three miles.

"Be it three miles or three hundred miles, Rudra. I'll chase you always, if that's what you want."

Sahib for the myriad time felt taken aback by the woman, who was running because he had told her. He didn't really wish to make her run but she had provoked him the very first time and the last time, he couldn't stop himself, wanting to know until what extent can Siya go for him. He couldn't understand how she could manage to win everytime.

~~~~~

"You've been practicing." Sahib said when she fought properly what he had taught her last to last time, on their first day of training. Siya beamed at him, straightening her posture, making Sahib roll his eyes.

"I told you, I am a good student."

"Right. Now, see. When your opponent would try to attack you, you have to lean a bit back before countering his attack, okay? Attack me." He ordered and Siya complied, only for Sahib to lean a bit back before countering her attack, efficiently. "Just like this."

Siya nodded her head slowly, still a bit confused and she asked him to narrate again, this time slowly. Sahib was patient, as he repeated again, not a single line of irritation on his face.

"And then you push your sword towards your opponent's neck. If necessary, you slit their throat, okay?" Siya gulped at his last instruction, looking at him, slightly uncomfortable with the idea of killing someone.

"But won't this lead to so much spilling of blood?" Siya asked with a nervous laughter and Sahib looked at her intently. He had been to this phase once where Siya was now.

Killing people was never easy. The first time he killed an officer in a war he had fought at the age of twelve, he couldn't stop puking. He didn't eat anything for a week. Every time he saw the food, his gut would wrench painfully before he would puke his gut out again. But with time, Sahib realized that some battles can't be fought with words and wisdom but with weapons and blood. Freedom comes at the cost of thousands of life and immeasurable amount of blood.

"We're at the point, Siya, where our kings have literally signed all of our freedoms to the foreign rule. They own us, like we, humans own property. They trade in us like we're some assets and stocks. Last month, three thousand children were sold for unpaid slavery. Two thousand five hundred women were sold to the landlords all over the state because they couldn't pay the rents. Uncountable women were pushed into prostitution to earn their livelihood. These are the numbers of just a month ago. Think about for in respect to one year."

Sahib said, making Siya's eyes to widen. She knew parents often sold their daughters to settle their debts but to this extent, she wasn't aware. Siya remembered Mamta, the girl who has her marriage fixed with the landlord, who already have five wives. The main reason, she wanted to learn sword fighting was to save Mamta and many more women from the evil of human trafficking.

"Freedom demands blood, Siya. It's either you kill or you die. There's no in between. If you die today, your upcoming generation will live freely. But if we continue to live in fear and in repression, then our generations would also live in slavery. It's our choice, of course." Sahib said, making Siya to look at him as she shook her head.

It's kill or die. She chanted inside her mind.

"I'll kill and I'll die." Siya said and he nodded his head, asking her silently to save herself as he attacked her.

Siya leaned back, countering his attack before she pushed her sword against his neck and Sahib looked at her, impressed. Siya was a fast learner, no matter how much Siya thought, she was learning slow but Sahib knew she was very attentive and good in her learning. It won't be long until Siya would learn how to fight properly and would be named among the one of the best sword fighters in their country. She just needed practice.

"Why are you learning to fight though?" Sahib asked and Siya furrowed her brows as she looked at him in confusion.

"To fight in the battle." She said, nonchalantly and Sahib narrowed his eyes at her, shaking his head as he pushed his sword against her throat, Siya's bamboo sword fell on the ground. She gasped at how he had changed the scenario, in not more than a few seconds.

"It's indeed one of the reasons, Siya. But the real reason is something else. Isn't it?" Sahib asked and Siya swallowed nervously, shaking her head.

"What are you talking about, Rudra—"

Before Siya could've reacted, Rudra wrapped his arm around her wrist, pulling her towards him. Now, Siya's back was pressed against his chest and his bamboo sword against her throat. His arm around her made her think of things that were unholy in every aspect. Her body yearned for the warmth that wasn't just limited to her soul but extended to her body too. She swallowed at how close he was to her. His breath fanning on the back of her neck and she was too consumed in him to realize that she had also dropped her sword down.

"The most important rule of fighting, Siya, never engage in conversations while you're fighting. Hm?" Siya closed her eyes, trying to breathe evenly. She nodded her head as she shivered when his hold on her tightened. Not tight enough to hurt her, surprisingly, considering she still had those whipping wounds on her skin; but tight enough to make her feel the warmth of his body.

"Yes."

"Great. Now tell me, my dearest, why are you learning to fight?" Siya clenched her jaw as she slightly turned her face to answer him.

"Careful with your words for me, Sahib, one might misinterpret it for an endearment."

"Is it? Then they better misinterpret it, my dearest Siya. Now stop avoiding my question and tell me what you want to learn fighting for?" Siya felt shivers passing down her spine at his words. He was making her insides blaze in need.

"To protect myself."

"From what? What are you on, Siya? What are you on, I'm not aware of?" Sahib gritted out, his arms rubbing the back of her palms, making it harder for Siya to breathe. This proximity amid them was so overwhelming for her and yet she craved for more. So much more.

"What are you—"

"Siya," And she couldn't bear the proximity anymore, knowing once he would have his answer, she'd lose his warmth once again. Partly she was defying him to be in his warmth and partly because she didn't want Sahib to involve in her battle.

"You're an evil person! Stubborn as the King of Hell, himself! Fine. I'm learning to fight so that when I raid a marriage and help the bride to escape her own marriage, so I can protect myself."