The Tale of SAHABABAD

Two

CHAPTER TWO

Yodhya was shaking with fear, feeling somewhat ashamed and humiliated for being treated like a toy or maybe a ubiquitous object which wasn't hard for anyone to conquer. The a*******n from her country where she was supposed to feel the safest among the other places had shaken her soul badly, shattering any ounce of confidence and self-regard she had within her.

She was inept of meeting anyone's eyes, especially his. His penetrating eyes on her were like a splash of icy water of the Atlantic Ocean in winter-nights, pinching her insides with its coldness and making her feel numb. Its darkness was mocking her, giggling at her helplessness and her inability to keep her words which she had thrown at his face with the arrogance of ignorance as if he didn't matter as if he didn't exist. His gaze felt similar to a hard slap on her face, making her see the harsh reality that she doesn't belong to her land anymore, that she was defeated in the war called 'life' against the man her soul couldn't tolerate and that she was his. Her brain had fathomed the consequences of her lost freedom long ago, and now it was only stating the facts, announcing the final judgement, that she was unfit to accept.

Her conscious was eating her alive for behaving like a rag doll instead of raising a cry of despair, for accepting their smirch actions without standing against it when she was competent to, but even it knew how abashed she was.

How can you let them have their way, Yodhya? How can you easily accept defeat? How can you be such a coward? You don't deserve to inhale a single breath. Have shame and die!

She felt something in her soul broke, maybe it was... her self-respect or her image of herself that she had created over a long time, she couldn't comprehend what it was but she wasn't unable to meet her eyes, therefore averted her gaze from the rear-view, unable to withstand her reflection anymore to only meet his horrifying eyes.

She saw everything within her; her arrogance, pride, vanity, confidence and intelligence lying in his feet, at his leniency to be crashed or left at clemency. Her thoughts were making her cry hysterically, making her feel even more depressed and devastated than she already was as more tears of self-misery poured out of her eyes on to the crimson cheeks. She lowered her head, feeling somewhat exposed under his penetrating gaze.

'Do not cry!' She heard him whisper, but she didn't respond. Crying her heart out, pouring her aggression, disappointments and anger through heavy tears were her only solace, for the time being, making her quiver in shame.

Iblis had dropped the demanding tone he had used minutes ago as he perused her withering form for a nanosecond, only to acknowledge a storm of unknown emotions raising deep within his soul. He tried to maintain his calm demeanour to ignore her red-puffy eyes full of defencelessness, but every restraint failed, making him lose his inner-battle as he forwarded his hand to wipe her tears, only to witness her flinching back in the opposite direction while shaking her head like a madwoman and clanging to the other door like a lizard, scared for her dear life.

She was shivering. He observed and clenched his jaw, any impertinence and arrogance of the moment before had vanished into the thin air as his eyes racked all over her to take in her dishevelled appearance.

Her hands were tied behind her back with handcuffs while her legs were secured in a place with ropes. A white gag was muffling her uneven breaths and her hairs were messy, flying in all the direction, his eyes tried to meet hers to investigate what was running in her brain, but the position of her head hung down towards the ground and the ruminants of her hairs which had covered her face like a veil, made it impossible. From the slight shake of her shoulders; one could easily conclude that she was sobbing hysterically— overall, she looked a complete wreck and nothing close to the Yodhya, he had met.

Why am I feeling this? What is this feeling, Ali? Is it your heart beating? Iblis stood there in a haze, fighting a thousand battles with his conscience. You are not allowed to feel anything, especially for a stranger. A lame attempt to reason him out was failed when a voice from his soul answered. She is your wife and you have every right to feel this.

Junoon (madness) he heard his heart whisper and for the second time in his life, he decided to listen to the voice of his heart as he let out a few profanities under his breath before commanding Abner to take Yodhya to his room without helping her with any of chains. It was a matter supposed to be handled by him and he had made up his mind to handle it his way.

Abner silently obliged to the command of his superior as he dragged a struggling Yodhya to the main hall, on the staircase to the elevator and finally to Iblis's bedroom meanwhile Iblis ascended the stairs of his house, tailing after Abner, only to take the opposite route from the second floor to have a walk on the terrace, and have a chat with himself.

—————

Yodhya wasn't weak like an ordinary woman. She possessed strength, intellect and eternal power graced upon her by the soul of the universe. She was far more special, stronger and rebellious than the girls of her age and somewhere in her heart she had already recognised the divine soul in her. Perhaps, it was the woman in her that was so courageous as to make it clear on the previous time, by escaping under his nose under the security where a drop of pin catches penetrating attention of the well-equipped guards. She was raucous and had lived her life on her terms. Then why was she behaving like a vulnerable damsel in distress this time, expecting the men, his men to show some sympathy on her and let her go? Why was she expecting anything from him in the first place when he wasn't leaving any stone untouched to make her feel like garbage?

He had shown her that she was not even worth fighting for, that it was a child's game for him to have her and that he was the man who had kept his word in each respect possible. He had made her sustain his power, upon which she had made snarling remarks in the past standing on the same land. The remarks that had landed her in such drastic circumstances in the first place, as he had promised her.

It took barely Seven days for them to bring her back to Sahababad, something she hadn't thought of while flying back. Only seven days and she was standing on the same land among the same people, breathing the same air and seeing the same gorilla-looking intimidating faces. She was locked back in the same cage.

A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces with a sledgehammer, seemed to flow through her heart, making her sit erect on the bed as she waited for his next move, his next words, anticipating a raging cry of ecstasy and victory as soon as he walks into the room. Her eyes averted upwards to the shinning moon in a fade whirl to negate the thoughts. The chilly breeze of the winter was shushing past the window, making the perfect frame of the doors of window open-close in an accepted pace, making a sound of hit each time they collide with the windowpane, but even the moon stands cracking up at her miseries as she thought back of the life she had had. She thought of her parents, her brother, his wife, her collage, her backpack, her room and her pet. She thought about everything that she wouldn't be able to see again. It felt as beautiful reminiscent. Her reverie was broken short by the sound of footsteps. She heard the door being opened and then closes with a soft thud, but didn't bother checking another presence in the room. The strong cologne had already told her about the person she was going to interact.

Iblis laughed aloud a habit he had developed when his brain becomes null of over-thinking. His laughter echoed through the room catching the attention of the guards at the door and those dancing around on their toes after him. A mocking expression lingered on his face as he took in Yodhya's dishevelled appearance while he signalled the guards to leave them alone. He felt a feeling of pride and sorrow, all at the same time when his dark eyes met her puffy-red ones. The ever so calculated brain had decided to become a traitor at the moment or perhaps his 'nonexistence' heart had taken over and for the first time in his life, Iblis didn't know how to take hold of the situation. How he might behave, knowing exactly that his reaction would be a harbinger in their relationship as a husband and wife.

His sharp brain was quick to analyze the situation and presented him with two options, of course, the choice was his made—the first one was quite clear and a lot difficult to comply with; he could either forgive her for insulting him and disgracing his reputation and forget the words of the challenge she had thrown at his face in his realm like bare daggers and carry on a peaceful life as he was and let her have peace in his house as well where she could enjoy as many absurdities as she could think of and die an honoured death with his last name and a tag of being his wife, or he could take revenge from this dark-haired girl tied in his bed for standing up to him.

Vivid, a beautiful hallucination flashed through his mind where he would flog her to death with a rubber truncheon, make her a slave in his house and crumple her esteem each passing second. He would tie her naked on his bed and put all the bullets of his machine gun inside her body, not before ravishing her to every inch and just before she would reach her c****x, making her see stars by enduring his stamina. He could unleash his inner beast and r****h her till she could take no more and kills herself accepting defeat.

Ravish! The thought made a wave of pleasure passed through his spine, bringing a sensation in between his thighs as he pictured himself above her, torturing her from every angle until she couldn't afford to scream or see anything but his face and the i*********e. He would make her beg for mercy in a thousand ways as he would enjoy the feeling of clenching of her insides around his p***s.

Iblis felt like slapping himself on these thoughts. It is a sin to think of a woman in this manner. His mother had always taught him. He didn't understand the reason for his intellectual hatred for her. He couldn't think of a suitable reason to loath her in the way moreover, he realised why he used to hate her so much. He hated her because she was beautiful, stubborn, stood upon him, and had an irresistible s*x appeal. He had hated her because she was making him restless; giving him sleepless night and think a thousand sinful scenes he had loved to do with her. He hated her because he wanted to go to bed with her and do things to her he had never done with any woman before. He hated her because she was making him experience...lust and solicit. She was making him go crazy over her and lose control.

His thoughts annoyed him and for a few moments, he stood there, leaning against the backdoor, staring at Yodhya with intense emotions in his eyes. His face was almost blank, making it harder for her to read anything. It had always been hard to comprehend his thoughts with the nonchalant look he used to carry. His aura was dark and screamed power, so were his eyes which were charcoal black with a tinge of faded brown in it, covered by a thin layer of long eyelashes that matched with his fair complexion and the perfectly trimmed beard. He took steps forward and eliminated the distance between both of them and Yodhya found herself jumping in fright.

It was the most she could take in and she wasn't ready to fight, unlike the previous time. She had no strength left in any cell of her body. She was scared of the people around her, the land she was in and him and his mysterious eyes, his eyes were scaring her that was piercing through her soul as if enjoying her miseries.

Iblis continued walking while Yodhya shifted the farthest she could mange and clanged to the bedpost as her life depended on it, as the bedpost would help her escape that scary looking man. Yodhya stared at his face and immediately closed her eyes. She couldn't bear to see him.

Silence hung in the air as neither of the two said anything, Iblis didn't utter a word because he didn't want to while Yodhya didn't say anything because she simply couldn't. The gag was still there, muffling her scream and making it difficult for her to swallow the lumps forming in her throat due to the intensity at the moment. She anticipated his next move, expecting him to boast about his power and authority on the land which came nonetheless as he spoke.

'Trillions of people in the universe, Billions of people on our planet, Millions of people in my town and I was fortunate enough to meet you. A fierce lioness.' She heard his deep voice filled with venom and sarcasm that didn't go unnoticed, but deciding to keep her head down for the time being to avoid the supposed triumphant look on his face, she kept her eyes closed.

'I can't tell you, how happy I feel that you are back to the man you belong, Khatoon. I am on cloud nine already. Can't wait to show you around? By the way, I can bet you'd not forget anything in such a short time. Hardly a week? I guess.' Iblis spit tauntingly. The snarling scoff in his voice was evidence of the rage in his heart for the disgrace she had brought on his name and reputation by escaping him. She had humiliated him publicly by running away, she had challenged his power and she knew the consequences.

'Welcome to Sahababad, Zawjah. You have no idea about the aches you have made us go through with the stunt you have pulled on the previous time. We had to visit India, the pious land of saints, to commit another heinous crime. You are leading me far away from Paradise.' His deep voice near her ears made her jump as fear crawled deep inside her heart. Yodhya was mortified at herself for reacting the way he wanted.

She remembered how she used to curse the women who endured everything happening to them without opening their mouths to rebel. Those moments were the specifics that used to fill her with dread and hatred. Was it a conspiracy of the universe that fate had made her stand on the same page where she used to shake her head in mock disgust?

'Scared? Aren't we?' He whispered as he stroked her hairs, removing a few strands from her face. He untied her legs first; massaging the red marks with the thumbs for a few seconds and then went further to open the handcuffs while maintaining eye contact.

'Don't look elsewhere. It angers me when you don't hold my gaze. I like looking in your eyes. They are beautiful as you are.' He cooed softly. Yodhya tried to shift as far she could which was merely an inch if measured as he continued removing the restraints. He didn't waste a single second in opening the knot of the gag and a series of dry coughs echoed through the four walls.

'Water?' He asked, but didn't receive an answer. He simply shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and offered her a glass of water on which she snapped her head in the other direction as she brought her knees to her chest, creating a thin gap between them.

'Don't want it? I won't force you, Yodhya. I never intended to until you compelled me. You shouldn't have done that.' He breathed as he leaned closer and inhaled a gush of her fragrance. 'It should be a sin to be this beautiful, you know.' He paused averting his gaze to the moon. 'I want to question Allah for making me go through all these pains, both physical and mental. I want to ask him why he has made my life difficult when he could have given me an ordinary one, but then who am I to question the creator. We should not question his actions and have faith in whatever He has planned for us. We should just accept and go on. Shouldn't we?' Iblis rambled on as if solving his mysteries, answering his questions. His eyes were afar at the moon as his fingers played with her hairs.

'Should I accept my fate, Yodhya? Should I accept you? I can get rid of you, you see. I have set an example. I am demonstrated my power. I don't need you by side any more. What should I do? Should I r****h you as I have pictured? A picture of you beneath me, writhing till you couldn't take it anymore and slice your throat like a piece of bread when I'll be done with your body.' He felt her stiffen at his words. A small smile curved upon his lips when he suggested the other option. 'Or...' he paused and looked at her. 'Let you destroy me, knowing that you are my lawfully wedded wife. A relation My Allah has blessed me with.' He said as he caught her head from the back and leaned closer. 'Let my Junoon ruin me! Let you ruin me. I don't want to play this cat and mouse game anymore. This madness is enough to drive me crazy.' He whispered and captured her heart-shaped lips, shutting her whimpers in the process. It was the first time he had tasted a woman. A woman who had stolen his sanity, peace and heart. He knew that there was nothing to stop him then and he was happy when he didn't receive a cry of reluctant either. Maybe she was too numb to respond, or maybe she was scared. He intentionally avoided it—and enjoyed the moment when he had finally unleashed his beast for the night and had allowed him to take over his sanity. To swim with the flow of destiny and let his Almighty lead him.

He was happy with the blessings of the Lord and the union was a commencement of a new beginning.