Bakshi Bano P.O.V
The entire night I tossed and turned in my bed,sleep evading me.I did not know if it were good or bad.Every time I seemed to close my eyes,faces floated in front of my eyes.Every time I closed my eyes,I felt as if I were underwater,drowning but no one came to save me.
I did not know if by not sleeping perhaps my body tried to protect me.Thoughts of the next day when Masuma begum would be in front of me and what I would say to her tormented me.Would she ignore me?Would her heart yearn to embrace me tightly?Would she act upon it?
It felt like forever but my eyes finally begun to feel heavy,my head almost pounding from my troubling thoughts.I fell asleep,only to be awoken at what felt moments later when the morning prayer azaan sounded.
I performed wudu then offered my prayer.Talwar came in the khwaab-gaah,only for her eyes to go wide when she found me clad in my training kameez and pants.
I made my way out of the khwaab-gaah,Talwar behind me as I begun to go towards the training area.I could feel the restlessness of Talwar as she fiddled with her duppata,her feet hastening as she tried to match my walk.
“Kya hua,Talwar?” I questioned when I came down the stairs at the training field,turning to look at Talwar who stopped at the top of the stairs.Her worried eye,tight-strung lips conveyed her restlessness even more.
(What is wrong,Talwar?)
“Aap thik ho,Bakshi bano?You have never gotten ready without me coming to check on you?” She searched my face,biting her lip,”Did you sleep at all last night?”
(Are you okay,Bakshi Bano?)
I almost smiled,if the worry in my chest did not constrict my heart like a snake wrapped around a rabbits body,”You have done nothing wrong,Talwar.I just thought I would get ready as I had finished my recitation of Quran early.I slept.” She did not need to know that it would have probably not have been for long.
She gave an unconvinced nod as I stepped onto the training field,nodding at the Warriors already on the field.I unsheath my sword,throwing the sheath on the ground as I begun to practice my sword arm.I twist and turn,bring my sword from behind me as the flickering lanterns were blown off,the dark sky making way for the white and dark blue sky,from which light begun to shine.
The soft,cool wind begun to blow heavily as the sun begun to shine,I did not stop.
As I twirled my body,my hand swinging my sword as I came to a stop before lifting my sword,cutting through the air.I imagined standing in front of Masuma begum,her unwaving eyes would meet my own,the same eyes clashing.I opened my eyes as I brought the sword down on a straw body that sat in the middle of the sword dueling field,the straw flying around and my sword clashed onto the sandy ground.
My breath came out roughly as my blood rushed through my ears,my body burning under the harsh sun,my hari flying from under the turban I had tied and my feet aching.I stood straight,bringing my sword closer tto me as my eyes closed,my head thrown back.I would face any storm coming my way,een if it were the very person whom I came from but was not worthy enough to be kept.I would be fine.
“Bohot khob.” I heard exclaimed from behind me,I turned to face Malika begum who stood on at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the training field.I picked up my sheath as Malika begum and I made our way towards one another.
(Very nice)
“Adab,Malika begum.” I greeted,lifting my hand and bowing my head.I almost moved back when Malika begum put her hand on my shoulder.
“Adab,Bakshi Bano.How are you?” Her eyes searched my own,a frown forming amongst her eyebrows as she must have caught sight of the dark circles beneath my eyes from a lack of sleep.
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