The morning chill lay in the vast room. The breeze ruffled her hair as she processed his words. She stared at Dilawar. She squinted her eyes at him and inquired :
" How can you be so sure ? That man seems to be really powerful."
Dilawar stared at that innocent girl still at the threshold of adulthood, unaware of the worldly dealings. She had the guileless face that can top tribes. Now standing at mere inches from a hot blooded man, she dared to look at him in eyes and comment another's man strength. He has met far few woman who had this courage.
' Interesting'
He leaned slightly, like disclosing a secret, and whispered.
"Because I won't allow it, just you wait and watch."
Ayla's eyes went wide at the realization of his whispered words.
' This man. Can he really get me out?'
' But how can I trust him'
' It can just be because of his rivalry with Aghan '
'But there is no other way, I need to take this risk.'
Ayla struggled for a while than a determined light shone from her eyes. I have to take the gamble.
Dilawar watched the young girl intently, her internal struggle, her little white face focused, a slight natural blush, then the bright light shone from her eyes, intriguing him.
" When will you come back ?" She said.
Dilawar was taken back. Then he laughed aloud. What a bold statement.
'Doesn't this clueless girl know her words can be misinterpreted by a tribal young hot blooded man.' He smirked.
" Why do you ask?"
"Help me leave here!"
They spoke at the same time. An eerie silence spread after her statement. She knew this was not the most intelligible decision rather a desperate one.
The man's silence felt like she dug a new pit for herself.
For a while Dilawar studied the girl infront of him. Seeing a serious determination and hint of nervousness, even some regret. She wasn't bluffing. She really wanted to leave.
" We will see. I will be back in a month. Do not breath a word to anyone."
Dilawar let out his aura dangerous and wild. He warned her sternly and left. He needed to find the identity of this girl first.
" Aghan your string came to my hand herself, don't blame me now " he chuckled with excitement.
Ayla went back to her room. She felt uneasy and guilty, she felt she made the wrong decision, but nothing could be done now.
' The bullet is out of gun.'
She started breathing heavily and the sirens returned. The voices, the ringing bells, a scream.
She covered her ears, trying to make the voices disapper.
' Not again'
'Not now, please'
She felt like she has entered a whirlpool, destroying her.
'Why? Why me ?'
She sat in the floor, hugging her knees, hands on her ears, breathing disarrayed, tears spilling.
A knock sounded, but she couldn't hear it. All went dark around her. The morning, the mountains, everything seemed far away.
Aghan knocked for a while, but he didn't hear an answer rather a sob, a repressed sob. He opened the door to saw Ayla collapsed on the floor, tears on her face.
He hurriedly picked up the little girl, her soft boneless body pressed against him, he lay her on the bed and tried to wake her up.
' Ayla, Ayla listen to me' he tapped her face, sprinkled water but no avail.
' Rakhshee, Furad, call the doctor.'
*******************
"Ayla, Ayla listen to me' she heard a female voice, a soft motherly voice.
' Come here, Ayla, don't go running again,'
' It's time to go home now'
' Come here, come back to me'
Ayla ?
Ayla chased that warm voice filled with love, the love she yearned her all life.
Ayla?
Come back !
She opened her eyes to see a man, his face laced with worry as he called her name. His grey eyes, filled with concern.
Why?
Suddenly she felt guilty and averted her eyes.
Aghan looked at the girl who was finally conscious after hours. He checked her forehead for any fever.
"Do you feel any discomfort ? Pain ?"
" No" she rasped, her throat parched.
Aghan handed her a glass of water, which she gulped.
" Feeling better ?" He asked.
She nodded and drank her water. Her clothes were changed into sleepwear, drapes shut, was it night already.
" What happened earlier ?" He asked with concern.
She looked at him. Visible distress in his eyes. A mighty khan of several tribes, sitting on her bed in the middle of night, concerned about her.
She was tired. Really tired of hiding her secret. Tired of putting on a charade.
" I don't know"
" I don't remember."
He looked at her silently. After a while, he held her hand and said :
" Don't be afraid."
" I will protect you."
What kind of eyes were they. So pure. So sincere. Something stirred in her heart.