Why is she here? Don't tell me the Sultan ordered my execution….but we had a deal.
Ruksana's voice dropped to a whisper, her vulnerability evident as she confessed, "I left a life behind… a life entwined with blood and heavy silence, one that nearly suffocated me. But you, Veer — you, with your unassuming kindness and gentle presence, have gifted me the first genuine reason in years to inhale deeply, to breathe like a human once more."
As she spoke, Veer took a tentative step closer, drawn in by the haunting truth of her words.
"I never asked for that," he admitted, an edge of uncertainty lacing his tone. Yeah an assassin on my side would fear me so much that i won't be able to sleep.
Ruksana shook her head softly, a smile ghosting her lips. "You didn't need to. That's precisely why I chose you."
Veer raised an eyebrow, skepticism mingling with intrigue. "And what is it that you seek from me now?"
With a glance toward the house that loomed before them, she weighed her words before meeting his gaze again. "I seek a place to call my own. A place where I can stay, to serve you, if that's what it must take. I know no other role in this vast world, but I want to fulfill it near you."
The air between them thickened, the silence stretching like morning mist hanging in the dawn air. Veer studied the contours of her face, the sincerity etched upon it. Her declaration wasn't woven with romantic longing — not yet, at least. There was no cunning manipulation lurking beneath her surface, no seductive undertone to her offer. Just the weight of earnestness, of someone who had endured the torment of being hunted, someone who had fled the shadows, and had now made a resolute decision to truly belong.
"Once, you were a blade in your past existence," Veer observed, a hint of incredulity creeping into his voice. "Would you truly forsake that sharpness for a mere broom and a tray?" Please say no and leave me alone.
A faint smile flickered across Ruksana's lips, a rare and precious sight. "Yes, I would sweep your floors, if it means I could wake each morning under no command but the sweet silence that comes with your presence."
Her voice was steady, resolute. "Let me live here," she continued, "allow me to serve you in whatever capacity you need until I can evolve into something more… or perhaps, even nothing at all."
Veer regarded her for a moment, his thoughts swirling, heavy with contemplation. He finally looked away, lost in thought, before he gestured towards the sprawling mansion. "The south wing is empty. It's quiet and secluded. You could take refuge there."
"And you?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I will continue to pretend I'm not moved by your madness," he replied with faint amusement. And what else I can do in front of an assassin who can slay your throat and sleep like a baby. I can only wish for that no other trouble come my way.
The staff noticed her arrival, eyes scanning her with a blend of curiosity and caution. The guards exchanged uneasy glances, their instincts prickling. "She walks like nobility, but her silence is too sharp," one whispered, an undercurrent of unease evident.
Just like how the wind pick up the sand particles and shift it from one place to another just like that the arrival of the women and granting him a room in his house,
words reached Princess Devayani in the court, who was reading a scroll when her maid told her about the woman. She paused mid-scroll, her interest piqued like a moth drawn to a flame. "He granted her a room?" she inquired of her maid, disbelief hanging on her words.
"Yes, princess," the maid confirmed.
Why does every single woman wants to surround Veer and not anyone else. There are many youth but you want to go to him thought princess Devayani.
"Then she is no longer merely a shadow in the corners of this house," Devayani mused, her expression sharpening with the weight of realization. "She has become a threat."
In her new role, Ruksana swept the floors of the palace, prepared meals quietly yet efficiently, all while keenly observing the world around her. She spoke in brevity, her words seldom but impactful. Yet during the deep, quiet hours of the night, Veer would occasionally find her nestled beneath the sprawling branches of the ancient neem tree — a guardian of the household, or perhaps, a sentinel standing watch over him.
For the first time, his home began to transform in his mind's eye; it was no longer just a cold fortress, but evolved into a kingdom laden with secrets and uncharted alliances.
Princess Devayani found her curiosity simmering beneath the surface, and she realized she could no longer resist the urge to confront this new enigma that had entered Veer's life. Questions swirled in her mind, along with thoughts about why Veer seemed so surrounded by women — a cryptic landscape she intended to navigate.
The sky above was painted in rich hues of gold and crimson as dusk settled, casting a warm glow over the landscape. Veer was out, attending to pressing matters with the city council, and the house was enveloped in an unusual calmness — a tranquility that felt poised for upheaval.
Under the protective canopy of the neem tree, two powerful women were destined to intersect.