Gulaab POV
He slid me to the side when a weird sound was heard by both of us suddenly.
I shivered to the core by hearing it coming from the far away, the woods. He went out of the water muttering.
"I will be back,"
"Where are you going?"
I felt terrified.
"Don't worry,"
His expressions changed all of sudden and he went from there leaving me alone.
I saw him going away from there. He climbed the dense forest and then I lost his trail. I dived into the water and came out from there quickly. Going back to the cottage, I changed into another pair of clothes.
My fingers were shivering and I didn't know what just happened suddenly. The sound was weird like a trumpet or something. Or maybe some type of alarm. The lamp was going dim and I quickly fueled it back.
My brain wasn't processing anything stably. I didn't know what just happened to him suddenly.
After some time, I finished preparing food without a straight mind.
He came back after some time and finally I took a deep breath of peace seeing his face in front of me.
I stood up quickly and ran to hug him. He collected me in his arms and stated.
"Hey, Everything is okay. Don't be worried,"
"What happened? What was that sound?"
"Nothing, Maybe some trespassers,"
I released the hug and nodded.
"Have dinner,"
I requested.
He nodded and we both ate together.
I knew he was lying. His face had changed and looked worried. Even while eating, I could feel that he was deep down in his thoughts.
But, I didn't want to ask again as he didn't tell me anything in the first place.
We both lied after dinner. Keeping me in his embrace and warm hug, he was patting my shoulder slowly. I looked at his face while asking slowly.
"Is everything okay?"
He turned a little hugging me tight and taking a deep breathe.
"Yes, and if it isn't. I will make it,"
I pressed my face against his chest and closed my eyes falling asleep.
My eyes opened when the screeching sounds of steel travelled down my ears. He was sharpening his sword against the hard rock.
I straightened myself and looked at his naked body sweating hard. I didn't realise for how long he was doing that.
"What happened?"
He lifted his gaze and looked at me.
His eyes dark and tanned skin made me skip a few of my heart beats.
He was looking dangerous.
"Nothing,"
He stated.
"Are you missing your sword practice?"
He nodded.
I stood up and walked to him.
"Can you teach me sword fighting?"
I asked sitting close to him.
He lifted his gaze and said.
"What do you want to learn? Defence or attack?"
I smiled as he was looking devilishly hot.
"Defence,"
I stated.
"From whom?"
He asked.
"You,"
"Not possible,"
He sharpened his sword again.
"Why not? I am a good student. Try me,"
I insisted.
He kept the sword aside and pulled me closer.
His touch felt hot and hands rough.
His fingers touched my cheeks and placed a short kiss.
"My Begum don't have to learn anything. Consider me your bodyguard,"
I chuckled.
"I never knew that you are so romantic,"
He chuckled and informed.
"I am hungry,"
"I should cook something,"
He nodded and I busied myself in cooking while he worked on his sword sharpening.
We both ate after that and shared a few of funny and romantic talks.
I stood up to wash my hands and shivered all of sudden when a loud knock was heard on the door.
I looked at him as the knock was again heard.
He stood up quickly and unlocked the door.
There was a man struggling to breathe. He looked at me and I lowered my gaze from the unknown person.
"Sultan, they have attacked us,"
He informed and my eyes came out of socket.
"Ask shakib to meet Ibrahim,"
He commanded quickly.
He closed the door and I looked at sultan who wore his kurta instantly.
"Who attacked us?"
I caught his attention as he was looking worried and informed.
"Our neighbouring kingdom always had eyes on us. They have attacked us. I have to go,"
My heart beats started racing all of sudden hearing he was going for war.
"But, you should at least wear your armour,"
He put his sword in the shieth creating a screeching sound and told.
"I don't have time. There is no one in the Empire to lead the battle,"
I wasn't in right state of thinking anything.
Suddenly I heard the sound of neigh of horses and he turned to run outside.
I hurried my steps to follow him and saw that a few people on the horses were waiting outside for him.
He looked at me for a moment. My heart was feeling heavy as he was leaving me alone.
He climb on the dark black horse and said.
"I will be back,"
I nodded and smiled trying not to be weak.
He hadn't given me any chance to say or ask anything.
The horses neighed again and they ran from there.
I locked the door behind me as he left me alone there. Unknowingly a tear escaped my eyes not able to understand what I felt bad more. His dedication toward the war that he even didn't take me with him or he went for a war.
My heart was beating madly as it was different kind of scary feeling. I have seen a lot of battles in my empire but never felt the way I was feeling now. It was like he took a part of me with him.
Suddenly, the door banged after some time and I horrified not knowing who was there.
Someone knocked again and I looked around for the knife.
I held it tight ready to pierce the person if he had bad thoughts for me.
I pulled the lock of the door and pulled it slowly. It created a slow sound of wet and hardened wood when I opened it.
My sight fell on a person whom I saw a lot of time with Sultan.
"Choti Begum, this is Rehman, second in command of Army. We got to know that the enemy empire is in search for you. Sultan has asked me to take you with me to him,"
My eyebrows thinned as there was something in me who was not daring to trust him.
"You can trust me, Begum Sahiba"
I nodded and tied my duppata covering my face.
"Should I bring the palanquin?"
He asked bowing down.
"No, I can ride the horse,"
I informed looking at the dark brown horse.
He nodded and I didn't waste any time in tying the knife in the knot of my duppatta around my waist.
Suddenly to horrify me to the core, my sight fell on a group of soldiers in dark green colour screamed from the height of mountain.
"THERE SHE IS,"
One of them screamed that I could hear as a faded noise.
They started running towards us and I quickly climbed on the horse.
"You have learnt it, Gulaab. You have to do it. RUN!!!"
I reminded closing my eyes and the visuals of my Bhai Saheb teaching me horse riding came to my vision.
I pulled the rope of horse and he unbalanced. I scared to death but may be he took time to adjust to new rider.
"Please,"
I muttered slowly and pulled the rope of horse again. He neighed and started running.
The group of enemies weren't far from me and I pulled the rope to increase the speed to the fastest.
We were running from the forest and my arms got pierced with thin woods crossing.
I cried in pain as my arm bleed a little.
"Begum Sahiba, they are close, we need to run fast,"
I nodded to the person Who came to help me and running with me on the other horse.
Suddenly, one of the soldiers behind us threw a arrow to us. Fortunately it didn't even touch us. But I frightened.
They started attacking us with the arrows and I looked the second in command of army.
He took his sword out and informed.
"Begum Sahiba, run from here, I will take care of them,"
"But I don't know where to go,"
I informed.
"Keep running from here, you will get of the forest soon. Then you will reach the desert. Keep running in that desert. At the end of it, there is our Darmiyan Sultanate you will see the armies fighting there. You have to safely reach there and go to the brown coloured tents."
I nodded and pulled the ropes of horse to the highest. He busied those soldiers precisely killing them and I ran from there.
As he said, I came out of the forest and reached the desert. I didn't know why but unwanted thoughts were storming over my brain every forth and then.
I remembered that Sultan told me about the relation of Sultanate with the neighbouring one. That means he was aware with the upcoming war.
I continued riding in that hot desert. I got thirsty and tired altogether. The second in command must had become successful in stopping them as I couldn't see anyone following me.
Suddenly, I noticed that I could see the war ground which was still far away. They had the cannons and I could hear the earth shaking sounds of them. For a few moments my heart beats raced to no extent but I was equally charged enough to see Sultan.
He wasn't even wearing his armour and came in the war ground just like that.
I changed my plan to reach there from direct route as it might alert the enemy empire about me. I turned my horse to the side to reach the tent from the side, the longer path.
No one could recognise me as I was covering my face with the duppatta but they could guess easily that I was a girl as I was wearing lehnga. I was thankful to nagma as she gave me good, heavy skirts.
I was riding on the horse as I almost about to reach the dark brown tent. It was probably made for the rest as all wars have rules. They only fight in the morning and rest at night.
Suddenly my sight fell on Sultan surrounded by a bunch of people. He only had his sword and I could see a few cuts on his body and biceps. My heart beats stopped at the sight.
He was fighting so well and killed so many though there was almost hundreds of thousands soldiers fighting altogether.
Suddenly, my sight fell on a person riding on horse holding a bow and arrow. He was on my side, not able to see me coming behind him. His arrow was in direction of Sultan. Sultan hasn't notice him as he was busy killing the people who had surrounded him.
My heart was pounding madly and I pulled the rope. I couldn't see him killed by anyhow.
Unknowingly, I got filled with rage and emotions as I took out the knife that I carried with me.
I was so close to the archer as he was about to release the arrow.
I took out the knife and swung it in the air to pass it through his neck. But the moment knife pierced his neck, his hand released the arrow aiming to Sultan.
"SULTAANNNNNNNNNNN!!!!"