Chittagong, 1850
Celebrating the new
annexation, Duke of Grey Rubel's family shifted to the same palace which was
taken over and in whose hall the lavish English cocktail party is being thrown.
The palace underwent a total revamp since their shift, the bright red
embroidered drapes were replaced with soft peach netted ones, the lighting was drastically
dimmed and scented candles took place of oil lamps. I love the mood it sets, a lavish, fragrant classy setting. "Soft peach netting" Truly classy! The chandeliers were
specially ordered from Portuguese Portugal? and the furniture from Italy made up of rose
wood Then again, rose wood is a beautifully great detail graced their seating area. The party hall was adorned with exotic flowers
that gave the candles a run for their money in aroma exhibition. But it
wasn't the lavish decorum or free flowing champagne that high collar guests
were eager for. All had only one question. Where is Duke Rubel's new wife? I love your attention to detail. It's refreshing, builds a picture of the era and ends with a question. Catchy, well done !
And there she comes,
regally dressed in impeccable red gown made of pure silk, low cut at her bust,
which was frilled heavily at her waist and flowing freely on the ground. Her hair is molded into several oval knots and held firmly into a place by a matching broach
and a picture hat. Holding the gown gracefully Dutchess Vidushi Rubel walked
down the aisle straight to the Duke. Woah! Your writing is very visual here. Loving it.
"My Lord," she
said as she bowed down in his honour.
If only they hadn't knew
beforehand that she is an Indian, they could have easily mistaken her as one
among them. Duke Rubel took her hand into his. She could feel his warmness
beneath the black lacy glove she wore and felt shy when he placed a kiss on it.
She couldn't believe that she is now a Duchess. And for this she hadn't paid
much price than manipulating and marrying a middle aged Duke who took over her
kingdom, much against the chagrin of her family and honeymooning with him in
Britain. Anything for survival and power, she sighed. Ah,history. Power and control is everything ain't it. Manipulating eh? More like seducing I bet!
She wasn't
quintessentially beautiful but her charm was magnetic. Strongly magnetic; having capacity to entrap the man in a quagmire on whom she wishes to lay her smoked
with kohl hazel eyes. i remembered a dialogue from the Tudors about Anne Bolyen. She wasn't really an English Rose nor did she fit into the blond hair, pale skin blue eyes standard of beauty. But she had eyes like dark hooks for the soul. That's how I picture Vidushi. With something deep and dangerous in her. Irresistible! The other Dukes who were to make a mockery out of Duke
Rubel for marrying an Indian Princess were now seething in jealousy. Her
seductively swimming eyes, speech, grace and hospitality and humour and wit,
already made half the men lust for her. Yep. Dark hooks for the soul it is. Changing partners in the grand ball dance had them
flying in clouds and at her feet psychologically at same time. And the most
interesting fact, that she did not shiver or feel uncomfortable at their eye
rapes. That challenged their male egos and made them want her more. And the one person who could make her
shiver hasn't arrived yet. Her posture, her confidence. Unwavering in the face of the storm, but not in front of 'him' na?
She retired in her room when
men were having a private aftermath. She was upset as she pulled down the pins
in her hair and set her locks loose on her shoulders.
"May I have a dance
with you my beautiful lady?" she heard a melting chocolate voice behind
her. She didn't need to turn around to see the owner of the voice, for she knew
him too well. Cue cat like smirk on my face.
"I'm drained out on
my levels Knight Kashyap. Better luck next time," she said without turning
back and busy giving her hair a customary hundred strokes. But he noticed her
catching his glimpses on the mirror for fraction of second and smirked. Teasing. 😆
Unlike the expensive
silk and velvet embroidered waist coat and breeches of Duke Rubel, Knight
Parth Kashyap has worn a long quilted cloak and a dagger swung at his waist.
His hair cut short in military style. His sharpness of his jaw is visible under his sandpaper like stubble that always sets her spicy milked cheeks on friction when he bullies her with his sarcastic jabs. My my. The utter contrast between Parth and The Duke, the description alone!
"So I have upset you,
my grace," he held his hand at his heart and said in courteousness. But
chivalry is the last thing she needs from him. She had enough of that for the
night and now she only wants him to sweep her off her feet. 😆 Contrast it is then!
"Indeed Knight
Kashyap. If only you would kneel down and ask for forgiveness," she said
raising from the chair and putting her comb on the dressing table. Her wicked hazel eyes were just the same as he saw for the first time few months ago. He came to
Chittagong to collect the taxes for the Company when he was distracted
continuous by the flashes of light. As he looked up he saw that they were
reflections from her diamond earrings. And then he saw the eyes between those
diamonds. He instantly knew that she wasn't lady-like as the other values and
culture instilled Indian women. She was different, determined and deliciously
dangerous. A danger which he loved to take up on himself in the form of sneaking
into the palace at night. She recognized him instantly as she deliberated tried to gain
his attention by flashing her earrings. What followed was a passionate intimacy between a Knight banished by his own people for working with British and a shrewd widowed Princess who needs a touch badly. And when two incomplete souls meet,
it was explosion. No questions asked.😳 No words. Just amazing. The scenario here was a perfect one, so typical of her to try to flash her earrings in a bid to catch attention!
"Spare me the grace
my lady, but I would never kneel down for forgiveness before you. If only I had
to then it will be for rubbing my tongue over your..." 😆 Hehehe. God. I was blushing here. I kid you not but the gutter mind completed the sentence as it usually does!
"God Forbid!" she closed her ears on his dirty talks and he made his way to
the bed laughing his stomach out.
He threw his cloak and
stretched his legs on Duke's bed as if it's his own. He looked at her in a devilish gaze that now made
her shiver. She always made her way out of situations cunningly but if there is one man who is too clever for her it is Knight Parth Kashyap. That is what makes her adore him and adulate him. Contrast again. And I am positively loving it. Him being the only man who makes her shiver!
"You are something
else you know that?" he said in whisper.
"A lady who can
sleep with a stranger within a month of her husband's demise and continues
illicit relationships with him after getting married to a Duke for power is
indeed something else," she said as she unhooked her gown and making it
fall on the floor. Now only in her shimmy she went to the cupboard for a bottle
of brandy. I don't blame her, turbulent times.
"Power? I doubt
that. If that was the reason then you would have picked up wine now instead of
brandy."
"What else it could
be?" she said as she poured it in a glass.
"I would say
security. Survival." He got serious. "You know Vidushi, we both are
alike. You felt it is better to marry a Duke and lead a luxurious life than to
get entangled in freedom struggle and I boycotted the double standard traditions
for the survival. My own family, people call me a traitor. And they were right
too. I know how many atrocities I committed against my own countrymen." He has her figured out!
"What is wrong with
you Parth? All this suddenly..?" she was concerned.
"Are we doing right?"
His question startled
her. But she always believed ruling the hell is better than serving in heaven.
And Parth is the one who made her believe it. They are sinners, conspirators,
villains. While others are dying they are leading a lavish life. No she won't
think of it. Nor she will let Parth's thoughts drift. They are each other's
only thread of humanity. She kissed him coldly. Dizziness swept inside him and
he had goosebumps. His aggressive little cat pounced on him wiping out
everything from his mind and awakening the animal in him. Tearing off her
shimmy he made an erotic turn bringing her now below him. Discarding his
clothes he went aggressive on her and he encouraged her too. This is one thing
she loves about him. He is insistent, unlike the other men she slept with who
were ever so chivalrous on bed and she had to lie like a typical decent lady
like a dead body. But with Parth she can shed all her inhibitions and give
wings to her desires. She enveloped her knees around his waist and strived to
bring him inside her. But as their skins brushed he retraced back, teasing her
and making her faint in anticipation. He covered her mouth with his so as to
stop her screaming on what followed next. This is their bond They make each other feel alive as society, morality and rules try to supress them! Loved it! It shows the passion, want and need for each other like oxygen!
The candles in the room
melted long ago, still they weren't done yet.
"Parth, why is this
darkness today?" she said when on top of him. "May be this is the
last time."
She jolted up, quivering,
the wrapper that covered her back fell and she instead of feeling cold was hot
with fear.
"Why did you say
that?" she pulled his hair like a child.
"Ouch! It was joke,
Duchess. Forgive me!" he said with a wink.
"It better be!"
she warned him and slept on his chest.
His rhythmic heartbeats
soothed her mind as she is convinced that she managed to distract him. But for
how long?
The dusk fell and dawn
broke. She is still on him and he is still in her. Yet they did not seem unseparable.
"Vidushi?" he
called her gently stroking her hair.
"Hmm.."
"You ok?"
"Never been
better," she said with a blush.
"I love you."
He said finally.
She looked at him in a
jerk. It wasn't a moment a happiness because she remembers a conversation few
months back.
What am I to you?' he
asked when he met her first time after she married the Duke.
'I will tell you when I
feel I won't meet you again' she said indicating that they would continue their
night escapades. He said that he would do the same in a challenge.
And he said it today.
What does he mean?
"Parth?" and
then it did strike her, "No, you aren't going to revolt against the
Company." So he's doing the "right thing" now. Her love has made him strong enough.
"Because I'm in
love. And love teaches you to be devoted."
"Then I don't want
your love," she is in tears, "I would rather glory in your
lust." And she is scared of losing him.
He kissed her forehead
softly.
"Hey, don't cry.
Send me as you'd send a hero. Kiss me goodbye. And if I come back alive, I will
take you with me. And I promise you, I won't enter from the window or the
backyard but from the entrance of this grand palace, doesn't matter how many
challenges I have to face." I want a sequel. Surely you ain't so sadistic to suggest this and not give it to us in all it's glory?
"You are crazy! You
want me to elope with you. I will never do that!" she said sternly in tear
eyes. She isn't a fool to depart with luxuries of a palace and power of a
Duchess and wander in poverty and threat all her life. And Parth? Does he
realize the consequences of running way with a Duke's wife? Is she scared, or just used to her life, or worried?
"You will. Keep
your reverence on me and don't break mine."
He stood up to go. She
tried to stop him, pleaded with him, gave him all the logics and threatened him
with sentences. But he seemed to make up his mind. It's fear.
He pulled her close and
kissed her as his last, but she pulled away.
"Get your hands off
me you scoundrel! I hate you!"
"You don't."
"Oh I do. Hope you
go to hell and get barbecued for breaking my heart and.. and.."
"Don't bother. I
got the idea of your not so lady-like mind." He smirked at her tears and
suddenly pulled her through her hairs violently and kissed her making her lips
bleed as his last mark on her. This better not be goodbye!
She tried to hate him,
despise him for abandoning her for sudden charms of patriotism but failed. His
love gradually arrested her out of her wicked worldly wishes. She changed for
good and the last sin she committed was killing the Duke with overdose of opium
cleverly shedding crocodile tears of misery infront of the Company. For all the
reverence she had for Parth she couldn't let the Duke kiss her or touch her
where Parth did. Sometimes she wished he should have just deserted her and not
speak of taking her way so that she wouldn't know what happened to him. But
since he did she had no choice but to swim her eyes at the entrance always, "I
love you too Parth. And I'll be waiting for you." This was a beautiful way to end. An ambigious one. I believe he did return for her, and that they had a beautiful long life, devoid of any fear together.
This was a beautiful piece of work and I hope you do write more!
---edited for grammatical errors. And proofread and PMs sent. If you like it comment and tell me you want any other story of your concept or genre. I'll pen down---
Love
Tich.
comment:
p_commentcount