Nawaaz (pov)

When I saw her all drenched, sitting on her bed, shivering but lost.. I panicked. For what? Because apparently she fell besides the fountain in the gardens. That is hard to believe.. but I do, because she says this looking straight into my eyes, with a steady expression. Her eyes.. are burning red, as she stares straight into mine. I convince myself to believe her words, but something doesn't add up.

And then she asks something... something that has never crossed my mind. "Are you Mine?" she looks at me with an innocent expression. 'Ofcourse I am her husband, what type of absurd question is this?' is my first thought. But then she clarifies.. "Are you mine? As in, Just my Man?"

Her question stumps me, because it's something that has never crossed my mind. She's asking for me to be hers exclusively.. just her man. I don't think I can be that. I have never limited myself, and that is how I have built my army, that is how I fight and conquer lands.. because I dream to conquer the skies. How can a man like that be limited to one.. how can a man like that be attached to just one?

As I lay on her bed, I see her smiling softly as she gets up to change her wet clothes. She goes behind the dressing screen. I see her shadows.. through the screens. She comes out, in a fresh set of clothes. My eyes follow her every movement, as I see her removing her heavy ornaments, standing in front of the huge dressing table. She just captures my attention through her every movement. She slowly walks towards me as my eyes never leave her, and lays down beside me.

She arches her neck up to look at my face, as I stare down at her. There is a peaceful silence, just us staring at each other. I spread my one arm, and wrap that around her shoulders, pulling her close to me, she stills for a second but moves closer to me, resting her head on my chest. I cannot see her face, as she hides it on my chest. "Look up at me" I say, I just want to keep looking at her face.

She looks up, her head resting on my chest. Her eyes are still a bit red, a bit teary.... But she is smiling softly at me. "Are you sure, you didn't hurt yourself? When you fell?" I frown at her. She shakes her head in denial, "I still don't understand how the hell did you fall!! How clumsy and careless can you be?" I am agitated at her for not being careful and I am still irritated by her carelessness of not changing her wet clothes immediately. She could have been seriously hurt, if not by the fall, then those drenched clothes were a certain trouble for her health.

For a second her eyes flutter, her smile vanishes when I voice my agitation. Did I say something wrong?

She searches something in my eyes.. what is she looking for? Then she looks away and stays silent as if she is lost in her own thoughts. This woman irritates me to no extent. "Where the hell are you so lost?" I snarl at her ignorance. She turns her head towards me finally looking at me, with a different look in her eyes... a look that I can't decipher.

"You are right... I should take care of myself. I cannot be dependent on anyone. I should be strong on my own." She mumbles, and her words confuse me.. why is she saying all this? Maybe she is just tired and just blabbering things. "Ok. Sleep, Little Dove" I pull her closer to me with my arm around her shoulder. She looks into my eyes and smiles softly. Then closes her eyes, as she nuzzles her head on my chest. I close my eyes, and images of her blood red eyes flash before my eyes... something doesn't feel right.

I wake up and feel someone breathing on my neck.. not someone, My Little Dove.. is nuzzling her face on my neck. My lips curve into a smile unintentionally. This woman definitely irritates me to no extent. I slowly try to remove my arm from around her shoulder, slowly adjusting her head on the pillow. I get up and stretch my arms. Just then I hear her voice from behind me. "Nawaaz ji.." comes her sweet sleepy voice. When did she wake up?

I turn my head towards her, she sits up, wide awake.. "Nawaaz ji.. can I cook something for you today?" her question makes me still for a second. Cook for me? why would she do that, when there are chefs in the palace for it?

"why do you want to cook for me? You can enjoy your time around the palace, you don't need to work there with those servants" I state. She looks down at her intertwined fingers. "I get bored here.. Cooking will keep me busy. As you suggested earlier.. I should not hide myself in my room, I don't have anything else to do.. So if you give me your permission, I would like to cook something for you." she says this in one breath.. keeping her eyes on her lap.

"Hmm.. if you are so eager to work.. Go ahead." I shrug as I get up and wear my coat. I turn to look at her, sitting on the bed, deep in her thoughts. "Then I will see you in the afternoon? As you are preparing the meal?" I ask to break her thoughts. She blinks and nods with a smile. There.. she has decided to infuriate me with her absent- mindedness. I give her a last look and make my way towards the door.

Diya (pov)

I am standing in this grand kitchen, the cooks and daasis are rushing to complete their duties on time. I asked Begum Ma Sa about Nawaaz ji's Favourite dish which was something Non-vegetarian. And as I am a Hindu-Brahmin by birth... I have not even seen meat. So I decide to prepare a dish that I know the recipe of.

I see Fathima, Rukhsar begum's Daasi standing a few steps away from me in the kitchen. Asha once told me that Fathima just visits her friends who are appointed kitchen duty. According to the palace rules, no daasi is allowed to roam outside their appointed duty area. But here she is.... Laughing and enjoying with her friends. She looks at me and smirks, whispers something in her friends's ear.. her friend, the other daasi looks in my direction and hides her laugh.

I go back to stir my special curry, which is almost done. I look down as I open my fisted palm, and stare at the small bottle of poison, which I had kept safe with me since before my marriage with the Prince. It was just a bottle of safety for me... a bottle of safe death, if anything goes wrong. I have had many situations where I gave up on life.. and had decided to consume it, But someone always comes in the way, That someone who has always been there for me, My Nawaaz ji, My Husband, My saviour.

I look at the curry that I have prepared for him, It looks delicious, Just like how my mother's used to look. I open the lid of the bottle, and slowly pour it in the curry. Now it's done. Asha looks at me, her whole face is pale.. her fingers trembling with fear. I smile at her and nod. She knows everything. She is the only one here for me.. other than Nawaaz ji.

Daasis have started arranging the table for lunch, and I wait for him with my dish kept on the table. They announce his arrival, as we all stand up and bow. Everyone is present here in the hall, including Begum Rukhsaar, Begum Ma Sa, Begum-e- sultanate, and Shehzaade Naseer.

Nawaaz Ji sits down on his seat, and others follow and get seated. Daasis serve the food, and now... I wait.

"Begum Diya, You were going to cook something for me today right?" he asks with his usual smirk. I look up and nod with a smile. I get up and sit closer to Nawaaz ji's table, and serve my dish. I feel his eyes on me the whole time. I hear someone scoff in irritation from behind, and it's no doubt Begum Rukhsaar, but I ignore her.

"Diya beta, that is so sweet of you to cook something for your husband." I hear Begum Ma sa speak. But I don't respond to her compliments. I just wait... patiently.

Nawaaz ji takes a small morsel, dips it in the curry that I cooked... the curry which I poisoned. I look at the silver spoon, the same spoon which I used to serve the curry, a small black tint visible on it... a proof of the deadly poison. "Nawaaz! Wait it has not been tasted yet.. you can't eat that!" I hear Begum Rukhsaar's voice.

That brings a smile on my face.. "Begum Rukhsaar! It has been made by Diya Begum, I don't think its appropriate to doubt her intentions like this" comes Begum Ma Sa's reply. I look up at Nawaaz ji who is just waiting for the matter to settle down.

"sorry to interrupt, but all other food has been tasted for safety, except this one, why must the rules be different?" Rukhsaar begum taunts back "Daasi come here and taste it" she calls one of the the kitchen staff.

"It's ok.. I am the one who made it.. So I should be the one to taste it, just like the cooks here have tasted their own dishes. Why must the rules be different?" I repeat her line and she glares at me.

I take a spoonful of the poisoned curry in the same silver spoon.. and slowly put it in my mouth, all the while I don't take my eyes off him.. My Nawaab, My Nawaaz ji, My Saviour.. Probably.....for the last time.

Nawaaz (pov)

I was curious the whole day.. curious about what she might have cooked for me. And then when she serves me her handmade dish.. I cannot help but stare at her face. She has a constant smile... even when Rukhsaar asked the kitchen staff to taste the food, as it's the part of our safety procedures. I thought I would see a sad expression on her face.. on being doubted. But she just maintains her smile as she takes the responsibility of tasting her own handmade food.

She looks straight into my eyes, as she swallows a spoonful of the dish. I see her blinking her eyes for the next two second... and she starts coughing, making me alert. I look at her hands which are shivering, and the silver spoon has a black tint........ Poison! I look up as the spoon falls off her hand and her body drops to the ground with a thud.... Everything blurs... only her lifeless body visible to my eyes as I rush towards her "Little Dove!!!!"

Diya (pov)

"Little Dove!!!!" that name.. that chilling scream was what I heard last.. before I lost my consciousness. And it is that scream which wakes me up. I jerk up, out of breath.. my body burning like it's on fire. My eyes are wide open but I am unable to realize my surrounding.. everything is blurry. "Diya Beta" "Angel!" I hear two voices. One seems to be relieved.. other seems restless.

I blink a few times to look past this blurriness... and I am met with those kohled eyes.. beautiful brown orbs... adorned with a deep frowning eyebrows. "Nawaaz ji" I hear my own throaty croak.. this doesn't sound like my voice at all. I see him moving closer to me as he slowly puts a pillow up for me to sit up comfortably.... It makes me smile.

"Don't you dare smile now." He growls. And I purse my lips trying to control my smile.

"All those gods we prayed to since the last few days, answered our sincere prayer and gave us our Diya back to us" Begum Ma sa exclaims as she thanks every god with tears in her eyes. I am so happy to be able to see her again. Wait? Last few days??

"How long was I unconscious?" I croak out.. Nawaaz ji gestures something to a Daasi.. she brings a glass and he takes it. He holds the glass full of water to my lips... directing me to drink it.

"Diya Begum we are glad that you gained your consciousness after a week of your body fighting against the poison for your life" the royal doctor answers my doubt.

A week?? I knew that the poison was deadly..if not treated immediately.. I was not sure I will survive this. I was sure that it was my last day... I look around the room, everyone is present here, everyone who was present for the lunch that day. I see Shehzaade Naseer smiling, and a straight faced Begum- e- sultanate, and Begum Rukhsaar is glaring at me even now.

"She's awake now, Can we all go now?" she grits her teeth, annoyance clear in her voice. They were called here? Ofcourse they were.. why else would a few of them will wait for me to get well. I turn my head sideways and look at Nawaaz ji who sits on my bed.. as he gives a deadly glare to Begum Rukhsaar.

"No Rukhaar, I called you all here, the very moment the royal doctor indicated that she might wake up any moment, because I wanted to reveal the person who tried to play with me... Who Dared to fuck with me and what's mine!!!" he snarls in a deadly voice.... there is a pin drop silence, everyone looks scared.. and me? I stare at him, entranced by his fury.

"Bring that bitch in here!!!!" he roars probably to the guards outside.

I hear a familiar voice... or might I say a cry.

I see guards dragging Fathima into my chambers. I look at Rukhsaar's shocked face. "What is this Nawaaz??? She is my personal Daasi!! Why the hell is she treated like this?" she raises her voice... forgetting who she is talking to.

"Begum Rukhsaar! She is the culprit behind this incident!! Are you saying that the culprit who tried to kill me is your personal daasi? Because if you are siding with her..." Nawaaz ji slowly walks towards Begum Rukhsaar, who has lost her face's color... she knows she made a mistake by questioning Nawaaz ji. I just keep looking at Fathima, who is on her knees.. crying.

"No... Forgive me Nawaaz. I did not know her real face... I did not know she had such vile intentions!! You trust me no Nawaaz?" she holds his arm, and tries to convince him of her innocence. She sheds a few fake tear, which soon turn to be real ones when Nawaaz ji jerks away her hands.

Fathima just looks defeated by her Mistress's words. Nawaaz ji walk towards me and sits close to me. I just stare at everything wide- eyed.. too stunned to react. "Little Dove.. Did you see her in the kitchen area when you were preparing the food?" he asks in a low voice, but in a way that it is audible to everyone present there. I did see her... so I nod my head.

His eyes turn dark.. he breathes furiously, but his face remains expressionless. But I know that this is the most dangerous face of Nawaaz ji. "Please I didn't do It!!!!! I am not the culprit!!! Pleasee!!!! Begum Rukhsaar save me !!" I hear Fathima pleading.

"I will stitch up your blabbering mouth if you utter my name again!" Begum Rukhsaar warns. Well that was shocking. How quick she changes her colors is unbelievable.

"Nawaaz ji.. I want to rest now" I whisper holding his arm.. the same arm Begum Rukhsaar tried to hold, but was denied... He holds my hand in between his palms. "Yes. You take care of yourself, I will take care of the rest." His eyes are still pitch black, indicating his inner rage.

I hear her wailing.. Fathima. Everyone is already making an exit.. as the guards start to drag her away. "I am innocent!!! Please believe me!!!" She tries her luck by pleading to me. I remember her laughing face.. her mocking expression.. her laughing her heart out, and handing that bucket full of cold water to Begum Rukhsaar, for her to dump it on me.... I remember it all too well. I smirk... yes I remember it all too well.

Well...?? (smirks like Diya)

I hope you all don't throw chappals and tomatoes at me for this chapter (fingers crossed) I hope you loved this mother of twists!! If So, Pleaseeeeeee VOTE!!! as much as you can and Pleaseeeeeeeeeee do share your views and opinions through your precious COMMENTS! I just loveeee reading them!! ;)

Love you all Darlings!!! ;*