A step forward.

A step forward.

After waiting for quite a long time, I was almost in a panic-stricken state until I saw Fatima from behind the tree where I was sitting. Sprinting straight up to the guards in nothing but a full nightgown that was even opened from the front and was giving the full view of her neckline and fair chest, no maiden in her right mind could even think of doing such things. On the other hand, she did and, however, looked perturbed and terrified.

Was she okay? Has something happened?

I ducked my head more behind the thick maple tree. And signed in relief. It was all an act. I reminded myself. “Please make them believe her.”

However, only faint voices were what I heard from where I sat, but peaking at Fatima and her exaggerated manner in which she was elaborating something horrible, and from the guards' exasperation, I frowned and gaped. Was she really acting? Or something bad had happened to her?

Oh! No, please, Shiv Ji, don't let anything happen to her. She was my on