The Lost Dynasty

Chapter 5

Kyda and Amita made their way to the Bazaar.

They slipped through a maze of narrow, stone-lined passages, quiet and desolate, where the walls seemed to close in with each step. The air was thick with dust, and the faint echo of their footsteps was the only sound to break the silence. Their Kafka shoes—crafted with curling toes—tapped against the cobblestones, the rhythmic clack of each step mingling with their quiet laughter, the sound floating through the passageways like a shared secret.

Finally, the tight corridors opened, revealing the chaotic vibrancy of the Bazaar. The sun beat down fiercely, its rays slicing through the vibrant canopy of cloths draped overhead, offering a little shade from the scorching heat. The market stretched out in all directions, a whirlwind of sights, sounds, and smells. Stalls brimming with colourful fabrics, spices in vibrant piles, and glittering trinkets lined the maze of carts. Everywhere you looked, there was something happening voices calling out in a dozen languages, the clatter of metal being hammered into shape, the hiss of frying food, and the rhythmic bleating of goats. The air was thick with the mingling scents of fresh fruit, hot spices, and the faint, ever-present smell of street food.

It was alive, overwhelming, and completely intoxicating. The hustle of the market swallowed them whole, drawing them deeper into its chaotic pulse.

Amita was right, it was no playground... it was a wild, pulsating maze of noise, color, and energy, where every corner seemed to hold a new challenge.

People swarming left and right.
Vendors yowling their offers.
Hagglers negotiating.
Arguments and threats spat like fireballs between competitors.
And guards wander to maintain peace or what's left of it.
Even though Kyda was from the future, she was still amazed at how their civilisation was built and its authenticity. Amita linked her arms with hers and began to guide her through the crowd.

"FRESH FISH, FRESH FISH FROM THE ARABIAN SEA!"

"NATURAL COTTON, GROWN AND SPUN WELL!"

"BEAUTIFUL EARRINGS SPECIALLY CRAFTED AND EMBELLISHED, MYSELF BY HAND!"

The ladies passed a stall with multiple large woven baskets filled with flavoursome exotic powder of spices. "AMITA, AMITA!" the owner of the spice stall called out. Amita smiled beamingly. "Aisha, it's been so long", she dragged Kyda back to the stall. "Is this a new friend of yours?" Aisha queried. Kyda didn't know whether to say if she was a guest at the palace or- "She was the new handmaiden for the Empress", Amita answered.

Seems like no one could be trusted.

"Is there anything new in the Bazaar? Aisha leaned over the stall to reach for something. "There, these baked goods called Ladoo's from Delhi" Kyda nodded. "Oh, I haven't had Ladoo for months", she commented, but Aisha was perplexed by her statement, "But they are new to the Empire" Aisha gave a perplexed face as Amita could only vigorously laugh to distract her. Nonetheless, Kyda's eyes were enlarged, and she was preoccupied with the variety within the bazaar "Nana and Nani would have loved this". It's not just food or clothes but also jewellery, livestock, crystals and...

"What's going on there?" Kyda pointed at a large metal steel container with tiny holes for breathing.

There was obviously something living inside.

The cart rumbled by, drawn by four powerful stallions, the ground shaking beneath their hooves. Two men, tall and imposing, flanked it, swords gleaming menacingly in the sunlight. As the cart passed, Aisha's voice sliced through the heavy air, calm yet chilling. "They're selling the enemies from the last battle," she said nonchalantly, though the words hit Kyda and Amita like a blow to the chest. Kyda's stomach tightened. "Slaves? That's... that's not fair," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as the harsh reality set in—the world she thought she knew, one of rights and freedom, felt a lifetime away. Aisha held a finger to her lips, silencing her with a swift gesture, while Amita quickly covered Kyda's mouth, scanning their surroundings with a sharp gaze. Only when she was certain no one had overheard did she slowly pull her hand away, the weight of the moment pressing down on them all.

Aisha faced Kyda and crossed her arms. "Fair?... war isn't fair. The enemies come to our homes and destroy what we have worked for, and even worse, take away loved ones. There are no winners in war, and only civilians suffer. I think for the enemies, it's the least bad thing it could happen to them". Kyda stared at her, speechless; she understood where she was coming from, an eye for an eye; on the other hand, it was unethical according to modern-day standards. But she couldn't get ahead of herself like Dr Adil said: her words, her demeanour, and her morals were dramatically different to theirs.

Aisha then faced back to Amita with a friendly smile. "Will you be able to get me one of them, Ladoo's? They look so good, but I must sell these spices for my Abba (father)". Amita nodded yes "Of course, me and Kyda will find the stall".

Kyda nodded in agreement.

"Baad mein miltay hain (Translation: see you later)" Amita waved before guiding Kyda again to find the Ladoo's station. "A friend of yours?" Kyda asked as they went through the maze of stalls. "We came from the same village when we were children. Both of our fathers were farmers; however, my father made more of a profit". Kyda wondered how she got to where she is now. She raised an eyebrow and asked the question, "How did you get behind the palace walls? Your family... did they really make that much?" Amita paused, her fingers briefly lingering on the Ladoo before she spoke, her tone softer now. "My father worked with wealthy traders from the city—people who had ties to the palace. He knew the only way to give me a future here was to send me. They made sacrifices, thinking they were giving me a chance... even if it meant losing me for a better life... and to marry well." Her eyes flickered, betraying a hint of the weight those choices still carried. As she paid for the sweets, she quickly masked the emotion with a smile, but the depth of her past lingered in the air, and Kyda couldn't help but feel a pang of admiration for the quiet strength in her.

"But is that what you want?" Kyda grew concerned as she took a bite of one of the Ladoo. "What do I want? what else could I do?" Amita laughed. "I'm illiterate". Kyda looked up and couldn't help but feel as if she was more capable than just being a waiting bride for someone. "I mean, don't you want to gain more knowledge?". Amita shrugged. "I always wanted to be a healer; Dr Adil's work impresses me and benefits those around him. But what good is a healer when they are illiterate?".

Kyda was about to give her a motivational lecture when she heard cries for help from behind it. They both faced the source of the sound, and the two-petrifying-looking men were pulling out human rewards of war as they were chained up like animals from the back of the metal container. Their clothes were soiled and ripped, and their faces were covered with dirt and bruises.
They were being dragged, while barefoot, into some sort of eerie-looking building with metal bars on the windows.

"This is so messed up," Kyda muttered, her heart racing. "But would they do the same to us if we were on their land?" Amita linked her arms with hers again, trying to pull her away from the suffocating chaos of the bazaar, where every second felt like a breath held too long. "It just makes me sick." Kyda didn't realize the danger lurking so close. A loyal guard, unnoticed in the frenzy, overheard her mutinous comment. In a flash, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist with brutal force. "Do you speak against the Emperor's ruling?" he snarled, his grip unrelenting as she twisted, trying to break free. Panic surged through her—her breath coming in short gasps. "Get off me, THIS IS ASSAULT, YOU KNOW!" she yelled, her voice a raw mix of fear and defiance. Amita gasped, stepping forward, but the guard shoved her aside with a vicious push, sending her crashing against the stone wall. "AMITA!" Kyda screamed, her voice sharp with terror. The sound rang through the bazaar, and suddenly, all eyes were on them—curious, tense, and dangerous. The air grew thick, suffocating, as the crowd seemed to close in, and Kyda realized, with a sickening lurch, that they were trapped.

She faced back at the guard, now infuriated, "GET OFF OF ME!" and without hesitation, she began to hit the guard with her fist, but it didn't really make much of a blow to him. He just stood there, unaffected, with still a tight grip on her. "Did you speak ill of the Emperor's decision?" the guard asked the same stupid question. Kyda did not dare to answer the question. She knew if she did, then she would be digging a bigger hole for herself: "This servant shall be punished. Her tongue will be severed".

He draws out his shamsher sword.

Amita managed to get back to her feet, clinging onto his arm that held the sword to prevent him from performing the punishment. "Please, please, please... I beg of you, show mercy," Amita cried out; Kyda was almost in tears after witnessing the state she put Amita in.

This was all Kyda's fault

If she didn't drag her out of the palace, she wouldn't be begging for Kyda.

She was then shoved away, but this time to the ground.

"AMITAAAAA!"

Her desperate, fearful screams echoed through the Bazaar, and everyone stood there in silence, watching the scenario play out.

As a form of fear to speak up or as their entertainment for today.

The guard placed his hand around her neck, making her gasp for air and giving him a clear target of her tongue.

He raised his arm to the sky to execute a mighty strike.

Waterfalls streamed from her eyes, her vision blurring as memories flashed before her. Her grandmother's gentle smile, her mother's sharp words, the warm embrace of her grandfather on trips to her home country. She felt weightless and abandoned, her heart heavy with the pain of knowing this might be the end. It all felt so unbearably distant, and yet, it was the only truth she had left.

"ENOUGH!"

A deep, threatening masculine voice rang through everyone's ears.
The guard automatically dropped his sword to the ground and released Kyda's windpipe.
She fell onto her knees, gasping for air as Amita crawled to her side, comforting her as she cried.
Everyone was staring at the source of the voice and did the royalty head bow, meaning one thing.
Kyda managed to finally look up at her saviour.

"Owais?"

The 67th Emperor.

Why is the cold-hearted 67th-hearted Emperor here?
Kyda managed to save the little amount of oxygen she had in her body.
Her vision was blurry.

The crowd parted as Owais and his men moved forward, but Saif didn't wait. He brushed past his brother, urgency in his steps as he made his way to Kyda. "What happened?" His voice was soft, to not add tension, yet there was an edge of panic beneath it. Kyda couldn't answer, she was in a traumatic state. Instead, she crumpled into Amita's arms, her tears flowing uncontrollably as she tried to steady her breath. Saif stood there, watching, his heart in his throat, unsure whether to reach out or wait. The silence between them felt heavy, charged with more than just the moment.
Amita also tears up as she faces Saif. "It was all just a misunderstanding", she managed to say before glancing at the guard. Saif followed her eyes, landed on the culprit, and raised himself from the ground. "You did this to our MY royal guest?" His topaz eye was no longer illuminating. They darkened.

The guard automatically fell to his knees. "Please, please, forgive me. I did not know she was associated with you". "HOW DARE YOU LAY A FINGER ON THE SPECIAL ROYAL GUEST! YOU SHALL PAY FOR YOUR MISTAKE BY DEATH!!!" he pulled out a gold-sharpened dagger from his utility belt. It had a lion head sculpted into its handle with ruby eyes.

He was ready to smite the culprit.

But at the heir's mercy, Owais placed his hand on his shoulder to calm him and to bring Saif back to his senses. Kyda managed to get back her vision and witnessed the whole chaos unravelling before her. This was a whole other side she had never seen before, especially from him.
He seems like the type of person who wouldn't even hurt a fly, but he is really ready to end a man's life for her mistake.

Owais glanced at Amita, his gaze lingering a moment longer than necessary when he noticed the blood on her lips. "You're my mother's handmaiden, correct?" he asked, his tone softer than usual. "You should retire for the day; I'll inform my mother. You're not well." Amita nodded, her eyes meeting his briefly, an unspoken understanding passing between them before she turned away. Owais soon faced Kyda with a fast change in demeanour "I thought you weren't allowed to leave the palace grounds". Kyda wiped the tears that were left on her face. "I just wanted to explore... It's all my fault, so don't blame Amita", she spoke as she tried to hide the fact that she was still shaking. Owais saddled onto his pure white horse and stared down at her. "Of course, it's not her fault; she has worked in the palace for many years. This is the first time she was in trouble... it's obviously by your influence".

Kyda was too weak to revolt, so she kept her head down.
Saif picked her up in a bridal style and faced his shocked brother from his actions "I think she been through enough, Bhai (brother)".
Kyda hid her face in his chest.
She was embarrassed of herself.
She clinged onto Saif, and he noticed, causing him to hold her closer as he began to walk back to the palace with her embedded in his arms as he did not care about the bystander watching.

━━━━━━༻✧༺━━━━━━

Kyda was in her chambers in a new set of fresh clothes as she laid in bed.

Dr Adil performed a check-up on her.
All there was the sounds of squawking from the birds in their cage.

The silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating, until Kyda finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "Is Amita, okay?" The doctor glanced at her, nodding curtly without a word. His cold silence stung more than any reprimand, and Kyda's heart sank. She buried her face in her hands, tears spilling as she whispered, "You were right... I should have listened to you." The weight of her mistake felt heavier than ever, and she couldn't shake the feeling of being a burden.

Dr Adil watched her break down in front of him. Even though they didn't have a great start, he did pity her. "Rest, child, you've been through enough". He said as he collected his own items before heading out. "Wait" Kyda sat up from her bed and faced him. "Does the Emperor know? Is he mad? Is anyone going to get into trouble because Amita doesn't-" she was interrupted by the doctor "Don't worry, no one is in trouble. However, Owais doesn't take a liking to you". Kyda sighed "Has he ever?" she played her sarcastic tone. "He believes you should be held in the dungeons. Since you would be less likely to escape from there. But technically, you haven't done anything that is against the law", the Dr stated.

Kyda looked at herself in the reflection of the mirror from across the room while she was still on the bed. "So, I should stay out of Owais way", he nodded in agreement. "That would be wise", he said before leaving.

━━━━━━༻✧༺━━━━━━

Kyda was sitting on a Charpai (traditional woven bed) in the courtyard with Amita.
Amita acted like nothing happened yesterday and was distracting herself by slicing mangoes for her as well as Kyda. While Kyda was in a trans, staring at the elephant's parade around from a safe distance. "What's your thoughts on Saif?" She tried to play it cool so Amita wouldn't get suspicious. "He is very nice and kind, also quite playful" She plated the mango and placed it between the two.
"I mean, I know that... but from what I saw yesterday... he was like a different person" She stared into space, recalling those dark, lethal eyes. Amita notices Kyda was daydreaming and couldn't help but to giggle "Seem like he's not the only one who took interest" Kyda snapped herself out of her imagining state and activated her full denial mode.

"No, no, no it's not like that, not like that at all. It's like he has a different personality".

Amita took a slice of mango and nodded in agreement. "To be honest, that's the first time I've ever seen him in some sort of frenzy" She sucked on the mango skin, collecting all the juices. Kyda then took a slice and began to eat " I mean, don't get me wrong, he is nice and... charming like any prince would be, but history has been written for you guys, and it doesn't include me", she said in defence as she drank water from a gold goblet. "From what I heard" from her mother's knowledge ", Your nation is innovating, but I recall a ruthless Emperor. He called for unnecessary wars, ignored the poor and skinned his own people alive if they went against his word. The man was bloodthirsty and yet narcissistic. And his wife fuelled his rage" She sighed and leaned against the long cylinder handmade cushions.

"But I don't know if he already reigned or not-... Amita, are you listening?" she noticed. Amita had her attention elsewhere. Kyda sat up again and followed her gaze, which landed on...

"What's Owais doing?"

He got off his pearly white horse, laughing with his companions—noblemen dressed finely but none as striking as Owais. Behind them, two men in uniform dismounted, pulling a lifeless deer from their horses. "He goes hunting every Saturday afternoon," Amita murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She stood perfectly still, her posture poised but distant, as if the world around her had faded into a blur. Her eyes, soft yet intense, never left Owais, watching his every movement with an almost hypnotic focus. A faint blush tinted her cheeks, barely noticeable but enough to betray the flutter in her chest. Kyda's gaze moved back and forth between them, finally putting the pieces together.

She gasped in shock.

"You like Owais"

She smiled brightly as she poked her playfully as Amita's cheeks were red as roses. "Everyone likes Owais" Amita looked away in shyness as Kyda scoffed. "Are we talking about the same guy?" She turned her head away and mumbled in a bitter manner, "I don't see the appeal". The Empress made her way with her high-status entourage. Amita noticed, and her smile began to fade as she stood up straight and gave the royal nod. Kyda stood up as well and noticed the cold stare she was receiving from her Highness. Her body tensed up and became torrid, but she didn't know whether it was from her glare or from the scorching heat. The Empress was right in front of Kyda; however, their eye contact was still intact. "I heard about the whole fiasco you made in the Bazaar yesterday". Kyda nodded. "Whatever you heard is not that bad... possibly over-exaggerated to you" Her majesty was unamused by her response, "My husband may allow this to slide. But you have tampered with my son's reputation".

Kyda stood there bewildered. "Reputation?... are you joking?" She laughed but the Empress was shooting daggers out of her eyes, indicating this was no joke. "Not to be rude, Empress, but how am I ruining my son's reputation?" she shrugged it off as if it was nothing. "In a way, I made them look like heroes to their people by saving two damsels in distress". Unfortunately, her group of handmaidens gave her the captious look. The Queen took a step closer to her, emphasising she was taller than her. "Have you no shame? Throwing yourself all over my innocent boys... giving him into temptation", she spoke with a straight face. Kyda clenched her fist as her blood boiled in her veins by the audacious claims. "I'm doing no such thing; he was just helping".

"HOW DARE YOU TALK BACK!"

Amita jumped at the sudden volume increase, but Kyda stood her ground. "I'm doing no such thing", she spoke clearly, making sure the overbearing mother did not misunderstand what Kyda had to say.

"Good... after all, you are unworthy of someone respectable and noble as Saif"