A messenger galloped across the training area and rushed to Mihira, "My Lord, the Sassanians are here"
Mihira nodded in understanding, "Gauri, prepare my bath, right now"
"Yes, my Lord" Gauri bowed and hurried over to prepare for his bath.
"Pray for me, Nila, this is an extremely important alliance" Mihira said, leaping off the horse and handing his horse's reins to one of his men, "Take him to the stables" he said to man, patting the horse's side.
Nila thought to herself, you want me to pray for your military alliance to succeed. I will pray for it to fail. How dare you invade my people and worse, ask me to pray for it? You monster.
"You are a monster" Nila said angrily to Mihira, "You want to destroy my people and you want my prayers too for that?"
Mihira burst into raucous laughter, "You are the only one who can say things like this to my face and still get away with it. Anyone else would have been cut into pieces and fed to wild animals. My hate for your kingdom equals my love for you. Both are immeasurable and will last for an eternity."
Nila watched in silent rage while Mihira controlled his laughter and explained, "No, dearest, I am not asking you to pray for me for so that I can destroy your kingdom. Even I am not that cruel. Not to you, at least. I am asking you to pray for an alliance that will benefit my people. The exiled Sassanian Prince has agreed to lift tariffs on trade between us if I support his cause. He has even agreed to facilitating infrastructure for better trade between us. He will be lending me troops in anytime during my time of need and I will be agreeing to do the same for him."
Before Nila could say anything further, Gauri called out "My Lord, your bath is ready"
"Care to join me?" Mihira asked, with a wolfish grin.
"No" replied Nila, too quickly and too sharply. Mihira left laughing, one hand still toweling his hair and the other on his narrow leonine waist.
"Come, my Lady" said Gauri, "You must be present in this meeting. This was my Lord's express command"
"What? Why?" Nila asked, utterly surprised.
"Because Lord Peroz of the Sassanians will most likely ask for a matrimonial alliance. You are his Queen, so, Lord Mihira will politely refuse." Gauri explained.
After a short while, after helping Nila dress up for the occassion, Gauri guided Nila to the tent.
"Here, go inside, my Lady, my Lord is waiting for you inside" said Gauri, opening the flap of the tent.
When Nila entered, she was guided by bodyguards to a chair right beside Mihira's. With some hesitation, she sat down. The Sassanians announced their King Peroz and entered the tent. Nila saw that the Sassanians were dressed in long tunics with a cummerbund, a turban and beards.
King Peroz was welcomed by Mihira with a warm embrace. Mihira welcomed Peroz to take a seat beside his. Once the two Kings were seated, the two translators stood beside their respective kings. Just as Gauri said, the first question Peroz asked was about the matrimonial alliance.
Nila felt Mihira gently squeeze her hand as he replied to Peroz, "Forgive me, King, but I am already lawfully wedded to my beloved wife, right here, so I must decline your offer for a marital alliance"
Nila noted that Peroz seemed a bit disappointed but he moved on with the next topic of trade and military alliance.
The translators translated and Nila heard Peroz agree to trade Sassanian specialties such as silk, woolen and golden textiles; carpets, rugs; hides, leather and pearls at a discounted price. Nila heard Mihira agree to trade Hun goods in discounted price with a special offer on horses. They discussed and decided the date for the joint military exercises.
Peroz said while his translator translated, "My bastard of a brother, Hormizd, kicked me out of our father's empire. I need your help in wresting back the throne. I need good war horses of high quality for this war, I trust you will help me in this regard, Lord Mihirana"
"Of course" Mihira replied, his translator translated the same.
"Then, I shall meet with you soon" Peroz said and took his leave.
"As shall I" replied Mihira.
Now, with the meeting ended, Nila was free to leave. She slowly got up from the chair and massaged her stiff back, "Do you need any help? Are you alright?" Mihira asked, getting up as well, reaching out and softly massaging her back.
Nila closed her eyes and for a brief moment, relished the hardened callused hands that were so lovingly tender on her back. Her eyes snapped open when she realized what she was doing and she moved away from him, "I am alright" she mumbled, hurrying out of there.
Before leaving, she stopped at the flap of the tent and turned around, "Mihira, if I ask you to let me go, will you let me go?" she asked, in a pleading voice.
Mihira flinched at the plea in her eyes as though she had struck him with a whip. He sighed, massaging his temples "Nila, I promise I will let you go if you so wish, when the war is over but until then, I cannot let you leave my sight. What if something were to happen in the war to you? What if you were caught in the crossfire? What if you were taken as a prisoner or a bed slave by any of the men? Please stay with me just until the war is done. Whether I win or lose this war, I will let you go back if you wish to go. I will not keep you here against your will once the war is over. I give you my word! I mean it!"
Nila nodded and left, she was hating herself for liking this man more and more. He had no intention of holding her prisoner, he was merely trying to protect her. Yet, he was also a man consumed by vengeance who sought to destroy her people. Should I hate him or should I ever allow myself to love him? Why does he make me feel so conflicted all the time?
YOU ARE READING
Embrace the Snow
Storie d'amore"Hailing from Malwa, Nila was used to a riot of colours in both natural and manmade. Here, in the snow-covered landscape, everything had seemed a monochrome of white to her. Today, without anything to protect her from the cold, she could feel thousa...
