Safeena

Trap

" Sister? How are you?" Shaheen asked her first thing in the morning.
" What happened to me?! Do I look bad to you?"
" You are fine , I take it like that . Where are you going now?"
" To practice"
" Practice?"
" Yeah, he didn't mention anything about practice"
" Fine "

She set out for practice. When she reached there, she saw Agastya sitting on the stairs surrounding all the other girls.
" You are so funny!" One the girl said to agastya
" I am interrupting your story session?" She said to him.
" Oh ! You are back !" He stood up and went towards her and all the girls were sort of disappointed.
" Don't know about a thing called practice? Maybe not the reason you are here but you know -?"
" I am going to practice princess "
" He was just telling us some stories "
" So? That's more important than practice is it ?"
" Are you jealous, princess?"
" Me? And jealous of you?"
" Yeah"
" Not even in your dreams "
" Go for practice and you other girls don't you have any work?"
" He was just telling us stories "
" So? Don't you have your dance lessons?"
" Yeah "
" Go then" Safeena ordered.

They both went to the practice together with him troubling her with his words and her shutting him off.

" Safeena , I didn't expect you to come today " her grandfather said
" I don't miss my practice unlike other people " She side-eyed agastya.
" I should go in " He said.
" You know you can't -"
" I know that, I am just here to do other things"
" Fine go on, unless you don't touch a weapon, I am good "
" Fine "
She did as much as she could.

After everyone left , she was up to something again. She just couldn't sit there doing nothing. She hadn't practiced as usual today, she was upset. But she had something which may keep her up for a few days. That was revealing Agastya 's secret. She knew he had something going on. He is not just here for practice, he had some motive here. By his questions, the way he roams around, he utilises his free time drawing something, he is seen a lot in the forest and many more.

Without catching anyone's eye, she left for the forest to look at the hole she found earlier. She knew the deal, but it was no longer on as she was already facing the consequences. She walked searching for the hole.

She was walking looking everywhere alert about the dangers she could face but she failed to notice one. The one danger that she never expected to be there.
The road she was walking on was covered with dry leaves. Little did she know about the leg traps placed under those. The leg traps caught her .
She screamed with pain and the sharp tips of the trap pierced her skin. She sat down trying to remove it. Blood was flowing drop by drop. She wasn't able to take it off on her own, she didn't even have any weapon to help her. She couldn't even ask for help as she was in the middle of the forest without permission.
" Where did I end up!" She said regretfully.
She tried to open it but it more and more hurt her. That's what a trap is for! The person stuck in it can't open it .

" I can't be stuck here for long ! Why does this happen to me ?! Why me?!" She then tried to walk but she couldn't. She tried to pull and tried to break it but no luck.

The palace felt empty without her. Her presence was the essence there. It's been a long time , she wasn't there yet.
" Hey Salim! Did you see my sister anywhere?"
" No why?"
" She isn't here "
" She must be somewhere like always"
" She has been out since afternoon! It's evening now! It might not be good for her if she is not present for dinner. There might be questions "
" I will look for her"
" Okay"
Agastya overhead their conversation.
There is only one place she could be if she not there in the palace, with his secrets.
" God does this woman ever stop!" He looked frustrated. He too then took off for the forest. He took a stick and tapped it before his next step.

He heard some scrapping noises and followed it.

He saw her wailing and immediately went towards her.
" How many times have I told you that  don't come here!"
" I want to know"
" Just please! Okay? Don't do this! I am not saying this for me but for you! Don't get involved in this!" He yelled at her while trying to get that leg trap open .
" Then tell me "
" Tell you what?!"
" Don't act innocent Agastya! I want to know the truth!"
" And what?! Huh? What?"
She remained silent.
"Don't get yourself into trouble safeena!"
He was opening the trap but it had pierced into her skin a lot deep as she had tried too many times to take it off.
It was covered by her blood.

" Hold on , it will hurt ."
" I have a high pain tolerance " she said breathing heavily.
He slowly slowly started to open it .
" Why are you making that face?!" She said to him. His face was as if the sharp blades had pierced his leg and he had to remove it.
" Nothing"
She closed her eyes in pain
" Just a little bit more" he said
He then opened the trap wide open. She gave a screech.
" It's over."
She looked at him with a strange expression on her face.
" Wait , let me just-" he said
He wrapped a cloth he tore from his clothes around her wound.
" Just please don't get in here alone like that. It's dangerous. And one more please stay away from all this. This is not good for you"

She tried to stand up as he helped her to.
" Watch your step" he said.
He took his stick and started to navigate her out.
" Agastya?" She called him out in a low voice
" Yes?"
" I hate to say it but -"
" But?"
" Thank you" she said to him with a little hesitation.
He surprisingly looked at her .
" Most welcome princess. Just don't do it again okay? Please? I swear to you it's nothing like you think it is "
" Then tell me"
" Leave it , we are already out. Can you walk?"
" I will go on my own " she said and went on her way.