Lotus among the Roses

Bond of wound

Sound of stillness echoed as the night air brushed past their rumbling carriage. Vyom seemed to be in a hurry, carrying someone in his arms, seemingly wanting to fly in. Just then, Kumud, gritting her teeth against the pain, shoved against his chest with surprising strength, forcing him to halt. "Put me down, Kotadhipati," she demanded, her tone soft yet  unyielding, "I can walk on my own....."

Her mind, still buzzed from the fight, attempted to brush past Vyom as she headed toward her room, ignoring the sharp pain radiating through her side. Her steps faltered briefly, but she refused to show weakness, pressing forward with a clenched jaw.

"Kumud... listen... please..." Vyom's voice followed her, soft yet insistent.

She stopped abruptly, her shoulders stiffening. Turning slightly, she kept her gaze averted, her eyes focused somewhere over his shoulder. Her voice was calm, detached, though it trembled faintly at the edges. "Kotadhipati, please........" The formality in her words struck like a barrier between them.

Vyom's brow furrowed, and he stepped closer, concern lacing his every move. "You're hurt. Let me—"

She raised a hand, stopping him mid-sentence. "Kotadhipati... To tell you the truth, I'm absolutely gratified by your feelings toward me," she said, her tone resolute. "I am honored to be the one admired by you...... Truly....." She said with a polite smile. Suddenly, she turned back, closing her eyes shut as if trying to hide, while she continued, " But that is where it ends....."

He froze, his chest tightening as he stilled. "Kumud—"

"But please," she interrupted, finally meeting his gaze, turning back giving a polite but alienating smile for a fleeting moment before averting her eyes once more.

Her fists clenched at her sides as she forced her next words out, her voice colder now. " Please ...... I beg you .... Don't burden me with this... affection. I am unworthy of it...... For Now..... For ever......"

Vyom's lips parted to protest, but before he could utter a word, she took a step turning back, maintaining the distance between them.

"Palashi!" His voice, low but firm, cut through the air, making her pause.

Her heart skipped at the name, the distraught in his tone slicing through her resolve.

But she shook her head, steeling herself. " I am your partner in this mission but nothing more..... Please don't let this... momentary infatuation...... affect our duty. Please ?..." her voice cracked, betraying her own inner turmoil.

Her eyes flicked to his briefly, but the depth of his gaze was too much to bear. She quickly looked away, her expression unyielding.

Vyom's hands balled into fists at his sides, frustration and heartbreak warring in his chest. "You! How can you? I huh! "

Vyom's smile twisted into something darker, edged with frustration as he took a step closer, his movements sharp, almost predatory. His voice, when he spoke, was no longer soft—it crackled with raw, unrestrained energy. "You," he said, his eyes narrowing as they bore into hers. "This mouth of yours... it's a weapon, isn't it? Always so clever, so quick to cut through the truth, twist it into something else. You think you can fool anyone with it—me, others... even yourself."

Kumud instinctively stepped back, her fingers curling tightly into fists, but her retreat only seemed to provoke him further. He followed, his boots crunching against the gravel with each determined step, closing the space she tried to put between them. "But your eyes," he growled, his voice rising, his frustration palpable. "Your damned eyes, Palashi!" His hand shot out, stopping just short of touching her face. "What about them, huh? They can't lie. Not to me."