The blaring sound of trumpets snapped him out of the daze. He blinked, realizing that he had zoned out while observing the sun climbing up on the horizon. Mornings were calm, the calm which would soon get dissolved into the sound of heavy marching of the army and he had always liked to cherish this moment of solitude before anyone was up.

"General!", The hurried footsteps of the Commander made him look back.

Karan stepped down from the huge cliff, the rocky surface of the ground meeting his boots.

"What is it?", he asked. "Are we in any ambush?"

"No, General..." the man cracked a grin, "It's just that the soldiers are excited to get back home. We have been out for war for three months after all. They just want to get started today soon."

Karan smiled, shaking his head, "Alright. We will be going.", he said and with the commander following him, they headed towards the place where around 3,000 soldiers were camping.

As they got nearer to the camps, the smell of food, mud and sweat hit him. The faint smell of blood also accompanied it.

A long table was set up in the middle of the large ground where they were camping. It was mainly for having dinners and planning any strategies. But now that they were around 80 miles far from their homeland, Lucknow, there was no need for the latter.

Today was something different. It always was. And he would never get tired of this feeling. The day when they all would be back home.

The grin stretched on everyone's faces, the happiness hovering around the area and a feeling akin to giddiness could be observed in them. The soldiers craved for this day. After months of battling in wars, this day was their hope, a fulfillment of their wish to get back home to their loved ones, and a token of victory as they emerged out successful from the gamble with death.

Karan joined the military when he was 12. His father was the previous General of Lucknow and he Inherited his position and honour after he sacrificed his life in the battlefield.

After 13 years of being here, he always looked forward to this day the most. The day when they went back home. Not even any medals, trophies or ranks could beat that.

He settled down at the headchair of the table. One of the cooks immediately served him and the others started joining him, sitting along the long table.

Karan ate silently, pondering over the things to be done. He arched a brow when he saw that most of them had a cup of drink in their hands.

The cook also placed a cup of alcohol beside his plate though he rarely drank.

"Too early to drink, isn't it?", karan asked playfully as he took a bite of the food.

"We just want to raise a toast to you, General". A soldier added.

"Why?" he asked curiously.

The long line of soldiers raised their cups.

"General, we thank you for a fast trip back home. If you hadn't been there, the war would have prolonged for more than two months. We are extremely grateful for this,", They said and raised the cup to their lips, downing it at one go.

"My unborn child should be born by now.". A soldier said with a solemn expression. "Thank you General for saving my life at the field that day. If you hadn't risked your own life, I would have been dead." All of them nodded when another soldier stood up.

"Thank you for not leaving me in the battlefield that day. My leg had been injured and I couldn't walk. I would have been left to die. But you carried me to the nursing camp, though we were in a dire situation and you had much important things to do."

"We are a family. And in a family, we don't thank each other. There's no need for such activities. It's my duty to protect you all.". He responded, redness dusting his ears, feeling touched. "And it's not because of me that we are going back home sooner. It's because of your consistent efforts and the pure motive of serving our motherland. So, I raise a toast to you all, as well.", he said, bringing the cup to his lips and taking a sip.

Karan rarely drank. It never did good to him and he was light headed. Everyone thinks that soldiers have very high alcohol tolerance but he was an exception. No one knew of that, though. He had always been successful in hiding it.

After the breakfast, the soldiers started packing their belongings and weapons. Amidst that, he sat down on the bench, wiping his dagger. They would be inside the territory of Lucknow by today. The thought made him happy. It was always good to be back home.

Zaid, a young boisterous soldier, smacked another soldier's head who was just sitting in front of karan.

"What?", The soldier barked, looking irritated as he slid the white handkerchief inside his pocket.

"Stop being a lovesick fool. You stare at that handkerchief daily. Aren't you tired?"

Karan smiled watching Zaid tease the soldier. The soldier, indeed, stared at that white handkerchief everyday. He had told that it was a token of love given by his wife, one which she had woven herself.

"When you are in love, you will understand.", The soldier replied.

Zaid merely laughed. "Getting married seems hagglesome. Why marry when you can have pretty women by your side everyday?"

"Yeah, yeah. After all, the first place youll visit is a brothel when you return to Lucknow." He rolled his eyes, taunting Zaid.

"About that, the others have made a plan to visit the top tea-house in the capital after reporting to His Majesty." He said, his eyes turning dreamy. "Heard that they have very beautiful dancers. Do you want to come?"

The soldier shook his head, clearly not liking the idea. Zaid turned to Karan's side.

"General, will you come with us?"

Karan on the other hand didn't bother to comment, instead continued wiping his weapon with a small smile

The soldier erupted into fits of laughter. "You are asking the General? The General Karan Luthra? To visit such place?"

Zaid rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I for once, believed that he would come with us. He never goes to such places after all."

Karan got up from his seat and started walking back towards his tent but their conversation was still audible to his ears.

Zaid wasn't happy. "I don't understand the General. He is the most handsome man in the entire nation. Women would kill to be by his side but no, he doesn't even spare a single glance to them. He is a walking enigma, seriously. He has all the princesses and ladies fawning over him. How come he is so immune to any charms of ladies?"

"Hmmm, I believe that the General is a man who is in love" The soldier said thoughtfully.

Zaid laughed aloud.

"Pft. He might as well be in love with a ghost then. I have never seen a woman by his side. He is already 26 for God's sake."

"You never know", The soldier shrugged.

Tuning out of their conversation, karan opened the bag lying on the table inside his tent. He opened it up carefully and took out a book from inside.

Turning the pages, he found the page that he frequented the most. His hand touched the beautiful earring. He lifted it up from the book.

The beautiful earring glimmered in the sunlight. It sparkled so brightly, one which reminded him of how her hazel eyes gleamed.

Those mesmerizing eyes had never left him. He was hooked since the first time he stared into them.

He leaned back against the chair, watching the patterns that the earring made as light reflected on it. Like how the soldier gazed at the handkerchief of his wife, remembering their memories, he cherished the beauty of the most precious treasure in his life.

Maybe the soldier wasn't wrong.

Maybe he was indeed a man in love.

4 years ago

"The war has gotten worse. You need to put an end to it soon, General. I have faith in you. The strategist of Hyderabad is clearly a genius. No nation could fight us like that. Find out his identity. My inside spies have informed me that the strategist's tent is around the area of the General's tent. But he never comes out of his lair. Try to get to know his plans."

-His Majesty, King of Lucknow

Karan sighed as he read the letter from His Majesty again and again. The war between Hyderabad and Lucknow had prolonged for more than seven months and all the soldiers were getting tired and restless. They wanted to go back home. He could see the discouragement in their eyes and him, as their pillar of motivation, even he was getting irked.

He walked to the nearest candle and burned the letter, so that no one could see it. The King had expressed his intentions to him. He intended him to sneak into Hyderabad's camping grounds and spy on them. On the strategist, particularly.

The strategist of Hyderabad had been the toughest contender he had ever encountered. The name of that person had risen to fame during this war. No, he didn't have a name actually. The interesting thing was, no one had seen him. Why he was hiding his identity was a mystery. Hence, he was called the "Mysterious Strategist."

Karan's strategies always worked in every wars. He had never lacked in them. Part of Karan's fame was because of the strategies he created in wars. But now his every strategy was proving to be a failure against this person. And it was the same in Hyderabad's case as well. He could easily detect the hidden depths beneath his strategies and he could see his. They both could easily catch the loopholes in each other's plans, though other people would have a hard time figuring it out. It was eerie how they could think so much alike.

Karan had been wanting to get to know this man. Now, the King himself had given an order. So, without further delay, he started preparing myself to sneak to the enemy camp.

After disguising himelf in Hyderabad's military clothes, he escaped to their camp grounds which was some good miles far from Lucknow's.

It was past midnight and only some soldiers were patrolling the area. He presumed that the others had long gone to sleep.

He assessed his surroundings. The General's tent stood mightily in the middle of all the other tents. He could detect that because of the difference in the colour. His was a bright shade of red while the others were a little pale.

Slipping past the eyes of the soldiers, he made his way to the General's tent. Karan had always been a good spy and done this countless times. Once he reached the middle area, he put on my best stance as the soldier of Hyderabad to not have anyone suspect him. He had to just look like a soldier who was patrolling the area.

Walking around the area of the General's tent, carrying his weapon, he was acting like a soldier who was patrolling. He now needed to know which tent was the strategist's

Another soldier passed by his side, whistling a tune but he stopped and asked, "What time is it?

"Midnight, I presume." karan yawned. "I just got off on the watch duty."

"It's difficult for soldiers like us!" The man grumbled. "But keep an eye out there, man! We wouldn't want that General Luthra to sneak into our grounds, would we?", He chuckled.

"He wouldn't have the guts!", karan played along.

"True, True. I would like to see how he would try to spy on us with such heavy security."

Heavy security? Yeah, sure.

"When are you getting off?", he asked.

"I still have an hour or so."

"These nights remind me of the days back home. How mother would always force me to sleep soon. I would trade anything in the world to have it again." karan said, getting nostalgic. This topic was always a soft spot for any soldiers.

The man closed his eyes. "I miss home."

"Certainly, we would be getting back soon, wouldn't we? After all, the strategist has been devising extraordinary strategies! Our enemy will be defeated soon, wait and watch!", karan said, bringing out the excitement in his tone.

"Surely. But you know what?", The man whispered.

"What?" karan leaned closer.

"I think that.....". He looked around, as if he was about to spill something horrendous. "That the strategist is.... disfigured....., ugly. Why would he never leave his tent? No one has ever seen any traces of him. I think the man is invisible sometimes."

"Oh yes?"

"Right. The soldiers have been saying that for a while. No one sees anyone leave that tent.", He said, pointing at the right tent to the General's tent. "Even for food, the General's most trusted guard goes to serve."

Karan had the location now. Score!

"Mysterious." Karan muttered.

"Right". The soldier stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"What are you two folks tattling about ?! Get back to your duty!" Someone yelled.

"Can't catch a break." The man grumbled. "It was nice talking to you, man."

"Likewise."

With that, they went each other's ways.

After sometime, when the coast was clear, karan finally slipped inside the strategist's tent.

He was certainly more curious about this man now.

🍁