"You should smile more," Razia commented as she saw the blush on her cheeks. She was reading a romance novel when Razia tried to peak into her book, but Seher hid it from her.

It started raining again, and Seher excitedly opened the window, letting her hand out so the cold water fell on her hands. It started pouring rain, removing her shoes, she quickly ran to the terrace. She closed her eyes, letting the tiny droplets kiss her face. In the loneliness of the night, she finally found her peace. Her happiness, the anklets in her legs made a sound. She bent down and removed them, her legs were slippery, the terrace was getting filled.

She sat down on the terrace and looked up at the cloudy sky, "Madam kya dekh rahi hai aap?"
(What are you looking at?)

"Aasman, chaand taarein. Tum bhi dekho", as she laid on the wet terrace floor, Razia gasped.

(Sky, moon and the stars. Come)

"Aap bimar hojayengi (You will get sick in the rain)," she shrugged, who cared. She would happily embrace this cold, "Apni marzi se bimaar hongi, Razia mujhe aisa lagraha ki mai wapas America mai hu bachpan m chali gayi Har cheez khoobsurat lagrahi (I will become sick by my own choice, Razia. It feels like I'm back in America, as if I've returned to my childhood. Everything seems beautiful.) "she said. They heard a peacock, and Seher got up, picking up her dupatta and looking through the terrace.

She saw the peacock dancing in the rain, its feathers shimmering with every graceful movement. Mesmerized by the sight, Seher couldn't help but smile as she watched the elegant display of nature. "Razia, dekho na, kitna khoobsurat hai (Razia, look how beautiful it is)," she whispered, her voice filled with awe.

Razia joined her at the edge of the terrace, sharing in Seher's wonder. "Sach mein, bahut khoobsurat hai (Indeed it is)" she agreed, a soft smile playing on her lips.

As they stood there together, watching the peacock dance in the rain, Seher felt a sense of serenity wash over her, she knew that she was exactly where she was meant to be.

"Do you know why a peacock dances in the rain?" Razia answered, "Because they love rain?" Seher laughed, "They dance to attract peahen by displaying their beautiful feathers. It's like courtship"

Razia laughed, "Imagine if this happened in real life, Men dancing to attract women, woman would laugh on them"

Seher frowned, "Why?"

"Because dancing is for women, it's for the courtesans."

Seher adjusted her dupatta, her expression thoughtful. "Razia, you know, it's the way society sees things. But I think dancing's a joy for anyone who feels it in their heart, not just courtesans."

Razia nodded slowly, considering Seher's words. "In our world, it's the men who do the courting, not the other way around."

With a smile, Seher turned her attention back to the peacock, still dancing gracefully in the rain. "Look at this peacock. Just like it, we should embrace who we are and express ourselves freely, without fear of judgment."

___

The dawn arrived. She was the first person to wake up, looking from the terrace. She could see him exiting the quarters washing his face with the bucket of water she had placed for him early in the morning. He took the bucket of water and went to the bathing area. As he was walking, he felt eyes on him.

He saw her standing there wearing a pink suit, her head covered with the dupatta, smiling at him. His lips curved up as he realised it wasn't one-sided.

Her eyes would twinkle whenever she smiled, her lips would curve up, and a little blush would appear on either side of her cheeks. While the two gazed at each other from the tower, Ayesha witnessed the scene.

She cooed at crying Musa while trying to understand what was happening.

Later, Razia brought Saahil a cup of tea. He saw the look of judgement in her eyes. He took the cup from her hand and sighed, "Keh dijiye jo kehna hai aapko."

"Galat horaha, aap dono gunnah kar rahey ho (This is wrong, this is a sin)," she said. The whole night, she remained awake, praying for Seher's wellbeing.

He saw the look in her eyes and asked, "Aapko kisse dar hai? Khuda se? (Who are you scared of? God?)"

She shook her head, "Saad Sahib se unko pata chala toh Qayamat aajayegi (If Saad Sahib realised what was happening, it would be hell)".

"Kya karega woh? (What will he do?)"

"Jaan lelega (He will kill you)"

Saahil laughed, "Every year we infiltrate the enemy's camp for our country, a person who can give up their life for their country, imagine to what extent they can go for their love."

Razia was about to leave when he asked her, "Aap chai peeyengi? (Will you have tea?)"

"Itni mehengi cheez hum naukaron k liye nahi hoti (Tea isn't for the servants)", he sat down on the stone, "Aap baithey, aur ye chai aapki hai. Mai chai nahi peeta (You sit down, and this tea is yours. I don't drink tea)".

Razia wanted to find faults in him, but she couldn't. She wanted to say no to his kind gesture, but the smell of the tea was tempting her taste buds, so she agreed. Sitting beside him, she sipped the tea, "Aapke bacche yahi rehte hai? (Your kids live here?)"

"Nahi... shauhar nahi hai bacche kaise hongey (No... I don't have a husband, how will I have kids?)", she laughed, but her eyes were gloomy.

"Phir aapne shaadi kyun nahi ki? (Why didn't you marry?)" He asked curiously, Razia realised he won't let it go, so she placed her cup on her lap and turned to him.

"Tumhare tarah maine bhi mohabbat ki thi aur mohabbat mai jab ek marta hai toh dusra shaadi nahi karta (Like you I also fell in love, and when your lover dies, a person never marries again)".

"Aap kya kehti hai haath pakadkar lejau usse yahase? (What do you say? Should I runaway with her?)" He asked, looking at the morning sky, "Seher chali jayegi kya? (Will she go?)"

Saahil shook his head, "Issi baat ka darr hai mujhe kahi woh inkaar na karde (The thought of her rejection scares me)".

"Maut se nahi darte magar uske inkaar se darr lagta hai? (You are scared of rejection, not death)" She asked, trying to figure out this man, "Haan (Yes)," he admitted quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Uske inkaar se darr lagta hai. Kyunki agar Seher ne mujhe inkaar kiya, toh meri zindagi mein kuch bachega hi nahi. (I fear her rejection. Because if she rejected me, I would have nothing left in my life)"

Razia studied Saahil's profile, noting the vulnerability hidden beneath his stoic exterior. "Lekin agar woh bhi aapse mohabbat karti hai, toh? (What if she is in love with you?)"

"Phir bhi (Then too) ," Saahil murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mujhe darr hai ki meri mohabbat uske liye kafi nahi hogi. Darr hai ki meri zindagi mein uske alawa kuch aur nahi bachega. Darr hai ke woh meri zindagi banjayegi... (I'm afraid my love won't be enough for her. I'm afraid nothing else will remain in my life except for her. I'm afraid she will become my whole life...)"

____

At night when it rained again, Seher sat on the bed, through the window she saw, Saahil wearing one of the Saad's kurta. The black kurta accentuated his broad shoulders, 'He looks good without his uniform too'. She thought it was the uniform that had attracted her, but it was him.

As he sat there, the rain fell on him, he remained uncaring. Seher looked around the room and found an umbrella.

"Kaha jaarahi? (Where are you going?)" Razia asked, Seher smiled pointing outside, before Razia could say anything they heard someone sing.

Assan yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya,
Rab wekheya, Rab wekheya,
Assan yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya.

Her eyes brightened as both of them ran to the window, opening it, they saw him sitting there, in the pouring ran singing his heart, his eyes closed. His was getting duller in each tone and his humming was increasing in each note. Then there was a silence engulfed them and he greeted her with his brown eyes again, looking in their direction.

Jadon yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya,
Rab wekheya, Rab wekheya,
Jadon yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya.

Dil da saaf ho jaaye, rooh nu sukoon mil jaaye,
Assan yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya.

He was describing a tale. His eyes was depicting the unhappy moments he was facing and his cheerful hum was his positive outlook towards life. The silence was the sudden disruption in his music and maybe his life. There was a range of emotions that he couldn't express through music but Seher could feel it in the atmosphere.

Seher realised he lived in music, one could hear his heartbeat in his songs. Songs aren't always the way a person hear them.

"Why is he singing in the rain?" Razia asked, Seher turned to her, "Do you remember what I told you about peacocks?"

"Is he courting you?" She asked suddenly, Seher shrugged, looking at the umbrella, "Only one way to find out".

Jadon yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya,
Rab wekheya, Rab wekheya,
Jadon yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya.

Assan yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya,
Rab wekheya, Rab wekheya,
Assan yaar de nazare wichon Rab wekheya.

In a trance she exited her room, and climbed down the stairs listening to his voice, and then she was outside looking at him. With each step, the distance between them diminished, until finally, she stood beside Saahil, her eyes gleaming with admiration.

She reached out and placed the umbrella over him, he looked up at her. And couldn't tear his eyes away from her eyes, she couldn't look at those intense eyes, so she turned around.

"Jaarahi ho? Baat nahi karogi? (Are you leaving? You won't talk to me?)" He asked with a hint of longing in his voice.

"Tum karo baatein mai sunungi (You talk I will listen)", she said as he handed her the umbrella, she didn't turn around to look at him.

"Saamne nahi aaogi? (You won't look at me?)"

"Nahi", she shook her head, they were holding the two ends of the umbrella, "Jab mai qed mai tha tab, tumhari shaqal bhul gaya tha, phir teen mahine roz apni aankhon se tumhari nayi tasveer banata tha. Humne kabhi khulkar baatein nahi ki, isliye tumhe jaanta nahi mai, toh surat k saath saath dimaag n tumhari seerat bhi banali. Tumhi batado tum kaisi ho?"

(When I was in jail, I had forgotten your face, then for three months, I would paint your new picture every day with my eyes. We never spoke, so I don't know you, so along with your face, I also created your character in my mind. You tell me, how are you?)

She turned around facing him, "Kaisi hu mai? (How am I?)" There was a hint of smile on her face, as he gazed at her, "Jaisa khwaab m dekha tha hu ba hu waisi. (Like the woman in my dreams)"

He removed a letter from his pocket and passed it to her, "Tumhare khat ka jawab (The response to your letter)," placing it in her hand, he walked inside leaving her with the umbrella and the letter.

Seher excitedly opened the note, she didn't had the patience to do that in her room.

In the dungeon gazing stars at nights never bored me. The night was cold and the breeze carried the smoke away. My eyes aimlessly staring at the cloudy sky as it played hide and seek with the moon. Trying to locate the face I once imagined on the moon made me smile. How beautiful is it? But sometimes it made me wonder who kept me awake. You or the moon?

When I came here I thought I would complete my missions, I always thought I was a man who was afraid of no one. But when I sat down to write this letter, I recognised my fears. Just to convey my feelings it took me four paragraphs and an entire night.

And I had a few realisations, I don't care about the world, about your husband. I never did and I never would. I realised how quickly you became a part of my life, I realised I couldn't live without you. I realised I started falling for you. All these realisations happened in one night.

When I write this, I have question in my mind, my heart has accepted you, it's yours. I never had a person to call mine, someone whose name was associated with mine. But today as I write this letter, I come to another realisation that I am now, 'Seher's Saahil' (Seher ka Saahil).

Your's Saahil...

____

The translation of the song:

When God gazes upon us through the eyes of our beloved,
Our hearts become pure, and our souls find solace,
When God gazes upon us through the eyes of our beloved.

In that divine gaze, we discover a connection beyond the earthly,
A love that transcends the mundane,
When God gazes upon us through the eyes of our beloved.

Our existence merges with the spiritual,
And we glimpse eternity in those eyes,
When God gazes upon us through the eyes of our beloved.

When God gazes upon us through the eyes of our beloved,
Our hearts resonate with the sacred,
When God gazes upon us through the eyes of our beloved.