The hot water was just adding fuel to the fire. Daro was furious. How dare anyone play her? How dare he trick her. She was Daro, princess of the Natt, sister of Noori. She took everything. She didn't share her air, let alone her man.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She screamed and thrashed at the water, as if punishing it. She heaved once she stopped. Throwing tantrums never helped anybody. Daro held her breath and took a long dip in the water.

When she came up, she noticed a shadow. Daro whipped around to face the window, and saw him standing there. He was dressed in all black, covering any indication of who he might be.

Daro swam backwards, putting distance between them, and grabbed her blade from the edge of the pool. The intruder jumped off the window sill and she aimed her weapon at him.

"Kon hai tu?! Kissi di jurrat na howe Daro de ghussal te ankh uthane ka. Aur tu andar aagaya?"

The man paid no heed to her words, but she could've sworn she heard a chuckle. He stepped forward and walked into the steps of the pool.

Daro again swam back. She could get out from near her side, but that would be all too revealing. And a sign of weakness. She wasn't weak. By the time she was thinking, the man had completely stepped into the pool.

Oh well. Daro splashed a big wave at the assassin, throwing him off before she attacked him. The man put up his arms to block the water and she cut his arm. In the time it took him to recover, Daro made a dash for the exit.

He grabbed her thigh and pulled back. Daro fell face first into the water. She thrashed her arms, trying to not drown, but it gave him an easy target. He grabbed her arms and pulled her up, and against him. His arms wrapped against her naked body.

Daro pushed against him, trying to break free off his trap, but the water was slowing her movements. She tried to toss her head back to hit him but he dodged it. At last, Daro screamed.

She screamed but he covered her mouth with his blood covered hand and pushed her torso back closer to his own body. Daro bit his hand.

"Maula!" She screamed.

The man grabbed her arm and spun her around, pushing her against the pool wall. He stood in front of her, blocking her.

"Nafrat bhi," the familiar voice began saying as the man began to undo his face covering. "Aur madat bhi," Maula smirked at her.

Daro grunted at him and shoved his chest. He just laughed. Maula reached out to brush her hair out of her eyes, and she shook her face, brushing his hand away.

"Such kaha tuney. Daro de kamre chon koi akh utha ke vi nahi dekh sakda," he said, his voice low and concerned.

"Tuney ghalti nahi, gunnah kitta ae," Daro spat at him.

Maula stepped forward, his body dangerously close to her. "Teh ik gunnah tu vi kitta ae. Hissab barabar."

"Konsa gunnah? Tera dil toda main ne?"

Maula laughed and pulled her neck as he leaned closer. "Hmari suhaag raat cheen li."

"Apni duji nal mang," Daro pushed him and walked past him.

Maula grabbed her wrist. "Pehla viyah tera ae. Pehla haq tera ae," he felt her wrist turn, and turned around to face her.

Daro was staring at him, lip quivering from the cold and shock of his words. She had never met a man like him, and she figured she never would.

Maula stood there, gauging her reaction. His eyes darted from her eyes to her lips, trying to figure out the correct play of things. He decided to go for it and leaned himself closer, inching their mouths together. He could feel water dropping from her lashes onto his lips. He kept looking back into her eyes to read her reaction; to allow her every chance to push him away.

She didn't.

They were so close, that his mouth had nowhere else to go but her lips. She just stood there, too stunned to move either way. Then he removed his lips and kissed her again, and she placed her hands on his shoulders, holding him still.

Maula took incentive and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her close as he kissed her more purposefully. Daro too kissed him back.

As passion overtook them, he turned them and pinned her against the pool wall, pressing against her. She could feel him poking through his pants, and got reminded of the fact that he was still wearing clothes.

"Maula," Daro gasped his name as she pushed him apart from herself.

Maula busied himself in her neck, then hauled her out of the pool, sitting her on the ledge. Daro let herself lay back on the wet marble as she waited for him to join her. Maula watched her lay down, her skin exposed to his eyes. She was perfect. Of course she was. And she was just his. He stroked her calf and kissed beside her knee, his lips working upwards. When he kissed into her crease, Daro shrieked and fisted his hair, pulling him up.

Maula smirked and pushed himself out of the pool, straddling over her. He removed his wet tunic and tossed it aside before he let himself lower onto her. He kissed below her belly button, and made his way upwards as his hands went the other way.

Daro gasped, reflexively stretching her neck as he finally matched her state. Maula licked up the column of her throat, his beard tickling her as he nosed against her, preparing himself for the moment.

Finally, he grabbed her hair from behind her neck and yanked, forcing her to look into his eyes. He was desperate, and wanted to know if she felt the same way.

Daro assuringly placed her hands on his chest. "Maula," she whispered, and he crashed into her.

Breathless after hours, Maula rolled of slipped into the pool. After a quick dip, he pulled Daro in, too. He laid against the wall and she leaned back on him as he gently washed her.

"Ishq te nahi ho sakda," Daro said out loud, wondering why they had done it.

"Nahi. Magr ishq da viyah nal koi len den nahi."

"Te kyun kitta mere nal viyah?"

"Kyunki tu Natt di rani eh. Aur main Jatt da rajah. Je agar assi ik na howe, te sadi bradri kiwe ik howe?"

Daro chuckled as she drifted off to sleep.

"Kaash Daro vi teri bradri hoti. Pher Maula nu Daro nal ishq hota."