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Golden reflected against her skin, the paleness melting into warm honey, her eyes which were an astoundingly light grey, the colour of glass looked outside the boundaries of the large, brick red coloured Kothi, scared yet curious like she was seeing it for the first time.

The white dupatta wrapped around herself like a chadar, not a single strand of her rich brown hair visible except for the dark colour reaching below her waist visible in her silhouette, delicate hands twisting together in nervousness as her eyes fell on the large gates opening and large black Land Cruiser driving in.

Quickly, with shivering hands, she picked up the cloth and the bucket of water, pouring water into the potted plants, which she spilled in haste.

Calming her scared heart, she continued her work, counting in her mind what she still had to do in the kitchen and then the dusting.

/////////////

In the Shah Villa, the hustle of the workers continued as it did on the daily basis since a month. The were arranging a large function for their parent's anniversary and the whole family, nearly the whole city was invited. The house used to be quiet a while ago, with only the eldest son Shehryaar who handled the families business -in the house. But a few days ago, all the other brothers had arrived for holidays, the four of them. Shah's were five brothers, all a year or so younger than each other. Surprisingly, even their extended family consisted of mostly boys, no daughters to spoil.

Fatima, the head of the staff in the kitchen called a girl,
"Mirha!"

She patiently watched as the girl wrapped in a white shawl stepped towards her slowly. Fatima handed her a tray with a cup of tea in the saucer and some other delicacies,
"Go, take it to Shehryaar sir's room."

Upon his name, the girl became visibly scared, biting her lip as she slowly walked away and Fatima mulled over her thoughts.

Why were these two sisters always so scared?

They both had just come here two days ago and started working hust today, maybe that was why. Remembering about the other sister, she started to look for her, who was probably hiding in a corner.

////////////

The door knocked and Shehryaar didn't asked them to come in with out looking up from the file in his hand.

He was still dresses in his office attire, the black suit fitting every ridge of his broad body, the expensive material of the suit reflecting the bright lights and the silk tie loosened a little. Shehryaar Shah was the man on which the entire Shah empire depended, the man who made others turn their head to look at him twice. Power emanated from his personality but their was no hint of arrogance.

When the door opened he didn't look up but when the no one moved or spoke up in two minutes, he raised his head to look at the girl.

He eyed her face, trying to remember her and then his eyes drifted down to her hands which slightly shaking while holding the tray. She became even more nervous after his assessment of her so he faced his files again.

"Rakh do."
(Put it here.)

She moved forward slowly, eyes looking at the ground still as she bent forward to place the tray on the coffee table in the middle of the room, immediately turning around to leave.

When she closed the door behind him, Shehryaar looked up from his files, throwing his head back on the head rest of his chair, rubbing his temple with his hand.

////////////

It was the middle of the night when Minal came out of Dadi's room. She had been tending to her all evening and now she was finally asleep, allowing Minal to leave for her room she shared with her sister. They both stayed inside the house at night in a guest room because they tended to the grandmother and were needed in the middle of the night sometimes. Her sister was probably waiting for her since both of them couldn't sleep with out each other. Distressed and thinking about how it all happened, she walked into the kitchen but covered her mouth to muffle her loud gasp quickly, her eyes wide.

A man, without his shirt on, only dressed in pants stood by the marble island, one hand drumming on the shelf and the other spooning some pasta into his mouth. Upon hearing the gasp, he looked at the door to see a frightened little girl, covered head to toe in a black shawl, with dark black eyes which looked ghostly against her paper white skin.

Ahmed looked at her with raised eyebrows as she her eyes roamed over his body like a trance, like it was the first time she had seen someone. From his legs to his torso, to his chest, her eyes were in a trance and when they met his eyes, she turned around to leave quickly, gulping.

" Ruko! Kahan ja rahi ho?"
(Wait! Where are you going?)

Minal turned back, not looking at him yet. If she had looked, she would have seen the wicked glint in his eyes and the mischievous smile tugging at his lips.

" S-sonay."
( To sleep.)

He meek voice said, it sounded like a mouse's.
However, sleep had flew from her eyes and now her heart was beating wildly like she had seen some unknown creature, a monster or a fairy in the middle of a forest.

"Coffee banani aati hai?"
( Do you know how to make Coffe?)

Minal nodded her head reluctantly, her head now nearly touching her chest.

"Hmm. Phir banao."
(Then make some.)

Minal walked inside the shining kitchen with weird appliances. She opened the cabinets, searching through them to look for something and Ahmed watched her intently, amused at how she was ignoring the coffee machine sitting on the shelf right next to her.

She bit her lip nervously as she took out a sauce pan, pouring some water into it and waiting it to boil. Ahmed, still amused by the way she was ignoring him like he wasn't even in the room, her eyes not even looking at his mistakenly.

Aah, shy little girls. He thought.

He knew these two new girls had come but he had only arrived yesterday. He had already seen the other one with beautiful eyes but had not talked to any of them. They seemed young, maybe seventeen or eighteen. He had heard from his youngest brother that these both were always scared. It was his first encounter and he was thoroughly amused.

Now he watched as she poured the coffee into a mug, effortlessly. Then she picked up the cup, looking for a tray when he said,

" lao dau."
(Give it to me.)

The girl stepped towards him, shaking hands raising to give him the cup without looking at him and when his fingers touched hers, she snatched her hand back like it was fire.

The coffee spilled a little but he had already taken hold of the cup so the rest was saved.

Her chadar had gotten stained along with her foot which had had most of the coffee spilled on.

Ahmed shook his head at the girl whose eyes were nearly over flowing with the tears.

It was only his hand, man. Nothing to be afraid of.

"Betho idhr."
(Sit here.)

He dragged the stool forward and she quietly sat down even though she wanted to run away but she was under his order. She knew it.

Her breath stopped, her body literally felt like she was electrocuted as he sat on his knees, taking her foot in his hand and observing the burn then blowing over it, the delicate little girl trembled literally.

"Kuch nahi hua." (Its okay, I think.)

The girl shakingly got up, her heart wild like she had been in a storm and survived as hey she ran out of the kitchen, leaving a startled Ahmed behind.

What did he just do?

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  So, yeah.

What do you think?