Seduction is a game played with mind and not the body. Just the right words, or the right look in the eyes, or sometimes it's just touching the one like an instrument, and if the beats are in sync, the music of moaning becomes irresistible.

Sitting inside the tent, Bondita felt like a devoted pupil to the goddess offering her to teach the basic art of conquering a heart.

"Debraj Indra did it to Ahalya... Bhagawan Vishnu as Mohini did it to the Ashura... Seduction is written all over our mythology."
Bimala was seated on a stool, and the two girls sat at her feet, gulping every sermon she delivered.

"You don't need to show him how needy you are... That you are desparate... But, ignore him."

"Ignore?" Bondita gasped at the words.

"Absolutely... That's one thing men can't take... Being ignored." Bimala winked at the girls and continued.
"Pretend as if you aren't bothered by anything they do... Even that you have no care for their lack of attention."

"Owww..." Sharmila widened her eyes, awed by Bimala's words, but not able to fathom any deeper meaning from it.

"And also... Never be too direct."

"As in?" Bondita was mindful, as if taking mental notes.

"As in play precious... Play coy... Don't tell them what you have in mind... Let them work for it... Be mysterious."

Sharmila stood up at once and pulled her hair open, flipping the strands infront and spreading them all over her face in a ghostly appearence.

"Oww... I'm mysterious... I'm Kalo buri... I know how to do black magic..."
She moved her hands in a hocus pocus manner earning an eye-roll from both the girls.

"Sit down Sharmi... Listen to what she's saying." Bondita pulled her by her arm and made her sit beside.
"So, how can I be mysterious?"
Her eyes had a shine in them.

"Well... There are ways... Let's say, you make continuous eye contacts, smile, but don't say anything... And, when you have his attention, start ignoring again."

Bimala winked again, and Bondita gulped.
"And?"

"And dress the part... If you're getting into a battlefield, you may want to wear your armour..." She smiled brightly at Bondita, and picked up a rucksack kept beside, "and for today... I'm going to let you borrow my armour."

Bondita gasped sharpy, and so did Sharmila, as Bimala took out a red Georgette Chiffon Saree from her bag, and along with it was a laced black blouse.

"Silk??" Sharmi widened her eyes, and Bimala nodded happily.

"Not silk... It's made in England... It's called chiffon... The English ladies love to wear dresses made from this..."

Bondita's eyes were shining too.
"But, Bimi Didi... I can't wear black blouse, KakaSasurji would be really mad if he gets to know this... Black is bad omen, and I'm not allowed to..."

Bimala rolled her eyes.
"Is your KakaSasurji here?" She argued,
"Rules are meant to be broken Bondita... Do you really believe my mother-in-law would approve me wearing this long skirts? But still, am I not wearing them?"

Rebuttals made no sense when the price of the argument was so lucrative.
Bondita smiled happily and submitted herself completely to the mercy of her new mentor, she closed her eyes and breathed out loud.
'Barrister Babu... I'm going to make you love me today...' She mused.

---

The day was rolling on a rather happy note, specially for the men, as they bathed in the river, and played tennis, and then settled with a game of chess. Brojo was of opinion of undertaking the charge of cooking for the day.
"Our women feed us everyday, so today let's give them a little rest, and let's show them that we can do it too... And better..." He had argued, and although Mukundo wasn't very convinced with the idea, Anirudh had readily jumped at it.

"I don't know much about cooking Brojo, but if you tell me what to do, I'll do it." He rubbed his palms enthusiastically at the prospect of exploring something new.

---

"Bondita... Your husband is cooking mutton!" Sharmi was eavesdropping, hiding behind the tent door, and Bondita's face became brighter as she shared a glance with Bimala.

Bimala had helped her clean up, and wear the saree, not in the traditional way but the way the city girls would do. The black lace blouse was a perfect fit, and it looked even better in Bondita's complexion, bringing out every detail of her body and accentuating them to a peak.

"Wow..." Sharmi widened her eyes, and Bimala smeared a little kolh from her eye on her hair.

"Now... This is what a seductress would look like!" She inhaled proudly.

---

"We'll need one more player to play Bridge." Mukundo dropped the bunch of cards and looked up at the men,
"I had told you to invite Charan..."

"Charan doesn't have a wife..."
Brojo replied, grinding the spices in a shallow iron tumblr.

"What's the big deal... The wives aren't even showing themselves today... God knows what they are doing inside that tent since morning."
Mukundo pursed his lips and Anirudh laughed out loud.

"Keeping an eye on us... Look..." He gestured towards the tent with his eyes and the men saw an embarassed Sharmila quickly run inside.
"Sharmi Boudidi is really sweet. So did you put her in a school Mukun?

"School??" Mukundo jumped up and rolled his eyes at Anirudh.
"Mad or what!! Teach your wife and then she'll question your expenses the entire life... " He huffed, "I'm not a man to do that mistake."

"Bimi is well educated... She never questions me over money." Brojo narrowed his eyes and looked up.

"It's because she's from a Zamindar family..."

The logic sounded a little vague to both the men, but they chose to be silent, continuing with their task of preparing the most delicious meal that their wives would ever eat!

"Shall I call Bimi and Bondita boudi to come and join us?" Brojo asked enthusiastically.

"Nwwah... Let's just play Fish."
Mukundo yawned.

--

Anirudh was happy about the fact that Bondita had made friends in the trip, not just that but the fact that her new friends were keeping her away from him intrigued his curiosity too.
And, it was during lunch that he saw her, Bondita, coming out of the tent, laughing heartily, and not glancing at him, not even once.
Anirudh frowned a little.
Was it something to do with their awkward encounter earlier that morning?
Why was Bondita suddenly avoiding him then?

"Bondita..." He handed her a cleaned banana leaf and spoke in a hushed voice.
"Are you comfortable?"

"I'm perfect." Bondita winked, and turned away immediately, walking towards Bimala who was already seated beside her husband.

"Oi... Bondita... " Anirudh hushed again, and she turned.
"Would you not sit with me?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes, ofcourse..."

"Then find a place beside me."
Bondita had raised an eyebrow at him, knocking a familiar feeling inside his chest, and he saw with narrowed eyes as she turned around playfully, and walked slowly in a rhythm, occupying the space beside her new bestfriend.
Her behaviour felt a bit strange, perhaps a little discord somewhere, and Anirudh stood there rooted, looking at her, trying to reason with his abruptly raised heartbeat.

"Ya I'll come join you..." He murmured to himself and took a banana left for himself. But, before he could bridge the distance and occupy the seat beside his wife, he saw Sharmila almost leaped and settled herself beside Bondita.

"Yeah Bondita... We three are sitting together."
She cheered happily and stuck her tongue out teasingly at Anirudh, and he looked away at once, hiding the expression of prominent displeasure from his face.

Mukundo hadn't helped in cooking, and hence he was given the task to serve the food. Anirudh had found his place beside Brojo, and as per the sitting arrangement, Bondita sat two seats away from him.

"Bondita... Eat the meat... You aren't eating..."
Anirudh was desparately ducking his head and leaning backward, only to get a glimpse of his wife, the view guarded by Brojo and his wife, and everytime he would duck his head, Bimala would bent down further to sheath Bondita from his eyes.

"Bouthan... What Awni meant is... Eat the mutton, as he has prepared it today."
Brojo laughed out loud, and Bondita took one helping of the dish.

"Brojo Dada... Tell your friend that the meat is very good."
Bondita spoke gently, smiling, but she didn't lift her head or look at him even once.

'What the heck!' Anirudh thought.

---

The meal was sumptuous, a little high on the spice, and after filling the stomach to the brim, Mukundo suggested that they sleep in the shade of the tent for a while.

"Sharmila..." He called out, and leaving the hearty discussion with the other two, Sharmi stood up at once, pulling her saree over her head, as she followed her husband inside one of the tents silently.

"This one is such a mouse... She needs a little training too..." Bimala sighed, and winked at Bondita, "May be next year."

Only two tents were erected, as Anirudh's folding tent still lay hurled at one corner.
Brojo and Anirudh was fiddling lazily with the chess, and Brojo yawned noisily.

"Bhai... I'm sleepy too..." He exchanged a glance with his wife, seated a little afar.
"Set your tent up and sleep a little... We've a lot more to do at night."

Anirudh sighed, sensing his friend's intension, but he simply nodded his head and smiled cordially at him.
"I don't have a habit of sleeping in the afternoon... You carry on Brojo... I'll be here."

"And do what?"
Brojo got up and Anirudh shrugged.

"Don't worry... I'll be with my wife."

---

The two tents were occupied, and as Anirudh pulled out a pack of cards, he saw Bondita coming out of the tent where Brojo had just entered.
But instead of coming towards him, Anirudh saw Bondita walking towards the hammock, tied to the trees.

"Bondita... Here..."
Anirudh waved at her, and she turned around, walking in his direction.
There was something in that walk, a poem, a lyric, and Anirudh parted his lips in wonder as how he didn't see it before.

Bondita looked different, every move of her body, every glance of her eye, the subtle smile in her lips... Something had changed, and the change had happened suddenly, without offering him the time to relish the transformation.
His eyes fell on the red saree that she wore, beautifully draped around her body, and the black blouse with puffed up sleeves made her appear to be someone else... Not his baby Bondita, but someone who was a grown up version of her, and whom he was yet to discover.

"Sit Bondita..."
Anirudh patted the mattress beside him, and she sat down, keeping an unnecessary distance between them.

"The food was delicious."
She smiled, calmly, and her face radiated a maturely composure, very uncharacteristic of her.

"Thank you Madam... I'm glad you liked it." Anirudh bowed dramatically, needless to say, a little intimidated by the aura that she was reflecting.

"What are you playing?"
She asked.

"Patience." He showed her the cards held in his hand.

"A perfect game for you indeed." She smirked.
"So, tell me... Did you win?"

Anirudh smiled.
"No... I haven't started yet... Would you join me?"

"I may... But whats the prize?"

"What do you want?"

"That's a tough one... What if you don't have what I wish for?" Bondita looked away coyly, and pulling the bolster pillow she lay down beside him, under the pleasant evening sun.

"You can ask... I'll tell you if I'm not able to fulfill your wish... But I'll try atleast... Shotti."

Bondita didn't reply, instead she closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air sharply.

"Do you want me to set the tent up for you... Do you want to sleep?"
Anirudh touched a strand of her lose hair and tucked it behind her ear, making her smile.

"Would you be there?" She asked.

"Um... Well... "

"It's alright... I know you'd rather play 'Patience'!"
She opened her eyes, and their gaze met, his wonder mixed with her mystery, and Anirudh suddenly raised his hand and cupped her face, brushing his thumb on her lower lip.

"Is this a lip paint?"
He asked, and she saw his eye fixated on her lips, increasing her heartbeat to a level of no return.

"Yes." She murmured, parting her lips as minimum as possible, and his touch still lingered.

"I like it..." He hushed, "You look very pretty..." He sighed, and turned his gaze away from her face.
"I'll buy you this lip paint from Calcutta... I don't like you using someone else's."

He had kept the cards aside, and had laid down beside her, both looking sky-bound, their arms touching, and their breaths elevating in anticipation.
But, there was a calmness in that anticipation, no hasty pounding of heart, but some fluttering butterflies inside the stomach, making them both bask in the glory of this newfound happiness.

"Can I ask you something Barrister Babu?" Bondita asked softly, and Anirudh held her hand and kept it on his chest, entwined with his fingers.

"Anything..." He hushed.

"What is Love?"

The mystery of love is greater than that of the mystery of death, but still the glory that it promises is worth everything... it's beyond the riches of an emperor and the peace of a worshipper. But Anirudh's young heart was yet to unfold its mystery... it was as if he had touched it, but had not fathomed it's depth yet.

"Love is truth." He sighed.
"Love is faith... Love is about giving, and not expecting anything in return."

"Have you felt love?" Bondita closed her eyes, feeling the touch of his fingers on her hand.

"I... I probably have Bondita... Everytime I look at you..." He paused, "And Batuk, and Kaka... It's love that I feel... It's what I live for..."

"When would I get to feel it?"
Bondita had slowly removed her hand from his chest, and now it lay rested on her stomach.

"Haven't you felt it yet?" Anirudh pressed a smile on his lips.
"The way you were kissing that stray dog the day before, I thought I'll let you adopt it."

"That was love?" Bondita widened her eyes, and Anirudh shrugged.

"Then what about the love that Bimi didi feels for her husband?"

The untarnished smile in Anirudh's lips suddenly turned into a smirk, as he now realised the true connotation of his wife's questions.

"You need to grow up to feel that love..."

"And what if I want to feel it now?"

"Then remember what I told you that night... " Anirudh turned around, and lifted his head, crutching on his elbow, as his hands moved up on her hand, making her touch her heart.
"I'll love you Bondita... With all my heart... But only when the time is right" he looked into her eyes tenderly.
"And in the meanwhile, learn to love yourself... In every way... So, when you turn to be a fine grown up lady, you can guide me with what you like and what you don't."

Bondita gulped, she had understood most of his words, but some were still unclear, and his intense gaze on her face wasn't helping either.
She stretched her hand, readily grabbing Anirudh's neck, and pulled him closer to her face.

"I want you to kiss me." She swallowed nervously, and Anirudh pecked a soft kiss on her forehead.

"No... On..." Bondita gulped, "on my lips."

The expression on Anirudh's face had changed at once, from that gently smile, his eyes had narrowed in a serious contour.

"Is that what you want?"

"Yes!"
Bondita murmured.

"Will it make you happy?"

"Yes!"
She breathed, and Anirudh sighed.

"Then I'll kiss you on the lips Bondita... But, know this, that it won't be from my heart."

Bondita didn't understand the depth of his words, nor did she care much, as her entire being craved for just one thing... The touch of his lips.
She closed her eyes, and felt her husband sighing deeply, a little in sadness perhaps, but her mind was too busy to calculate the nuances.

"Open your eyes Bondita... I want you to see me, and remember that I can do anything for your happiness", Anirudh spoke plainly, "but from today onwards, I'd want you to focus on your studies more... Without pinning for my kisses."

"Hm..!" Bondita hummed, the excitement in her heart had reached to its highest pedestal, and now she only wanted to be worshipped, by his lips, like Venus!

With wide eyes, Bondita saw Anirudh inching closer, his lips only a miniscule away from hers, and he closed his eyes, and swallowed, and then sighed, his lips pouting a little trying to touch hers, and there was a strange sadness in the entire act.

"Stop... Stop... Barrister babu..." Bondita pushed him away, and sat upright.
"It's... It's not right... You've taught me that feelings are never meant to be imposed..." She nodded her head sideways, vehemently, as if to quieten the voices in her head.
"And I was... I was forcing you..." She looked up at him with glistening eyes.
"I'm... So... So sorry Barrister Babu... What was I thinking!"

She buried her face in her hands and shook her head.
"This was so wrong... I mean, if you chose not to love me... Then I'm no one to force
You... You are an individual, and I should never impose my feeling..."

Anirudh stirred up.
"Bondita... Areyy... It's not that I don't love..."

Bondita raised her hand stopping him.
"I understand completely, don't worry... I'm not as lucky as Bimala or Sharmila, but that's alright, atleast you've given me a new life and I can't be more thankful..." Bondita went on, and Anirudh sat infront, jaw dropped.
"It's not necessary that everyone would get love in life... May be I'm not destined to get one... May be I'm not worth it... Sharmila and..."

"You aren't lucky and Sharmila is??" Anirudh was looking at her with a stunned expression, his head was reeling from all these sudden outburst, and the unkind words that his wife just showered him with, and at that moment, in that peak of confusion, he suddenly felt like grabbing her cheeks and kissing her hard, sucking the words out of her lips.

"Ofcourse Sharmila is lucky, atleast her husband loves..."
Bondita couldn't complete her words, as she felt Anirudh's hands on her waist, grabbing her skin and squeezing her hard, she gasped and he pulled her close, making her bosom touch his chest... with a rough abruptness... His orbs bore deep in her lips, and she heard the sound of his heartbeat, thudding... and the veins on his temples were throbbing in it's rhythm.

"Barrister Babu..." She gulped, in fear and excitement, and Anirudh closed his eyes slowly, turning his head, and cupping her face, letting the heat of his breath sink into her face.
It was a fevered moment, an inexplicable anticipation, and Bondita had successfully broken the dam of Anirudh's patience with her words, inciting his lips to seek it's revenge.

"Bondita... "
The childish voice broke the trance in which the two souls were captivated in, lost in the whirlpool of emotions, and she pushed him away from her once again, pressing her eyes shut to calm herself down.
"Oo... Bondita... "
Sharmila called again, and both Bondita and Anirudh turned around, only as their eyes saw the happy yet strained face of the little girl who had just come out of the tent, her saree creased, her hair ruffled, her kohl smudged, but the innocent smile on the lips was what made Anirudh's heart wretch.

Anirudh sighed, and got up at once.
"Sharmi Boudidi, are you alright?"
He asked, fearing the answer, his heart crying for the child, and Sharmi flashed a smile at him, brighter than before.

"I'm fine, Awni Dada." She turned towards Bondita, and staggered towards her.
"I'm done... He's fallen asleep..." She grinned, "Come, let's play now Bondita...Come..."
She stretched her arms.

.....................................................

Okay... One more part left 🙈🙈🤪
Sorry this got stretched a bit.