The morning sun had just risen, casting a warm golden glow across the small room. It was as if the light had washed away the darkness of the night before, just as the rain had washed away all doubts and apprehensions. The scent of damp earth and fresh greenery filled the air, as if nature herself was celebrating a morning before the new beginning.

The room itself was humble, with mud walls and a thatched roof. The furniture was sparse, with only a few mats and cushions scattered around the room. It was a room that had seen its fair share of struggle and hardship, but it was also a room filled with determination and hope.

Satyakirth sat cross-legged on a mat on the mud floor, his eyes fixed on Bhromor Bai. She sat before him, a middle-aged seductive woman with wavy hair and betel-stained lips. Her appearance was tired, yet there was a glint of accomplishment in her eyes that spoke of the lengths she was willing to go for her country. Manoranjan sat beside him, and then Girish Lahiri. On their left sat Mahamaya, and by the door, sat Raimoti.

"So? Did you get the pass code?"
Satyakirth asked Bhromor Bai with narrowed eyes.
The room was silent, and Bhromor smirked slyly.
"To some extent, yes," she replied. "But it was a long hassle, at the cost of everything I had." She huffed, pulling the saree from her shoulder, as everyone in the room saw a deep red bruise on her white skin. The men looked away instantly. Bhromor continued.
"Shashi is a monster from hell. But it's nothing compared to what I can do for you, and for my country."

Satyakirth smiled approvingly, as he folded his hands towards Bhromor in gratitude. But Raimoti's couldn't help but feel a sharp green pang in the heart at thebsight. Her eyes had narrowed considerably. She loved Satyakirth with all her heart and could not bear any other woman speaking to him in such a seductive manner.

But Satyakirth was beyond such petty emotions. He had a grave and determined expression on his face, for nothing mattered to him more than his pledge to free his country from the oppressive reign of the British.

Bhromor Bai continued to speak, remembering the memories of the night before, as if they were precious treasures and everyone in the room listened intently.

"He was drunk, very drunk, and I had drugged hik too," Bhromor Bai recalled. "But he said the pass code was a combination of two of his unfulfilled dreams." She paused and looked around the room. "He was repeating a name, again and again, Rai... Um... 'Rai Maati perhaps." She paused, thinking, and
the moment she said the words, everyone turned to look at Raimoti, who was seated in the room.
Satyakirth took a deep breath and asked Bhromor again, "Are you sure that's what he said?"

Bhromor Bai nodded her head and looked around in confusion. "Am I missing anything here?" she asked, and Mahamaya shook her head sideways in negation.

Bhromor continued, "Is that the name of a place? Rai Maati?" She asked reflectively, and Satyakirth stopped Mahamaya to speak up with a single nod of his eyes. Bhromor Bai exhaled sharply snd began to speak again.
"But then he kept repeating it while he... he was playing with my body." She looked away, a pain overtaking her demeanor."

"And the numbers?"
It was Girish's turn to ask, and Bhromor looked up at him and her eyes twinkled a spark of fondness.

"He told me a number too Girish Babu... I... I don't know what number that is, but it starts with 271...1... Um..."

Raimoti couldn't contain herself anymore.
"2713. That's the number of our Birmingham house." She interjected.

Everyone looked at Raimoti again, and Bhromor Bai felt confused. Her mouth fell open as if she had seen a ghost.

"And you are?" she asked, and Raimoti sighed deeply. "I'm Raimoti... Raimoti Mukherjee." Her voice was soft and melodic, like the gentle rustling of leaves in the morning breeze. "The unfortunate woman whose name you heard last night."

No one spoke about it that morning.

As Bhromor Bai made her way out of the mud hut, the verdant foliage beside the pathway caught her attention. Drenched in the rain of the last night, the leaves and flowers appeared to be greener and fresher than usual, as if they had washed away all their worries and doubts. But before she could bask in the beauty of nature, a familiar voice called her from behind.

"Wait!"

The voice belonged to Raimoti Mukherjee, the woman whom everyone coveted, or so Bhromor thought. She had found Raimoti to be extraordinarily beautiful, a competition of course, the kind of beauty that was rare in Bengal, with a hint of foreign touch to it, lean, pinkish and those attractive hazal eyes!

Turning around, Bhromor Bai found Raimoti standing behind her, a serene look on her face.
"Raimoti Mukherjee, the woman of dreams, the woman whom everyone wants!"
Bhromor smirked. There was a subtle hint of taunt in her words, and Raimoti was witty enough to pick up on it.

"Yes, everyone indeed," Raimoti chuckled too. "But, isn't it more important what I want?"

Bhromor Bai frowned at Raimoti's words, wondering what else she could possibly want when she had the mighty Satyakirth Sen wrapped around her little finger. However, Raimoti's next words struck a chord within her.

"Is it only men that we women can wish for? Is there nothing more? Is there nothing else?"

Raimoti inched forward and placed a hand on Bhromor's shoulder, and somewhere it made Bhromor Bai realize how limited her thinking had been all this while. She had always acted as per the whims and fancies of men, never once thinking about what she truly wanted. She suddenly felt awed at this young exotic looking woman.

"What do you want, Raimoti?" Bhromor Bai asked, her mind racing with the possibility of a life beyond pleasing men.

Raimoti's smiled, as her eyes burned with a silent rage. She neared her mouth to Bhromor's ears and spoke in a hushed tone.

"Revenge!"

Her smirk spoke of a determination that Bhromor Bai couldn't help but admire.

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

"And what about Neelmoni, that bastard!"
Girish was pacing inside the room, restless and his question made Satyakirth look up, a deep frown in his brows. There was in the middle of a heated conversation after Bhromor Bai had left. Raimoti too had gone out behind her.

"We don't have the luxury to deviate from our goal, Girlish." Satyakirth spoke calmly, his words were firm as ever.

"So you just let that bastard go after getting this close?" Girish growled in anger and Mahamaya got up and placed a hand on his arm.

"Neelmoni is mine Girish Kaka. He got my Charan killed."

"No."
It was Satyakirth's turn to raise his voice.
"Personal vendetta is not what we seek. It's not our goal!"

"Personal vendetta? Satya? Seriously?"
Mahamaya looked at him in disbelief.
"He almost killed Anirudh Babu, he destroyed my life, not to add his treason."

"Again, personal vendetta Maha. Our aim here is to loot the armory, and build a fullproof revolution with Anushilan Samiti with these arms."

"But?"
Mahamaya objected.

"There is no but, we do this or we don't."

Girish was listening quietly, his teeth grinding and his eyes spitting fire.

"Or, is it because Neelmoni is your father in law now? Girish muttered.

"What?" Satyakirth turned around and frowned at his words.
For a moment he was silent, and then he swallowed his fuming anger and placed a hand on Girish's shoulder.
"I'm not married Girish! And, with all the sacrifices I've made, I don't think I deserve to hear this allegations."

"But you love his daughter, don't you?"
Mahamaya interjected.

"Yes. But that has never deterred me from my path." My personal emotions are nothing when compared to my unfallable devotion towards my motherland." Satya looked up to meet Maha's eyes.
"I can sacrifice my love a million times for my country, Maha Didi, and I don't need to justify that to anyone."

"The girl bloody wears sindoor on your name Satya!" Mahamaya let out a suppressed scream, and Satyakirth smiled, without even blinking once.

"That's her disguise, that's her role, the way I'm disguised, playing a role. It's all a  ruse Maha. She's smart. She knows what she's doing."

"And nothing more?" The disbelief in her voice was making it crack, partly because she had felt how much Raimoti loves Satya, and partly as she felt the cruel determination of renouncing everything in Satyakirth's voice.

"Nothing more!" Satya repeated.

Timing is the invisible force that governs our lives. It can bring us together or tear us apart. And when words are left half-spoken, they can leave wounds that take a lifetime to heal. Bad timing can turn even the most beautiful words into heartbreakers. And half-heard words, like a sharp knife, have the power to cut deep into the tender fabric of our emotions.
Raimoti had returned, and heard the conversation from behind the door. Not the entire thread, but whatever she heard was enough to jerk tears from the core of her heart. She placed a hand instinctively on her belly and clutched ot tenderly for support.

"And what about your relationship with Raimoti?" Girish had asked gravely, and Satyakirth's words made another drop of fresh tears roll down Raimoti's beautiful hazel orbs.

"My relationship with Raimoti would never be more than my cause, and I will always choose my motherland over Raimoti Mukherjee, in a heartbeat, every time!" Satyakirth sighed, a thoughtful determination in his voice.
"And after tomorrow, there won't be any us, it would only be her, and I'm sure she'll do justice to her life." His last words were more of a self reflectory statement.

"Satya!" Mahamaya exclaimed, as she quickly held Satyakirth's hand to comfort him. But Satyakirth smiled instead.
"Don't you ever doubt my intentions Maha Didi. Don't you ever doubt our cause." He turned to speak to Girish.
"We don't have the luxury to relish the finer emotions of life. I was lucky for a few days, that's all!"

"Will she do the same? Reciprocate your ideals?" Girish asked again. "Will she not get soft if it comes to her father?"

Satyakirth nodded his head, trying to speak but instead he was interrupted by another firm voice.

"No, she won't."
Raimoti had wiped her tears, as she slowly emerged out from behind the door, standing proud and brave in front of them.
"Raimoti Mukherjee is many things but not a coward, or a traitor. And when it come to my father, I want to pull the trigger myself Girish Babu."

"Rai!" Satya inched towards her, extending his arms, and Raimoti stepped back a little.

"We have a lot to prepare Satyakirth Sen. Let's not waste time."
She looked straight into his eyes, a proud smile on her lips, and it was enough to make Satya feel a tremor in his heart.

I love you Raimoti Mukherjee, but I can't let my people fall weak because of my feelings. I have to keep them motivated to the cause, I have to show them how strong I am, or else everything will fall apart!

Satyakirth sighed and looked away from Raimoti's cold eyes.

I knew you can't give me a life even before I choose to come out with you. My love for you is unconditional Satyakirth Sen, but I won't give others the pleasure of seeing my pain. Never!

Raimoti looked away too.