Author's POV

Mira huffed while leaning against the wall and thinking about the ways to get out of there. She was not up for getting stuck with Damon whom she hates with her guts.

Damon leaned his arm on the wall while folding his arms over his chest. He looked at her amused as she started thinking.

"I could have died!"

He said.

"वही मगसत था" (That was the plan.)

She rolled her eyes not even looking at him.

"Why do you talk in Hindi when you know I can't understand without looking at my translator?"

He asked annoyed.

"To make you feel dumb..."

She mocked.

He looked at her amused.

"Should I speak in Spanish then?"

"Speak, at least I don't have to understand your rubbish."

She smirked and he clenched his jaw madly.

"Did you get my ghunghroo back?"

She asked.

He scowled.

"Why would I?... Are you in delusion that I can be soft hearted, especially for you?"

She sighed.

"Knew it, whatever!"

He smirked knowing how he had to manipulate the servant to get her ghungroos back. He told Moti not to tell her that he gave it to her but she opened her mouth.

He never wanted her to get slapped or snatch her ghungroos, he just wanted her to get scolded. But anyway, he has punished the person.

Her face looked so soft under moonlight, still he could see the toughness in her expressions. He has never seen her vulnerable since he had started paying attention to her. Even if someone humiliates her, she gets angry but never cries.

He couldn't understand what must have happened with her to become so strong and tough at a young age.

He blinked his eyes and kept staring at her, for some reason she kept him attracted to her. He has never found any woman so intriguing.

She was ignoring his presence and he didn't like it. He loves when she attacks him with her fiery words.

"You should give up on white... It looks really bad on you."

He tried to trigger her.

She smiled bitterly at him.

"That's the purpose of wearing white... And it's none of your business so keep your mouth shut."

He smiled when she mocked him. He just loves it.

"Don't you think you should be careful when you are alone with me..."

She rolled her eyes.

"Don't you think you should worry about your life when you are around me... I really want to kill you, Damon and I will when I get the chance so stop messing with me."

"Never tell your enemy about your intentions, little fire... You might fail"

He smirked.

She turned towards him with a smirk.

"In your case, when you die! I want you to know that I did it..."

He chuckled.

"Many have tried, let's see if you succeed or not."

She ignored him and tried to look if there was any way to get out of there. She huffed when she saw men sitting on the way out and they were sitting around the bonfire so they were not going to leave any time soon.

Damon was watching her curiously, he wanted to see how she makes her way out.

He pulled out the cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

Mira frowned and looked at him when she inhaled the smoke.

"Are you serious?"

He smirked at her.

"What? Do you want some drags?"

She smirked when he asked that.

"Yes!"

He frowned when she said yes.

"You smoke?"

His frown deepened when she took the cigarette from his hand and smirked at him.

"No but thank you!"

"Mira!"

He called her when she walked towards the other end and flicked the cigarette towards the dump of dry grass which was kept for horses.

"What did you do?"

He cursed when he saw the fire igniting in the dumb.

"Made my way out!"

She rushed towards the other end which has way out, men noticed the fire and rushed to control it.

Damon looked at her shocked when she grabbed the drape of her saree and ran out of the stable successfully.

"Fuck! This girl."

He also ran out along with her before anyone could see him.

"Are you crazy?"

He cursed when they entered the gate.

"There are horses!"

"I know what I am doing..."

She scowled at him.

"See, they have already controlled the fire..."

She mocked and walked away.

"You should worry about yourself, they might have found your branded cigarette there."

His eyes widened when she said that while walking away.

"What the fuck, Mira?"

She waved mocking goodbye.

"Good night!"

He looked at her disbelief and chuckled while shaking his head.

"Damn, this girl!"

Damon went to his room and freshened up. He was still thinking about her. He was amused thinking how her mind works.

He tried to sleep but couldn't. After sometime he walked out to take some fresh air.

He walked out in the hallway and his eyes fell on Mira's bedroom. He had no idea why he walked towards it even after knowing that he shouldn't.

He stood in front of her room and was about to push the door open.

"Damon?"

He stopped when he heard that voice.

Durga was standing a few steps away from him. He looked at her.

"What are you doing here?"

She frowned.

"I was looking for you"

He smiled.

She blushed looking at his shirtless body. She cleared her throat and tried to not give away her thoughts.

"This is Mira's room... Mine is there!"

She chuckled pointing out towards her room.

"Ohh, all rooms look alike... I got confused."

He chuckled.

"I understand"

She assured.

"Why were you looking for me?"

He smiled at her charmingly.

"Do I need a reason to look for my fiancee?"

She blushed furiously.

"Of course not!"

He walked towards her and she stepped back with a nervous gulp as he was shirtless and they were in the hallway where anyone can see them.

Damon noticed her concern.

"Let's go to the rooftop... I need some fresh air."

He suggested.

"Yeah, me too!"

She smiled nervously.

He smirked at her nervous expressions and walked ahead of her. No girl has an escape from his charm, except that one girl who blaze like a fire.

Durga looked at his back impressed as it flexed with each move. It was drool worthy.

They sat on the chairs beside the railing. He really liked the fresh air.

"I am sorry, I called you Mira in the evening... I was not in my senses."

She smiled.

"It's okay... I understand that all this is new for you too... But Damon, I want this wedding to be memorable for me... I know it's forced on both of us but at least we can make it a good memory for us. Right?"

He smiled at her.

"Of course!.. I should have paid more attention. What do you want me to do?"

"Take involvement in the preparations... I know this culture is unknown to you but I can't make decisions alone. I need to understand what your requirements are, what you think and what you want... I can't do this without you."

She sighed.

"Fair enough!"

He nodded.

"We need to go shopping for our things, you know the groom and bride things... I really want you to take part in it... I know you have other things to take care of but you will enjoy it, I promise you."

She requested.

"Okay, we'll go... Don't worry..."

He patted her head gently.

"I don't like when pretty girls take stress."

She smiled.

"So sweet of you... My friends are also coming, you can take Yang with you."

He nodded.

"So what do you think about this marriage?"

She shrugged.

"Nothing is in my control so I am going with the flow..."

"If this wouldn't have happened, then what was the plan?"

He asked.

"I never wanted to get married, Damon... I feel, love is important for a relationship to survive and I haven't fallen in love yet... I am sorry, you are a nice guy and you are amazingly handsome but I can't connect with people until I understand them or I am comfortable with them... And I don't know you... So__"

She looked at him nervously thinking she said too much and it might offend him.

Damon smiled at her. He has never seen a naive girl like her.

"You are like that poem, Durga... The poem which is soft and gives you a good feeling.. You are really good and sorted human... If not marriage then what do you want to do with your life?..."

"Some dreams are meant to be dreams... Like mine!... I want to explore the world, and want to live at my own conditions. I want freedom which I don't have... Which even you can't give me!"

She smiled bitterly.

Damon sighed.

"I am sorry!"

"It's okay! I am sure we'll get through this!"

She sighed.

"Are you sure about this marriage, Damon... Or do you have someone in your life?"

"Mira!"

He suddenly said.

"Mira?"

She frowned.

"Damon, what are you saying?"

"Is that Mira?"

He looked down.

Durga followed the direction of his eyes and noticed Mira. She chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, that's Mira!"

He frowned.

"What is she doing out this late in the dark?"

He shook his head thinking the girl is crazy.

Durga looked at her sitting on the stairs of the temple and staring into the sky.

"She must be struggling to sleep... That place is her comfort place, it helps her to calm down..."

Damon looked at her.

"Does she have insomnia or something?"

"Maybe, I tried to convince her to consult with doctors but you know her... She is so stubborn."

She huffed.

"Why is she like this?"

He asked curiously.

"I mean her behaviour is a little different from everyone."

Durga smiled sadly.

"She has gone through so much, Damon and she is just twenty three years old... She has seen things which no one should have... Mira is the youngest in the house. when she was born, our mother died at the birth bed. Everyone blamed Mira for it, even though it wasn't her fault. Doctors had already informed our parents that the pregnancy is risky but they didn't listen to them. Mira has been listening to taunts and blames since childhood for the death of our mother... But thankfully, our Papa never believed in all those things and Mira was his favourite... And you know that younger ones are always forgiven for silly mistakes, Mira used to get away with all the naughtiness... Papa used to treat her like his son and Mira never took advantage of it, she respected Papa so much that she did everything to make him proud just like Rudra would make him... She was always first in everything, study, sports, dance and what not... But she made one mistake!"

"Fell in love?"

Damon mumbled.

She nodded.

"Actually we shouldn't call it a mistake... She was right in her place... Kabir was a really nice guy, a walking green flag. He would worship the ground on which Mira walk..."

Damon felt a weird feeling in his heart when she praised Kabir but he listened calmly.

"They were together since high school. Both were crazily in love with each other... Mira was always stubborn but never hot headed, she was a kind and soft girl. She used to talk to everyone nicely... But she was strong minded, if she wants something then she wants it at any condition and after Papa only Kabir could change her decisions... She was crazy for him, she didn't care about his status, his family background or anything... She just wanted love from him..."

Her eyes watered at the bad memories.

"Papa found out about her relationship and asked her to forget him because he knew that Baba will never allow it and he was worried that he might also hurt Mira... He thought, she was young and would forget Kabir eventually but Mira was Mira... That day, I saw her raising her tone at Papa for the first time. Everything was for Kabir!... She didn't want him to lose in any condition... She fought with everything she had... Papa asked her to choose between Kabir and her inheritance. She happily chose Kabir..."

Damon gritted angrily as his heart set on fire.

"Papa gave up in front of her and let her marry Kabir before she could make the decision to run away and spoil his reputation... Mira got married to Kabir and the people in the house were really upset about it... People were still talking about us and you know how much reputation matters to them..."

She sighed.

"But Mira was happy... She was in the ninth sky... She used to tell me how well he is treating her and how happy they are in their small world... But maybe someone jinxed it, after six months we got the news that Kabir died in fire..."

She wiped her tears.

"I was the first one to see Mira... She was standing like a statue in front of the house which was burning to the ground, she had seen her Kabir burning to death in front of her eyes. Imagine a twenty two year old watching her newly married partner like that...  her small happy world turned into ashes in front of her. It looked like her soul was burning with it... It was so unfair to her... Mira was in shock for months after that, she refused to talk to anyone... We tried to make her talk and express but she never cried... We noticed her not sleeping in the night and staring into nothing, doctors said she might go into the depression if she won't cry... Still she didn't cry at all, it's like that fire also dried out her tears... When I asked, why is she not crying and she said, Kabir never liked tears in her eyes so she won't cry. She won't disappoint him, she will do everything which Kabir loved but our grandparents had different plans... They clipped her wings and Mira turned bitter. She lost her innocence and kindness to the cruelty which her destiny threw at her... I feel really bad for her, she was too young to go through that... You know, she loved the red colour so much that her wedding was completely red. Everything was red but now she has nothing other than white... She hates white with her guts..."

Damon looked at Mira who was still staring into nothing. He sighed.

"Do you know the reason for the fire?"

"Police investigated!.. Mira was not home when it happened, when she came back her world was turning into ashes..."

She wiped her tears.

"Do you think it was planned?"

He was suspicious.

"Your family was not happy with the marriage."

Durga sighed.

"Papa got into the accident a few weeks before the fire incident so he wasn't involved but I am sure that Baba was involved in this... He never liked Mira's stubborn behaviour anyway and when she married Kabir he was really angry and had pledged that he would never let her live peacefully... He didn't let police investigate the case, he forced them to close the case and I am sure he did that because he was involved in it... Mira tried to go to the burnt place but he locked her in the house, maybe he was scared that she would find something which she shouldn't... The world is really cruel..."

Damon hummed.

"Don't worry... Everything will be fine!"

He assured her while looking at Mira.

"I am sorry... I am sure you weren't in the mood to listen to the tragic story..."

She chuckled awkwardly.

"No, it's fine!... I am glad that you were comfortable sharing it with me..."

He smiled.

"Go and take rest... Will go shopping tomorrow! Good night"

"Good night!"

Durga smiled and walked away.

Damon stared at Mira until she got tired and walked back into the house.

"No one has a right to hurt you, little fire... You are only mine to hurt. And whoever has hurt you, I am going to punish them."