Chapter 1

"Who are you young lady?" He asked the woman standing in front of her in her early twenties. "Mahek." She smile and went deep in the dark forest. "Hey wait." Shaurya ran behind her. He looked here and there but to no avail. "Gosh. Where did she vanish?" He said ruffling his black hair. "You're looking for me?" She asked. Shaurya turned around and saw her standing folding her hands close to her chest. "Ah. Dara diya tumne." Shaurya said taking a deep breath. "Accha." She said chuckling. "Hmm. Accha temme you have seen some building here with suspicious people?" Shaurya enquired about a group of people who have captured his assistant officer to get the information of the secret weapons that was being delivered for the Indian army. "Haan I have seen. I may take you there. Follow me." Mahek said moving inside the wild bushes.

"Waise what you have to do with em?" She asked removing the twig that was in the way. "They have my officer. I have got order from the higher authorities to save him or stop his from spilling the beans of the secret information." Shaurya said with pain. "What do you mean by stopping him? You are thinking of killing him kya?" She asked in disbelief. "Only if I can't rescue him." Shaurya said with same stern voice an army Major has. "Are you nuts? You thinking of killing your own very man." Mahek said looking at him. "I don't have any other option." Shaurya said looking at the ground. "You won't do anything as such." Mahek said. "But Mahek." Shaurya said. "We'll save him Shaurya. We'll save him." Mahek said determined. 

They reached a lake beyond which they could see a building not tall enough to be seen from the outskirts of forest. Shaurya got to know that Lieutenant Vikram was kept on the third room on the first floor. "So what's the plan to enter?" Mahek asked looking at the protection of the building. "There are no guards on the backside of the building. There's a window big enough for me to enter. Then there's a staircase where two of the guards stay. I'll manage to kill them. Then on the first floor there are lots of guards but I'll manage to enter the chamber he is kept in and then..." He couldn't speak further. "No way we are following this plan. Jo bhi karna hai samne se karo. Peeche se to attack cowards karte hain. And I'll tell you how to enter." Mahek said grabbing his hand. 

Both waited for the front guards to change their duties. They seek that time and Mahek ran as fast as she could holding Shaurya's hand and entered the main gate to the building. "Don't stop anywhere. Just keep running." She said. The guards started firing. Both of them shot guards and ran upstairs. The sweeper was their man who had kept the door to the captivity chamber open. They entered and saw a petite figure lying on the ground. There were wounds of torcher on his entire body. A tear made its way down Shaurya's firm cheeks. He took out an empty syringe from his pocket. "No Shaurya you can't do this." Mahek said grabbing his hand. "I have no other choice Mahek." Shaurya said in despair. "You have it Shaurya. You have the choice of saving him Shaurya." Mahek said. "We'll save him." Mahek pressurised. "Okay." Shaurya said throwing away the syringe. He took him on his shoulder. "Come out when I say." Mahek whispered. She peeped out and saw two guards coming in the same direction. She shot them and signalled them to come. She was running in front killing everyone coming in front and Shaurya was running as fast as he could holding the heavy body on his back. Soon they were out of the building. They sat on the boat to cross the lake. "Mahek come sit." Shaurya gestured her to have her place in the little wooden boat. "No Shaurya I can't come. My heart is here." She said giving him a faint smile. "Take care then." Shaurya said and with that his heart ached. "Another Shaurya said to me the same thing. I'll Shaurya don't worry." Mahek said giving him her pendent as a token of momento. "How will I meet you again?" Shaurya asked. "Come where everyone will have their freedom and will celebrate their victory and bring with you some English roses. I love them." Mahek said bidding a final bye. Vikram groaned in pain and Shaurya started rowing the boat. "Remember the roses." Mahek said waving her hand at disappearing Shaurya.

"You did a good job Major." Said the army General appreciating Shaurya of what he did. "It wasn't possible without Mahek Sir." Shaurya said. "What ! Mahek. Who's she? Our man who was sweeper there gave the video footage of how fearlessly you said Lieutenant Vikram all alone. There's no girl there in the footage." General said shocked with what Shaurya was saying and what the video was showing. "I'm sure Sir. She was there. See she gave me this." Shaurya said forwarding the pendent she gave. This is an old design of possibly 300 years back. My wife was looking about it on internet one day. Lemme see there's something inscribed on it." General said looking closing at the pendent. "To the fragrance of life from Shaurya Khanna. 1856." he read. 'Fragrance of life.' "Was her name Mahek?" General asked astonished with what he read. "My wife read bout her. Mahek was a freedom fighter who was so fierce that she could kill hundreds of British people. She was in love with Shaurya, an Indian in the British army who was a rebel. They captured both of them after revolt of 1857. Shaurya died because of his injuries. Mahek tried getting out but they caught her again and burned her alive. Legends have it that her heart did not burn which they threw into the lake of the very same forest you went it." He told the story. "There's a statue of her in the main Market where there will be a procession held for the celebration of India's independence. By the way. Will you sell this pendent to me?" General asked looking at Shaurya. "Sorry Sir. Love isn't for sale." Shaurya took back the pendent and left.

Shaurya made his way out of the crowd to the huge limestone statue. Indeed she was there in the free India that she had desired and fought for. She was there where people were celebrating their victory. He was there with the best bunch of English roses. He read, 'Fragrance of Life.' "See Mahek I'm here. I remembered the roses Mahek."