Chapter: Bazaar Mein Gadbad (The Bangle Blunder)
Ferozpur, 1857 | Market Square | Midday
If there was one thing Noor Jahan knew better than hiding behind palace walls, it was how to not look like she belonged to one.
With her dupatta tucked modestly over her shoulder, her olive-green Angrakha suit fluttering at her ankles, and a little embroidered pouch swinging from her wrist, she walked straight past the spice stalls and vegetable carts into the jewelry lane. Beside her, Yasmeen was already bubbling with excitement — her hair loosely braided, giggling at every second thing a hawker offered.
> "Ruk jao, Noor!" Yasmeen tugged at her wrist. "Churiyaan! I want blue ones."
Noor smiled, nodding. "Let's buy them. But nothing too loud."
The banglewala sat beside his pyramid of kaanch bangles, smacking at a fly that dared challenge his business. As soon as he spotted them, he leaned forward.
> "Dekhiye memsaab, naye design aaye hain... Bhopal se. Aankhon ko thandak mil jaaye!"
Noor raised an amused brow. "Aankhon ko?"
> "Aur dil ko bhi," he winked.
She chuckled, not offended — this was the bazaar, after all.
Her eyes fell on a delicate set — sea green with silver streaks. The glass looked thin, crisp, the kind that made the satisfying clink she loved.
> "Yeh kitne ke hain?" she asked.
> "pona rupaiya," the shopkeeper replied smoothly.
She frowned. "Main aadha rupaiya dungi."
> "Aree memsaab," he smiled, "Yeh toh pona rupaye ka set hai."
> "Aadha doongi." She insisted, already taking the pouch from her wrist and drawing out two silver coins.
He tried again. "Memsaab, pona rupayai..."
> "Nahi, aadha! Ap Samjhe na?"
"Lekin—"
Yasmeen blinked and gently whispered, "Noor..."
But Noor was on a roll. "Aap mujhe ullu samajh rahe hain kya?" she said firmly, proud of herself. "Main aadha dungi. Baat khatam."
The shopkeeper opened his mouth, closed it, sighed, and looked past her with pleading eyes.
And then—
> "He's saying pona. Pona means 3/4 and you are offering him adha 1/2," came a calm voice from behind her. "And... one-half is actually more than three-fourth."
Noor froze.
The voice was familiar, deep, smooth, faintly amused.
She turned.
There stood Arav Rathore, in a light pink cotton kurta, sleeves rolled to his elbows, pajama slightly creased from walking. His hair was a little wind-messed. He looked... calm. Too calm.
> "Aap?" she asked flatly.
> "Main," he nodded, hands behind his back, rocking slightly on his heels. "And apparently, main samajh raha hoon lafzu ke beech ki gadbad."
Noor blinked, lips pressed. "Main toh bas... mujhe... woh... woh jo... woh... shaa... shabd..."
> "Shabd?" he repeated, grinning.
She fumbled again, "Haan! Sha-buddh!"
He almost choked. "Sha-buddh?"
> She huffed, cheeks reddening. "I meant... the word. I didn't get the word."She said in English instead.
Arav was full-out smiling now. "Oh!I got it. Aadha, tihaai, sha-buddh — sab samja aya mujhe."
Yasmeen was desperately trying not to laugh.
Noor turned back to the shopkeeper, now mildly horrified that this boy had heard the whole thing.
She dug into her pouch with determined grace and handed over one full rupee.
> "Le lijiye. Poori rakhiye. Kya farq padta hai."
> "Ab toh main aapko dusri chudiya muft de sakta hoon, memsaab," the shopkeeper smiled politely.
> "Nahi chahiye!" she snapped sweetly, "Bohot mil gaya already. Anubhav."
Arav, still behind her, added lightly,
> "Bangles ke saath grammar bhi le aayi ho."
Arav looked at the bangles in her hand. "Silver suits you," he said off handedly. "Although I imagine you're someone who rarely repeats colours."
Noor blinked at him. "You imagine a lot about strangers."
> "I suppose I do. Starting with their names." this was an invitation for forming acquaintance enough,but Noor jahan acted as if she didn't heard him.Instead she narrowed her eyes and asked "You've been evaesdropping me?
> "No. But I had to intervene before you bought bangles based on flawed mathematics."
Yasmeen choked down a laugh.
Noor crossed her arms."You're saying my math is flawed?"
> "Your Urdu is elegant. Your poise, admirable. Your math?" he tilted his head. "Charming."
Yasmeen tugged her arm."We should—"
"Going somewhere?" Arav asked.
And with a rustle of dupatta and the sound of her kohl-lined eyes rolling slightly, she turned.
Arav raised an eyebrow. "And your name?" he asked behind her.
Noor didn't stop."Is none of your concern."
She walked off with bangles jingling, Yasmeen following like a breeze, trying not to collapse with laughter. Noor didn't speak again until the turn of the street — where the laughter behind her faded and the only thing left ringing was the clink of her glass bangles.
And Arav…
He just stood for a moment, watching her go, the corners of his lips tugged upward.
> "Sha-buddh, huh?" he murmured.