The market

The next morning, I had my breakfast with the whole family.The breakfast was quiet simple,with only some chapattis and pickle.

If it had been before,I would have never eaten this type of breakfast.But may be after going through such a big shock the previous day,my mind had matured a little, as I ate the breakfast happily.

After the breakfast, uncle Dinnanath went to his work.We also started to prepare for going to the market.

Aunt Suniti was still not fully convinced about my going.So she made a last attempt to persuade me.

"Well Naina,how about it.You don't need to go to the market,instead stay at home and help me with the chores.It can also be count as helping us right.Besides we can also go to pick up sweet berries.I am telling you,they are really tasty."She said and looked at me with the eyes full of expectations.

I had to say,I really had been tempted for a few second.If I did not have my plans already,I would have really stayed.

Before I could say something,Maya rolled her eyes at her mother and said,"Why don't you just say directly that ,you are bored staying at home alone and want Naina to accompanying you."

"Humph..so what.Anyway I am asking Naina,not you."She said and looked towards me.

I coughed ."Umm..well aunt suniti ,I think I am going to the market."I said and laughed awkwardly.

"So, can we go now?We are already late."said Maya.

Aunt Suniti frowned and said,"Fine,just go."

Looking at her mother's frowning face,Maya chuckled and shook her head.

We were about to go ,when Goutam suddenly said,"Wait."

We turned to look at him.

"What happened?"asked Maya.

Goutam stared at me for a second and pointed at my face and said with a frown,"Your face."

"What's wrong with my face?"I asked and touched my face.

I was confused,but Maya's face showed a understanding look.She looked at me and said with a serious expression

"You can't go like this."

"What's wrong?"I asked.

"What do you mean by what's wrong.Everything is wrong.How can you even think about going to the market, with a face like this.Even as a girl,I could hardly take my eyes out of your face and the market is going to be packed with men.Who knows what will happen."

I was speechless.'wahh....this girl..'

But I knew what she was saying was actually true.I had already faced a lot of troubles because of this face, even when I was in America. 'How can I forget about it?'I thought.

"Well,then what are we going to do?"

Hearing my question she smirked and said with a proud expression,"You can leave that to me" and without giving me any chance to speak she pulled me inside the room.

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By the time we reached at the market,there were already a lot of people.The moment we entered,we attracted a lot of attention.Well it's not 'we',it's I' who attracted the attentions.

After Maya turned my face from 'she' to 'he',I only got side glances from the men.But.....I looked towards the drooling girls in front of me.

"Should not girls be more reserved.Instead they are looking at me ,like I am a piece of meat."I could not help but complain. I felt goosebumps all over my body from there stares.

"You can't blame them.It's your face what is toxic.If I had not done your makeup with my own hands,my condition would not be any better than them."Maya said as she looked at me with blaming eyes.

I was speechless.'This girl is seriously...It's not my fault that I am beautiful.'I complained in my mind.

Even though Maya's makeup had given me a boyish look,it was still as stunning as my original look.And if one was to look carefully,he could easily find resemblance between these two faces.'

After walking for some more time,the cloth wrapped around my chest stared to hurt.

"Aaah..."

"What happened?"Maya asked with a worried look.

"Umm...I think,you have wrapped the cloth a little tight."I said in a voice,which could only be heard by the the two of us.

Maya stared at me for a second and after understanding the meaning behind my words,she laughed out loud.

I frowned."Stop laughing and took me to the washroom."

She still did not stop laughing.After her stomach started to hurt,then only she told Goutam to wait there and took me to the washroom.

After I wrapped the cloth in a more comfortable way,I looked into the mirror and sighed.

'This face is going to create a lot of trouble for me.'

Maya and Goutam went towards a shop which was selling herbs. These herbs are for the medical academy uncle Dinannath was working for.

The major part of the academy's medicine were provided by uncle Dinnanath.Among the herbs, the rare ones were collected personally by him,while the responsibility of collecting others were on the twins.

Even though I had gone there to help them,but,because of my voice I could not .Make up could change my face,but not my voice.Anyone could easily detect my gender from my voice.So I remained silent.

As I was of no use to them,I decided to explore the market.There were a lot of shops in the market and they were selling a lot of things like bangles,sarees ,jweleries,books,sweets and other things.I went to the shops one by one.Looking at the colourful things,my shopping spirit instantly awakened.

Aunt Suniti had given me some money and I had already learned there use (they were the coins of 8th century,so obviously at first I did not know there use.).

But... I stopped myself.'Naina,you idiot .It's not your money.How could you use it?"I thought.

I was in the middle of touring the shops,when I saw a man running into the market.He was wearing a red colour cloth.From his clothes ,I concluded that,he must be a soldier.But that was not the point.The main point was that, his hands had been caught and there were bruises all over his body.I was stunned.

Before I could think of anything ,2 more men,2 wearing black clothes, came chasing after him.That man was already in a bad condition,so they caught him easily.

After that what happened,I could never forget my entire life.

The black clothed men,kicked the other party and made him kneel down.After that one of the black clothed man,pulled the man's hair and lifted his head.The man started to struggle,but he was of no match to the black dressed man.Then suddenly the other black clothed man unshielded his long sword and with only a single strike the head of the man,detached from his body.The blood of the man covered the whole ground.

Looking at the bloody site infront of me ,my heart thumped and my whole body started to tremble.