The peaceful silence of the early morning was shattered by the icy shock of water splashing across the trainees' sleeping forms. Gasps, shrieks, and coughs erupted through the tent as Naina jolted upright, her heart hammering in her chest. Cold water dripped from her hair, soaking into her thin cotton kurta. She blinked rapidly, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
The answer stood before her, tall and imposing, his expression as hard as stone.
"Utho! Tum sab yahaan aaraam karne nahi aaye ho!" Commander Karan Thakur's voice sliced through the confusion like a blade. His sharp gaze swept over the groggy, shivering recruits, his lips curling in barely concealed disapproval.
The other girls sat up hurriedly, rubbing their faces, their exhaustion vanishing under the commander's cold glare. Kaveri, still half-drenched, stifled a groan beside Naina.
"Yeh kya tamasha hai?" Karan continued, his voice low and dangerous. "Subah ke chaar baj gaye hain, aur tum sab ab tak bistar tod rahi ho? Fauj mein aise nahi chalta!"
Naina clenched her fists, her sleep-addled mind still trying to comprehend the situation. She had barely gotten a few hours of rest, and now she was being doused in freezing water before dawn?
Karan's eyes landed on her, and for a split second, she saw the flicker of recognition in them. Then, just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the same relentless indifference he had for the rest.
"Das minute hain tum sabke paas. Taiyaar ho kar training ground par aao. Der hui, toh saza bhi milegi."
With that, he turned on his heel and strode out, leaving behind stunned silence and dripping recruits.
Kaveri wiped her face, still shivering. "Yeh aadmi sach mein paagal hai," she muttered under her breath.
Naina exhaled sharply, pushing her wet hair back. She wanted to curse, to argue, to demand why this was necessary. But there was no time for that.
Ten minutes.
Cursing under her breath, she scrambled to her feet. This was only the beginning of the day, and Karan Thakur had already made sure they wouldn't forget it.
The crisp morning air bit at Naina's wet skin as she sprinted toward the training ground, her heart hammering against her ribs. Her drenched clothes from earlier had been hastily changed into the rough, sand-colored trainee uniform. She had barely managed to brush her damp hair back into a tight bun before rushing out of the tent.
Karan Thakur's words still rang in her earsâ"Tum kal sabse kamzor thi, toh sabse pehle yahin pahuncho."âa punishment for her poor performance yesterday.
While the other trainees scrambled to get dressed in their allotted ten minutes, she had barely been given five.
As she reached the clearing, she found Karan already waiting, standing tall with his hands behind his back, his expression unreadable. A few torches burned faintly in the dim pre-dawn light, casting flickering shadows across the dirt ground. The air smelled of damp earth and sweat from the previous day's training.
Breathing heavily, she came to a halt before him and straightened up, trying not to look as miserable as she felt. Stray droplets still clung to the edges of her hair, soaking slightly into her uniform.
Karan's dark eyes swept over her, assessing, unimpressed. "Paanch minute lage," he said flatly. "Tum kam se kam itni toh tej bhaag sakti ho."
Naina clenched her jaw but remained silent.
"Tumhe samajh aaya ki yeh fauj hai, koi mela nahi?" He took a step closer, his voice firm yet eerily calm. "Yahan kisi ko tumhari aalsi aadatein bardasht karne ka samay nahi hai. Jo sabse kamzor hoga, usse sabse zyada mehnaat karni padegi."
She bit back a retort. Every muscle in her body ached from yesterday, and the cold morning air did nothing to help. But she refused to show weakness in front of him again.
Karan watched her reaction closely before nodding. "Aaj ka din kal se bhi zyada mushkil hoga. Agar dimaag aur sharir ek saath nahi chalaye, toh pehle din mein hi gir jaogi."
Before she could respond, he turned his back to her. "Baaki trainees aate hi warm-up shuru hoga. Magar tum... tum pehle se shuru karogi."
Naina's eyes widened. "Kya?"
He glanced over his shoulder, a hint of challenge in his gaze. "Daud lagao. Tab tak rukna mat jab tak main na kahun."
A fresh wave of frustration surged through her, but she had no choice. Gritting her teeth, she turned and began runningâher feet hitting the ground in a steady rhythm, her breath coming in sharp bursts against the morning cold.
The punishment had begun, and the day had barely started.
Naina's feet pounded against the hard earth, kicking up small clouds of dust as she ran in the dim pre-dawn light. The chill of the early morning air clung to her skin, but her body was already beginning to warm with exertion.
Karan stood in the middle of the training ground, arms crossed over his chest, watching her with the sharp eyes of a hawk. The other trainees had started trickling in, some yawning, others rubbing their arms against the cold. Their murmurs filled the air as they noticed Naina already running laps, her breath coming in sharp bursts.
Kaveri, still tying the string of her uniform blouse, whispered to another girl, "Yeh kab se bhaag rahi hai?"
Karan's voice cut through the morning hush like a whip. "Sab apni jagah par khade ho jao! Tum log jaagte der se ho, ab punishment bhi milegi."
Groans filled the air, but no one dared to complain aloud.
Naina's legs burned, but she kept going. She could feel Karan's gaze drilling into her back. Her breath was coming in sharp, labored bursts now, her throat dry. She had no idea how long she had been runningâten minutes? Fifteen?
Finally, just when she thought her legs would give out, Karan's voice rang out. "Ruko!"
She stumbled to a halt, hands on her knees, sucking in desperate gulps of air. Sweat trickled down her temple, dampening the collar of her uniform.
Karan took a step forward, his expression unreadable. "Agar kal phir sabse kamzor nikli, toh kal aur bhi pehle uthna padega." His voice was low but carried enough weight that Naina knew he meant it. "Yeh fauj hai, Naina Rao. Agar jeetne ka iraada nahi hai, toh yahan hone ka bhi koi matlab nahi hai."
Her fingers curled into fists. She wanted to argue, wanted to tell him that she had never asked to be here. But her pride wouldn't let her show weakness again.
Instead, she straightened up, wiped the sweat off her forehead, and nodded.
Karan's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned to the rest of the trainees. "Ab sabko daud lagani hogi. Aur kisi ko bhi raat tak hosh nahi khohna chahiye. Samjhe?"
A collective "Ji, Sahib!" echoed in response.
And just like that, another grueling day had begun.
Karan paced in front of the trainees, his sharp eyes scanning each of them. The sky was still painted in hues of deep blue, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, but the ground was already alive with the sounds of disciplined breathing and shifting feet.
"Abhi tak sirf bhagna seekha hai tum logon ne," Karan announced, his voice cutting through the morning air. "Lekin sirf tez daudne se jung nahi jeeti jaati. Shaktishali banna padta hai. Aaj se naya adhyay shuru ho raha hai."
The trainees shifted uncomfortably, already sore from the previous day.
Karan smirked slightly, reading their expressions. "Sabse pehle, baithak aur dhanush lagao. Pachas baar. Jab tak main ginunga, tab tak rukna mat."
Groans filled the air, but no one dared to voice a protest. The trainees dropped into position, bending their knees and straightening back up in quick succession. Naina grit her teeth as she lowered herself, her legs already screaming in protest from the running earlier. Beside her, Kaveri let out a muffled curse.
"Sahib bhi kabhi thakte hain ya bas humein maarne ka irada hai?" Kaveri muttered under her breath.
Naina would have laughed had she not been struggling to keep up.
Karan's counting was slow, deliberately torturous. When they finally reached fifty, he didn't even give them time to breathe before barking the next command.
"Push-up lagao. Pachaas."
Some of the girls exchanged worried glancesâpush-ups were harder, and arms were not their strongest asset. But no one had a choice. Hands pressed into the ground, and bodies began to lower.
Naina struggled. Her arms trembled beneath her weight as she lowered herself the first time. By the tenth, her shoulders burned. By the thirtieth, she thought she might collapse. Kaveri, beside her, had already fallen to her knees twice but kept forcing herself back up.
Karan walked between them, his boots crunching against the dry ground.
"Jo haar maan le, woh kabhi soldier nahi ban sakta," he stated coldly. "Agar sirf haathon ki takat ka vishwas nahi hai, toh iraade ki taqat ka istemal karo."
Somehow, Naina managed to finish. She dropped onto the ground for just a second, her muscles twitching in protest.
Karan clapped his hands once, loud and firm. "Bas? Itna hi saha jaa sakta hai?" He shook his head, unimpressed. "Agle hafte tak yeh sab double hoga. Jo samajhta hai ki woh fauj ke laayak nahi hai, woh abhi bhaag sakta hai."
No one moved.
His gaze lingered on Naina for a moment longer than necessary, his eyes searching for defianceâor perhaps defeat. She swallowed, forcing herself to stand up straight. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her fall.
A slow nod of approval, and then, his voice rang out again. "Ab jao. Aadhe ghante mein sab log nashta karenge. Aur uske baad tumhari asli training shuru hogiârasiyan chadhana."
A collective groan rippled through the trainees. Climbing ropes? That would require upper body strengthâa nightmare for most of them.
Naina wiped the sweat from her brow, exhaling shakily. Today was going to be even tougher than she thought.
The trainees dragged themselves toward the makeshift dining area, their limbs heavy with exhaustion. The sun had fully risen now, casting a golden glow over the training grounds, but none of them had the energy to admire it. Their stomachs growled in protest, desperate for food after the grueling morning drills.
Naina and Kaveri stepped into the open-air mess, where large pots sat over smoldering woodfires. A few senior trainees stood behind them, ladling out food onto metal plates. The scent was far from appetizingâbland, plain, and devoid of any spice or indulgence.
When Naina reached the front of the line, a woman handed her a plate with two small, thick rotis made from coarse flour and a bowl of watery dal. The roti was dry, and the dal looked more like yellow-tinted water with a few floating grains of lentils. There was no ghee, no pickles, no vegetables.
She sighed, remembering her father's words from yesterday. "Jo milta hai, wohi khaana padega."
She took her plate and sat down on the ground beside Kaveri, who was already poking at her food with a skeptical frown.
"Kya yeh khana hai ya saza?" Kaveri muttered, tearing off a piece of the hard roti. "Isse zyada toh hamare ghar ki gaaye bhi behtar khaati hai."
Naina suppressed a laugh as she dipped her roti into the dal, which barely clung to the dry bread. The first bite was tough to swallow. The roti scraped against her throat, and the dal did little to soften the texture. She forced herself to chew, determined to eat without complaint.
Across from them, a few trainees whispered among themselves, their expressions equally unimpressed. Some hesitated before taking bites, while others simply ate in silence, their hunger outweighing their dissatisfaction.
Kaveri sighed dramatically. "Agar yeh chala toh gaya mere pet mein, lekin mera mann toh bhookha hi reh gaya."
Naina rolled her eyes, nudging her friend playfully. "Bhookh se marna zyada bekar hoga. Jaldi khaa lo, nahi toh rasiya chadhane ki taqat kahaan se layegi?"
At the mention of rope climbing, Kaveri groaned, stuffing another bite into her mouth. "Yeh bhi koi zindagi hai?"
Naina didn't answer. She simply chewed in silence, her mind already bracing for what was to come.
The training was breaking them bit by bitâbut she refused to let it break her completely.
As Naina forced herself to chew the last piece of her dry roti, she casually glanced around the mess area. Most of the trainees were still struggling with their food, some poking at it with evident distaste, while others resignedly ate in silence.
Then, her eyes landed on a familiar figure sitting a bit farther away under the shade of a tree. Commander Karan Thakur.
Dressed in his crisp military uniform, he sat cross-legged on a wooden plank, a steel plate resting on his lap. Beside him was Captain Jain, speaking in a low voice, though his words didn't reach Naina's ears.
But what did reach her was the sight of Karan's meal.
Her fingers stilled around her plate as she realizedâhe was eating the same food as them. The same coarse rotis, the same watery dal. No special treatment, no lavish meal, no extra servings.
He tore off a piece of roti, dipped it into the dal, and ate without hesitation, his posture straight, his expression unreadable. Unlike some of the trainees, he didn't seem to mind the bland taste, nor did he complain.
For a moment, Naina felt a strange sense of respect stir within her. She had assumed that people of higher ranks, especially someone like Karan Thakur, would have better food, maybe richer meals cooked separately for officers. But here he was, eating the same thing, showing no sign of discontent.
She saw Captain Jain mutter something, to which Karan responded with a short nod, finishing another bite before wiping his hands on a cloth. His sharp eyes briefly scanned the mess area, surveying the trainees.
Naina quickly lowered her gaze, pretending to focus on her plate.
"Tu kya dekh rahi hai?" Kaveri's voice broke her thoughts.
Naina shook her head, shoving the last piece of roti into her mouth. "Kuch nahi."
But as she swallowed the dry morsel, a thought lingered in her mindâperhaps Karan Thakur wasn't just another cold, unfeeling commander after all.
After breakfast, the trainees were ordered to assemble at the training ground once again. The sun was still low in the sky, but its warmth was already creeping into the air, promising another exhausting day ahead.
Karan Thakur stood in the center of the ground, arms crossed behind his back, his sharp gaze scanning the newly formed line of trainees. The morning drills had drained most of them, but now came the real challenge.
A tall wooden structure loomed in front of them, thick ropes hanging from a sturdy horizontal beam. Some ropes swayed gently in the wind, their rough fibers already stained with use.
"Aaj ka naya task," Karan's voice rang out, cutting through the murmurs of the trainees. "Yeh rassi chadhna tumhare shaurya ka ek aur pareeksha hogi. Yudh ke dauraan, kisi bhi samay tumhe unche deewaron ya pedon par chadhna pad sakta hai. Agar dushman ka samna sirf talwar se hota, toh hum itne saal se ghulami nahi jhel rahe hote."
Naina swallowed. Rope climbing? She had never even attempted something like this before. Her arms already ached from the morning push-ups and squatsâhow was she supposed to pull her entire body weight up a rope?
Karan continued, pacing in front of them. "Agar tumhe yeh asambhav lag raha hai, toh yeh yaad rakhoâtumhare dushman tumhari kamzoriyon ka intezaar nahi karenge. Jo chad nahi paayega, usse saza milegi." His voice darkened slightly at the last words, making a few trainees shift uneasily.
Naina exhaled sharply. Saza? Matlab phir se extra punishment? Her legs were already sore from the squats, and her arms felt like lead.
"Shuru karein?" Captain Jain asked, standing beside Karan.
Karan gave a firm nod. "Haan. Ek ek karke sabko aage aana hoga."
The first trainee stepped forward, a lean-built boy with determination in his eyes. He grabbed the rope and, using both his hands and feet, slowly hoisted himself up. It wasn't a smooth climb, but he reached the top, touched the beam, and slid back down.
A few others followedâsome successful, others barely making it halfway before losing grip and falling onto the sand below. Each failure earned a sharp reprimand from Karan.
Then, it was Naina's turn.
Her heart pounded as she stepped up to the rope. The rough fibers dug into her palms as she wrapped her hands tightly around it. She took a deep breath and jumped, trying to use the momentum to pull herself up.
Her arms trembled. Her legs flailed, searching for grip. She barely lifted herself a few inches before her strength gave out, and she dropped back onto the ground, breathless.
Laughter rippled through a few trainees behind her.
Karan's jaw tightened. He strode toward her, stopping just a few steps away. His shadow loomed over her as she pushed herself up from the ground.
"Tumse yeh bhi nahi ho raha?" His voice was sharp, edged with clear disappointment. "Kal raat ko aaraam se soti rahi thi, na? Ab uthao apne pair, dikhata hoon kaise hota hai."
Heat flushed Naina's cheeks. Her pride ached almost as much as her limbs. She knew she was weak, but hearing it from him, in front of everyone, made it sting even more.
Karan didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he walked up to the next trainee and motioned for them to continue, as if dismissing her entirely.
Naina clenched her fists. She would do this. No matter what.
Naina's palms still burned from her failed attempt, but the sting of humiliation burned deeper. She stepped back into the line, eyes fixed on the rope as the other trainees took their turns. Some made it to the top, some barely halfway, but no one struggled quite as miserably as she had.
She could feel Karan's presence nearby, his sharp gaze assessing every movement on the training ground. Every now and then, he'd bark a correction or shake his head in disapproval. Naina gritted her teeth. She wouldn't let him dismiss her so easily.
As the last trainee finished, Karan turned to face the group. "Jo safal nahi huye hain, unhe dobara koshish karni hogi." His eyes swept over them before landing on her. "Aur jo bekaar mein waqt barbaad kar rahe hain, unka intezaam alag tareeke se hoga."
A few people shifted nervously. Naina didn't hesitate. Before he could say anything else, she stepped forward.
"Main ek aur baar koshish karna chahti hoon." Her voice was steady, but her heart pounded in her chest.
Karan raised an eyebrow. For a moment, he said nothing. Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he gestured toward the rope. "Dekhte hain."
She inhaled sharply and grabbed the rope again. The rough fibers bit into her skin, but this time, she ignored the pain. She tightened her grip, jumped, and used her legs to push herself up.
It wasn't smooth. It wasn't effortless. But this time, she didn't slip immediately. She pulled, inch by inch, using every bit of strength in her arms and legs. Her muscles screamed in protest, but she refused to let go.
The top still seemed impossibly far. Her breath came in short gasps, sweat trickling down her brow. Just a little more...
Her foot lost grip. A sharp jolt of panic shot through her, but she tightened her hold at the last second, stopping herself from slipping entirely.
"Dheere, lekin sahi ja rahi hai," Captain Jain murmured from the side, watching with slight interest.
Karan remained silent, arms crossed, observing her struggle with an unreadable expression.
Naina clenched her jaw, adjusting her footing before pushing herself up again. Her arms trembled. Her body ached. But she refused to fall.
And thenâher fingers grazed the wooden beam.
A rush of disbelief and relief flooded her as she tapped the beam with her hand. She did it. Not perfectly, not gracefully, but she did it.
Sliding down, she landed on her feet, panting, her entire body feeling like it had been set on fire. She turned to Karan, half-expecting some acknowledgment.
He merely stared at her for a moment before speaking.
"Sikhna shuru kiya hai." His tone was neutral, neither praise nor insult. But there was something in his eyesâa flicker of approval, perhaps? It was gone before she could be sure.
Then, he turned away. "Agle task ke liye tayyar raho."
Naina exhaled, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Her arms still throbbed, her legs felt weak, but deep inside, she felt something else too.
She had caught his attention.
And she wasn't going to let it go to waste.