You have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light.
-Madeline L'Engle
~♡~♡~
This evening seemed different than any other evening she had seen in her nineteen years of life. Her home looked more beautiful than she had ever seen it, bathed in golden grandeur, the aura that spoke of wealth, power and elegance all at the same time.
Tonight there was not a corner left in darkness. Not an inch of palace that wasn't glowing in the fire litten golden lanterns, hanging in every corridors and rooms and hallways along with the strings of Jasmine and roses covering the walls and ceilings rivaling with those of the most exotic of perfumes in the country.
Tonight when every part of the cold, white marble was hidden under the best of Persian rugs and carpets and every pillar had paired silken drapery around them. The villa no more looked like the cold, empty house that she had resided in, throughout her life with her father.
The interior was far from old despite the freezing temperature outside. Perhaps since, every coal burner was put to use tonight when the guests arrived, most of them belonging to novelty or royalty.
"And empty?"She scoffed at the thought. There was so loud a chatter and frequent giggles and laughter that she was sure, the farthest village in Agra could here them tonight.
And while so much was going on downstairs...the delicacies and drinks flooding around while dancers performed one after another. The women flaunted their diamonds and jewels and silks that they donned tonight and the men discussed business.
She was holed up here, the situation pressing the a haze of glum around her like a protective wall. The heavy bridal attire in a blazing red and jewels that belonged to her late mother was proving to be too heavy on her petite shoulders.
She was sitting in front of a mirror for hours now but not once has she dared to match her own eyes withe reflection of a princess that she doesn't want to become.
Long after she was announced ready. That she was now capable of endowing the most elusive of men. She hadn't looked up, afraid that it would snap her self restraint in two, forcing her facade to break and the real....lost...hurt and pained heiress to come out.
She hadn't looked up when she heard the loud voices outside. She hadn't looked at her reflection when the ladies announced the groom party had arrived.
Not even when she was left alone in the room as the ladies were gone to watch the welcome ceremony.
'Why?'
'On whom was she angry at? '
She silently listened to the sounds of popping and whizzing firecrackers in the sky as the celebration reached its pinnacle. Her eyes misting.
'Please maa....give me strength! 'She prayed to the godess.... when every single ray of hope was lost. When every other way seemed closed. She asked for strength to accept her fate, the finality of it all sinking in when she decided to submit!
'He is going to be her husband! ' She closed her eyes forcefully. Her fingers crumbling the silk of her dress around her knees.
'She needs to accept it! '
~♡~♡~
Her eyes opened, her feet shook listening to the intense loud voice out of nowhere, suddenly.
An order to 'attack!' It was. She could swear. But then there was nothing more. Null!
For many long moments she waited with baited breath for something to happen. For anymore sounds to come.
But there was nothing more. And when her eratic heart beats finally started to settle.
There it happened again!
A disturbance of highest order was created downstairs. She could feel it.
Her heart beats were ruffled again, beating in an erratic trend, when she heard a shriek so loud that her ears hurt. It was a woman. A voice that she could never mistaken to identify. A voice that had her dreams haunted from the seven nights ago when on a fateful evening when she had met the frightening queen. The mother of Prince Amarendra.
She shuddered involuntarily, her feet moving on their own accord deciding to see for herself what was going on.
The more she waited, the more the chaos got intense. And while she still hoped, it to be a simple problem she already knew what it was.....someone had attacked on them.
She rushed through the empty corridors towards the staircase afraid what she might be subjected to...once downstairs. But she did not care. Not anymore! When her own sanity was in jeopardy!
Barely down the third step when she caught the sound.......the sound of clashing metals!..... The loud clanking when the swords meet.....The desperate cry before death..... and the horrible gurgling of wounded men with their flesh tore apart, their blood bathing the floor.
Her fears knew no bound then, as she desperately prayed for her father to stay safe. 'He is her only family!'
She never felt the fateful wedding dress to be such an nuisance before. Her feet getting tangled more often than not as she trecked on the most difficult journey of her life.
Suddenly she was pulled back harshly. The rough fingers of a man clamping her arm so tight that she feared it might leave a bruise.
"Father!"she exclaimed, a part of her worries loosening away when she saw her father safe and sound.
"Com'on!"he pulled her back through the same pathway leading to her room before she was pushed inside. His blood shot red eyes that spoke of nothing but fear, hollered in a choking voice. "Don't you dare leave this room! " But then recalling something, he shook his head moving away from her presence. "I am locking the door anyway! "He panted before he left, Devika following behind....begging him to stop....or atleast tell her what was going on. But all she got as an answer was a menacing silence that shook her to her core.
"Father! Please! "It seemed like her strict father had once again turned a deaf ear to her wishes much like every other time. And all she saw was a murderous glint in his read eyes before the door was closed on her face. The clear tricking sound indicating that she was locked!
~♡~♡~
Not knowing what time of the night it was Devika peeked outside her window to watch the moon. 'Must be around midnight. 'The dazzling white ball was at the centre of the sky.
Regaining her footing on the floor she retraced her path...... from one corner to the other corner of her large chamber.
And did it again, much like what she had been doing from last three hours.
The horrible sounds were now surprisingly gone. But if that was a good thing or not was yet to be known.
Walking around the room, she suddenly stopped. Heard someone walking in the corridor?
Walking closer to the locked door she pressed her ears against the wodden carvings, trying to listen.
'Is this horrendous experience over?is father coming back? '
And indeed! There it was.....the sound of boots one after another synchronously on the carpeted floor outside.
Slowly and steadily growing louder as it approached her chamber.
Wishing ferverosly that whoever it was may just pass by....but then luck was never on her side. Was it?
As soon as the sound of footfall stopped outside her room, she staggered away, sucking in a large amount of air while doing so.
'Who was it?'
And Devika did not need to wait much longer to know the answer as the door was gently nudged open.
A bald man in a large metal armour stood in front of her. Splashes of fresh blood splayed across while he bowed his disfigured face in front of her.
"Good evening my lady, master is waiting for you....please do come with me. "For a man as large as him the voice was comparatively very soft or had he deliberately toned it down for her?
Whatever the reason be. She was not going anywhere with that ugly gaint. "Who master?"Keeping his voice from shivering she asked.
"The prince ofcourse! My master! "The boisterous soldier bowed his head once again and Devika sighed in relief.
So everything was under control. .... now that she had been summoned there by Prince Amerendra, she would be finally released from her cell that was slowly eating her sanity away.
Nodding stiffly at the man in front of her she followed him outside.
There was an unexpected eeri silence that spred across the palace now. The laughter and smiles that adorned the air until a few hours ago..gone!
The dancers, the drummers, the singers were nowhere to be seen and neither were the helpers or maids in sight.
'Must have left the palace....scared!'
"So...were they goons?"She unleashed one of the numerous questions that pervaded her mind from hours.
"Goons?"The man suddenly laughed...more like roared before composing back, "Please pardon me my lady....I did not intend to frighten you." He offered softly watching her flinch away. "And NO! We ain't goons.....but far from it actually. "
A shiver ran down her spine listening to his words. What does he mean by 'we ain't goons? '
But before she could ask him, he was already on the last step, vanishing from her sight.
Descending from the stairs though she had never expected what she saw then. Her limbs went numb and if not for the railing she had clutched tightly she wouldn't have been able to keep standing.
Not even in her wildest nightmare had she imagined her palace...her home... to bathed in blood! Lifeless bodies lying around like rag dolls scattered throughout the floor.
Suddenly she felt hyperventilated, when her eyes caught the sight of a bloodied face amongst the common soldiers. The face that was blue and swollen now but could be never be mistaken by her.
Prince Amerendra still dressed as groom was now asleep forever!
And beside him was her father.
She could not help the shriek that left her mouth. Reverberating through the haunted place while she cried out. Her numb legs once again re-gaining energy as she ran through the corpses to her father.
But was caught mid-way. Her arm caught in a grip so hard that she feared it might break.
And it was then that she met the most storming eyes ever. So much so that the color seemed more grey than black.
"Lover boy is dead!"He exclaimed, amusement lacing his voice while he loosened his grip a little on her.
"And there's no reason to cry over him when I am RIGHT here."he smudged away the tears staining her cheeks while the self satiated grin never left his face.
"Let go of me!"she tried to shrugg him off but to no avail.
"Now! Now! Princess....it's already very late! "He shook his head in disapproval. "And my men are completely exhausted! "Devika looked around, about fifteen to twenty men stood straight...each one of them as big as the bald giant she had seen earlier.
"So I suggest...we must get married and be done with it! "
~♡~♡~
 Only those who spread treachery, fire and death out of hatred for the prosperity of others are undeserving of pity. -Jose Marty"What did you just say? "The stinging pain in her palm felt nothing compared to the throbbing heartache that she felt right then, when she slapped him across his face.'Was her father even alive?'she looked over her shoulder still struggling to free from his death grip."Now that wasn't a nice thing to do princess! "She heard his chuckle but he wasn't amused not in the least. He was furious! How could he not...when a woman....a mere woman slapped him in front of his men! But he knew it was not the right time to show the heiress her limits....there would be the whole life left to discipline this spoilt brat once he gets married to her. But right now, he needs to go through with his plan first.There were no words exchanged their after, instead Chandra decided to take the matter in his own hands. 'It was getting late!'Dragging the struggling heiress wit
 A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Michael de MontaigneThe swift wind passing around them did nothing but to increase her palpitations and chill for two reasons so far. One, that the horse was galloping at a break neck speed inside so thick a forest within blind darkness that at each turn Devika feared that they were going to smash straight into a tree. And for the second and the major factor for her discomfort were two rough strong hands and a warm hard chest that was eating away her sanity. Her breath fell in pants, each time he pulled the reins of the horse, almost deliberately brushing across her bare skin of waist. And THAT was making her increasingly uneasy. They rode so fast that the others were left far-far behind because she could no more hear the gallops of other horses. And after what felt like eons later the torture finally stopped as he kicked the side of the horse and with a soft neigh it came to a complete standstill. It was a
If you need Violence to enforce your ideas, then those ideas are worthless. -AnonymousA lady who had always been amongst the cream of the society, had been pampered like princess and had been raised like one as well, it was no doubt appalling to envision herself living here in such a sickening and repulsive habitat. For what she saw inside the tent was nothing compared to the scene outside. A dwelling garbage of stinking unwashed laundry, empty bottle of beers, residues of cigars and numerous maps rolling across the length of the tent.It was very small place and consisted of nothing but a thick mattress consuming half of it and a glass lantern by its side, which was still glowing, but its golden flames did little to illuminate the dark place.'It was still very dark for her! 'She had barely removed one or two of his dirty shirts from the mattress to make space for her to sit when she was graced with the presence of her arrogant drunkard husband of two hours. "Oh I see....you
 I write fiction because it's a way of making statements I can disown.-Tom StoppardShe was still in her wedding attire except the fact that she had gotten rid of the jewels and golds. Leaving those precious pieces of stones for the hungry prince. 'Perhaps he could buy another mattress with this!'she had scoffed taking out her strings of pearls and depositing them in a corner. She would never see them again because she would not be coming back. For now the bandage over her head would have to do as her new adornment. Rubbing her face vigorously after splashing a cauldron of water, her fingers stopped short by the towel lying beside. She looked at it for the second time, although it looked clean but she could only imagine how frequently these men wash their towels now that she had seen the dirty laundry of the prince himself. So she decided better. With a corner of her veil she patted her skin dry. She had no mirror or comb and she wasn't going to ask for one hence, not botheri
 "I would rather fight with you than kiss someone else."-AnonymousDevika tried to shrug away from his grasp when Chandra told her to step up the paddle and onto the back of the stallion. "I want to go back! ""I can't believe this! "Chandra gave her a hard look but not for long because the troops to Maniteek were getting closer."For a woman who can try to burn her husband alive and can tear his muscles in tatters with her bare nails, you are a very weak woman, very....very weak."he tusked with an expression so grim on his face that Devika was forced to believe that he pitied her. She forgot why why she was fighting. Loosing herself in those stormy eyes that held nothing but sympathy for her, in those same eyes she tried to find the moto of her life? The reason of her living. 'Was there any at all?'And in that point of weakness the will to fight was lost as well. In a daze of self pity and the burden of her father's words she felt herself being lifted and settled into the bac
 Now a soft kiss- Aye, by that kiss, I vow an endless bliss!-John KeatsHe forgot why he had married her in the first place. Trampled on his own vow to be never lured by another woman ever again, he stepped into the water, dissolving every ounce of self control in its sweet cool currents. "Wha-why are you coming here?"she took a step back. "Are you afraid of that? "Chandra asked depicting two unblinking eyes over the water in the golden light of the fire. "Oh God! "She squealed unable to decide which way to go. For if she stayed here a little longer she was sure, she was going to loose a limb or two and if she dashes for the land then the consequence is going to be far more humiliating than any other tragedy could cause. He would see her unclothed! And that thought was enough to keep her pinned at her place and watched as the animal's long spiny tail moved and it maneuvered towards her. "Hushh..."he indicated her to stay silent, an half smile spreading across his face.Just at
She closed her eyes pretending to be asleep when he entered. She nipped at her lower lip making sure the sounds of her agony that were suspiring in the four walls of that tarpaulin tent doesn't reach his notice. And thankfully it didn't, because he did't spare a single glance at her napping form and went about his chores, unconcerned.In the golden gleam of the lamp she peeped through her closed eyelids and as soon as caught him unbuttoning his shirt, shut them tight once again. "Ram-Ram!" She mused in her mind. 'He's indeed a shameless man, even though he knows a lady is here under the same roof and he's undressing.'"But you're no common lady......You're my wife."His smooth husky voice was a well planned trap and she fell right into it by looking straight at him."Oh my!" She failed to close both, her saucer shaped eyes and the gaped mouth witnessing him standing proud in all his glory. His chest rippling with taut muscles in her clear view.For a moment her pupils refused to move
Running her fingers through her messy tangled tresses, she tried to straighten her locks that had been unkempt and untidy for far too long. 'A futile way!' She scowled at her reflection in the river. 'Anywhere why would she care?' Binding her unruly and now frizzy hair at the top of her head and decided to leave; The prince was yet again waiting for her behind the bushes."Why are we going to the town today?"She asked as innocently as possible, despite knowing the very reason of the sudden visit. Perhaps since she wanted him to say it out and aloud to her, that indeed- he 's a failure, that his life is a failure and that he was repenting his disicion of, 'biting of more than he can ever chew!' That he had wedded the hiress of one of the richest house hold in all over Hindustan and now he wasn't able to provide for her.She sneered internally.While blinked at him innocently for the answers that were now long due.'To send you back to your father.' He must have stated her, despite of w