LOVE: To Infinity And Beyond

Pain and Rescue

Arjun's P.O.V.:

But wait.... Who's the Sena Nayak? He seems so... familiar... Rekha's son!!! How dare he?! If he considers me to be his father, at all, then Krishnaa is supposedly his mother, too... And, he is here to fight me?? I feel so ashamed to call this heinous shameless criminal my 'son'.. No he isn't my son... Abhi is, Kirti is.. They make me so proud, and this guy!!

I looked at Madhav, only to notice his trademark mysteriously subtle smile. "Har har Mahadev!!!", I shouted aloud, as the whole Narayani Sena broke out in war cry.. The attack began... In somewhat no time, almost all of their men were killed.. Foolish evils!! They dared to reckon with such an invincibly strong enemy force...

I came down the cliff, from where I'd been constantly shooting, to have the upperhand..

Rekha's son was lying on the ground. His right arm and shoulder wounded and bleeding. I didn't care.  I slowly kept my Gandeev aside, as I half-sat beside him. "So...", I began as he cut in, "You are my father and you are attacking on me, trying to kill me, as well as my mother, who is your wife, just for that woman!! Your so-called 'love', for whom even my Mamashri had to die!! Who tricked Angraaj Karn in the Swayamvar invitation itself, just in order to satisfy her greed of marrying you!!" Leaving me shocked and furious he continued to spit his venomous words, "Any woman in her place would have left her husband after he married five more times, bit just look at her.. Oh, she didn't.. Why? Her greed, again... She accepted him back, with her body, for his body and his wealth!! Great! And you call her virtuous? She is on a spree of getting pregnant time and again, just to ensure that her children get the most share out of their father's property.. And, who are we? Duryodhan, Duhshasan, Karn, Ashshwatthama, Shakuni.. they all are so right.. she is just selling her beauty to you.." That's it! My patience crossed all its limits. I am done with this moron and his filthy speech!!

I pulled out the dagger from its place in my waist and in a split second slit his throat... It's better to slaughter this being than to bear the tag of being his 'father'!!

His mother is next!!

The Narayani Sena surrounded the entry way of the underground palace. I knew, she might me observing us... So, it was decided that I will go in first and Madhav will follow.. I'll do away with that witch of a woman-- Rekha, and go on to find out Krishnaa, while Madhav along with the Sena will clear my way and make sure those morons-- Duryodhan and his associates cannot escape out...

I stepped in through the doorway. All thanks to Madhav's Krishnaleela, that most of the guards were a bit drowsy. Thus it took me moments to cut my way through them, rather, their corpses... I knew which one was Rekha's chamber -- I slammed the door, as it broke open in one blow... A shocked and horrified Rekha stood up from in front of the magical crystal ball... Wait... That ball doesn't show us, or the Warfield... She was watching Krishnaa... She is in a dark... Dungeon?

I stopped my thoughts midway, as I concentrated on the wicked woman in front-- first things first.. "Hey... A surprise for you, isn't it? Actually I have another surprise for you, too... Just moments back I sent your dear son out of the boundaries of this mortal world.. Good job as a 'Father', isn't it?!", I said coldly, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Rekha gasped as her tears threatened to fall, seeing which, my heart elated with sadistic bliss... I approached her slowly, keeping my Gandeev on the stand-keeper beside the door. I don't need my Gandeev to get rid of this evil woman.. She'll be making me break a record-- I'll be killing a woman for the first time. But, no offense. At the moment I needed to calm down my boiling rage by feeding it this woman's blood... The furious Alpha within me was thirsty for the blood of his Queen's torturers....

In a swift movement she attempted to grab the sword from the wall-keeper, but before that, I pressed her to the wall by her throat. I am going to do it fast, if choking her to death is fast enough-- well and good to go with that.... The only thing I could think of, was-- Krishnaa.. Right at the moment, she was my world. All the goodness in me was concentrated in her, and the shell left, was hard, cold, furious and mirthless....

"Where is Krishnaa?", I charged Rekha in a cold threatening voice, through gritted teeth. She didn't answer, as her evil green eyes shone with devilish satisfaction and bliss... I repeated the question thrice, after which my grip on her throat tightened, too much. This time she was scared.... She pointed towards the crystal ball, as I repeated my question. "D- d--u-n--g-e-o-o-n", she choked out. "Parth...", Madhav's soft voice brought me back to my senses. What am I doing?! I can't stoop down to THEIR level. I let go of her throat as I picked my Gandeev and rushed out of the chamber, leaving her under Madhav's surveillance..

I rushed towards the end of the corridor where I finally found the entrance to the dungeon, that was further underground!! The hopeless lover within me was already about to faint.

I ran down the stairs and opened the door, which wasn't locked.. I rushed in....

There she lay... Her wrists and feet cuffed with heavy iron cuffs and chained to the wall behind. The odhni of her lehenga was gone.. Her light blue lehenga was stained with Her blood, here and there... Her face had multiple wounds, just as her bare left shoulder, back and.. even her waist.. Her hair was open and totally dishevelled.. Her wrist..... Oh no!!! It's bleeding!!! I could almost feel the earth shift beneath my feet as I noticed the movement of her chest too faint to be even noticed by any random person.... What have they done to her!!

My bow fell from my hand... She was in a magic realm... That's the reason she is still alive.. They mustn't have even provide her any food or drink in all these three weeks... How will I keep her alive even after exiting this magical realm?? Thank God, I didn't kill Rekha.. that would have destroyed this magical realm and killed my lady in a matter of spilt seconds....

I slowly approached her, my hand itching to touch her, to pull her in a protective, loving and warm hug and never let go, my eyes stinging with tears and the burning urge to stare deep into her intense crystal blues....

I fell on my knees beside her, feeling totally dead and defeated.. No, I have to go on.. I have to save my Krishnaa, at any cost.. Without her I am nothing but a hollow shell of all negativities... "Krishnaa..", I called her softly, my voice wet with unshed tears, as I touched her wounded and bleeding cheek. "Krishnaa...", I called again, as my thumb began to caress her bleeding bottom lip... After a long moment, she slowly opened her eyes.... How I have been dying to see these eyes again! Her eyes have lost their usual bright shine... She looked at me, as a wave of utter bliss washed her face... A stream of tears ran down the sides of her face as she finally whispered, "Arya...", her voice weak, frail and hoarse, but... So happy....