That Queen Warrior

Intention

Her lehenga slashed across the rough marble floor of the dungeons. After her encounter with her father, she stormed off to the dungeons without bothering about her appearance. The guards bowed and looked at each other in bewilderment. Their princess never came on duty in imperial attire. Her strides resonated in the chamber, and the detainees peeked from their cells. The guards exchanged looks when tgey saw her marching towards that chamber.

'Water!'
As soon she came near the  chamber the torture cell, she could hear Bhagwan Singh wailing for water. He deserved it for his treachery, she thought.
'What are you waiting for, guards?'

She raised her eyebrows when the guards wouldn't open gates even with her signal. They exchanged looks and looked amused.

'What? Do I look like a clown to you?' She looked at them skeptically, and finally opened the gates.

You will be talk of the town for a long time. So much for not changing.

The scene she saw after opening the gates was brutal.  Bhagwan tied to the wall of the dungeons wailed for water. He was battered, clothes torn, and red criss-crosses adorning his skin. The room stenched with blood, it was brutal than war.
She stared at him for about a minute, and strode towards the pot of water. His eyes twinkled with hope when she came towards him with glass of water. She held his chin and made him drink the water.

'Tha...Thank you, you..your Imperial Grace.'
He gulped down the water and muttered an incoherent thank. She unclasped the iron cuff off his feet and hands, and he slunped down on the floor in exhaustion.

'Tell me, Bhagwan,' she crouched down with another glass of water.'What do you want? Death from my hand, or death from Shams Khan?' He stared greedily at the glass, looking miserable lying on the floor and having no attention to her words.

'Look at me, Bhagwan.'

She turned his face with full force from the glass of water holding his jaws. He felt his jaws would crumble at her strengh.

'Tell me, Bhagwan.' She stared at him with such intensity, he felt his soul getting perforated. He shuddered looking at her irises. She was one scary woman.
He took deep breath, tearing his gaze from glass of water.
'I prefer none, your royal highness.'
He looked down on the rough floor, defeated.
'Or I always have the option of keeping you in this dungeon forever, a fake death on your name and your existance will wither from people's mind.'

She looked suggestively, raising one of her perfect eyebrows. A rat made noise and ran over his immovable feet. He almost yelped at the touch of the filthy creature. He heard a chuckle from the princess. She had noticed his fear. She looked so sinister while imposing him with so much torture, yet she was the most lovable to their people. She stood folding her hands behind. In the dark she looked like a glorified shadow looming over him like death.

'Tell me, Bhagwan,'
She again crouched, looking at his eyes for answer with amusement. 'What would you prefer? This dark dungeon which could make the mose sane person insane? With your little friends running over you? I could always make you eat and wear good, live good for a miment and again start this same torment, over and over again?'

'Your family would think you dead, your children going astray, tell me, would you be able to handle all these?'
She bit her lips and her eyes twinkled with mischief. His heart thumped against his chest, threatning to come out any moment.

'I can always hear your choice later. But at first let's catch up with some old friend, shall we?'

'Guards! Bring that new prisoner here!'

She sat gracefull over the chair provided for her, scrutinizing him narrowing her eyes. She fell in deep thought, forming creases over her fine forehead in the process. He didn't bother about the Princess or the world, he saw water, and kept gulping them down greedily in attempt to drench his parched throat. Soon both of them heard clanks of metal and some sttuggle, accompanied with some strings of curses. Manikarnika went rigid and causion, her lips on thin line. Her face said she meant business. 

The wails and curses got louder when Ratan was brought near the torture cell. He thought he was about to be tortured,  with the most brutal process available in Mewar. He couldn't stop squirming in guards' grips over the fear of his life. When he entered the cell, he saw their Princess sitting facing her back towards her. As soon the guards informed her, she turned quickly in a moment. He feared for his life im front of the person who saved many. He gulped down that fear and looked at the battered man lying on the ground and drinking water like was last time. He felt him familiar, and realisation hit him like a wave. His fear overcame with anger and resent.

'You!'

Bhagwan Singh stopped drinking his water, and looked at the resentful Ratan. He visibly paled when he saw the acquaintance.

Without caring about the Princess' presence, Ratan marched to Bhagwan, and hold the hem of neck of already torn dress, and yanked him up with a brute strength he didn't expect from Ratan.

'You were the one who took my daughter,' Ratan slapped him hard, over his bruised cheek. Bhagwan yelped in pain, and Ratan seemed to get a sadistic pleasure from his screams. They both forgot the present of their Princess, who stood behind them in confusion, and soon realisation dawning upon her.

'You were the one making me do all these! Tell me-Tell me where my daughter is, right now!' His scream git louder and resonated in the closed cell. Manikarika finally thought to interrupt and struggled to part the two man.

'I won't be sad for a bit, if you're killed in this dungeon along with me!'

He spat on his face, and his face threw on the other side. If he were in any better condition, he would've handled this measly creature in front of him. But his situation was no better, he could easily overpower him, and he didn't suspect that Princess would be any botger about his demise.

'Enough of your charades, Ratan and Bhagwan,' By now, Ratan was held by arm by two soldiers, and Bhagwan was kind of happy. He atleast wouldn't have his hair scrapped out, ironically, which was unscathed.
'I suspected you both to be associates, but I think I was wrong,' She signalled the soldiers to leave,  and strode towards Bhagwan. 'It is something otherwise.'

Her smirk had left her face, and she looked at him with such intensity, which scared him to bones. If he was in hot piping pan before, he was in bowl of fire then.
'Where is his daughter?'

He gulped, no words coming from his mouth. He knew it won't do him any good.
'Where is she!'
She held his jaw firmly and lashed out. His feet wobbled in exhaustion,. But he knew now he won't be allowed for any compassion.
'In...In Shams khan's Harem.'

He finally let his words out of his mouth, which didn't please her at all. Behind her, Ratan paled and staggered.

Manikarnika's lips held in thin line and a grim look.

'I have another option, which I think you'll like most,' she locked her hands behind, and looked straight to him. He knew, he had no other choice, except obeying her.
'you'll work for us, in façade, and you'll give us every information you have now and you will get in future, or else, you know what I can do.'
'I beg your pardon, but I quite didn't understand.'

'In the most unpleasing way, you'll work for us.'

I hope everyone likes it. Please. A single little star can never hurt you!