ABDICATION

78.

The king wasn't ready to blink for once. He didn't wanted to miss any chance not to see her. Standing at the top of the palace, he was able to see every way to enter and exit of the palace. Every tunnel was guarded and he had a companion to pass time till she show up. The king smiled looking down at the bound man.

"I apologise for everything that happened. " The king voice was genuine but it made Shabir looked at him suspiciously. It's not everyday when you find a king apologising to you.

"I love your daughter." The king expressed but Shabir didn't react.

"I'm assuming you knew it already because...." The king eyes turn suspicious. For once he thought maybe sanyukta had already talked to him.

"I figured it wasn't just a rumour after I heard what you said in the morning." Shabir explained.

They both felt silent for stretched seconds.

"No matter What's your answer is going to be but I'm going to have her..." King stated giving a side glance to him.

Shabir looked down and smiled.

"You still think that's your decision to make." Shabir look up smiling at the fading stars. " She live on her choices. She have bowed down only to one thing in this entire world, her only weakness is when it's come to people she love."

"She broke the prisons and freed them all. For who did she could have done that for? You? Or she has any other lover locked in there." King laughed.

"She would have never done something like that for nothing. There must be a reason. A reason to save someone she love. Me, her mother .....you..." Shabir ended knowing really well that he and his wife has returned to this kingdom after the cells were broke so it was definitely for the king.

"So that means she never did that willingly." The king was in daze.. "somebody made her do that."

"Yes because if she could have, she would be here by now." Shabir nodded towards the rising sun at the horizon.

Randhir copied him and looked up too.

"She had been abducted." It dawned upon him. Then he cursed himself for realising that too late.

****

"For how many times have I warned you not to take a single step outside. Haven't that gash taught you enough." Sanyukta cried when he pull her hairs back down harshly.

"He had my father. If I just show up, he will be freee.." he pull back more harder and she cried out in pain.

"He will never kill your father.." his smells reeks of alcohol.

"But he don't deserve it. They don't deserve it." She hit at his chest to bring a little distance between them.

"Tell me what did you do to the prisoners?" The man commanded.

"I set them free." Even with so much pain, the proud in her eyes shone so bright.

Next movement her jaw was held so tight that she feared that it would break.

"I left you with them for one hour and you did what? Have you any idea how hard I had worked for that. Do you think it was easy to keep the king hidden for a while month without killing him. The queen? Don't you have any grudges against her? You are here because of the queen and yet you freed her. Ariana? You could have killed her right at the spot but no, you set them free...." He spat out and she winced.

"I told you to bring them to me." The man seeth in anger.

"What are you gonna do? Kill me?" Sanyukta laughed darkly challenging him.

That man roared in anger when she pushed back hard against his grip but within one move he twisted her arm and make her sit on the chair before tieing her down.

"You think you are winning like this. I will never let you win. Never. " Sanyukta warned him before he was leaving. It raged him so much that sanyukta was left with a mark imprint on her cheek afterwards.

She just wanted it to end.

She wished she would have just left the day Randhir had asked her to. She wished she never went down in the cell to see the Queen. She wished she never ever went in search of the king alone.

But here she is now, trapped, and unable to do anything for the people she love.