RETEKA RAJPUT
"Sorry.... I will... Father stop....." I cried out in agony as my father... Correction birth giver planted another kick to my four year old form's abdomen. Just a little more and I can feel my bones break. "Who told you to speak you disgrace ?" He said chocking me.
I open my eyes as the sweat flown down my body like river streams. I still remember that dark night like back of my hand. The reason of that torture I have to endure at age of four because I killed my twin brother. We were in our mother's womb but she was not strong enough to support both of us so she and my brother lost the battle to death leaving me too burn in this eternal hell called world. I know it's just another pathetic excuse to torture me. None of my half sisters killed their brothers or their mothers yet they had faced worest than me. But none of those monsters did permanent damage to them like me. I traced my pharynx. The place from where voice is supposed to originate.
That night he damage it to such extent without killing me that I still have a lot of trouble speaking properly without waves of pain coursing through my entire throat and lungs. I choose not to speak to escape the pain. The pain is the reminder for me to tell what I had survived and this bone breaking training of Devgiri is a child's play infront of it. I only manage to sleep for a hour per day atmost before waking up due to another nightmare of the countless tortureous nights. The sleep is a commodity I can't afford. I soundlessly left my room in the barracks and no one caught me. I walked in the darkened corridors. I had given a choice to live in a palace or manor or courtyard but I refused.
I meant to be here. Under the unrestrained sky and toiling earth. This is where I feel like home. In midst of fires and weaponry surrounded by war and destruction. Isn't it strange that I love their macabre, the chaoes it cause. I loved the look of terror as I saw in my tormentor's eyes as they were dragged away to their eternal doom. They can be congratulated on repaying all their deeds on earth itself rather than hell. I want that position where everyone fears me but I am not made for ruling. That's not me. I am like a unrestrained fire burning who ever comes in my way. I want a way to proclaim my own glory. Maharaj Ayudhik had shown me the way today. The messages are as clear as the heat in morning dessert and cold in dessert nights.
I will not get anything by whinning about the past. I must use the cracks from past to break myself further and make something entirely new. Something unbreakable. Like the beautiful staff and spear in my hands. I moved it in my hands like it's a extension of myself. I practiced till the day broke over the hill ranges laying after Sabarmati. The sweat flowing down my naked arms as I was bearly out of breath. Finally I had found a place and purpose in my life. My way to eternal glory. To prove the world I am not just a pawn I am more than that. I am no key to a lock but I am the damned reinforced door itself.
SUMRAJ BHANUSARA
My mind went blank as I heard Maharaj's words. How can I forget this easily. I am dealing with the same person who even Yurani Alekhya don't dare to make a fool of. He is the one who survived years in wilderness, living among bandits and outcasts. Each day must have been a battle to survive. It must have strongified him to no end. He taught to Yurani Alekhya to some extend. The look in his eyes when he tore through the bodies of enemies in battle of Sher Gahti and how he tortured Virendra in midst of all of us. That was the first warning how worest he can get. Truth to be said I am freaked out from inside. His eyes changed their colour from brown to orange-yellowish.
Is that truth or just a sick mirage the possibilities are difficult. But his sickening smile as he threatened my family like it's nothing to him doesn't seat well with me. Dadi ji had warned both me and father that we should not mess with royals family matter they change their sides faster than a bat but when Maharaj called out favours we had no choice but to follow. I don't know what that favour was about but it surely made father instantly break into cold sweat. I had seen how he tortured the Nevarkar's heir when he poisoned the claws of the tigers. My body shuddered at that sight. No amount of any thing can erase thay sight from my mind. I can't help but feel that Maharaj Arun had definitely set us up to our deaths or eternal doom.
If I didn't act fast within next one month and departed for Devgiri or any other sanctuary I am doomed. I stilled my breath and finnally opened by eyes. Who knows how much time had passed away while I was wasting away in self pity. The time is a precious essence now. The most precious at present. The more faster I complete my work the faster I get to go back home and hope Yurani Alekhya don't launch a personal gurge against me. That will be more than I can ever eat.
MAHARAJ AYUDHIK
I galloped through the fast streams of forest and jumped over the bushes with Nandini, Abhi and Raj close on their heels. The sunlight filtered through the thick canopy of tall trees barely falling on the forest floor. I saw a snake slithering on the ground few inches away from our way. I paid it no heed. The cold air brush past my hair as my horse Nyx came to a stop. A huge beast with brown black body. His breeder was a Egyptian hence the name Nyx ón the name of goddess of Darkness even though he is a boy but unluckily he only respond to that name. I heard various bird calls on my way. To any outsider they were just birds hooting but to a member of Vijay Sena they are the greetings.
Various of our members are spread out though our the forest perfectly melting in the tall Chandan trees of Seshachalam forests with thick cloths of hide covering each and every part of our skin. The snakes here are venomous enough to kill a fully grown adult within few seconds of bite hence the thick covering. I stopped my horse as a well fortified network of trees came into our view. Soon a ladder was thrown down and Suyog descended down taking the reins of our horses. The snakes won't be a hinderance for us but they are sure dangerous for horses. The excitement in the camp is palable. The nervousness underneath was almost undetectable. People stood up as I entered the meeting room.
Some eyed me with respect while a saw few eyed me with doubt. The news of my inthronement must have reached their ears. "Congratulations on our inthronement Maharaj Ayudhik. I thought you won't be here." One of the slay fox said. Vijay Sena is a large organisation with same structure as Bhadrangini. Each region has a leader which reports to the main leader. The person who spoke just now was leader of Sahyadri forest range and the only one who opposed me in every damned decision I ever make. "No by choice but by circumstances." I replied in a cold voice. I can feel each and every person present in the room throwing at the oldest man present in this assembly of youth. He is not that old. Just thirty five but weak bones never last longer.
He used to be a clan leader but bandits eradicated his entire village three years back which made him turn alongside with us. Nandini took her seat next to Arjun as I moved myself to the seat in middle of everyone. The seat beside me empty as the reminder of the person who established Vijay Sena and died fighting for it. "Oh I wonder how you will manage both a kingdom and Vinay Sena together. I think it's about time we elect another leader." I thought the glare Nandini sent his way should have detered him.
"This is why you are not our leader." Sulekha spat out vemenously. We all turned to the venom girl in our midst as she strolled to her seat with Abhi and Raj who smiled at her. Leave it for Sulekha to shut someone up. Her skin is pure white whiter than the milk and her hair had turned light brown. A clear meaning she had feasted upon the snakes found here and ready for today's attack. Her dainty long fingers brushed over the back of our chairs as she glided her way over to her seat. Promotively glaring at the hyper active twins telling them not to shook up another trouble storm. We rescued her seven years back. She was badly beaten up and about to be raped because she was born as a venom girl.
A girl with venom flowing through her veins instead of blood. She generally look very much human except times like today when she had exceeded fill of her peculiar diet. With our help she was able to control that powers of hers and became a beautiful asset. "Vijay Sena does have strong base but do we have any strong base or a place to lay low. We might have the southern forest as our shelter but with one of us being the King of a nation with alliance with two most powerful kingdoms of Bharatvarsh. We will be sub par with Bhadrangini. Sandhvik and Kaling won't know where to find us. Think of the advantages for once. They overpower the disadvantages. It's not like only Vijay have authority to administe Vinay Sena. I, Arjun, Nandini and Abhi-Raj also have a prominent role in it." She said in half hiss.
Her purplish tongue curling as she spoke. "And sorry for my late arrival. I got too carried away in getting ready for today's fight." She said as she leaned back. Her purple eyes darting between people as Arjun told us about the places of bandits as my eyes darted between different people. Who can be the one to be careless enough to try to fool me with a imposter. Not Nandini nor Sulekha. All the upper members know about the placement of people. Arjun got no reason and Abhi-Raj won't. Then who can be the one. By the time the meeting ended we had only one pahar to prepare and depart. Sulekha approached me and sat on the table infront of me.
"Heard you got a lover for yourself." She stated lighting the blunt in her hand taking a long drag as I sat with my head resting over my forearms. Trying to get some rest after four days of continuous run to here. "No." I said as I further buried my head in my arms trying to escape that horrible smoke. It always bring our bad memories. "Then who is Chitra." She asked me smughly. "No one." I replied in a dead tone. "So no one is staying in Chand Mahal which is constructed for your future wife." She smirked. I looked at her once and again burrowed my head in my arms. "Correction. The palace of future queen of Suryagadh." I replied tiredly. I doubt if I didn't got some sleep now I will probably faint due to exhaustion in middle of ambush.
"So you have no feeling for her. No bells sound when you look at her. No flowers shower from sky." I think this Sulekha is hell bent on irking me off. "She is not a goddess." I replied. Lie. She is definitely a goddess descended among humans for sole reason of ignitising me to no ends. That eyes of hers give me sleepless night as her laugh distract me from my work. Sometimes all I want to is quit my work and watch her all day around. But she is pure soul dispite the darkness surrounding her. It will be selfish of me to bind her to me. "What ever keep your boat floating." I felt Sulekha roll her eyes and leave me to myself. I found myself sleep with thoughts of Chitra.