That white castle looked abstract in the heavy downpour. It seemed like a curse which had broken loose on that new city. It hadn't stopped raining in hours. Manik looked around to find people trying to find dry and warm corners in that leaking tin shed. Sky roared again and lightening helped him in seeing what the mathematics out there was. He could see a few soldiers patrolling the area. It looked like rain couldn't bother those thick-skin barbarians. Manik looked at castle again which was situated up hill. He was still so away from it. He waited for sleep to cast spell soon so that he could escape.
Nandini quivered on each that thunderbolt which struck the hill in front of her eyes. It was another night when she couldn't find the sleep. She didn't want to sway between pretty dreams and harsh reality. She had already committed a mistake thinking how she could lead a life where there were no thorns. Her father flinched again as thunderbolt roared. Nandini cursed that downpour. She stroked his head to calm him down. In all these hours, she had seen him not recognizing her but she could see how he liked her presence. Her eyes welled up as he again dived in his sweet slumber. She could make one right at least. She could be with him.
____________
Soldiers dragged Manik towards somewhere as he was caught leaping the fence. His nerves were aching with that hit he had got on his nape. His vision blurred but he knew he couldn't pass out. His knee hit some rock in muddy land and he gasped.
A light.
He could see a door which was lit up. Noise too was touching his ears. It had to be a tavern. Manik compelled his lids to open up as those soldiers neared the place. One of them hit side of his head with his knee and Manik cried in pain. Next he heard noise getting denser and heat touching his pores. With a thud he met the harsh floor and next he heard the words telling what he had done.
"Put him in cage," He heard someone commanding.
Soldiers again picked him up from his arms and threw him in some dusty dark corner. Manik tried to open his eyes but pain was hovering his senses. He could hear uproar, some cheers and some illegible words.
Minutes passed by and Manik finally could find some strength to get up. As he opened his eyes and tried to stand, he heard someone calling his name. Someone tapped his cheek and Manik blinked his eyes to remove the blur.
"What are you doing here?" Manik asked as he could see the picture getting clearer.
That other man grabbed him from upper arm and took behind a herd of prisoners.
"Harshad," Manik mumbled as he leaned on wall.
"What are you doing here?" He asked holding his head. Pain was making it difficult for him to stay awake.
"We are here to help," Hrshad answered and ran to bring some water from pot placed just few meters away.
Manik washed his face and drank the remaining water. Harshad looked around to ensure how no one watches them interacting.
Manik got up and Harshad reached to help his stumbling feet.
"I am fine," Manik stopped Harshad in his steps. A silence prevailed amid those cheering noises of which Manik was still unaware. He was finally seeing the place in his senses and it seemed to be personal club of those army officers. Manik walked towards herd of prisoners which was hovering the wire fence. Manik reached the grill to see army men putting their baits on fighting prisoners. They were making those already vulnerable captives fight for their little fun.
Manik stormed back towards Harshad while Harshad patiently waited.
"What is this place and what are you doing here?" Manik asked impatiently, his voice filled with this cold that Harshad immediately felt like he was shown mirror. He was unable to come out of what his family had done.
"We are here to help," Harshad answered and Manik looked at him sternly.
"They caught us trying to enter the city on west border and brought us here," Harshad revealed the bits which might pacify Manik.
Manik walked back to wire fence in frustration and watched those officers drowning themselves in alcohol. He needed to get out of there. He paced back towards Harshad and glared him. All that building ire was seeing Harshad as its only potential target.
"I need to get out of here," He mumbled pacing fro and back.
"There is only one way to get out of here," Harshad mumbled and Manik halted. Before Harshad could answer, an army man saw them interacting.
"Throw these two in ring," He commanded the guard and next they were dragged to that bloody ring to brawl for the pleasure of barbarians.
_________________
Nandini noticed each detail of that corridor as guards walked her towards the dispensary. She wanted to memorize that hallway so that she could think of an escape. It was minutes she had seen her father. He had a panic attack few minutes back and those guards had to take him to doctor. Fear was engulfing Nandini as her father didn't return. She had deliberately slid her palm across the edgy window so that she could be taken out of that room. She needed to see her father. She knew each passing minute was closing the gates for her. She had to get away. Her hopes were finally shedding amid that cold reality. She knew nobody could rescue them from there. She had to make a move.
"Papa," She ran to her father who was lying on hospital bed.
"He is fine," Doctor assured her while she caressed her father's face.
"He had an anxiety attack," Doctor added and Nandini sighed in relief.
"What it is, doctor?" She asked as she saw those guards retreating towards door.
Doctor walked to her to take a look at her bleeding cut. He smiled and Nandini sensed how he knew about her deliberate cut.
"What is it which had made him like this?" She asked while doctor wiped her palm with cotton.
"I can land in trouble for opening my mouth at work," Doctor quipped and Nandini hissed as soon as antiseptic rinsed her wound.
"He was given drugs to weaken his rebelling mind," Doctor revealed and Nandini gaped him. She was beyond shocked. Tears hovered her eyes as she tried to gulp that cruel revelation.
"He wasn't giving in so it was thought that his mind could be controlled," He added as he dressed her wound.
"He lost his mind but didn't give in," Doctor finished and Nandini pulled back her hand before doctor could finish his job. Her face was bathed in tears and ire. She was glaring him with this disbelief.
"You should be ashamed," She spat venomously.
"I die each day," Doctor bowed down to that justified ire of hers.
"I wish I wasn't afraid of dying before," He added taking her hand back in his to finish his job.
"I could have saved lives instead of saving mine," He choked on last part.
Nandini cried the silent sobs looking at her sleeping father. She couldn't even imagine what pain he had to go through. Pages of that book were ripped off. She didn't know what happened. All this while, she had blamed him for destroying everything. She had no idea how he was suffering here. She wanted him to tell her everything but he didn't remember anything.
Doctor halted at door to look at Nandini.
"These soldiers...they don't usually like it here. They probably won't stay all night," He said and Nandini furrowed her brows trying to understand why she was being told this.
Doctor left the room and Nandini walked to book shelf to find herself some book to stay awake. Her head was throbbing and she knew she needed to sleep but she couldn't afford to. There was too much going on.
_______________________
"So you are trying to tell me that pathetic brother of mine has gone to castle to rescue Nandini?" asked Manik while dragging Harshad to other end of ring.
Harshad yelped as soon as his head hit the wire fence behind.
Manik put his elbow on his neck and Harshad knew it was mistake telling Manik the truth.
"You need to listen to me," Harshad managed to utter while Manik choked him almost to death.
"Stop romancing, morons," One of officers yelled and Manik had to loosen his grip. Harshad looked at Manik infuriated and hit him in gut.
Manik bent to hold his stomach and Harshad hit his knee to land him on ground. Hovering him while trying to apply one of wrestling trick, he bought them a pause.
"We were caught on west border. To our relief, one of officers recognized Aryan from your base camp and let him go. Otherwise we all would have been as useless as you and I are," Harshad managed to reveal till the moment he got flipped to meet cold ground.
Manik hit him in face and uttered, "He is a bootlicker. He bailed himself out leaving you behind, you fool."
A soldier entered the cell and separated them. Throwing them in different corners, he got out.
Manik was the first one to continue the bout. He stormed towards Harshad and dragged him to the harsh fence.
"I am going to kill him the moment I see him," He murmured and Harshad pursed his lips trying to reason a bull.
"He is the one who brought me and Aabid here," Harshad said trying to come out of Manik's death grip.
"I don't think so he is fooling around this time," Harshad added while managing to push Manik away.
Cheers filled the Tavern as Harshad retaliated.
"Even these buttholes love me," He smiled wiping blood off his lip.
Few punches blooded their faces to please the sadist crowd of barbarians. They let each other let out the rage.
"He was ready to surrender her to save his life and you say he has gone to castle to save Nandini?" Manik answered crushing Harshad's face under his knee.
"I thought Aabid was intelligent," He mocked. Harshad yelled in frustration and pain.
"I don't have time for you idiots," Manik said pinning Harshad to ground.
"You cannot escape defeating me," Harshad replied urgently. Manik pondered over what Harshad had said while Harshad took the opportunity to turn the tables. He flipped Manik over and sat on his stomach to bestow endless punches. Somehow his patience had given up. He was tired of being treated as nothing just because his family had betrayed Nandini. He let his fury speak by shutting his mind and Manik out.
Manik coughed violently as blood blocked his windpipe.
"You need to turn incapable of fighting to get out," Harshad said while grabbing him from floor.
Manik tried to return the fury but he was tired. He shook his head and got ready to bounce back. He punched Harshad as hard as he could and he could hear people booing. Certainly, he wasn't a favorite.
"You are not underst..." Before Harshad could make his point clear, Manik punched him again. Gasps filled the place. Harshad tried to stand on his feet.
"You son of a.." Harshad mumbled before pouncing on Manik with utmost aggression.
"You don't understand," He said hitting him in gut. Manik's back hit the wire fence and Harshad grabbed his neck in elbow lock.
"Now listen to me you bullhead," He said infuriated in his ear.
"You want to get out of here? You need to die for that," Harshad said gritting his teeth.
"They would throw your body out to rot only when you die," He added while pushing him so hard that Manik collided with front wall of wire. Manik caught his breath holding that grill. He got what Harshad was trying to say. He turned around to see Harshad waiting for him. He ran to hit him while Harshad rolled his eyes.
"Kill me then," Manik murmured grabbing him and Harshad smiled.
Both fought like bulls to give those barbarians some real picture. Manik gradually started to retreat and Harshad gave those baiters some fun. Manik landed on ground with that savage punch and Harshad leaned in to meet his ear.
"It would send you to sleep for few minutes," With that Harshad hit hard on neck and Manik could feel ground slipping. A sharp pain was all he could register before closing his eyes.
___________________________________
"Book," Mr Murthy mumbled looking at book lying on side of his bed. Nandini was peeping out of door to find no guard out there. She looked in to see her father holing the book she was reading. He was awake finally. She now knew what that doctor meant. He was trying to tell her how she had a chance to run away at this hour. Those heartless soldiers seemed to be scared of medical wing after all.
"I...book," Her father said pointing at book while Nandini tried to make him get out of bed.
"We need to leave, Papa," Nandini said cupping his face. He unwillingly got out of bed but then flinched back as soon as Nandini tried to drag him a bit. He held the book close and then hid it under the mattress.
"Nan..dii..ni..Nan..," He started chanting and Nandini knew he was scared.
"Nandini is here," She said holding his hand.
"Nandini," She said putting his hand on her heart. She wanted to make him understand somehow.
"We need to run," She said and he seemed to take her words calmly. She dragged him towards door and looked out to check if coast was clear. Long hallway had no sign of human activity. Ghosts those soldiers were afraid of couldn't make her feared.
She walked into hallway holding her father's hand gently. She knew she was asking for trouble but she had no choice. She had to end this nightmare by herself.
"BOOK," Her father yelled as they passed by a dark room. Nandini flinched in terror listening to his loud voice. Before she could even react further, her father started to drag her towards dirty door. His pull was strong and she wasn't able to stop him.
"BOOK," He yelled again as Nandini tried to resist his pull. She looked around to see if someone had rushed after hearing that loud call.
"Papa," She whispered while her father flung open that dirty door. Door got opened with loud noise and she knew they were caught. A bad odor hit her and she covered her mouth. Before her father could drag her further in that dirty room, she heard footsteps. In no time, guards entered the room and switched the light on. They were caught. Nandini faced them quivering. She knew they were in trouble. Those guards stared them and then started laughing. They looked at each and then at Mr Murthy.
"This old bastard remembers his room," One of them barked while other one chuckled.
Nandini held her father's hand tighter and those guards looked at her sternly. She gulped hard trying to foresee what kind of worse was coming. They kept looking at her ardently. She was more than scared. There was no one who could even hear her screams if those two guards choose to do something horrible. She let go her father's hand. She could hear him walking away.
"No one can run away from this place," One of them said approaching her.
He halted just a step away from her. Nandini dared to stare into his eyes. She couldn't let the moment slip.
"Now live in this disgusting room," He spoke over her face and turned to leave. Both of them marched out of room. She could hear them going away. She finally sighed in relief. She looked around to see her father doing something on dirty bed. That place was beyond disgusting. There was no window and place was filled with this intolerable odor. She couldn't believe her father was kept there all this time.
"BOOK," Her father shouted and she jumped in her place. She looked at him. He was holding a book with a smiling face.
"I...book," He repeated and Nandini walked to him. He was holding a dirty book which was covered in blood stains.
"Nand..ni..Book," He said and Nandini looked at him. He was genuinely happy about something. Nandini slowly tried to take that book and to her surprise, her father let her take it.
She could see her name written over its cover. There was no end to it. She slowly opened it and realized it was her father's diary. She looked at him with teary eyes and saw him so excited. He wanted her to have that diary.
_________________
Manik coughed and that was the time he realized he was alive. He coughed endlessly as he tried to get up. Someone handed him a bottle and he took it without even looking at the person. He sat on some muddy dirt and emptied that bottle. He took a deep breath and looked around. It was still night. Color of it told he still had time.
"You fine, buddy?" A man asked and Manik quickly turned to see the person. It was Aabid. His face had these blue marks and some wounds still were bleeding.
"What happened to your face?" asked Manik.
"Same thing which happened to you," Aabid said giving him a hand.
"I was waiting here for Harshad but seems like he has sent you," Aabid said and Manik could connect the dots.
"We were looking for you only," Aabid said as Manik looked at corpses lying beneath.
"That's where they dump the losers," Aabid quipped and Manik examined the place.
"But best part is we are out of their area," Aabid added and Manik looked at white castle. It was still away.
"How could you let that moron go to Nandini?" Manik asked still looking away.
"He suited himself," Aabid answered.
"Carry on. I shall await Harshad or else his corpse," Aabid said and Manik nodded. He started to descend the mount of dead bodies. He limped as he tried to walk rapidly.
"Damn you," He cursed Harshad while limping towards forest to reach the white castle.
"We shall meet you soon," Manik heard Aabid shouting behind.
_________________________
"I know you must be hating me..."
Nandini's hand quivered as she ran her finger over first line. She couldn't hate her father ever. She hated the fact how her faith in him was so fragile.
"Yes, I have betrayed everyone. I have betrayed people who had elected me as their protector, as their leader. I still remember how proud you were of me."
"I still am," She murmured and looked at her sleeping father. Tears were threatening to come out. She could feel herself quivering helplessly. There was too much of anticipation. She was reading what her father couldn't tell anymore. It was like she had found the missing part of him through that diary.
"I never ever even thought of betraying my own state until he arrived," She read it and let out a sob. She knew he couldn't do it. She knew and she still chose not to believe it. She cried as much as she wanted to.
She kept reading each word and she could feel herself getting lighter to an extent where she thought she didn't even exist. She was feeling dizzy as she dived into unknown facts. There was nothing she knew, there was nothing her people knew. They all hated their minister for a mistake he didn't do deliberately.
"We thought we would defend our land even if it meant having a war. I was ready, Nandini. Believe me, I was."
"I believe you," She murmured letting out a silent sob.
"I believe you, Papa," She said choking on her own words.
"We will have this war and we would win it," She said caressing those carved words on that paper. She looked at her father who was curling up as a ball on his bed. She couldn't believe he had to lose himself for protecting his people and their interest. Nobody even knew.
"I know you hate me for abandoning you, your mother and state like that. I deserve that hate. I do. My decisions had brought wrath on you."
"No, you don't deserve hatred," She said unable to hold it any further. She ran to her father and halted just a step away. She wanted to hug him as tight as she could but he would be scared. She kept crying looking at his face. He didn't deserve a single ounce of hatred. He deserved to get known. His people had to know how their leader hadn't abandoned them.
She bent down to leave a soft kiss on his temple and let out all the silent sobs to feel his warmth. She walked back to his diary and closed it. She didn't have courage to read it further at that moment. She held it close to her heart trying to grasp his love. She would read it one day when they would be at much better place.
Nob of door clicked and she immediately hid that diary behind her.
"I am so sorry, Ms Murthy," Doctor walked inside with a guilty face followed by the guards.
"I shouldn't have left you unattended," He said and Nandini tried to judge the situation.
"They needed me, you fools," He turned around to scold the guards and then asked them to put Mr Murthy on stretcher.
She followed them holding diary under folds of her heavy frock. She had to get away somehow. She needed to save what her father wanted to safeguard. She needed her people to fight for what was theirs.
Their minister wanted them to fight for themselves.
______________________________
Aryan entered the doors of mighty castle walking behind car of lieutenant. It still was raining hard. Lt fumbled in his steps as he tried to get out of his car. He was highly drunk. Aryan ran to help him. He looked around with a thief eye. It was a tomb. He could see walls of that castle reaching the high he could never cross. He hadn't lied when he said back there he wanted to help Nandini. He didn't ponder over reasons but he felt it right. It would be a lie if he had thought he still had chance because he had seen her with Manik. He had seen how Manik had turned after meeting Nandini. He knew he didn't stand a chance but still he wanted her to be around. He didn't like it when all his wishes seemed to take shape. A dying Manik and suffering Nandini wasn't something he wanted anymore.
After dropping lieutenant to his room, he stood outside like a proper pet. He had to look as authentic as he could. He didn't feel this need to serve those people anymore. It wasn't about his greed this time. People back at camp had treated him with utmost respect even when he had thought of betraying them every moment. He wanted to live that life.
He looked at night sky which was pouring all its content. It was hard to figure out how many hours he had before dawn breaks.
___________________________
Search light roamed around the lakeside as a hawk. Manik hid behind a tree as that spotlight tried to scan that place. He was standing just few meters away from that castle. He could feel she was there. He could feel it. His heart was racing and this time it wasn't about fears. He knew she was inside those big walls. He would find her this time for never lose again. He would take her so away from this massacre and war that nothing vicious could even touch her. He would not let anything take her away this time.
Another spotlight chased him as he tried to run another few meters. Seeing no escape, Manik had to jump into lake to avoid the light monster. He stayed underwater till the time that light continued to chase the meters ahead. He came out to take some breath and ran as fast as he could towards the wall. Reaching there, he stood against it to let the spotlight pass by. Wall was magnificent. There was no way one could climb it. Manik kept standing there to think of a way.
______________
Aryan dragged the guard to a dark aloof corner and left his unconscious body there. Taking his rifle, he walked towards unknown corridors with a hope to find Nandini. He didn't know where would she be and in what state. Wee hours helped his luck as castle looked dead. Every inch seemed to doze off in slumber. Rain poured in their favor obstructing the alertness of guards. He could see dark hallways and no sign of anything familiar. He looked around to see various buildings dimly lit and his eyes stopped at a room which was fully lit. He could see a hope. He needed to get there to know how system worked there. He had sent 3 guards to sweet sleep without making a noise and he believed he could get through others too.
______
Manik climbed taking the loose bricks off the wall. After all, dictator couldn't conquer the delinquency. Rain made it difficult to grip those tiny spaces but he had to climb that giant somehow. He peeped out to see the scenario up there and found no one. It wasn't strange after witnessing the condition back there at town. Nobody could dare to go against that dictator. He could see search light doing its work through that tower and he guessed there was guard as well. He couldn't care less. He had to find her. He could see sky lightening. Either that meant dawn or clouds fading. He needed time. He ran across the edge to find stairs.
______
Aryan reached that lit building hiding in cover of dark and rain. To his surprise, building wasn't highly guarded. Two guards were sleeping wrapped in warm windcheaters. Looking at those thick bones, he assumed dawn was nearer. He ran across the hallway to take the stairs. He paced to reach that lit room. He hoped to find someone who could help him reach Nandini. He slowly tried to open the door without making noise and what he saw was enough to make him thank his stars.
___
Manik hit the guard in gut palming his mouth. His hurry had cost him attention. He couldn't get caught. He needed to reach Nandini. He couldn't wait anymore. Guard seemed to lose his consciousness as his body got heavier. Manik slowly put him behind the pillar and walked further. That castle was a maze. He could see how almost every hallway looked similar. Dawn was threatening to break as sky had started to leak colors. Clouds were only saviors.
__________
"Ms Murthy," Aryan exclaimed as he saw Nandini trying to put her father on wheelchair with a help of a man. Nandini gaped Aryan in disbelief. She couldn't believe he was standing at door.
"Ms Murthy, we need to hurry," Doctor reminded while Nandini walked to Aryan.
"Aryan," She exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"
"I came to help you," He replied approaching her.
"We need to rush, Ms Murthy," Doctor reminded.
"Manik?" She asked lowly already foreboding. She dreaded the answer. She couldn't afford to listen what her heart was foreboding. Seeing Aryan there instead of Manik had already sent her to scariest hole. Aryan saw her scared face and it seemed like words had stuck in his throat. He didn't know but there was a part inside him which instigated him to lie, he could have her. He shook his head to shrug off the thought. Her sigh brought him out. Her eyes had welled up and he shook his head again.
"He is here," He quickly replied.
It took good few seconds for Nandini to register what Aryan had said.
"He is alright, right?" She asked and Aryan nodded his head. Nandini closed her eyes as if had got her breaths back. Tears wanted to break out. She didn't know why all of sudden she wanted to feel all those pangs her heart were feeling. She wanted to acknowledge each one of them because they brought sweet pain back. Sweet pain which reminded her of him, Sweet pain which felt so good, sweet pain which had nothing to do with hurt. He was alive.
"He had to be," She mumbled while doctor wheeled Mr Murthy to her.
"We need to leave," Aryan said urgently extending his hand while Nandini stood there trying to calm her heart. It had started to work frantically.
"Where is Manik?" She asked ignoring everything else.
"He is around but I don't know where," Aryan answered and Nandini wanted to hear more. She could hear it again and again.
"Ms Murthy, dawn is about to break. We need you both to leave before daylight closes all the doors," Doctor intervened and Nandini nodded.
They all walked in hallway. Thunderstorm seemed to mark its presence again as sky roared and hid those grey patches again. Even rain Gods were in their favor it seemed.
Their peaceful escape got interrupted as two guards entered the hallway running. They have got alerted. Aryan gaped guards trying to find an escape. Nandini stepped back taking the wheelchair to another hallway. That maze had to have secured escapes. She could hear struggle behind. Yelps touched her ears and she didn't know who was winning the battle back there. She didn't halt till the moment she heard a gunshot. She turned around to see a guard lying on ground. Aryan held the gun as if he didn't know how he shot that guard.
"Run," Doctor yelled and Nandini nodded. That gunshot had alerted the entire castle including that dictator. She knew she hardly had any chance. But she couldn't give up. She kept wheeling chair carefully towards the nowhere until she saw a contour entering the hallway. She got puzzled and looked back. She could see Aryan running towards her. She looked at that contour again and this time she knew who it was.
"Manik," She mumbled even before light touched his face. She could feel him. She could sense him. She could hear her heart thumping aloud in celebration. There was no fear anymore. There was no uncertainty anymore. That contour kept covering the distance in hallway and she not for once felt need of introspecting blind alibi of her heart. Dawn broke and she knew...
It was him.
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Highly Unedited*
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