Chitra stood near a tree vomiting, this was the second time she was throwing up since they had started their journey, her legs felt weak and her ears felt blocked. She had no food for almost a day then what was she even vomiting out? Meenamma stood near Chitra but she didn't help her, she stood folding her hands over her chest watching in disgust.
Baldev moved forward and pulled Chitra roughly by her arm and immediately he left her hand pushing her away, "You stink like shit!" He said, rubbing his hand on his dark torn kurta.
Chitra felt sick and her legs gave up because of the hard push that She fell to the ground, the wet and dirty soil was sticking to her hands and hair but she couldn't stand.
After watching this long drama Meenakshi stepped forward and helped Chitra sit up and bought a pot full of water and a small rag, "Here," She said handing Chitra the rag, "Wipe your face and hands using this water."
"Baldev, she is in no condition to walk so I will let her sit in my cart." Meenamma said, walking towards her small cart. She had arranged it beforehand as she can't walk for long distances and Baldev welcomed her idea when she threw a small pouch of gold coins on his face.
"What?" Baldev scoffed, "I can throw her over my shoulder-"
"Baldev! Control your filthy mind for once, Chitra is your golden pass to win this war so shut up and ride your horses!" Her stern voice angered him, but she was right as soon after winning the war he could have this poor queen just for himself.
Meenamma slowly pushed Chitra inside the cart and sat beside her, locking the door and pulling the cotton drapes near the door.
Chitra laid her head against the thin wodden wall of the cart, she felt a little better compared to the last few minutes. Meenamma looked at her suspiciously at her before she grabbed Chitra's hand in hers pressing her fingers to her wrist checking her pulse.
Chitra looked weakly at what she was doing, why was she checking her pulse? Meenamma pulled her hand back as she was burnt and her face went pale.
"Chitra, why didn't you say this before?" She spoke in an accusing tone which puzzled Chitra.
"Why didn't you tell me that you are with a child!" Meenamma said, pulling Chitra by her hair, making her struggle in pain.
But when those words slowly registered in her brain Chitra felt the world stop for a second, she understood now about the health issues she was struggling for the last one month.
Chitra's hand slowly travelled below her stomach to feel, but she felt nothing, was she really pregnant?
" I am pre-pregnant?" Chitra asked in a low whisper, not understanding how to react. Should she be happy that she was going to be a mother or should she feel worse that her child is in deep danger if she remains surrounded by these people.
Meenamma pushed her away, catching her head as if she was facing a huge dilemma and Chitra felt no better as Meenamma's only aim was to kill her. Will she step back from her revenge and let her go? Or will she kill her to fulfill her revenge even if it meant to kill her child?
Sweat rolled down her face in fear, Chitra felt her legs shake thinking that her child's life was in trouble. Her eyes welled up with tears as she thought of Arjuna, Will he be happy to know that he is going to be a father?
Meenamma lifted her slightly to look at Chitra's disturbed state, "Stop it!" She almost screamed looking at her and Chitra flinched in fear.
"I meant, stressing and overthinking is not good for the child." Saying Meenamma took out a soft rug which was rolled up in a corner and pulled it over Chitra's shoulders and handed her a sitaphal which she bought for herself to eat.
Chitra took the fruit but hesitated to eat, what if she applied something over this? It would be a silent way to kill her. That thought just made her cry and beg, if she has to beg for her child's life then she would.
"Meenamma please." Chitra pleaded taking her old hands in hers, crying her heart out, "Please spare my child, I apologise for what my mother had done but don't punish me or my child for it!"
Chitra saw a soft expression on her face but she turned her head away to look outside, "The fruit is clean, eat it." She said, pulling her hands away.
Chitra understood that she was no more the soft hearted old woman she knew, she was going to kill her. And once again an innocent life, her child is going to die because of her, like Ratan.
Her slow whimpers turned into huge wails as the cart moved at a fast phase, why was this happening to her?
"If you remain crying your child will be born ugly, young lady." Meenamma said, still looking outside and her expression was not seen.
But her words worked like magic on Chitra, she immediately stopped crying, placing a hand on her mouth. Meenamma slowly turned to face her, taking the fruit she gave Chitra, she slowly divided it and placed a small part near Chitra's mouth motioning her to eat it.
"The happy you are, the beautiful and handsome your child will be born. We don't want an ugly prince now, would we?" Meenamma spoke in a teasing tone and for the first time Chitra laughed, shaking her head in a no.
"My apologies will not make any sense now, but I will give a small advice for your child. I couldn't save my child but you should protect your prince." Saying she placed a hand on Chitra's stomach smiling, " The second this cart stops, you run away and if anyone tries to stop you use this dagger."
Meenamma placed a small dagger in her hand and Chitra looked at her in shock.
"Prince?" Chitra stuttered not sure why Meenamma was so confident about a prince.
"I just know, I learned how to guess by the signs when I was pregnant." She took a long breath and just then the cart came to a sudden screeching stop which was an indication that they have reached.
Chitra took a long breath and she jumped down with that tiny dagger in her hand. The moment her feet touched ground she ran not caring about the men who were running behind her or the sharp and tiny stones piercing her feet.
She could see a blurred figure of Arjuna on a horse fighting with a sword amidst hundreds of men fighting around, the ground smelled of blood and sweat, she prayed that Arjuna should look at her side but it didn't happen as he was fighting with all the dedication and concentration to win this war. Chitra could hear the painful growls of soldiers who lay on the ground almost dead but she didn't stop as she could still sense that Baldev and his men were still behind her.
Right when she was almost close, she called his name but the sounds of heavy swords clinking around blocked her voice so she tried again but by that time Baldev caught her and pressed his hand over her mouth and made her kneel down placing a sword on her throat.
"ARJUNA!" Baldev screamed on top of his lungs making everyone stop the fight, the war ground fell into a deep pit of silence seeing that baldev was placing a sword on a woman's neck.
While few wondered if this was their queen the other remained confused as no one saw how their queen looks like. The soldiers of Ramapur and Devampura stood proud as they would be winning this war for sure now.
Arjuna felt his heart drop to his gut and a slight air of fear passed through him as he saw a sharp sword on his wife's throat. But he didn't show it, he maintained the same cruel and stoney look on his face.
"I am afraid that my hands might shake and cut your queen's throat." Baldev shouted, smirking cruelly making fun of the situation.
"Stop involving women in this and fight like a man!" Arjuna sneered in anger and moved forward on his horse.
Baldev laughed as if he just heard the craziest joke ever but his expression shifted in a fraction of seconds of a angry one as he pulled Chitra by her hair and pressed the sword a little deep, making thin lines of blood drop down her neck and Chitra cried in pain and in fear of losing her child.
"STOP IT!" Arjuna screamed, jumping down from his horse running towards Chitra but Baldev raised his hand up indicating him to stop in his place.
"What do you want?" Arjuna asked, trying to divert him from hurting Chitra.
"Ah! It's so good to see you like this." Baldev laughed in happiness that he was finally getting what he had always wanted, "My wants are simple, give me your throne and I will let your wife live."
Arjuna tried to come up with a plan but there was none. Vikram shook his head in fear as he stood in a corner watching in horror about what his king was about to do, silently telling Arjuna to not do this.
Baldev raised his left eyebrow in arrogance asking him what he had decided, Arjuna walked forward and tore his armour off his body placing it down.
He chanted a small prayer in sanskrit before removing a beaded gold chain from his neck, it had a huge locket studded with pure white pearls in the form of a river. Arjuna lightly pressed the locket to his eyes begging his ancestors to forgive him and placed it on his armour.
"What is that?" Baldev asked in a curious tone, seeing what Arjuna has just done.
"This symbolises our heavenly river Mothidaar." Arjuna said in a monotonous tone looking at Chitra who looked pale and eyes were drooping down.
"NO! Tell me in detail boy as I should know everything if this is that important."
Arjuna felt tortured seeing his wife slowly losing all the blood, his heart squeezed in pain. Gopinath Rao stepped forward and spoke about what was so important about the chain.
While Arjuna felt his soul slip away and his eyes teared up as he saw Chitra fall to the ground clutching her stomach.
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A/N :
•Sitapthal : Sugar Apple
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