'You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.'-Albert CamusThe post meridian sun was glowing hot in sky and the poor carriage driver or the numerous gaurds on foot won't be lying if they said that today the sun was casting blazing embers down their way.The heat was unbearable and so to let a few wasps of air into the concealed wagon, Devika opened up the miniature porthole of a window and her eyes straight away caught his sight, riding on a shinning midnight black stallion. Riding side by side with her carriage and unlike ever before, this afternoon he was indeed donning a look of a true prince. The golden embroidered cream coloured overcoat over his soft silk shirt and that royal turban sitting atop his head adding glory to his striking persona. Infact everything about him was changed, except his most cherished curved sword that hung down his waistband as usual. 'She had onc
Part 18: The last cardSilence isn't empty, it's full of answers.-PinintrestDevika watched her spouse, as his eyes grew hooded and dark. His manarism changing to another dynamics, growing gaurded and furious like never before. Although, his elder brother still kept up the pretence to look delighted or she assumed so since there is no way knowing about someone genuineness, specially when their smiles are so bright and infective. He watched over as the supplies were loaded back into the carts the half errected tents, folded back along with everything else, ready to leave for the palace.But the quandary here wasn't about going to palace hereupon, but who is the one superior here. Because one thing that she knew about her husband was that he ain't made to take orders! He likes to dictate his own."Come'on sister, let me help you upto your carriage and then we can proceed for the palace. " Roopak extened his hand with a tender smile to Devika as she alternately looked at the two bro
Those who are at war with others are not at peace with themselves. -William Hazlitt"By erradicating the current ruler of course." The queen looked with embers of fire in her eyes.Bewildered beyond words, the young prince did a double took at that woman and then twice again but there was indeed no hint of either hoaxing or jesting as she stood there a few feet away. "Why of course, the favourite queen will have no qualms in taking the life of her poor, pathetic old husband......" Chandra shook his head dramatically. "No surprise there indeed!" He spat the words at her in utter disgust. "But you have yet again exhibited the extreme foolhardiness that you seem to possess. " He smiled bitterly. "If your pathetic husband dies someday, either by sheer accident or by feigned accident, it would be the elder prince Roopak to inherit the throne and not me...And just for your kind information, if indeed someday I want the throne I will conquest it by open challenge in a war and not like
The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart. -Helen Keller "There's news from the spy network, the subordinate generals in the north are planning to revolt.....though there is no certainty of it being successful or even if it is going to happen.....I would still suggest someone to be sent immideatly there, to opress any kind of rebellion and sentence all those behind it!" "Humm....and whom do you suggest to be assigned this task, Roopak?" The king asked, leaning comfortably on his chair."Why of course father, who better than my little brother Chandra, who has both the authority and the power to control and bring it all down....I will recommend his name since he had proved his warfare skills many a times before by winning numerous battles for the kingdom.....he is perhaps the best swordsman and warrior I happen to know. "Those lines were filled with flattery and upsurging with praise, yet and still all it did was to sti
Grow along with me, the best is yet to be. -Robert Browning TO MEET AND GREET'Ah!' Catching herself in time, she steadied up, holding the rosewood almirah by the entrance as a large troop of woman bustled inside, shoving her as they went."Excuse me!" She frowned as almost 20 ladies gathered around her and her husband's bed. 'What is happening?' Her temper was slowly flaring as she watched her privacy being breached and her words being disregarded as if, she hadn't spoken at all."Excuse me!" She reiterated this time with a raucous loud tone of voice. "Now that all of you had already barged inside my personal chamber, may I have the privilege to hear what you all have to say....?""And then....get out? Maybe?" Devika didn't bother masking the displeasure on her features. She may not be a royal by birth but she was one now as the wife of the prince of this empire and even as the sole heiress of Raichand, she wouldn't let a few vain women to trample upon her in this manner."Get out,
People prefer the certainty of misery than the misery of uncertainty.-John Bradshaw It hurt and it agonized and left her crushed, yet and still Devika didn't express any of it. She crumpled the bed sheets instead to stop her fingers that itched to get hold of him. Bit the quivering lips to stop them from begging him to stay and not leave her like this....and sucked in a deep breath to stop the tears from flowing free that would reveal her suffering. But if she had to be honest with herself, she will have to accept that, more than misery and mere hurt to be abandoned by her husband on the dawn after their first night of intimacy. 'It was something else that bothered her even more. Much-much more.''Fear!' Indeed, she had put on the facade of bravado when that condescending queen had descended upon her to tear her flesh off. Yes, she had instead left the vulture scraped and wounded for now but she knew it was just for the time being and now that her only amour, her refuge, her husban
It's hard to wake up from a nightmare if you aren't even asleep.- j.sDevika staggered back with darkness that came to overshadow every other sense that she possessed. She went numb against the loud chattering of people around her followed by a round of applause and then the series of congratulations and good wishes showered upon both the king and queen for securing another holy bond of matrimony between their families. The queen smiled brightly.... the king nodded, enthusiasm and triumph in his eyes and none bothered to look upon the poor soul torn down by the truth and lies. None except one. Roopak."Come on sister let us get out of here." His soft tone snapped her out of the stupor but the darkness barely receded. It was horrendous....the pain that rippled through her body and soul but it did not ache as much as she expected, rather settled inside her in an all too familiar fashion like an old friend. After all this time she had gotten used to it anyway since there was barely anyt
 It is indifferent to me, where I am to begin, for there shall I return again. -Parmenidies Devika was thankful that she was left in relative peace for the whole day and though there was very little assurance in what Roopak hard said, somewhere in her subconscious mind she knew what he said was the rational thing to do. 'Wait until he comes back?' 'And then what? What if he repeats the same thing the Queen had said?' She will then have two choices, either to brave that utter humiliation for the rest of her life here or to go back to her father to face yet another kind of degradation, forever. And if she is doomed either way, she will rather have her eyes plucked out by her father than watch the man who had betrayed her for the rest of her life spending a joyous time. 'But for now, she will have to wait.' 'Oh! How does this wait tormented her sanity!' The orange evening glow of sun lay spreaded throughout the land of Maniteek and her eye lids were heavy with the lack of rest a