Part 4

You have to know the darkness before you can appreciate the light.

-Madeline L'Engle

~♡~♡~

This evening seemed different than any other evening she had seen in her nineteen years of life. Her home looked more beautiful than she had ever seen it, bathed in golden grandeur, the aura that spoke of wealth, power and elegance all at the same time.

Tonight there was not a corner left in darkness. Not an inch of palace that wasn't glowing in the fire litten golden lanterns, hanging in every corridors and rooms and hallways along with the strings of Jasmine and roses covering the walls and ceilings rivaling with those of the most exotic of perfumes in the country.

Tonight when every part of the cold, white marble was hidden under the best of Persian rugs and carpets and every pillar had paired silken drapery around them. The villa no more looked like the cold, empty house that she had resided in, throughout her life with her father.

The interior was far from old despite the freezing temperature outside. Perhaps since, every coal burner was put to use tonight when the guests arrived, most of them belonging to novelty or royalty.

"And empty?"She scoffed at the thought. There was so loud a chatter and frequent giggles and laughter that she was sure, the farthest village in Agra could here them tonight.

And while so much was going on downstairs...the delicacies and drinks flooding around while dancers performed one after another. The women flaunted their diamonds and jewels and silks that they donned tonight and the men discussed business.

She was holed up here, the situation pressing the a haze of glum around her like a protective wall. The heavy bridal attire in a blazing red and jewels that belonged to her late mother was proving to be too heavy on her petite shoulders.

She was sitting in front of a mirror for hours now but not once has she dared to match her own eyes withe reflection of a princess that she doesn't want to become.

Long after she was announced ready. That she was now capable of endowing the most elusive of men. She hadn't looked up, afraid that it would snap her self restraint in two, forcing her facade to break and the real....lost...hurt and pained heiress to come out.

She hadn't looked up when she heard the loud voices outside. She hadn't looked at her reflection when the ladies announced the groom party had arrived. 

Not even when she was left alone in the room as the ladies were gone to watch the welcome ceremony. 

'Why?'

'On whom was she angry at? '

She silently listened to the sounds of popping and whizzing firecrackers in the sky as the celebration reached its pinnacle. Her eyes misting. 

'Please maa....give me strength! 'She prayed to the godess.... when every single ray of hope was lost. When every other way seemed closed. She asked for strength to accept her fate, the finality of it all sinking in when she decided to submit! 

'He is going to be her husband! ' She closed her eyes forcefully. Her fingers crumbling the silk of her dress around her knees.

'She needs to accept it! '

~♡~♡~

Her eyes opened, her feet shook listening to the intense loud voice out of nowhere, suddenly.

An order to 'attack!' It was. She could swear. But then there was nothing more. Null!

For many long moments she waited with baited breath for something to happen. For anymore sounds to come. 

But there was nothing more. And when her eratic heart beats finally started to settle. 

There it happened again! 

A disturbance of highest order was created downstairs. She could feel it. 

Her heart beats were ruffled again, beating in an erratic trend, when she heard a shriek so loud that her ears hurt. It was a woman. A voice that she could never mistaken to identify. A voice that had her dreams haunted from the seven nights ago when on a fateful evening when she had met the frightening queen. The mother of Prince Amarendra. 

She shuddered involuntarily, her feet moving on their own accord deciding to see for herself what was going on. 

The more she waited, the more the chaos got intense. And while she still hoped, it to be a simple problem she already knew what it was.....someone had attacked on them.

She rushed through the empty corridors towards the staircase afraid what she might be subjected to...once downstairs. But she did not care. Not anymore! When her own sanity was in jeopardy! 

Barely down the third step when she caught the sound.......the sound of clashing metals!..... The loud clanking when the swords meet.....The desperate cry before death..... and the horrible gurgling of wounded men with their flesh tore apart, their blood bathing the floor. 

Her fears knew no bound then, as she desperately prayed for her father to stay safe. 'He is her only family!'

She never felt the fateful wedding dress to be such an nuisance before. Her feet getting tangled more often than not as she trecked on the most difficult journey of her life. 

Suddenly she was pulled back harshly. The rough fingers of a man clamping her arm so tight that she feared it might leave a bruise.

"Father!"she exclaimed, a part of her worries loosening away when she saw her father safe and sound. 

"Com'on!"he pulled her back through the same pathway leading to her room before she was pushed inside. His blood shot red eyes that spoke of nothing but fear, hollered in a choking voice. "Don't you dare leave this room! " But then recalling something, he shook his head moving away from her presence. "I am locking the door anyway! "He panted before he left, Devika following behind....begging him to stop....or atleast tell her what was going on. But all she got as an answer was a menacing silence that shook her to her core.

"Father! Please! "It seemed like her strict father had once again turned a deaf ear to her wishes much like every other time. And all she saw was a murderous glint in his read eyes before the door was closed on her face. The clear tricking sound indicating that she was locked! 

~♡~♡~

Not knowing what time of the night it was Devika peeked outside her window to watch the moon. 'Must be around midnight. 'The dazzling white ball was at the centre of the sky.

Regaining her footing on the floor she retraced her path...... from one corner to the other corner of her large chamber. 

And did it again, much like what she had been doing from last three hours.

The horrible sounds were now surprisingly gone. But if that was a good thing or not was yet to be known. 

Walking around the room, she suddenly stopped. Heard someone walking in the corridor? 

Walking closer to the locked door she pressed her ears against the wodden carvings, trying to listen.

'Is this horrendous experience over?is father coming back? '

And indeed! There it was.....the sound of boots one after another synchronously on the carpeted floor outside. 

Slowly and steadily growing louder as it approached her chamber. 

Wishing ferverosly that whoever it was may just pass by....but then luck was never on her side. Was it? 

As soon as the sound of footfall stopped outside her room, she staggered away, sucking in a large amount of air while doing so. 

'Who was it?'

And Devika did not need to wait much longer to know the answer as the door was gently nudged open. 

A bald man in a large metal armour stood in front of her. Splashes of fresh blood splayed across while he bowed his disfigured face in front of her.

"Good evening my lady, master is waiting for you....please do come with me. "For a man as large as him the voice was comparatively very soft or had he deliberately toned it down for her? 

Whatever the reason be. She was not going anywhere with that ugly gaint. "Who master?"Keeping his voice from shivering she asked. 

"The prince ofcourse! My master! "The boisterous soldier bowed his head once again and Devika sighed in relief. 

So everything was under control. .... now that she had been summoned there by Prince Amerendra, she would be finally released from her cell that was slowly eating her sanity away. 

Nodding stiffly at the man in front of her she followed him outside. 

There was an unexpected eeri silence that spred across the palace now. The laughter and smiles that adorned the air until a few hours ago..gone!

The dancers, the drummers, the singers were nowhere to be seen and neither were the helpers or maids in sight.

'Must have left the palace....scared!'

"So...were they goons?"She unleashed one of the numerous questions that pervaded her mind from hours. 

"Goons?"The man suddenly laughed...more like roared before composing back, "Please pardon me my lady....I did not intend to frighten you." He offered softly watching her flinch away. "And NO! We ain't goons.....but far from it actually. "

A shiver ran down her spine listening to his words. What does he mean by 'we ain't goons? '

But before she could ask him, he was already on the last step, vanishing from her sight. 

Descending from the stairs though she had never expected what she saw then. Her limbs went numb and if not for the railing she had clutched tightly she wouldn't have been able to keep standing. 

Not even in her wildest nightmare had she imagined her palace...her home... to bathed in blood! Lifeless bodies lying around like rag dolls scattered throughout the floor. 

Suddenly she felt hyperventilated, when her eyes caught the sight of a bloodied face amongst the common soldiers. The face that was blue and swollen now but could be never be mistaken by her. 

Prince Amerendra still dressed as groom was now asleep forever!

And beside him was her father. 

She could not help the shriek that left her mouth. Reverberating through the haunted place while she cried out. Her numb legs once again re-gaining energy as she ran through the corpses to her father. 

But was caught mid-way. Her arm caught in a grip so hard that she feared it might break. 

And it was then that she met the most storming eyes ever. So much so that the color seemed more grey than black. 

"Lover boy is dead!"He exclaimed, amusement lacing his voice while he loosened his grip a little on her. 

"And there's no reason to cry over him when I am RIGHT here."he smudged away the tears staining her cheeks while the self satiated grin never left his face. 

"Let go of me!"she tried to shrugg him off but to no avail. 

"Now! Now! Princess....it's already very late! "He shook his head in disapproval. "And my men are completely exhausted! "Devika looked around, about fifteen to twenty men stood straight...each one of them as big as the bald giant she had seen earlier. 

"So I suggest...we must get married and be done with it! "

~♡~♡~