Thirst of power and of riches now bear sway, the passion and infirmity of age.-James Anthony Froude7 weeks laterPeople say that there's just this small slit between life and death, perhaps a wide enough berth between happiness and despair but hope and an anguishing state of hopelessness seems two different worlds far beyond the reach of one another.And in seven weeks time Roopak had not only understood but experienced the vast difference between these two worlds. Seven weeks ago he stood at the same spot outside this same courtroom with his heart beating like a wild horse while his mind raced through options to save his brother.And seven weeks later now, here he was, standing on the same spot before the courtroom, his heart yet again racing while he watched the embellished adorning of the palace walls while his brother stood beside him and grinned.He grinned back, it was his crowning ceremony after all!The crackers whizzed past him, burst and cracked in the evening sky and the
"It's impossible! "a voice intruppted his roar. "he's your elder brother! The rightful heir of the kingdom. "He turned around furious. His eyes glowing red and his hands itching to silence that voice forever. "The king would never choose you as his heir! "'Now that's enough! ' his rugged fingers from fighting many a wars now gripped the handle to his sword. 'He had had enough of this unruly man.'"prince Chandra! "Afraid that he had to witness another bloodbath tonight in front of his eyes, the minister spoke up. "You could be the heir to the throne, if there's no elder brother to claim it anymore. "A silence so poignant settled into the room that it became impossible to breathe, before the fool spoke again. "And how's prince Chandra supposed to kill his own brother? He has been kicked out of the palace already. Had no army to back him up and rarely any source of income except the looted money from the nearby villages. " before the idiota's head is disjunctioned from the rest of his b
Only those who spread treachery, fire and death out of hatered for the prosperity of others are undeserving of pity. -Jose MartyPart 1: The world that lays beyond"Here you go! "Dhara presented her the 16 special sweet dishes that had been solely prepared to offer God because of tonight's special occasion. But her petline cheeks were now fallen, glow from the godess like face gone. What with the way the prince was looking at her, his deep piercing hazel orbs gazing at her every moment she had been in his vicinity. Her skin had been prickly under the scrutiny. But above that all what troubled her were her own thoughts. She wanted to get away from that constant gaze as soon as possible today afternoon. Yet the pitful irony that she was there today as his soon to be bride. His bride! Now the hundred pie question was if she isn't able to tolerate his gaze from ten feet away for a afternoon when hundred other guests are present, how is she supposed to tolerate his touch, the same gaz
The zeal which begins with hypocrisy must conclude in treachery; at first it deceives, at last it betrays. -Francis BaconLaying with his eyes open, he analyzed his situation. His options...there pros and cons. And he had barely closed his eyes when the dawn broke, the first rays of sun infiltrating through the curtains of his private chamber, bathing the large room in a golden glory.'It was another starting! 'But what a foul way of starting the day when the first thing you notice is your mistake of last night? Forcefully closing his eyes, he laid back on the bed like a dead rat waiting for the woman beside him on the bed to leave. And she did! But not before she ran those soft long fingers through his messy locks. He internally cringed. No! He wasn't disgusted at her touch but he was disgusted at himself for doing what he did last night. Taking the innocence of that girl was not in his plans. It was a crime on his part because while the woman solely wanted to be with him for t
A beautiful sunset that was mistaken for a dawn.-Claude Debussy Part 3: The sun must set to rise 'Another sunset! 'He sighed looking at the sinking sun through the small slit of his tent. The buzzing crickets starting to give him a headache now with their continues'turring' sound from the last seven days. What else could he expect from the middle of a wilderness? "Is there some news from maniteek? "He asked. The others in the tent more frustrated than he was!"What else except the fact that the royal army is after you like the hunter dogs? Sniffling around all the time! " the chief, the leader of his supporters spoke. The frustration grew but what grew more was his thirst of power....now that he was chased like a wild pig in a forest, his want to rech to that throne had increased like never before. His eyes moved over the interior of the tent. The rough clothing, the uncomfortable bedding and the slick moist environment...'I disown YOU! 'The words never leaving him, not eve
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 temperatu
 Only those who spread treachery, fire and death out of hatred for the prosperity of others are undeserving of pity. -Jose Marty"What did you just say? "The stinging pain in her palm felt nothing compared to the throbbing heartache that she felt right then, when she slapped him across his face.'Was her father even alive?'she looked over her shoulder still struggling to free from his death grip."Now that wasn't a nice thing to do princess! "She heard his chuckle but he wasn't amused not in the least. He was furious! How could he not...when a woman....a mere woman slapped him in front of his men! But he knew it was not the right time to show the heiress her limits....there would be the whole life left to discipline this spoilt brat once he gets married to her. But right now, he needs to go through with his plan first.There were no words exchanged their after, instead Chandra decided to take the matter in his own hands. 'It was getting late!'Dragging the struggling heiress wit
 A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Michael de MontaigneThe swift wind passing around them did nothing but to increase her palpitations and chill for two reasons so far. One, that the horse was galloping at a break neck speed inside so thick a forest within blind darkness that at each turn Devika feared that they were going to smash straight into a tree. And for the second and the major factor for her discomfort were two rough strong hands and a warm hard chest that was eating away her sanity. Her breath fell in pants, each time he pulled the reins of the horse, almost deliberately brushing across her bare skin of waist. And THAT was making her increasingly uneasy. They rode so fast that the others were left far-far behind because she could no more hear the gallops of other horses. And after what felt like eons later the torture finally stopped as he kicked the side of the horse and with a soft neigh it came to a complete standstill. It was a
Thirst of power and of riches now bear sway, the passion and infirmity of age.-James Anthony Froude7 weeks laterPeople say that there's just this small slit between life and death, perhaps a wide enough berth between happiness and despair but hope and an anguishing state of hopelessness seems two different worlds far beyond the reach of one another.And in seven weeks time Roopak had not only understood but experienced the vast difference between these two worlds. Seven weeks ago he stood at the same spot outside this same courtroom with his heart beating like a wild horse while his mind raced through options to save his brother.And seven weeks later now, here he was, standing on the same spot before the courtroom, his heart yet again racing while he watched the embellished adorning of the palace walls while his brother stood beside him and grinned.He grinned back, it was his crowning ceremony after all!The crackers whizzed past him, burst and cracked in the evening sky and the
"But first I require assurance that you are going to let my brother go and hold up your part of the bargain after I get married to your sister." He spoke unable to grasp the significance behind her empty expression. 'Was she going to accept? Or her hunger for revenge far greater than any love she had flaunted for her sister?'But everyone want something and whatever that she may want, Roopak would give her, anything. If it means to save his brother.The silence prevailed for a long time, hanging like a thick curtain of uncertainty between them and Roopak almost came to believe that she was going to refuse when the acceptance came."And what will you require as an assurance?" Her words were almost a murmur but he heard them anyway and a surge of relief went through him when at the same time another part of him was going through something he was unaccustomed in feeling. 'Dread' a foreboding angst for himself.He had married once before, danced on that crazy tune and after how it had end
All pain is punishment and every punishment is inflicted for love as much as for justice. -Joseph De Maistre"Arrest him!"There was no necessity to repeat the command. The very loyal lords and soldiers of the former king marched forward with blood in their eyes and nothing or nobody was able to stop them. They didn't stop at thousand and one orders from Roopak, as the heir to the throne .....since until his official coronation, he held on real power and until then the queen will remain as the chief of the kingdom and its people.They didn't stop or even flinch at Chandra's very explicit threatening, that they were making a mistake neither did they paid any heed to his petite wife who continued to holler the fact aloud that he could not have possibly murdered his father since he was in his chamber the whole time.But it was all futile. He was lead away with a hundred blades at his throat through the darkest corridors and tunnels of the palace and thrown into a muddy underground dunge
The closing hours of life are like the end of a masquerade party, when the masks are dropped.-Cesare Pavese"My lord!" Her voice sounded hoarse as she entered, her body trembling with anxiety as she looked at the man in front of her. With those eyes filled in nauseating and despicable kind of appetite for erotism that all she wanted to do was to abscond and flee before the lecherous old man can put his hands on her.But he will, she knew. And that nothing can stop him now that she was here alone in his presence. She closed her eyes as soon as the last lamp was dosed, she knew what was coming next and she was right!With the room enveloped in utter darkness, all Sunayna was left with were her senses and she could feel his warm breath behind her back, sucking in a deep breath, she waited in silence."Where's your sister?""Coming in a moment." Oh! How did that statement left her throat with a sickening rancidity and her body with abhorrent and horrid ache. 'No, she sister wasn't coming
"At last!" Sneered the king. "At last." Sniggered the courtiers as the queen stopped right in front of the thrown. "Where's your sister? Wasn't my message clear enough, that I want both of you here?" Sunayna stayed silent, not daring to speak let alone to put forth the fact that it was she who had told her sister to not to show up in court, that she could handle and maneuver it on her own. 'And she will!' "Send someone to fetch her now and if she dare show any resistance drag her here by her hair, it is an order!" Sunayna's heart skept some beats and some more thereafter as the guard left to follow up the order. 'No!' She wanted to scream but if anything it would make her situation even worse, so downing yet another bitter pill tonight she tried a gentler approach instead. "My Lord!" She finally spoke. "If I may..." But none listened. The silence prevailed, getting thicker with every passing moment so much so that it became a tangible presence amongst them. Devika didn't say a
A small shiver ran down her spine in the fear of unknown, the warm night seemingly turning frost with every moment that passed. Never had she felt this alarmed of stillness. The seemingly endless stretch of placid tranquility stifled her senses and the cold air of garden felt tempting. 'But it isn't the time for that.' With this untimely arrival of Chandra all her plans and strategies hence fell down and crumpled like a palace of cards as a result leaving her open in vulnerability. Moving in the darkness, she gripped the handle of water jug from her bedstead, treating herself with a massive gulp of water. 'Yes, she had lied but it wasn't as simple as that, was it? She had lied right in front of the whole court and that meant just one thing, a crime against the throne. ' And after all that, her purpose still as unaccomplished as it had always been. Her ears strained to listen to the in growing sound of foot steps towards her chamber and for a moment she stopped breathing. '
 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
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
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