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Part 12
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Thirst of power Chapter 13
 From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate.-socratesTHE SAME NIGHTThe low howling of the flesh eating predatory creatures of the dark can be clearly heard from where she lay on yet another murky mattresses.It was an irony indeed that from the ill-fated night two moons ago when she had crossed path with that so called prince for the first time. She had been reduced into but a common maid. Had eaten nothing but stale distasteful cookery, eversince. Sometimes boiled rice with wild beans and now dried chapattis with nothing but chopped onions to pass the days...........and at nights waited her an old flattened mattress, reminding of more unfortunate times when there was nothing but dewy grass on the hard ground to make a bedding for her under the green tarpaulin roof.It was the outhouse of her own residence or the villa that had been once her residence. 'Unbelievable!' but truth nonetheless!When she came back here, she knew not how to confront her father. After all th
Thirst of power Chapter 14
 Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.-Martin Luther King JrHe himself in all his flesh and blood stood at her door, leaning over a tree trunk with his eternal, exasperating smirk.For a moment or so they stood there looking at each other. Neither saying a word and while Devika did not know what to say, her husband was contemplating how to!But soon enough Devika returned to her true mind, reminding herself how he had made her feel like a shabby insubstantial woman over and over again while he used her worse than an article. And now that her use was over, he had tossed her aside with no life line whatsoever! 'what are you doing here?' the words were on the tip of her tongue but she decided better than that and slammed the rickety wooden door hard on his face. Now THAT she hoped was a very clear message to leave her alone but then she barely knew this man!He didn't feel humiliated when she thrust the door close on his face, not one bit becaus
Thirst of power Chapter 15
Blessed are those who give without remembering and take without forgetting.-Elizabeth Bibesco"No, No forest again I promise. We are going back to the palace of Maniteek."Now that new proclamation sent another kind of chills down her spine altogether. Recalling the reasons of his elopement in the first place.'Why is he going back there?' What has changed now?From what she had gathered from the rumors going around, even before she had met him was that the king of Maniteek wanted him to marry the princess he had molested. An unfamiliar kind of pang settled on her, pushing her deeper into the already deep dark hole she was living in.recalling the sinister occurrences that had led him here, to a forest for home, reducing him into no more than a vagabond.It's not like she hadn't thought about it before, she had done it! Every single moment that she had spent as his wife, her mind had revolved around the same predicament time and again. 'The demons of his past.' Although at the back
Thirst of power Chapter 16
 In the garden of memory. In the palace of dreams.....that is where you and I shall meet.-John Donnelly "For the sake of God, can't you control your language?" Even if unwittingly, a furious blush enveloped her natural rosy cheeks that she tried to obscure with an air of rage towards that insatiable man. 'Her husband precisely' And that is what his words had claimed, hadn't they?'Tonight I will make you cry my name so many times and in so many ways in my bed that you will never be able to recall even the first letter of the name of your dead lover.' She gulped looking further away into the darkness, lest he might notice something strange on her face and read her thoughts? For the imageries running through her mind after that tell-tale proclamation weren't something she would want him to know. 'Prepare yourself, because you are about to become my wife in real scene.''Ugghh!' She have to stop this insanity. But that was all futile wasn't it? Because she can already hear his muffl
Thirst of power Chapter 17
'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
Thirst of power Chapter 18
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
Thirst of power Chapter 19
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
Thirst of power Chapter 20
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
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Thirst of power Part 28: Epilogue
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
Thirst of power Chapter 27B
"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
Thirst of power Chapter 27
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
Thirst of power Chapter 26
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
Thirst of power Chapter 25
"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
Thirst of power Chapter 24
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. '
Thirst of power Chapter 23B
 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
Thirst of power Chapter 23
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
Thirst of power Chapter 22
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
