Part 8

"We are not going to hurt you! I promise. Do not be afraid....you are safe. "It was the same voice manly voice she had heard calling her a while ago.

She timidly looked up scared to her bones. 'No they weren't the brutes from last night.' But then who were they?

But she dared not to ask and sat cowed in a corner of what seemed like a wild cave.

Nair knew what must be going through her phyche- finding herself in an unknown surrounding and within the hostile company of two unknown men. She must be utterly terrified for all he knows. So instead of trying to make her believe that they weren't out to abuse her. Nair kept his distance and indicated Meghraj to do the same.

And waited for the twins to return who had gone to fetch some water. After all women must understand their own species better!

"It's almost an hour. I must not have sent them at all!" Nair was regretting his choice at the moment. What if something happens to them? What if the troops lays their hands on them?

"OH DAMN!" He gripped his locks tightly. "And what would have you done? Go with them and get us all arrested?" Meghraj defended. " There's that regiment surrounding every corner of this town and the next to this and then next to that as well. Sniffling like bloodhounds for the two of US!"

"

I know!" He swallowed a groan.

When Meghraj blinked at him, "Now don't worry here comes your dear scandalmongers." And true to his words the two girls santured into the cave as though they were the mistress of the place. 'what else could he expect when they were raised to be like this.' Nair sighed. "What took you both so long?" He asked. "Do you know how nerve-racking it was. Fretting over what might have happened to you both?"

"Don't shout on us! And worry for yourself!" They glared back. "Because while both of you are sitting here deliciously idle, enjoying yourselves. We want to get out from here and reach home!" Maya surmised. "And had been exploring the town and ransacking for any scape from the hostile troops that seemed to be occupying every inch of the locale."

"Did you find one?" Meghraj looked more eager. "No idiota, we didn't, although we learned a little about our guest here." Maya peeked back where the young widow sat, curled up in the corner. "Oh she is awake!" Maya and Mohini scooted closer to her. "Are you alright?" One of them asked her.

The distressed widow looked at them and nodded, she was listening to their conversations all this while and her fears were slowly dissipating. They weren't out to harm her, she understood and nodded at them. "I am Maya and this is my sister Mohini." They beamed at her. "I-I am meenakshi." She spoke slowly, it was harder to do so while her throat was as dry as a desert.

And just then as though understanding her predicament one of the sisters, she couldn't diffenciate who is who, handed her a clay pot with ample of water. "Do have a sip."

She took the cup from them and sipped. She didn't realize how thirsty she was until the cool liquid touched her lips and she gulped it all at once like a rare nectar. She was about to thank them when Mohini started to speak. "We know who you are. The youngest queen of king Damodar who died last night at the age of two and eighty leaving his empire, his treasure and his palace to you, since he had no heir!"

"And then his rascal nephews planned to murder you like that disguising their hineous motive as culture as lowly as sati dah! So that they would inherit it all after you." They concluded. Meenakshi nodded at them surprised but said nothing at all. "But I don't understand one thing though....." Maya looked at the widow thoughtfully. "You're very young around our own age, why did you marry that old hog, anyway?"

"For the same reason I guess for which you were are the verge of getting burned alive? To acquire his treasure?" Like a ton of cold bricks those words hit her, rendering her speechless. She had no answers to give and like every other time she lowered her head in answer.

"MAYA!" Nair frowned. "Apologize to the lady right away. How dare you say such things?" He always knew his sisters were the most insensitive and evil pair that had ever existed but he hadn't expected such hurtful insinuations to be made to someone who had lost her husband not many hours ago and was on the verge of death herself.

"I said APOLOGIZE!"

"I am sorry!" For the first time perhaps Maya did something her elder brother told her to. Perhaps because she had never seen him so angry before? Or maybe she understood how wrong she was!

"Please pardon my sisters for interfering in matters that's none of their business!" Nair glared venomously at the duo. "I apologize on their behalf." Meenakshi beheld the gaze of the man for the first time and nodded slowly. He was young, a few years elder to her possibly. Well built with broad shoulders and rugged features but surprisingly his gaze was mellow and soft when he had looked at her, so ironic to that warrior like appearance.

"So" This time it was Meghraj to gain her attention. "Tell us where your parents reside. So that IF and WHEN we escape from your dead husband's troops, we can sent you back to your family." Nair didn't like the tone of that question but said nothing and turned his head away. 'They are all a lot of insensitive pigs.'

"My parents are dead!" That sorrowful femmenine voice complled Nair look back at her. "Oh" and a awkward lull followed. "So.... umm...any uncle or aunt or other relations who can take care of you, hereafter?"

Meenakshi kept her head lowered and eyes closed afraid that her tears might weaken her again. 'No!'

"There's no one." She shook her head while only she knew how much of her will power it took to word those out without her voice shaking. Another awkward lull passed before Meghraj decided he had had enough of this drama!

"Then where do you plan to go hereafter?"

"I don't know yet, but I will find a way. But thank you all for rescuing me last night.....Now I can recall it all."

"I can never thank you all enough for doing what you did, saving me , jeopardizing your own well-being." And truly she believed she owed them her life but thanking them from the bottom of her heart is all could do.

"I have an idea!" Suddenly Motion squealed. "Meghraj! Why don't you get married to Meenakshi here?" She winked at her sister and in no time Maya was back in the battlefield. "Yes, we all saw how desperate you were until a few hours ago to land yourself a wife and ALMOST proposed to a married woman for her hand."

Nair visibly gasped. While the rest of the two- the innocent victims who had fallen prey of his sisters looked as red as wild cherrys, ready to die out of mortification.

"That's preposterous!"Meghraj was soon out of the trance fighting for his dignity. "How dare you to suggest me to marry a WIDOW!"

"Why?" The twins were nowhere to stop either. "What's the problem? She's young..... She's beautiful and stunningly so!" Maya pointed out and Meenakshi wanted to shriek aloud telling them to stop but having neither the will nor the power to do so, she simply lowered her head in utter humiliation.

While both Nair and Meghraj looked positively murderous for two completely different reasons.

"You will get a WIFE and she will get a place to live in."

"STOP IT!" Nair blared. "That's enough REALLY!"

"But I don't see what is the problem in this union? Poor Meena doesn't even know where she would go. We can't let her wander the streets alone, now could we? She's a lone lady with no friends or family and then there's her in-laws ransacking every nook and cranny in her search."

"What if she is caught again?" Maya pouted.

"But if she stays with our dear-dear Meghraj she would be the next queen of Gujarat and would be able stay happy and safe-"

This time Meenakshi was complled to open her mouth since they had went too far. "I am obiliged that you are thinking about me and after my well being but I assure you that I can take care of myself."

"Oh! Hushhh!" Mohini swatted her away. Dismissing her words in the most subtle way.

"We would talk to your parents and make them accept this relation, if that is what you are worried about." Maya nodded at Meghraj empathicaly which snapped the last thread of his patience in half and he did something no one had ever imagined in dreams, even.

In a blink, he had unsheathed his dagger and pointed it straight at the girls. "If you both don't stop right away, I swear... I-"

"Megh!" Nair stood shielding his sisters. "Keep within your limits!"

"Oh hell yeah!" He smiled sarcastically. "I must stay within my limits!" In the next moment he slipped the dagger back into its sheath, stood up and left the cave. The rest of them sat stoic before they heard the distinct hoofbeats of a horse. 'He was really gone!'