Part 8

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! "

~♡~♡~