Devika - A journey unbound by time

38: A Rescue

Warning**
Triggers ahead. Violence and abusive words used.
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It was the dead of night when four people dressed in black quietly surrounded the mansion of General Surya. Pretty much everyone was fast asleep with only a couple of night guards on duty.

The guards and soldiers working under General Surya were not of the same quality and capabilities as of those under other Generals. The subordinates of General Surya always behaved in a tyrannical manner towards the common citizens. However, whenever they had to face enemy on battlefield, they would always be the soldiers at the end letting other soldiers take the brunt of battle. As such their senses weren't as sharp and they didn't notice as the intruders entered the mansion grounds.

Slowly but surely the intruders neared the main house. Just as the leader of the intruders neared the main entrance, the door swing open on inside. Akash stood in the foyer beckoning the intruders to step inside quickly.

As per the plan of General Abhay and Princess Devika, Akash had already mixed the sleeping draught in the porridge served to the family. But this meant that only the main family was sleeping deeply. The maids and servants could be aroused if there are some sounds.

Once all the intruders stepped inside, the door was again closed softly by Akash. The team split in groups of two. Akash led one team towards the dungeons where his mother was kept. Whilst the other team made their way towards the study.

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Inside the dungeon, it was very dark. However the three of them didn't dare to shed light on their path. Once their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they moved forward cautiously. Soon an inhuman groan sounded very low and the three of them froze, not even daring to move a single muscle. The musty smell of the dungeon was the result of the mixed smell of blood and human discharges. There were no other prisoners in the dungeon except for Akash's mother. When they noticed it, the two soldiers looked in relief at each other and gestured Akash to move forward.

Akash's face held a certain anxiousness. He was so close to freeing his mother from the clutches of that tyrant General Surya. He didn't want anything to go wrong now, not when everything was on the verge of becoming right.

Slowly and steadily he crept forward, to the cell his mother was placed in. He could faintly make out a shadow lying on the floor. His hands desperately searched along the outer wall for the key to the cell. His hands struck the hook on which the key was usually hung. However he could feel that the key was not in it's place. At the same time, the main door to the dungeon opened and the light from an oil lamp spilled inside.

Quickly the soldiers who were with Akash pulled him to a corner of the dungeon were it was so dark that the light from the door didn't penetrate. The soldiers were efficient and silent in thwir movements. A hand was gently pressed on Akash's mouth to signal him to remain quiet.

The trio hiding in the darkness saw a man with a potbelly striding in the dungeon. He quickly reached the cell door where Akash's mother was held. He took a key from his clothes and opened the door to the cell.

He hung the lamp from a hook in the ceiling of the cell. Immediately the small cell was illuminated. The soldiers and Akash were able to see inside. They saw a woman whose clothes were torn and her hair messed up lying on the floor of the cell. There was iron chain on her foot. Akash's eyes filled with tears as he saw how his mother looked now. She was starved and very thin. She was merely a shell of her former self. The clothes on her body had seen better days. They were not even able to hide her body against the harsh cold of dungeon. The man who came down today was a steward of their house. He was one of General Surya's loyal man. He was drunk and was swaying lightly.

The servant kicked the woman on her back and said, "Wake up, slut. Your husband of the night has arrived. Come and greet your husband."

He then pulled the woman in a sitting position and slapped her face till she woke up. The woman stared at him dazedly. Her eyes filled witb tears when she guessed at the abuse ahead.

Her tears caused the steward to become irritated and he slapped her again and said, "How dare you raise your eyes to me? Keep your eyes down slut. A woman like you is made for our use. So stop crying and get started. Do your duty for your husband of the night."

The man started brutally pawing at her body. Akash could see no longer and turned his head away. The soldiers present with him were enraged to their core. After being in service of General Abhay for few years, these soldiers knew right and wrong. They all treated their womenfolk with utmost respect and to see a woman being disrespected in front of them filled them with anger.

The soldier with his hand around Akash's mouth moved silently and entered the cell. Using the hilt of his sword he struck on the back of the steward's head. The steward swayed twice and fell to the side unconscious.

Akash's mother saw the soldier with her eyes widened. She felt that he was also there to hurt her and started whimpering. Akash immediately hurried inside the cell and removed his outer robe to cover his mother's body.

Thankfully she was coherent enough to recognise Akash. Shocked she looked at him and asked, "What are you doing here? Get out immediately. If your father catches you down here he will hit you as well as me. Leave now."

"Mother..." Akash called her, tears running down his face. "Mother, I am here to rescue you. We must move at once."

"Rescue? No Akash. Don't dream of such things. Your father is a General. He will find us and kill us. We won't be able to do anything." she refused vehemently. Tears were streaming down her face as well.

"I have made all the arrangements, Mother. We will be safe. Trust me." Akash said.

"Please trust us Madam. We are sent by General Abhay to rescue you. Rest assured you will be safe." The soldier said before he struck down with his sword on the iron chains, this breaking them. The other soldier quickly wrapped the remaining chain around the unconscious steward's hands and feet. They helped the woman out of the dungeon and quickly took her out of the mansion. Reaching a safe place they waited for the other team to complete their task.

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Author's note: Apologies for late update. I will try to update on a more regular basis.