A TALE FROM THE PAGES OF PAST

NIGHT OF TERROR |||

AMRITA VARUNASWARI

"Her Highness still hadn't returned." I huffled as I packed back the cards. Since Chandika went out Malvika is tense and pacing infront of the door. I am suprised the rug hadn't worn out yet. "Mitra. Keep them safe." I asked a maid as she materialised and took them and went away. Strangely we don't have many servants here. I only brought my handmaiden and Chandrika and Malvika didn't brought any at all. The palace is cleaned by maids in morning. There aren't many residents here. Which often made me wonder if Princess Bhumi lives here permanently or just because we are here. "I think we sh..." Malvika tried to say as suddenly all the lights in the room flickered and doused off leaving us in utter darkness. I heard Malvika curse under her breath.

As the silence of breeze become deafening. It silently blown in the chambers along with the curtains. Like someone is playing with them. The rain stopped completely leaving only slight flickers of water along with wind. The heavy sound of anklets spreaded in the chambers. I got up with the thoughts to follow it. "Princess Bhumi would be taking a stroll." Malvika said stopping me. "No someone is here. Princess Bhumi's anklets doesn't sound like that." I said as I snatched my wrist from her grip and turned towards the source of noise. The door opened with a loud creak. I took the lamp in my hand and lightened it's wick. It gave off the yellow light. I gave my all attention to follow the sounds of anklets.

They were heavy not light like Princess Bhumi wear. "Shh..." I silenced Malvika and opened the door gingerly walking towards the invisible source of anklets. I rolled my eyes as Malvika grabbed her sword and daggers. We followed the voice through the sparely decorated corridors of Aavesharahit Mahal. All torches are blown out by something which I pleaded as wind. I followed the noise outside going towards the small shrub cover behind the palace. "We should go back." I said but Malvika saw someone going in. "But my liege is going in with someone." She said pointing towards two figures which entered the shrubs just before us. "Fine." I said as I nearly ran behind them.

CHANDRIKA KRISHNADEV

"She is hurt." I douging the bloody footprints on the stony and mossy floor. "Not too badly." Ariv replied cutting off the branch infront of us. "This place is abandoned year ago. Something about the too ugly." He said as another branch fallen on ground. We are no longer able to see Bhumi or the shadow so we managed to follow her through the bloody footprints she left behind like a trail. "How much do you know about Bhumi ?" I asked as he tried to remove another branch from our way. "Her mother means my aunt died in childbirth. Her father was Maharaj's best friend. After their marriage they secluded themselves. Former Maharaj gifted the Aavesharahit Mahal as wedding gift but after only Bhumi live their at present." He said like he is reading from some boring tax collection report.

"That's it." I said in shock. "I mean she is your cousin and you only know that much about her." I asked in shock. I know each every little things to deepest and darkest secrets of my entire family generation and here he didn't know anything. What he told can easily be found in some record books as well maybe more. "She stay away from politics." He replied shrugging as a wide clearing came into view. It has a large square like structure in middle of it with four stairs leading to the door. "I had no idea such place existed here in plan sight." Ariv murmured as chill coursed through my blood which I am sure had nothing to do with the cold. "My liege." I whipped my head back as I saw a hardly breathing Malvika and Amrita stumble out of the shrubs.

"We must go inside before it's too late." Ariv said his rapid change in decisions didn't went unnoticed by me. At one moment he was not even trying to follow me to Bhumi and another he is dragging me to her. Just sometime before he expressed he don't want to go inside and now he is the one wanting to go in. Either he is mentally disturbed or he is more than what meets to one's eyes. I bet on the later. "Be quiet and follow us. I will explain later." I said as we entered the square structure. The torches were lighted but the light from them didn't reached to reach and every corner of the rectangular tunnels we are following. Soon the tunnel went underground giving us no chance but to follow them down.