The Warrior's love

One

"Aman. Come to my cabin"said Arnav as he sat,leaning on the chair,lost somewhere.

Aman entered. He was worried. For Arnav was not himself from the time he returned from Paris..

"ASR"called out Aman..

"Aman. Cancel the meeting with the painter. First give me her full bio data. Then we will see"said Arnav,as he got up and looked at the city..

The city was grey,just like his existence..

"But ASR. Why? I know her personally. She is a great person. She is very nice. Simple. With so much fame,still down to earth"Aman protested..

Arnav looked back with raised eyebrows.

Aman gulped. He knew he had crossed the limit. But he knew how much Khushi was searching..

"Aman. Let me tell you a story. Sit down"Arnav said and stood leaning on the window as Aman sat down nervously..

"Aman. Very very long ago. There was a kingdom in the regions that is now called Nepal and some part of ours. What is the name. I donot know. The king had three daughters. Each far more beautiful than the other. The youngest was the naughtiest. She was brave,but too much. Her father's name gave her confidence that she could do anything. She was very stubborn at times. Like changing her mind was like,making a dog's tail straight. She was chasing one would pig. It had been disturbing the farmers in the border villages. But somehow she got separated from her group and was about to face peril. She met someone who saved her. But she left. And all that was left behind was a anklet,golden. That had fallen from her feet as she ran. That man who had saved her kept her anklet. They met,two or three times. He,in common clothes. She in her princess attitude. Soon the man had fallen in love. He confessed to her as soon as he felt it. But a he got was humiliation. She made fun of his love letters,sent through a child. He smiled and walked away. Never returned.

After few days,as that wild man sat in a tarvan,eating. He heard the general of the kingdom and the husbands of her two sisters,sitting. Discussing how they wished to kill the king. So that the eldest son in law would be the king. He heard their plans. But he could not bear with it,that they had planned to get the one who he loved,become a maid of the general who would help them.

He tried to inform her. Many times. All she did was throw away the letters,before even reading it. Or threw tantrums. Slapped him across face, humiliated him for being greedy. As a dwarf dreaming of heaven. Cursed his parents,his existence. In anger he raised his hand and slapped her. Loud echo rang. She stood stunned. Then left from there crying. He looked at the hand he raised on her. And took a knife and was about to chop it off. Someone saw it,and stopped it. Still he could not forget her tearful eyes.

What to do? He decided to take the other way. Sending message to someone,he walked away. Soon the name of a dancer spreaded in the place. She was very graceful. Danced like nymph..

Soon the palace send guards to escort her to the palace. To teach dance to the youngest princess as she was too willful.

At first she denied. Then went there. Soon the dance lessons started. The dancer had a strict rule. No one would ever see her face. Or touch her. Especially the princess. And as curious as she was,she tried again and again to test that limit..

She was being a brat. And the dancer did not react. But one day,she sneaked into the private chamber. And was shocked. Seeing a man there. With his back turned.

She walked in. The man was actually the same one who was in love with her. He turned around. She screamed. Soon soldiers rushed in. He was caught. Brought to court. He wished to talk to her. But her father gave her freedom to choose the punishment to him. Then her punishment was,he should dance,as whips would fall on him. He danced. The bare back,the bare front charred from marks. He danced as glass pieces were thrown. He danced. Until he fainted. The soldiers threw him out of the gate,to feed him to hungry beast.

Rain fell. It was not season. Still it rained that night. As water seeped into his mouth he slowly gained consciousness. He laid there,until rain ended. After that somehow managed to crawl back into the forest. He healed a little then putting on a disguise he walked inside the gate,with some sellers.

Because the day of attack was near. He went to the house hidden in a corner. Soon a doctor reached. The wounds had festered. As the doctor did basic treatment,he laid on the cold bed.

After few nights in the night of no moon. The soldiers sneaked in. They arrested the king and queen and pulled them out. They were shocked watching the son in laws and daughters. The youngest daughter was also pulled out soon..

As one of the two son in laws was about to kill the king,an arrow flew. And killed him. Soon thousands of arrows flew. All the soldiers fell. The king,queen and the two daughters remained.

Soon out of the shadows,he walked out. Saluted the king formally as the young king of an Indian kingdom who had come to visit the neighborhood states on his own in disguise..

And he left. Never once did he look at her. He just explained that,he was there as a dancer,just to kill the spies inside the castle which he did successfully. He loves the princess. It was his duty,to protect the ones we love. And he did that. He thanked the king and queen for their hospitality and left..Never looking back..

Soon the princess married someone. But that king died..Thanks to the festered wounds. Those wounds did not heal,due to the lack of proper treatment. It had already festered. "
Arnav finished the tale,as a lone drop of tear fell. He could still feel the burning of those whips. He did not tell many things. What he told was just the jist..

Aman gulped. The tone Arnav used was so bland,like he was discussing the menu of food. But it was a truth. Aman knew it..

"Arnav. Was she Khushi?"he asked..

Arnav sighed. Closing his eyes.

"Aman. Their story is over. I donot know any Khushi. She doesn't know any Arnav. Aman. If she is seeking as that princess,then I would meet her and tell her to forget it. But if she is seeking something more,then we will see.."said Arnav,with a distant look in his eyes..

"Okay. Next week Khushi is coming. You talk to her. Tell her. That what she knows is just fragments. Until she understands the full truth,take your time"Aman said. He too knew. Arnav kept many things closed. It's not that he didnot trust Aman. But it was their private issues.

Arnav sighed. Hopefully she would know. Otherwise,it's all waste..