अन्तः अस्ति प्रारंभः।
The end is the beginning.
A caterpillar dies, to birth a butterfly. Water evaporates to rain down. Dead carcasses fill the stomachs of vultures.Life gives way to death and death to life. In a vicious circle of different karmas...
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"Stop being a child, stubborn girl." Eklavya murmured, not looking at her,"He is a prince, he is trained to kill, if need be. He will be fine on his own."
Rage came to Mihira in multiple forms when even after ten more minutes, Price Rukmanetra had not returned. She cursed his stubbornness and further cursed the egalitarian couple who apparently thought that they could kill anyone they wished to, especially a prince in his own palace.
(If only Rukmanetra tried to believe that Mihira was right—)
Finally tired of standing uselessly, Mihira clenched her jaw and hissed,"We do not know how many accomplices Abhayam has, stupid boy. The Prince needs be here within an hour and he has already been gone for fifteen minutes. I am going to look for him." Eklavya snapped to look at her and opened his mouth to protest but Mihira was faster. "Make sure we are not missed, please. I shall be back soon."
(Good. If he sided with Rukmanetra, Eklavya deserved to not have his opinions counted for. Bloody traitor.)
She heard him mutter curses but he nodded. "I will alert Prince Rukmabahu if you are not back before at least ten minutes of Prince Rukmanetra's ceremony."
Mihira nodded, leaving through the throng of crowd, muttering unmeaning apologises as her mind raced to find the Prince.
He had followed Abhayam earlier without listening to Mihira's intent protests, telling her that he would be back. The position that made the most sense in order to harm the Prince would be somewhere private but the theatrics of Abhayam would never let him leave the chance of providing a dead body of a Prince, in his own palace.
Since the East wing was occupied with the coronation, the North Wing had the temple and kitchens that even the most evil men wouldn't dare contaminate with blood and violence, the best option would be the West wing, administrative offices that were empty at the moment except for a hand full of guards that could be blindsided easily.
And, with a thread of horror, Mihira realised that there would be many empty offices.
Including Rukmanetra's own office.
Cursing the size of the humongous palace, Mihira breathed fresh air as soon as she was out of the ceremony hall, away from the general public. She looked around for a guard to question but on finding none, began jogging towards the West wing.
Eklavya had talked to his father and tightened the security around Rukmi, a lot of guards that were deemed unnecessary wouldn't be there, of-bloody-course.
Ten minutes away from the East wing and on one of the isolated flights of stairs, Mihira heard a sharp breath. She did not stop but felt for her machete on her waist, as could fell her dagger strapped to her calf with every step.
Silent footsteps came behind her, and before she could deliberate whether to hit first, a cloth was thrown around her neck and pulled with force enough to send her tumbling. Mihira breathed as much as she could as the cloth tightened and she began to feel her throat constricting.
