Married For Three Nights (Complete)

Part 35

The last challenge A

It was the moments that their hearts were soaring high in accomplishment and the sight of nearby success that it all crashed below like a ball of glass.
"Bring that widow now!" The king had snapped his fingers in front of the guards and then suddenly looked back at Megh with a no-doubt-evil-smile.
"I hope you will stay here till the ceremony of sati-dah is complete your highness. It is going to start in just a moment." He softly added, the evil glint in his eyes sharpening more and more until it burst forth like a thousand needles in his gaze that pierced Meghraj like knives.
There was something wrong. The king knew something! Megh was now sure of it and even if he didn't, he would know that Meenakshi is missing the moment those guards come back.
Meghraj clamped down his internal panic,trying to school his expression back into a charming aloof smile and then from the corner of his eyes he looked at Mohini standing behind him. She had paled like an aging leaf and when she found him looking at her she started shaking her head vigorously.

That was all Meghraj needed to know. So, he stood up. " I am afraid I will have to take your leave now your highness because while I enjoyed the festivities I could not stay for the ceremonies. " he offered a courteous smile and stepped out of the canopy.

"Why leave so soon your highness?" The king laughed hautily.
"I- I" Megh could not think of a reason right then but the king continued like he never expected an answer.
"Oh- no,you're not leaving until the widow is burned and nothing is left of her but her ashes." Megh hadn't realized how close the man had came to him but what he said next was the biggest shock.
"I know your friend - that prince Nair is here too. Isn't he? " he was now hissing the words like a rattle snake by Megh's ear.

"I know he's here, after all you two are joined at the hip from childhood. And this unannounced sudden visit is nothing but another ploy to elope with Meenakshi again, isn't it?
But your vices aren't going to work this time, you and your friend will stay here and watch her burn alive."

Meghraj was neither a weakling nor a coward and he certainly don't let people get away after talking to him in that tone - king or no king. And right now his blood was boiling, his hands itching to silence this bastard forever by decapitating his head but....it was a crucial point too, guards and soldiers of Krishna- chuda was occupying every corner and he had but fifty men with him and not to forget Nair, Meenakshi and the twins will be trapped with him too.

So, not sure what to do anymore, he did nothing but glanced at the stupid bastard letting him know what he thought about him.

"If you already don't know it - my father is a king having twice an empire and four times bigger army than your little town. So, remember to bring respect in your voice while speaking to me or else you and your people will be dead before you can spell 'BURN ' again."
For a moment the man's eyes grew large in panic but then he just laughed. "Oh, you're funny prince Meghraj but you are not leaving."

"Meghraj!" Mohini called out to him sharply as soon as the king strode away. " we need to distract the guards here and the people. I can see Nair and Meenakshi moving towards the gate and the men who had left to fetch Meenakshi in the east wing must be coming back any moment now." She talked faster than a racing horse.
"Do something!" She shrieked helplessly. "Distract them!"

"What? What could I do to distract them?" He looked back at her, panic rising within him with every passing second. "I know...." Her eyes suddenly lightened up. "Propose to her." She indicated at the princess sitting, occupying three seats beside them. " propose a marriage to her...go! On your knees!" If anything made Megh even more furious than the King's disrespect, then it was this idea.

"I. Will. Do. No. Such. Thing!" He hissed back, his hands itching again to hit something. 'The bloody twins!'

"Megh please....do it! It's the only way to distract them." She cried helplessly. "Oh - no ! I- I can see the guards coming back.....they are running..... Meghraj!" She gave a sharp distraught cry and in a swift motion Megh was down on one knew in front of the princess.