ABDICATION

*chapter 18*

She kept her pace steady while trying to find her way to home. It feel like she is walking from a decade in these same woods. She sigh and rest her back against a tree.

She was tired and thirsty. There was no other sound other than her breathing. Her back wounds Hurts and she couldn't stand anymore. She decided to sit down for a while. She clear out a little space beneath that tree and sat down. She took some long breaths and concentrated hard on her listening skills. In this dark area only sounds can warn her from any danger. She could feel her eyes turning heavy with every blink until they finally drop close.

A little shuffle in the bush beside her woke her up.  She blinked her eyes rapidly.  She is hoping for it to be the Prince. Maybe he never left and followed her.

"Your highness!." She called meekly. Her voice felt week to her own ears.

She look frantically towards the bushes while standing up when a big black Wolf presented itself in front of her.

She stumbled back. She couldn't help but shivered a little.

She eyes quickly tried to find a weapon around. She found a stick in sight but that was closer to the Wolf.  But her life deserve that risk. So first she need to distract him.

"Look at you, You are so beautiful." She acted like it could understand what she is saying while stepping forward but the creature seethe in anger and she quickly step back.

"You are my favourite animal.  " she tried again and the Wolf let out a growl. 

"Fine. Lion is my favourite but you are definitely my second favourite. " she tried again but the Wolf looked ready to jump on her.

It's all over sanyukta. RUN.

with that thought in mind she turned away. But collides into a tree. Tree with soft branches which quickly hold her.

Creepy.

She gasps and looked up. 

"Move back and Run away as fast as you can. You are not supposed to be here." Sanyukta said frantically and she couldn't hide the fear in her voice.

"You move back and run on the first chance you get." randhir ignore her rants and ordered her back.

"No way I could let our prince be in this situation alone. " she stayed at her place.  More firmly.

"It's my duty to protect you. " the Prince told her. "As a king " he added.

"And It's my duty to keep you out of trouble" sanyukta said back "as a pupil." She added.

The Prince rolled his eyes at her stubbornness.

"I swear to God,  if you didn't run away now...I will..."  suddenly randhir eyes moves behind her and swiftly pull sanyukta into him. He then pull out a dagger and gashed into the creature's neck who was about to jump on sanyukta back.

All three fall on ground at the impact.  The Wolf was bleeding to death while sanyukta was over the prince.

She looked up and found prince arm bleeding. The Wolf had left a wound on his arm as his last try.

"Oh no." She gasped.

Randhir looked at his wound and said. ..."no its fine...it doesn't hurt that. ....."

"YOU KILLED MY FAVOURITE ANIMAL. " she jump away from him while randhir just glared at her while getting up. 

"Seriously?" Randhir raise his eyebrow.

"Fine! My Second favourite. But still..... you killed him. You could have just scared him away." She complained feeling guilty over the beautiful black-but-dead creature.

"I apologise. My fault. I shouldn't have killed it and should have let it jump on you and eat you raw. Limb by Limb. And I would have enjoyed your cries and screams. Definitely. " he was clenching his teeth till the end.

He was angry that instead of a ' thank you' he is getting complaints.

"I never told you to follow me. I can take care of myself very well.  " sanyukta said and turn to move in some random direction.

"That's the wrong way." Randhir called out but he also knew she would never accept when she is wrong.

But he can't leave her in danger alone, she is his responsibility somehow.

He quickly followed her and called out again.

"That's the wrong way. Come with me I will drop you to your home." He said when he reached her.

"And why would you do that? What's in it for you?" Sanyukta stop and asked back.

"I'm a king and I can't left my pupil in danger. " he leaned in and tuck a tendrils behind her ear.

She was shocked at his kind gesture but it made her skeptical.

"After all I don't want more dead animals just because of a stubborn little girl. " randhir clenched his jaw again.

"Little?' She laughed.

"Little." he tell her.

Her all anger was on her nose and he enjoyed the view.

"Then leave this little girl alone. " for another time she left his side and walked in different direction.

Randhir smirked and followed her again.

She was continously blubbering on her own and randhir was almost done with her stubbornness.

One last wrong move and randhir lost it.

He snatched her hand away from her and dragged her back to the right path. She tried to get out of his hard grip but that felt impossible. She was feeling weak and hungry. She gave up resisting and it made randhir suspicious.

He stop in middle and turn to her.

"You alright?" He inquired and searched her eyes which seem dazed.

But suddenly those eyes dropped close and she melted in his arms.

Randhir lift her in arms, smiled and walked away in the right direction.

Thank you so much.

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