Rudraksh

25 - End Me Before I Hurt You ( Edited POV )

"I didn't know you fancied vintage whisky." He said as he made his way over to the table.

"I don't. It's for one of my ladies. She fancies her adventures. Sometimes.... It gets too much when she looks around at all the hormonal couples. She still haven't found her mate you know... so it gets a little intense at times." I slurred out.

"Why don't you pour me a glass, Mrs Rana ?" He asked.

My eyes went wide.

He said what ? He wanted me to pour a drink when I had unknowingly poisoned him the same way before ? He must be out of his mind. All the memories came rushing back to me, It was all the same. We were sitting by the jharokha with me reading and drinking just like that very moment. I remembered how I had told him a poem about Kings and Queens affording trust. I remembered how the poison had rendered him unconscious and his head collapsed followed by that deafening sound of his glass crashing to the floor.

"You're sure ?" I tried to confirm it with one of the two Rudrakshs I was seeing.

Although I didn't expect much of a response from the one that was a little too blurry to be able to speak. Maybe I was hearing things ? Or was I too drunk that I was hallucinating ?

"As always." He smiled a warm smile. I poured him a glass and placed it in front of him. Without a hint of hesitation, He took a big gulp.

He did trust me after all. Maybe I could give a shot to the luxury of trust too. It made me feel so much better. It was as if a heavy weight was off shoulders and my heart... It was fluttering.

"Would you answer a few questions for me ?" He asked.

"Depends."

"Who is the person that gave you that poison you thought was a sleep inducing powder of herbs ?" I saw that smile and softness fleeing away from his face as he said the words in a cold, threatening voice.

"No." I gulped.

Drunk I maybe but my mind was still in control enough to keep the witch from getting tortured to death. He would not spare her a moment of relief. He would torture her, would swing her over the lap of the Angel of death til she begged him to let go, til she begged him for that eternal peace.

"Mrs Rana ? You do know that that person defied a Queen... Attempted the murder of a King. Their Queen and King."

"Yes. I am aware."

"Then you must also be aware of the fact that it's treason and a treasonous person doesn't deserve to live."

"I am."

"Then tell me who was it ? Do not trifle with my patience further." He warned.

"I won't ! That person means a lot to me and it happened only because that person wanted my welfare. Only wanted what was good for me and my people and my Kingdom and my reign !" I raised my panicked voice a little too high and noticed that tiny smirk playing on his lips. Bastard. He already had the leads, didn't he ?

"People. Kingdom. Reign. Will I ever be that precious to you ?" You are precious to me. I'm afraid, more than anything at this point.

I looked away. A moment later, caught the sight of his pretty smile vanish.

I wanted it back.

"Tell me who was it."

"No."

"As I expected. You are too fond of the snakes slithering your home." I flinched. He was referring to my father. The more painful thing was that I couldn't deny it. He was a man that played with my mind, fed me lies. He was a killer of an entire clan.