Rudraksh

31 - Charms and wolves ( Edited POV )

I calmly waited till dusk to loom over.

At a minute past midnight, I was in my wolf form, running towards the battlefield. Call it stupidity or courage or the fear of something happening to him, whatever it was... It blinded me and clouded my judgement. The guests were almost gone and I was Queen now so nothing anyone would say or do was going to stop me from going there and fighting alongside him.

It was not too far when I reached the tents that were laid beyond the forest of Kevada. The war was at rest, it was close to the first glimpse of dawn. My heart accelerated at the thought of what he might be doing. My army and Shikara's ambush would should submerge Gritaan's vile intentions along with their men but Rudraksh.... For some reason him in a battlefield sent chills down my spine even though he probably fought all his life.

"What in the....!" Someone yelled and started running after me. It was a man, a wolf.

"Wait ! You can't go there ! A war is in action !" I outran him before he could turn and follow me.

"Hey stop !" A bald man, dressed in a war costume, stood in front of me. I growled in response.

He took a step back and bowed down in response, "I know you're an Alpha, you can go change in that tent over there."

I wasted no time and went into the small empty tent. Soon I transformed, dressed and got out from the other side to sneak out only to see Rudraksh, with his arms crossed against his chest, glaring at me. Damn he knew me so well.

He looked furious. I ignored it. The relief I felt was way too strong. He was completely fine, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers and hair all messy from sleep. His face was glowing under the sun as he stood there, eyes cold and hard shooting daggers at me.

"Mr Ran--" In two strides he was by my side. He took my hand and dragged me towards the biggest tent of the cluster.

At one moment, he was dragging me. The other, I found my back hitting a soft mattress. I was fighting hard to ignore the flames kissing my skin at the fact of him hovering on top of me and then he gave himself the liberty of grabbing me gently by the throat. "What did I say ?"

"Mr Rana jus--"

"What the hell did I say, Mrs Rana ? Act smart, I dare you." Oh Mahakal. He was so mad at me.

"To not step out of the Haveli."

"And yet... And yet I see you here ! All alone almost too close to the bloody battlefield ! What am I supposed to do ? Hm ? Tell me, wife, what. Am. I. Supposed. To. Do. With. You ?" His canines were fully emerged and his brown eyes were a glowing golden. He was trying to keep Rudra at bay.

I ran my fingers through his hair, slow and gentle. "Easy. Aren't you happy to see me ?"

He relaxed and leaned into my touch, groaning softly. His face had no injuries and I desparately hoped the entirety of his figure was too.

He sighed, eyes closed. "You know I am but I'm so mad at you for doing this. You can't be her--"

"Let me fight alongside you."

"Not until I'm breathing. Not after that. I told you."

"Mr Ran--"

"No ! We already had this conversation and you're not getting into that battlefield. You want to fight so much ? Fine. You can. But I swear not until I'm gone."

"Don't say things like that !"

"Don't do things like this !" I took a deep breath, wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him tight against me.

I nuzzled his neck, desparately inhaling his scent. I didn't care if it was embarassing, "I was so worried and I missed you."

"I missed you too, Love. You don't know how much. But you need to go before I go crazy. I don't want you here." He trailed sloppy kisses across the entirety of my neck and I decided I'd be happy if I could die like that. Just being there. With him.

He pulled away and sat up straight.

"Come on now, get up. I'll send two of my men with you."

"Mr Rana just listen to me--"

Before I could get up and slip away, he seized my wrists. "No ! If you touch me one more time... I don't think I'll make it to the battlefield. I'm going insane as it is. Don't you dare add to it."

"Let go of me."

"No."

I moved closer to him and placed a kiss on his neck, he shivered. Then in a low voice, I spoke with my lips still against his skin, "Fine. Don't you have a war trumpet to be blown in like... What ? Twenty minutes ? Let go of me. I'll slaughter them all."

He pulled away, "You're trying to ensnare a man at war in your charms now Mrs Rana ? Where are your manners ? Just you wait til I get home."

"Mr Rana. Let go of me now please." My puppy eyes worked and the second his grip loosened I was on my feet towards the exit only to crash into his chest.

"You will leave and that's final."

I grabbed a sword from the table beside me and swung at him which he dodged with ease, "Step out of my way, husband."

He grabbed a sword for himself, "Not a chance."

Five minutes of swordsmanship later, I found myself with his sword against my throat and lips at the corner of my mouth. I couldn't fathom which was more dangerous.

"Incorrigible, vicious little wolf, aren't you ? Now listen to me and listen to me very carefully, Mrs Rana. You will get on a carriage right now with four guards and get home. Darling please... I won't be able to focus if the thought of you getting hurt keeps haunting my mind. You need to get this in your head that as long as I'm alive, you're not getting into a warzone. I love you, okay ? Just have a little compassion for my heart and go home. Wait for me." He put the sword aside and pulled me in a tight embrace.

It was almost noon by the time we reached home and once in my room, I transformed into my midnight black wolf and let her take control.

"Finally. Finally Mahakal gave this halfwit some brains !" Came a angry yet relieved voice from the back of my mind. It was a sharp yet deep feminine voice that had a melodious echo to it.

"Mind your language wolf. You are talking to a Queen." I said and my voice echoed.

"Not enough brains yet. What is this Mahadev ? You had to give such foolish little Queen to me ? Who is too coward to face her wolf ?"

"Hey ! You... Whatever your name is.... I had my reasons alright. And I apologise for it. It doesn't mean I'll let your insults slide."

"Fine. I understand you. I have been with you all this time. I felt your pain. I still do. You should have let me help you with it. It gets easier that way."

"I... I'm sorry. I won't do that again."

"Great. Now... Give me a name."

"A name ? Don't you have one ?"

"No my smart halfwit. I was born with you and I was awakened by you. You have to do my naamkaran."

"Let me think...."

I thought about the things I loved and a few words popped in my mind. Mahadev, Shiva, Rudraksh, Kailash, my mother Prasanna, my father Daksha, Krishna, Rashmi...... I stopped.

"Come on idiot Queen ! I'm waiting here ! The suspense is too much !"

"Kashi ?" Kashi. Lord Shiva's favourite place.

No sound.

No answer.

No reaction.

Complete and utter silence.

"Kashi ?" I repeated or rather... called.

"Let me cry in peace stupid human ! I love it okay ! I love my name ! Damn you !"