Yakshagni - An odyssey of unbroken devotion

Defying the Crown

The Elapsed Era:

Stifling the rising fear, Amogha searched the forest for Hanneli. The Yakshas, learning about his missing daughter, soon joined the search team.

One of them suggested, "Yaksha Amogha, do you think the Kinaras have kidnapped her?"

"Kinaras?"

"Yes, their chief Bhagadatta was here this afternoon. I have never trusted his sly demeanour," the Yaksha opined.

"But he left in the afternoon before the Sunset," Amogha considered the suggestion, not wanting to believe it but neither did he dismiss it.

"Maybe he waited till dusk. One can never trust those horse-faced Kinaras," another one of Amogha's close aides added.

"You continue searching in the forest while I take a look in the city," Amogha hoped that Hanneli had gone on her usual nightly exploration into the city.

"We will come with you Amogha..."

"No, you continue to look for her in the forest. I will seek some help in the city."

Hoping fervidly that the Yakshas were mistaken and that Hanneli had not been kidnapped by Bhagadatta; he marched towards the city of Alakapuri.

He recalled his daughter mentioning about sighting a white horse. He brooded over it, pondering if the spirit of his wife had forewarned their daughter about this happening.

**************

When Hanneli did not turn up for the second consecutive night, Ekveer became restless. He had guessed that after Amogha's return, Hanneli did not want to displease her father by venturing into the city so he had returned to the palace hoping that she would meet him the next day. But when she failed to turn up that night too, he was irked and stormed angrily towards the forest. However, he wrenched his stallion to an abrupt halt when he saw Yaksha Amogha hurrying out of the forest in a desperate rush. Ekveer alighted and stopped Amogha, "Yaksha Amogha, where are you rushing at this hour of the night?"

Breathless and panicky, Amogha seemed to notice him only then and he faltered, "Ekveer, my daughter....my daughter is missing."

"Hanneli is missing?" Ekveer demanded in shock, not comprehending that he uttered her name with a familiarity that could arouse her father's suspicion.

Amogha regarded the prince in confusion, "Do you know her?"

Ekveer felt abashed but he managed to stammer a reply convincingly enough, "I think you told me once Yaksha,"

Amogha nodded and continued his way into the city, not waiting for the prince to join him.

Ekveer hurried after him, "Yaksha Amogha, please wait, give me the details. I will ask my men to search for her. When did you see her last?"

Amogha lingered trying to answer the prince, "In the afternoon...I had a guest and I had asked her to come home after he left. But she didn't come back."

"Who was this guest?"

"The Chief of Kinaras, Bhagadatta! We were the disciples of the same Guru but now bitter rivals," Amogha mused aloud.

"When did he leave?"

"He left around late afternoon. Some of the Yakshas are suggesting that he could have abducted Hanneli."

Ekveer had heard about the legendary enmity between Yakshas and Kinaras. They were always battling for the occupation of the Saugandhika forests. But what puzzled him was that both the clans followed the moral code and decree of battles, hence they neither indulged in deception nor committed treason. So why would the chief of Kinaras abduct Hanneli now unless there was another motive?