It's hard to wake up from a nightmare if you aren't even asleep.
- j.s
Devika staggered back with darkness that came to overshadow every other sense that she possessed. She went numb against the loud chattering of people around her followed by a round of applause and then the series of congratulations and good wishes showered upon both the king and queen for securing another holy bond of matrimony between their families. The queen smiled brightly.... the king nodded, enthusiasm and triumph in his eyes and none bothered to look upon the poor soul torn down by the truth and lies. None except one. Roopak.
"Come on sister let us get out of here." His soft tone snapped her out of the stupor but the darkness barely receded. It was horrendous....the pain that rippled through her body and soul but it did not ache as much as she expected, rather settled inside her in an all too familiar fashion like an old friend. After all this time she had gotten used to it anyway since there was barely anything she could do after her mother died and that she can't do anything at all now that her husband had decided to remarry.
Pain was indeed the only true old friend!
"Devika" The elder prince with a dark brown shade of eyes tugged at her wrist, trying yet another time to get her attention but she barely looked at him, her petite form swaying a little bit as she dragged herself away from the crowd. She fled much like a wild gust of wind, they were fast but short lived.
'Accurately describes her!' She gulped. 'Came and gone just like a wild gust of wind, fast, euphoric, phenomenal but cannot last long!'
She was like that wild gust in her husband's life. Wasn't she? Came into it due to an impulsive momentous decision on his part and then one night of fierce passion on their martial bed, he had already made it clear enough that ' it had came to an end!' Now, that he was going to marry his "victim".
'No!' She laughed bitterly in disgust. The 'princess' was no victim of anyone, if her smile was something to go by for her elation at the announcement of her engagement to her supposed molester.
'Huh!' She tried to scoff at her stupidity for falling for that cheat of a prince, falling for his lies but what came out of her throat was barely a scoff, it was a sound of constricted pain and agony. Her numb fingers swiped at her cheeks where her tears ran freely.
The murmurs and stares from the court yet again jibing at her from all around as her mind whirled.
The felicitations, greetings and best wishes piercing somewhere deep below, mocking her self esteem as the scenes from last night swam across the eyes of her mind.
" It is with immense pleasure that I announce my sister Princess Sukanya's wedding that has been officiated last evening with none other but our very own prince....prince Chandra..."
"NO!" She doubled over in pain as if something massive writhed and clawed at her insides.
She was now in the safety behind the locked doors of the chamber but she didn't dare cry, not until she was tucked below the sheets of her bed.
Her father didn't like her crying and when he didn't like something, he believed in rectifying it with even more beating.
Years later once again she felt like that little girl who cried under the sheets of her bed with her face pressed on a pillow to muffle her sound after her mother's death.
Her palm tingled yet again as if searing in pain of the boiling tea burning her skin and flesh.
~~~
She didn't know how much time had elapsed or why her head was throbbing like mad but the pain had barely diminished and she had absolutely no will to open that blasted door, as someone continually knocked on it.
'For god's sake leave me alone!' She muttered under her breath wishing whoever it was to go away.
But he did not. "Devika, open the door I know you are inside."
'Oh! How familiar did that phrase sound?' A sweet yet painful ache filled inside her. A few mornings ago, hadn't her husband drummed on her close doors at Agra like a wild beast, demanding her to open the door and listen to whatever he has to offer, in a very similar fashion?
It was pathetic then to open the door to him, it was even more pathetic now to open the door to her brothers in-law to listen to him, hoping against hope that it was all a farce, a lie!
She knew it was pathetic and yet she did it.
"Sweet... Sweet sister, don't you cry. In a day or two he will be back here and I will talk to him, he wouldn't do something like that." Prince Roopak started but Devika wanted to hear none of it. She didn't want pity now that she had enough for herself already.
No, she wanted assurance that it was going to be alright, that it was all a lie and the only man who can assure her of that right now was somewhere probably celebrating his upcoming wedding.
Tears stung her eyes yet again and not daring to shed them in front of a man she barely knew, she shut the door right on his face before her legs gave away and she sat there on the floor howling in pain.
Prince Roopak can hear her anyway, she knew but it was little too late for that. 'She didn't care anymore.'
" Devika, listen to me." He was speaking from outside that door she had erected as a shield but was nothing but merely a rickety wooden piece. His voice was loud and clear. " The Queen has no proof that Chandra went to chitrakoot or that any kind of engagement has been officiated between your husband and that foreign princess and I have a very good in linking why she could be lying and that is to hurt you, push you enough so that you are forced to step back and flee. There had been gossip all around the palace that you had dared to stand up in front of her and call her out and its her way to pay you back.
So, all I am telling you is to stand up again, if for no one else then do it for yourself and don't take a step that you will regret later, no matter how hard she pushes not until Chandra comes back." And he was gone, leaving her in a powerful silence.
The night wasn't easy, not just for Devika who couldn't bring herself to lie on that bed again as the memories of that night haunted her throughout the hours but for a few more people in that palace who sighed in relief at the break of dawn.
You can expect the part 23 B by tomorrow.
Thanks for reading please vote and comment if the chapter took your fancy.
XXD
Shravani
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Thirst of Power (Complete)
Historical Fiction"It's impossible! "a voice intruppted his roar. "he's your elder brother! The rightful heir of the kingdom. "He turned around furious. His eyes glowing red and his hands itching to silence that voice forever. "The king would never choose you as his...
