Blood and Crown

Chapter-1

Rajyashri

"B-but—"

"No buts Princess" Mani's utterly still voice interrupted, her black orbs shining with unshaded tears while her grip on my shoulder tightened as she continued "I've to keep my words. I had promised your mother to take care of you till my last breath, now I can't betray her" Her cold shaky fingers caressed my watery cheek while pleading with me through her brown orbs.

"You're our princess, our pride. Death is by far better option than seeing those filthy Aryankas toying with our pride" She halted, hollowness flickered across her face as she swallowed visibly "Besides, it won't even make any difference, it doesn't matter if you're here or not, we have to face our fate"

I closed my eyes, letting more silent tears trail down my cheeks as I breathed in a mixture of fury and helplessness, still holding the bloody clothes of my father that had been sent by Aryanka's messenger this morning.

My father was dead. My brothers were dead.

They were gone.

Forever.

Another wave of vexation and disgust flushed over me. What had we ever done to them? How could they be so merciless ? Not only they killed my brothers and father within three days now they were aftethe Royal Palace and ladies.

"I can't" I breathed feeling a gut wrenching pain rising up my throat "I—I don't want to... I'm not selfish" I murmured to myself looking blankly at the piece of bloody clothe in my hands.

"You're not being selfish dear! Please understand. You've to li—" Manilata stopped in midway and my whole body frozen as we heard roars of men and sounds of blades clashing against each other.

"The—They are here! THEY ARE HERE. Oh no!" Sumitra, one of my handmaids panicked and swirling around she snatched away the minimum ornaments I had, and not in a gentle way.

A whimper left my mouth by her sudden gesture but before I could understand anything Mani handed me a small knife

"Run! "

"I— " I gulped the knot "Why can't all of you come with me? "

"It's not possible, believe me they wouldn't do half of the things they would do with you if you get caught. You're too innocent to understand all these princess, just get away fr—"

Just then someone kicked the door open making my heart dropped in my stomach.

The man who was probably in his late thirty, had the same expression of shock like us but soon it was replaced with a smug.

"So who is the 'innocent Princess' here " He asked while waking in slowly.

I almost felt like throwing up because there was blood all over his face. My gaze fell on his sword which had thick dark blood trailing down making clear it had just took someone's, or probably many people's lives.

I watched as Mani opened her mouth to say something but couldn't. I didn't know what to do either. I just stood there numbly.

"Don't play with my patience , you won't like the consequences! WHO IS THE PRINCESS? " He pointed the edge of his sword at Mani's throat and the ladies gasped.

No way I'm letting Mani die for me.

"I am" I heard my voice yelling while my eyes we're zeroed at Mani's neck where the man had pointed his blade "I'm the Princess! Leave her please!" Before I could rush toward her, I watched him sliding the sharp blade in Mani's stomach as she made a heart wrenching scream