Aabid was sitting in an enclosed room all drowned in his own thoughts before a wood crackled in fireplace bringing him out of his mind. His eyes watched the orange of fire, his forehead furrowed in some worries; he kept gazing the fire till he saw the blue of flame. Putting the paper in his hand on the table, he walked to the window. Someone knocked the door and he asked the person on the other side to enter the room. He was living in a secluded arbor and was engrossed in some of grave matters to be dealt with. 

A person walked in almost trembling due to frost of three in the morning. He looked tired as if had returned from a long journey. His face showed the lines of devastation. 

"What took you so long?" Aabid asked as he handed the man hot cup of water.

"There were some contingencies," That man answered trying to warm his trembling bones. His palms hovered over the fire as he soaked in warmth of it. 

"So?" Aabid asked unsure. He had been waiting to hear about it since days.

"No one survived," That man answered and worry lines across Aabid's face eased a little. 

"There were endless corpses as far as my eyes could see, I assure you no one survived the army attack," That man revealed surely. 

Aabid slouched back in his chair and relaxed. 

"Even animals are better than that army. I don't think so I can sleep after seeing that massacre. I felt sorry for those people. I don't know how that one man managed to escape and reach us," That man divulged as he gazed the fire. His eyes had horror of what he had seen.

"This war would demand greater sacrifices, my friend," Aabid said after a long pause. His eyes showed relief while heart was at war. He inhaled a deep breath and closed his eyes. 

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Annie along with two other handmaidens walked inside Nandini's room. Annie undid the curtains of the room letting the sunlight enter while other two maids steered the clothing stand towards the changing room. Nandini came out of bathroom and saw them performing the chores. 

"Good Morning, Ms Murthy," Annie wished with a warm smile. 

Nandini smiled back and continued to dry her long hair. 

"Your cloths will be arranged in your closet in no time. Shall I bring a dress for your first meeting at the office?" Annie asked and Nandini nodded.

Nandini's head was clouded with what morning was about to bring to her plate. She wasn't sure how she was going to fill shoes of her father. She had known very less of state affairs. She certainly didn't possess any skills in polity. She walked to the dressing room and picked the fine white dress Annie had kept there. 

She needed to see her father as first thing as she left the room, she made a mental note and got busy in getting ready. 

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Mr Murthy was busy writing something in his diary. He was seated in a comfortable chair in the garden while three servent stood hand tied in his service. Aashi walked to him and he smiled at her. His leg slipped off his other one as he tried to imitate his own self. That man who sat there was no one else but supremo of a state. He was not the same man who made policies once and made sure he formulated them. He was someone who had lost his mind but not the pride. All he did was doodle in that diary while trying to act like someone whom people knew as Minister Murthy. Manners die hard.

Nandini didn't know when a lump formed in her throat as she gazed him from afar. She walked to him and smiled at Aashi who was busy making tea for her father. 

Walking to Aashi, Nandini kissed side of her head as biding her a good morning and then walked to her father who was busy pretending writing something very important. 

As she peeped in to see what he was doing, she saw him drawing letter 'N' in beautiful fonts. She smiled at how her name was the only thing he knew.

"Nandini," He murmured as she sat on arm rest of his chair. 

"How are you, Papa? Slept well?" She asked wrapping her arms around his shoulders. 

"Yes," He answered briefly and then got busy in his important work. 

A soothing silence prevailed as they all soaked in sunlight. Aashi had a trace of peace on her face finally, Nandini sighed in relief. 

"It's my first day at office today, Papa," She murmured. Mr Murthy stopped doodling and that was his way of telling how he was listening. 

"You have built me quite a legacy and I don't know if I am capable enough. I would need you at every step. Please be with me," She said and her clutch around her father's shoulders tightened. 

"Nandi...ni," Mr Murthy replied looking at her. He smiled warmly at her and she knew she had got what she needed. She rested her cheek against his temple as he again dived into his ramblings. 

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Nandini asked the charioteer to stop the wagon as she saw a secluded cottage down the vale. It had taken every ounce of her patience to figure out where Manik was living in that giant villa. Her mind might have been cluttered with so many things but heart was always with one man. That one man had all the might to drive her mad with kind of behavior he exhibited.  Nandini carefully walked down the valley through those slippery stairs. She could hear sound of hammering as she neared the wooden cottage. It was surrounded by the pine trees while a huge area was covered with lush green grass. She could see smoke coming out of chimney. 

She turned around to see two guards standing near the wagon. She needed to talk to Veer about all these unnecessary adornments.

Door churned as she opened it. She could see a small room with a messy bed. Creases on bed sheet didn't smooth as she touched it. Bed was cold. She already felt like home as she gazed the rough pattern of walls. The small kitchen was smelling of soup as one of utensils was steaming over the burner. 

She walked towards a door which opened in backyard of cottage. She opened it and saw him cutting the wood vigorously. His arms went up and his muscles flexed. The ax hit the wood and it cut open in two pieces. His torso was bare and drenched in sweat. Sawdust was sticking to his skin and he looked so engrossed in his favorite work. 

"I don't get it," She said aloud and he looked at her in no time. 

His intense face transitioned into relaxed one he saw her standing there. 

"I thought you would be giving me preference over your favorite past time finally," She said sarcastically as she walked towards him. 

His lips formed a mischievous smile listening to her. 

"You have no idea about my preference list, Nandini," He replied dropping the ax on the ground. He picked up the cloth from the wooden log and wiped his sweaty body. 

He reached her in no time and stood just an inch away from her. She was bathed in jasmine. Her white dress was flowing with mild wind while hair were just trying to brush her angelic face. 

His hands held her waist lightly and she raised her left brow. 

"No leeway this time," She said trying to remove his hands off her waist. He kept gazing her intensely while she kept trying to remove his hands off her waist. He never budged, did he?

"My first morning here and I don't see you anywhere," She complained finally as she wiggled under his clutch. Her breaths fanned his chest collar bone as she struggled. 

"You have made yourself a home out there and guess what I am not even invited. I don't know where you are, I don't know why would you not come to see me," She kept complaining while he tucked one of her feral wisps behind her ear. She met his eyes who were fixed on her face ever so softly. A smile was on his lips as he listened to her while drinking her through eyes. 

"I am yet to make a house," He whispered in her ear as he moved closer. 

"And guess what," he asked and she tried to look at his face. He gazed her from side. 

"I wouldn't be inviting you," He murmured and she frowned. 

"In your own house," He completed and she tried not to smile too wide. 

She felt his lips lingering on her forehead and she let her palms rest on his broad chest. A moment which should have lasted till eternity was brought to an end with him lifting her chin with his index finger. 

"I was just cutting the woods of fireplace," He revealed. 

"You didn't come to see me," She asked in a whisper. 

"You were in your sweet slumber when I came. Didn't your bed smell like me in morning?" He asked unabashed. Nandini looked down not knowing how not to fall short in front of that man. His words were even more chaotic than his actions. 

"I held you in arms for minutes before dawn broke. I thought you would know it when you wake up," He imitated her complaining tone when he was just teasing his girl. 

"Manik!!" She smacked his chest slightly as if pleading him to stop it. 

"Your lips feel so warm when you sleep," He went on when she palmed his mouth and he chuckled. 

She hid herself in his chest and he embraced her. His sweet laugh calmed her anxious mind. He could ease her senses in no time just by putting them on altogether other fire. 

After few minutes of contentment, she withdrew and found few of her long wisps sticking to his skin. Taking them away, she looked at him. 

"It's my first day at office. It's starting, Manik," She said with tinge of anxiety. 

"I don't know if I would be able to prove the person they wish to see," She continued, "I have never handled these things. They think me of as daughter of great Minister Murthy which I am but I am just his daughter, I am not as great as him."

Putting his finger on her lips, he shushed her. She looked at him dazed as if someone had caressed her running heart. 

"Days before now, I had seen a girl standing on a plinth talking to a mob how she had a plan to bring salvation to this burning state. She was trying to tell them how they weren't ready for a war. No one listened to her...not even me," He talked as was telling her a tale. Her eyes bore into his as he spoke with his brows furrowed. His hands had firmly gripped her elbows. 

"They all quieted her, they were too drowned in their own understanding of this world. She chose to travel...travel to somewhere where she could make a difference. She wounded herself but never gave up. And one day, she got to know that those who didn't listen to her wise words were sent to hell. They all died out of foolishness. She was all along right...most of the times. She knew what to do, she had a plan..she still has. She just needs to shed all her insecurities and see how high she stands today," He spoke so ardently. 

Nandini's eyes kept shining in her own tears as she gazed that man speaking so passionately about a woman he believed.

"Rule it, Queen. Rule it, reign is yours. Nobody will stop you, I promise," He said pulling her closer to him. 

Nandini not being able to take the overwhelm threw her arms around his neck and swung down. He gathered her petite figure in arms and twirled her. 

"You have no idea, You have no idea what have you done," She whispered in his ear. He kissed side of her head tightly. 

He put her down and she looked at him with a new found credence. 

"I want you at office in an hour, Manik," She commanded and he raised his brow audacity of the queen. She smiled nervously as she gazed him. She didn't realize but he was the first one who had bowed down to her highness. And it was long before, it was when she had dared to march towards the army man who was abusing a worker in base camp and he had to steal her from there.

She tiptoed and kissed his lips tenderly before turning around to leave. She sighed deep as she made her way back to wagon waiting uphill. 

She looked at his cottage from the window and found him standing at the door. She smiled at him and he breathed deep. Horses neighed as charioteer guided them towards her destiny. 

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"So the east has gathered to take me down," He rotated the paperweight on the table and man standing in front of him flinched. 

"I doubt if they had heard about what happened to North," He spoke as if he wondered when he didn't. 

"How many men you lost, Colonel?" He asked taking the officer standing in front of him. He pitied the poor man who was trembling like a leaf, he was sure he hadn't even started yet. 

"How many I asked?" His voice a bit stern this time. 

"23," Colonel answered and gulped rest of words down his throat. 

"Just to know how Murthy and his daughter fled to the east?" He inquired further in a deep voice. 

"We were chasing those Ghosts of boneyard, we tried our best, Sir," Colonel was eager to justify his failure. 

"Those men are savage. They butchered my men in sleep. I was trying my best to keep a track on Nandini Murthy," He kept on pleading. 

"But your bad luck," Dictator sounded empathetic. 

"That you came out alive," He finished and that officer started to whimper as if could convince the devil how hard he had tried. 

"Your bad luck, Colonel. Your bad luck...." Dictator kept on cooing his prey to death. 

"Go take some rest," He told the officer and that officer looked up at him in shock. Was he spared? He wondered. 

"Can I?" He asked baffled. 

"Of course, You must be so tired after the long journey," Dictator said casually and hinted him to leave. 

Colonel turned around slowly counting his breaths and slowly walked to the door of that long hall. 

"Just realized," Dictator's voice came out low as he talked from other end of hall. 

"My pooches haven't eaten in days," He revealed and colonel's face turned pale. He started to shout as if had lost his mind. 

"Shoot me please," He started to plead to the men standing at the door. 

"Kill me, I beg you," He kept on pleading when two men grabbed him from floor. His piercing screeches  filled the white castle in horror as he was taken to the hounds. 

Dictator rotated the paperweight yet again as he pondered over something with a background score so horrid. 

"East has to pay," He declared and threw his head back to let it rest on giant headrest. His eyes kept staring the ceiling. The devil's brain was already on the plan. 

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Nandini was walking into the corridor of headquarters. Veer was walking beside her showing her the place. Almost everyone was on their toes seeing Nandini there. Those faces showed enthusiasm as if they were waiting for this day. Veer guided Nandini towards the chamber which was supposed to be a witness of great war strategies in upcoming days. As the door of the chamber opened, she gasped aloud. There were almost 30 men standing there hand tied. They all bowed down a bit as she walked in. A huge window at the end of the hall revealed the breathtaking view of mountains. Nandini could feel her palms go sweaty. 

Her eyes roamed around the room and tried to register those faces who looked keen. They all looked so prepared as if were preparing for days for this one day while Nandini was just someone who had no idea how to start things. 

Doors got closed and Nandini's eyes shot to find a figure which was enough to make her racing heart calm. Manik was closing the door while Aabid Bhai was walking towards her. 

Veer's face showed displeasure as he found Manik there. 

"Please take your seats, gentlemen," Veer asked and pulled the chair for Nandini as she kept standing there perplexed. 

"I would brief you in a minute," He whispered in her ear. His gaze immediately moved to find where Manik was. He was standing near a window leaning on the wall. His eyes were on jammed on him already. 

"I take this a matter of honor to present you daughter of Minister Murthy," Veer said aloud looking at the men sitting in the hall, "Nandini Murthy."

In no time, hall got filled in affiliation and words of welcome. 

"I and my force have already pledged our services to her. We are honored to have her as our leader who would lead us in great war," He added and approval echoed in the chamber. 

"On your left, Ms Murthy, are renowned businessmen of east who have promised us undisputed funds for the war," He introduced the men suited in wealth. Nandini smiled at them politely. 

"On your left is my core team who have been working on various aspects of upcoming war," He informed proudly. 

"Meet Mr Mathews, He is incharge of weaponry," He introduced and then kept on introducing her to each and every man present in the room. 

Soon enough, Nandini was dived in pool of new developments while a pair of eyes watched over her as well as pierced through each head in the room. 

"Now I would want Ms Murthy to address the committee,"  Veer insisted and Nandini took a deep breath. Her eyes wandered to find Manik and she filled her lungs with one final breath before she stood up to talk how and when to pick a battle which they were going to win. 

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Unedited*

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