"Mysteries are what draws people towards you, you cannot feel drawn towards the one you know inside out."

10| Hurt |

~*~*~*~

'Your majesty!', Omkara turned at the door of his chamber to find a panting Ishaana with two maids behind her, holding two trays of herbs.

Omkara closed his eyes breathing in and out deeply and opened them again, 'Come in'.

Ishaana ran onto him and started caressing his wounds frantically, 'There are so many!', she mumbled under her breath and started dabbing the herbal splodges over the cuts spread onto his cheeks, neck, chest, back, arms and where not.

While covering the wounds with the thinnest organdi putties, she signalled the maids for privacy. Ranveer, who was at the gate, disguised as a general palace guard, shook his head.

Carefully, Ishaana helped Omkara in laying down upon the furs. She hid her embarrassed face as Omkara's heated gaze lazily ran over her disheveled clothes. She didn't prepare herself for the night as she knew that the filthy traitor Richa whose true identity was hidden to her, was going to accompany his majesty. But, when she heard about the attack on the king in his own bedchamber, she couldn't help but ran into here after getting all the necessary herbs prepared.

Gauri pulled off the black veil of a palace maid after the head concubine, Ishaana left with two maids holding the trays of herbs she prepared.

'Its frustrating sometimes when I have to trust others to get my work done, Ishaana, you better reserve your affection for his majesty, else I will sue you', she frustratedly stormed out of the zenana section and walked in Shakti's wing. This was the only place where she didn't have to hide herself. The guards, as well as the maids knew who she was and they bowed at her, while she stopped by a maid to ask, 'Has he woken up?'

'He has not, but soon will.'

'Thank you',

'Its our duty, general in command'.

As she passed the hallway lined by tall pillars draped with red curtains and dancing fires of torches at either side of her path, she grew anxious. Peeking through the elegant curtain hanging over the doorway she held back a sob and the lump constricting her throat painfully upon seeing an all wrapped up Shakti.

She slowly staggered over to sit by his feet upon the plush king sized bed.

'Favourite knight', she choked holding one of his pale, bandaged hands in her small palms. Her all known surrounding with the polished stone walls and floors, intricate candle stands with numerous burning candles did no help in lighting up the expensive carpets imported from the lands of plateau and stony desserts, matching with the decaying health of the resident of the chamber.

'Gauri', came Shakti's feeble voice.

'Shut up!', Gauri sobbed softly, snuggling into his palm, tears wetting the bandages.

'My condition is not what making you cry, its something else, tell me, what happened?'

Gauri's back wrecked in harder sobs.

Ishaana was climbing down to grab some water, but was stopped by a strong tug at her wrist from behind.

'Where do you think you are going?', a deep voice grumbled from behind.

'Your majesty', Ishaana hesitated, 'I'm not supposed to join you here -'

'Did I allow you to leave?'

'Pardon, your majesty, but at least let me get some water -'

Her voice got muffled as she was pulled upon a hard chest, with two heated lips nibbling hers. Though she lost her balance, she quickly braced herself against the bed, careful not to reopen Omkara's wounds.

She lightly pushed his chest, causing him to break apart from the passionate kiss, 'I beg pardon you majesty, but you need rest tonight. I am right here to look after you. Please your majesty.'

'Hmm', Omkara grumbled and patted the place at his right of the bed.

Ishaana hesitantly laid down beside him and he wrapped one of his arms around her waist, tightly.

'Ishaana'.

'Yes your majesty.'

'Since you are sort of the head concubine, I guess you know everyone in the zenana section, at least by their names and faces?'

'I do, your majesty.'

'So, tell me, about the women who were to serve me tonight.'

'Women? Your majesty, there was only Richa supposed to serve you, who is dead.'

'So, the traitor's name was Richa. But there was another one.'

'Another one? That is impossible', Ishaana turned at him, ' I myself count the heads of both concubines and maids just to make sure that there are no rats among them and no any of your concubines cheating on you. But, there was only one less, who was supposed to serve you', Ishaana stated, unsure.

'You say so? But, she is not the one who can escape your attention that easily. She has green eyes and this is the second time I have seen her. Both of times, she saved my life. How come you didn't see her?'

Ishaana tapped her chin with her eyebrows crinkled, 'I guess I remember a little girl with green eyes now. She used to take dance training with us, along with four more girls. Though they left the moment your arrival was announced. Later, she just vanished when our training was over. I thought, she was devoted to a temple, or was dead, now, you have seen her, that is something new. She used to be great friends with the traitor. But, I can assure you, she is not a part of the concubines.'

'Hmm. Thank you Ishaana for your information. Now, I think we must retire. It has been a long day.'

'Sure your majesty. Good night.'

Ishaana looked up at him when she didn't get any reply, only to find him sound asleep. She smiled affectionately at his tired yet calm face, wiping the beads of sweat erupted on his forehead.

'I killed her.. You were right, we should not believe our own shadow too', Gauri broke into fits of sobs.

'Shh.. Shh.. Don't cry my child, it was one of the mistakes you made which was punished by getting your heart broken, and do with the drainage of the last ounce of trust remaining inside you', Shakti feebly said, pausing to inhale.

Gauri sniffed and wiped her tears. Composing herself, she said, 'Now, favourite knight, you have to do one task. I guess, his majesty surely would interrogate Ishaana about both of us. So, when he comes to meet you tomorrow, you will feed him the story that, I was great friends with Richa and I went to his chamber just to fulfill my duty as a soldier. I got to know secretly that after getting betrothed to the crown prince Mukesh of former FrostClime, she was sent in the palace ten years ago as a concubine. The crown prince used her only to extract information, for no royal used to visit Northern Province. Mukesh himself came to attack upon his majesty on his coronation day and planned to seize the throne after rescuing his betrothed, whereas his plan failed by the soldier, unknown the saviour herself who was Richa's friend. After Crown Prince's death, Richa planned this attack with her brother in-law. The story will be exactly what happened, just I will be a soldier, who got scratched by the traitor and died, unable to endure the poison in her nails. I hope you can manage the corpse to make his majesty believe this.'

'Don't worry, I will', Shakti chuckled, 'Now, be a good girl and get some rest. You outdid yourself this time.'

'You too, don't stay awake. I will leave once you doze off', Gauri ran her fingers through his hair, trying to ease his discomfort and pain.

Ranveer stole inside Omkara's bedchamber once he was sure that both the king and Ishaana were asleep. Dandi too came out of his hidden watchpoint. They stared at the moonwashed bedchamber, the thick candles' heart were burning, with a sudden gust of wind, the candles extinguished in a blink. Both Ranveer and Dandi looked at each other in the silvery light, thinking the same thing together,

How I wish Gauri gets over this terrible mental trauma soon.

😅😅😅 Couldn't help from sharing this photo. I imagined Gauri in this attire in the birthday party of Rikara in Falling For YOU All Over AGAIN. Shrenu Parikh will look really adorable in this, don't you think?? Anyways, I was really busy in enjoying the Durga Puja last week. Yes, the one described in FFYAOA. So, you know, no mobile phoned and no writing.. 😅

But I miss ya all..

Happy reading!!
With love,
Sarani.