"I can see you.. This thought only can wake me up from dead"

~ Falling For YOU
All Over AGAIN

4.1| Her Challenges |

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It had been two days since they were stuck up in the cell of the dungeon. They couldn't move an inch and they weren't provided with rags to save their almost bare skin from the freezing cold dungeon of Northern Province. Most of the kids couldn't take it and the most terrifying part was, Gauri had to see them die before her very eyes. One by one, they collapsed on the harsh stone floors littered by their own purge. She sobbed for the first two deaths, but afterwards, her well of tears dried up and she witnessed next three deaths trembling in terror. But after that, she slowly felt her fear too fading away, along with her ability to empathize with other people. She felt herself almost blank, when the night followed by five more deaths, she stared at those lifeless bodies loitering round her, blankly. She didn't even feel any excitement to see her favourite knight arrive with another two knights, with a basket of dry wheat breads and a tumble of water.

'Kids', most of the kids whimpered and scooted towards the rough wall of the cell, tripping over litters and dead bodies of other children, when Shakti grumbled in a deep voice, 'Did you learn your first lesson?'

He noticed the hungry gazes darted towards the sources of food. Smirking, he put them near the hungry children. But when they were about to touch the food, kicking back each other, he took the basket up again.

'Relax. So, this is your first lesson. Learn to survive in worst conditions where you'll not be provided with even the most primal needs', with that said, Shakti put down the basket and the tumble. The kids jumped upon the breads like dogs, forgetting the thick crust of litter covering their body. They were fighting with each other to grab as much pieces of bread as they could, but soon they forgot the breads and started wresting. Gauri, taking advantage of the situation, crawled beneath the interlocked hands of the kids and lifted two breads. Crawling over the tumble of water, she wetted the breads and gobbled them in the blink of an eye.

You have become worse as animals, without compassion, now its time to worsen your emotions, Shakti stood watching the kids keenly.

'Knights! Lead them to their cells and prepare their bath', he crossed his arms and walked away.

Each of the knights came to pick two kids by their neck and threw them in a large tub. The tub was filled with freezing cold water and the kids shrieked as soon as their delicate skins came in touch with the water.

'You won't be able to get to bath if you are captured by the secret guards of our neighbouring kingdoms. So, be happy that we're actually letting you clean yourself', Shakti announced in a gruff voice, 'And remember, this tub is for all hundred of you.'

The kids started splashing water on them, but no avail. But Gauri wetted herself first, then rubbed her skin vigorously, and finally with only two dips in the tub, she came out clean.

Shakti patted her head and lifted her up in his arms, 'Looks like you're very determined.'

Gauri pouted only.

Shakti took her inside a cell where another four trainee girls were kept, 'Guards!!', he yelled.

'Ten whiplashes', he walked away.

A fat man entered the cell with a whip. He slapped the air making a crackling swooshing sound. The girls started sobbing in fear and scooted towards the wall of the cell. Two more knights came to hold the girls one by one pinned on the ground and the fat man started lashing the whip mercilessly on the bare back of the girls. They cried out louder with every lash and finally, when it was Gauri's turn, she stood up to take the lashes on her back, but before that, she discarded the cloth covering her upper body and hid the tulat in its folds carefully. There was no way she was going to let another soul know about her treasure.

She gritted her teeth and her cries of pain came out as muffled groans with every hit of the whip on her back. When the spanking was done, the girls laid on the floor whimpering with their bloodied back and listened to the ear piercing screams coming from the boys' cells numbly, unable to move even a limb.

The next morning Shakti came up to visit the kids, 'A sleep of tranquility is not what the Royal Bodyguards deserve. You'll get exactly the amount of rest needed to revive your muscles, that's not sleep. Your training for warfare and meds start from today. Clean up you all!', with that said, he stood holding his head high, watching the soldiers putting a tub in each cell.

As soon as Gauri crawled towards the tub and stumbled in it, she cried at the burning pain ripping off her skin. The other girls shrieked and jumped out hastily, but Gauri held the rim of the tub firmly and tried to smell the greenish water. It smelt of... Nothing. Absolutely nothing. She looked up at Shakti, her lips quivering, eyes shedding tears of unbearable stings.

Shakti understood her questioning gaze as he declared, 'The water is treated by our physician. It contains such salts and herbs that will close your wounds and wash off your smell. The herbs are specially prepared to hide your natural scent, the dogs appointed at the borders are very good in detecting scents', Gauri stared at her still favorite Knight as a lost puppy, his words flew over her little head.

Silently wiping the blood off herself, she wore the thin grey soldier trainee attire and went behind Shakti. When they reached the armory, the kids surprisedly discovered that it was already night. The armory was full of fire torches attached to the smooth stone walls, letting the different shiny edgy weapons glow as gold. Being an early winter night, it was awfully quiet, and only the incessant chirping of crickets kept on ringing in their ears.

'Kids', Shakti coughed to gain attention of the kids, 'tonight, we're here to learn about the different kinds of weapons and how they work. Each of our soldiers are specialized in weaponry of a particular weapon. So, from now on, they will teach you and you can practice with the still wooden mannequins,' suddenly his gaze landed upon the smallest girl, the girl with the green eyes.

She was staring amazed at the three swords kept in a row, freshly tampered. Their pure gold hilts were embedded with emeralds, amethysts and rubies respectively. Those were the gifts from King Tej to the three princes, when they would finish their weaponry. She was rocking back and forth before them on her toes, hesitating, chewing her fingernails.

'Its okay, you can touch them', Shakti smiled fondly and gestured her to go on.

She smiled brightly in gratitude and toddled towards the swords, to his utter surprise, she ran her little fingers upon the amethysts embedded on the hilts, her eyes widened in awe.
'I wiwee(will) shueve(serve) himw(him)', she hugged the hilt tightly.

I am still working on the different processes to train Gauri as a cold blooded guard, so HER CHALLENGES would go on for sometime...

Do let me know how is it going.

Happy reading!
With love,
Sarani.