Mahesh smiled watching the girl his mother bought as his wife run around his little one trying o feed him. He would hide behind the pillar and she would pretend she didn't see him. The boy would squeal happily accepting a morsel every time his mother lost to him.

Mahesh smiled going back to his account book, he had never spoken to Shyama, but he couldn't deny that she was an amazing mother to his sons. Shekhar returned from his school , dumped his bag and went straight to his mother complaining how bad his masterji (teacher) was. 

Shyama loving wiped  his face and started explaining him why he should go to school. She put her both kids to afternoon nap before going back to her house chores.  The house help informed about the guest and Shyama prepared a tray of water and snacks . It was Kuntilal who had come to meet Mahesh to discuss on accounts.

When Shyama extended the tray, Kuntilal refused silently but not before giving her a disgusted look.  Mahesh didn't miss it, he smiled at Shyama when she offered him , she nodded walking out of the room.

''Shyama is my wife, remember to give her the same respect you give to my mother.'' Kuntilal nodded, his eyes moving to door from Kaali walked out and he found his eyes locked with hers, Kaali stared at him and he flinched, it seemed she was staring down his soul.

Shyama went about her work but Kunitlal made her uncomfortable in a way she couldn't explain. Brushing off her thoughts she went about her kitchen work but a nagging feeling kept creeping her heart. Finish her work she walked into her mother in law's room.

Shyama sat by the bed massaging Jayant's fee.  Jayanti noticed the the state of her daugter-in-law's face. ''What is it child?''

''Amma, I feel something bad is about to happen. I just want my family to be safe.''

Jayanti caressed her head. ''I am going to say the same thing Panditji said, pray to her and she will find you. She is in you, and I know you will face all and keep us safe.''

Shyama just nodded, she left after Jayanti slept. Walking out she walked into her room where her kids slept. Shyama caressed their faces, her heart filled with love but the feeling came back and she walked towards the small window. ''I will protect them, with my life.''

***

A few months passed and god blessed the Madhopur with good rains and crops. But someone was not happy with the prosperity around.

Kuntilal was losing control, after his old master died, Jayanti took over and she trusted him. He slowly had started stealing from them but then Mahesh joined and Kuntilal had to keep his hands clean. Then Mahesh lost his wife and Kuntilal again saw a golden chance , he tried persuading Jayanti to let his niece marry Mahesh. His plan was simple, his niece would slowly take over the house hold and Mahesh, and he would slowly eat away all of them. And when time would be right, he would just remove Mahesh and his kids out of the way just the way he killed Mahesh's father. But to his bad luck , Jayanti chose Kaali, the ugly daughter of village peasant. And that woman stared at him as if she knew all. Kuntilal had to do something before he lost all.

Mahesh's distant family had fought them in court for the lands but lost every time. They had tried bribing the judge but nothing seemed to work.   So they decided to hurt where everything would collapse just with a flicker of his fingers. 

Kuntilal smirked, yes, this was right thing to do. He just had to act and soon.

***

''Leave in the morning, I don't feel good.'' Kaashi begged his daughter to stay

''Baba, kids won't sleep without me.''

''They will kick you out one day. You should get one of your own Kaali.'' Her mother chimed in and something in Kaalin shifted. She took a step and her mother stepped back. ''I am their mother.'' With one last look at her mother Kaali, stepped out, getting into the palanquin waiting for her. She just wanted to be with her kids, her real home. Only, she didn't reach home

When Kaali opened her eyes, she found herself tied in a dark place but her hear stopped when she found her younger one year old son lying just a distance from her unconscious on the hard floor. She looked around trying to figure out where she was, she knew someone wanted them dead but it won't happen, her kid wouldn't die not under her watch. She looked around, other than sacks of hay, there was nothing. She moved her fingers and realized she was in a mud house, the kind of they made near the fields to protect the crops.

She concluded she was being bought here to be killed. She had to think and  save her son. She tried working on her ties when she heard the laughter and then foot steps. A man walked inside and stood at the entrance, hands on his hips. A chuckle escaped his lips. ''So she is the ugly one he married.''

Kaali tried making the voice but she haven't heard of it before. She wanted to beg retort and fight but something told her to be quite. The man took a step forward but in darkness, she could not make his face out. His silhouette looking dangerous as a stream of light from the torch illuminated it  

Kaali kept her self calm, and then he came close squatting next to her . ''I bet he would have never pleased you. I think you wouldn't be that bad. I am anyways interested in everything below that ugly dark neck.''

Kaali's eyes flicker to her son, she had to be calm for him But her mind was working. She watched him keep a small axe next to her unconscious son as a warning to cooperate. 

The man moved his finger down her neck to her bosom and then placed her mouth on her skin. In that moment Kaali gave one look to her son and with all her strength she went after the throat of her captive. She dug her teeth hard as he kept trying to pull her hair , but pain seemed to elude her, she kept on increasing  the pressure, not bothered that her scalp had started bleeding.  She wasn't' as big as him but like her, he needed his throat to breathe and she attacked it. Her love for her son giving her power she required.  He tried reaching out  to the axe but she pushed him down, her teeth drawing blood and her knee pressing him down. With a final pressure, she cut off the air supply to his throat as blood oozed out of him like a fountain. The man gasped making no sound staring a the woman who stood with blood in her mouth. He watched as she used axe to cut her ties and then she turned to him again. Her eyes held a strange fury . He tried screaming but couldn't and she watched him die. 

Kaali picked her son, tied him to her bosom and just then someone else entered and when she turned, the man saw death in form of a woman, the dark one. His legs gave up , she moved to him and kept the axe on his throat. ''Who?''

***

Mahesh whipped Kuntilal mercilessly when one of his friends who worked in police told him about the proofs they have gotten of his involvement in missing of his child and wife.

''Where are they?''

''Saheb,.... near the barren land. Out of the village.'' One his men informed. Mahesh ran out as his men captured and dragged Kuntilal to the fields. The villages joined in as Kaali  was one of them.

As the mob reached the field and froze, the mud house was on fire and there she stood, holding an axe in one arm and a head in other. Kaali felt people behind her and when she did turn, other then Mahesh and the temple Priest who worried for her, retreated. She looked something else. Her long dark hair reaching her waist in the most unruly way. Her mouth covered smeared with blood, her clothes soaked in blood and torn and a child tied to her chest. She looked liked the manifestation of Supreme mother. The burning mud house illuminated her form making her look untouchable.

Kaali didn't look at any of them, her eyes were focused on her target who had been dragged there my Mahesh's men. The men who held Kuntilal stepped back dropping his limp form on the floor and Kaali threw the severed head at him. ''You tried killing my Son. I killed yours.'' She threw the head of the man and Kuntilal shivered , and just then her anger came back like fire as she lifted her axe to kill Kuntilal but Mahesh held her . ''No! He will be punished. The kids need you Shyama. Our kids need you, I need you.'' Shyama...he called her Shyama

Her demure shifted and Shyama came back, she dropped the axe as her body went limp in Mahesh' s arms. The priest squatted near her and covered her with his angvastra (vestement for upper body). He stared at her and then touched her feet. ''I bow to the one in you. You found her. ''

Mahesh lifted his wife, who still in her weak form held on to their son. He walked away as the priest stood smiling and the villagers watched in awe. ''How did she do that?''

The priest smiled, ''Ma Kaali blessed her.'' She is  blessed. With that he walked away, he knew Mahesh would save his wife from all charges but today, the ones who called her Kaali for her dark skin tone , new who Kaali was and what the name meant. 

Reaching the temple, he bowed to the deity thanking her. He knew Kaali and Mahesh's happily ever after just started.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------