A while back in Ashen

Everyone heard Kali's decree and was now staring at Gauri who stood there without saying a single word. Her eyes were still clear as day and her posture still graceful as always and to see her not fight for her right surprised everyone. On the other hand Kali was furious that his daughter seemed so calm by his harsh punishment that the fury boiling inside of him was starting to seep out.

"You have nothing to say?!" Kali snarled.

When he saw the corner of her mouth curved up as if mocking him Kali's ability to maintain his royal stature started to slowly crumble in front of everyone revealing what lies beneath; pure evilness. His inability to inflict fear upon his daughter was humiliating to the point that he wanted to see her suffer.

Prying away Svetlana's grasp on his arm Kali once again stood just inches away from Gauri's stoic face. Everyone could feel the murderous aura emitting from Kali. The way he hovered over his own daughter like a hunter ready to strike down the deathly blow gave chills to everyone in the hall.

"If you beg me I might rethink my decision. If you promise to obediently obey me I will consider giving your title back." Kali taunted.

" Is this not your Decree? To disobey it one would be sentence to death is it not? As King once you declare to the masses you should not retract and try to negotiate. The King's word is law and cannot change."

Sahil could clearly see that the words spoken by his sister was another lesson for him.

"A King should stand by their decision so always act wisely because there is no room for regrets."

Even Samarjeet wanted to intervene but he knew that he was in no position to do so. With her not being a Princess there was no chance that his father would allow him to marry her and with that his heart sank to the abyss. Unfortunately the more he looked at her the more he wanted her and in the end his decision was made.  "Even though I can't make you my wife you will still become mine."  The only problem now was Kali's unrelenting hatred towards her and he was afraid what was to come; and he was right.

Gauri could feel her father's grip around her throat once again as he scorned by her ear.

"If I can't break you from within I'd be damn if I can't break you physically!"

Kali turns his evil gaze towards everyone.

"The Princes should rest. Riddhima and Ishana will see you back to your courtyard. Sahil you also return."

Svetlana could see the disappointment in her daughters eyes as they were waiting to see Gauri suffer but she knew that Kali still had a reputation to keep as King of Ashen.

"Listen to your father and help the Princes back.It's what Ashen must do for our guests."

Riddhima was biting her lower lip under her veil at the injustice that she felt at that very moment. She had been waiting all evening to see Gauri's tears. She longed to hear cries of anguish as music to her ears and to be shooed away enraged her. Seething in anger Riddhima looked at her mother in defiance only to see a warning in her mother's eyes and without a choice she begrudgingly grabbed Ishana and left with the Princes of Uthon and Gopar. Leaving Sahil who had Kiba growling by his side.

Svetlana gracefully walked down the royal steps towards Sahil but before she managed to approach the young Crown Prince her feet froze as Gauri once again spoke.

Even with the claws of death around her neck Gauri's soft calm voice reached her little brother who she knew wanted to rip everyone into pieces.

"Sahil...go back and I will see you in the morning....I promise."

Sahil's eyes had tears brimming at the edges because even in this situation his beloved sister was smiling at him and the only thing he could do was listen. With every step that he took to leave the palace main hall he felt his heart bleed out slowly and painfully. The image of his sister being held by the throat and lifted off the ground for the second time and still smiling at him was forever embedded in his mind.

"I will..I promise...as god as my witness.... will kill everyone of THEM for you!"

Kiba could sense his master's innerthoughts as it roared and growled shaking the palace's decorations and leaving a trail of broken lamps and shattered crystal chandeliers along their path back to their courtyard.

When everyone left Kali lifted Gauri higher but even then she refused to even grab his hand to beg for mercy.

"Not afraid of death I see!" sneered Kali.

As he powerfully swung her back onto the cold floor Gauri boldly stood up and once again with eyes still bright and calm defied the power before her.

"Do what you want because we both know no amount of begging will stop you now."

His eyes was devoid of any fatherly emotion one would think he'd have leaving just a feeling of his hunger to see her blood spill.

"Queen....hand me my whip."

Svetlana was delighted to summon one of her servants to fetch the whip that had those small spikes along the entire rope. Her smile beamed as she saw it arrive and so she quickly handed to Kali.

"Here it is My King but may a suggest something?"

Grabbing the hilt of the whip that was wrapped in thick gold fabric Kali crack the whip at Gauri.

**Wuh Psshh!**

"That was just a small taste of what you will be getting!" roared Kali.

When Svetlana saw the small gash on Gauri's beautiful face she grinned from ear to ear and decided that maybe she would wait a bit to get Kali's attention.

Taunting her as he circled around her like a predator playing with it's prey Kali anger grew when Gauri didn't even flinch at his whip.

**KUH-SHHHHH!**

The burning sensation on her back felt like lava but she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of hearing her cry out. Pressing hard on her lips Gauri fearlessly stood still for Kali to whip her until his heart's content.

When Dandi who was hidden high up on the roof saw the whip leave a trail of fresh blood on Gauri's back he immediately turned away and decided he better run back to his King.

"When he hears of this I am afraid of what he might do." Dandi thought to himself as he ran towards his black stallion. "I only hope the Princess can hold on a bit longer."

Svetlana could see the sweat drip from Kali's forehead and his breath was labored but what shocked her was Gauri's determined will to endure the pain. The torn flesh on her back was enough to even make her look away let alone the unimaginable pain.

Everytime his whip landed on her he felt joy but when all he could hear was his own grunting Kali became livid.

"If not for you poisoning me you would be on  your knees crying out in pain!"

As he raised up his whip to give Gauri another lashing he felt Svetlana's hand stop his from behind.

"My King...even if you whip her till she passes out she will never cry out for you. I have a suggestion that will surely quench your thirst."

Seeing Svetlana's wicked smile as she coaxes Kali was nothing new to Gauri but when she saw the bucket filled with salt brought out by a maid her eyes sharply glared at the evil woman.

Kali: Salt?

Digging her long red nails into the basket filled with salt and taking a handful Svetlana walked up towards Gauri who's eyes were obviously hazy. Letting the salt slowly slip from her hand Svetlana started to laugh.

"Did you know that when you rub salt onto a fresh wound the pain is said to be excruciating. Does my King want to see if that is true because I can help with that."

Kali: Make her sing.

Gauri could feel Svetlana standing behind her and when she felt the sudden sting on her back it felt someone knocked the life out of her but still she didn't make a sound.

"Keep your silence...let me play a little longer...you think doing that to Ishana and Riddhima that I'd let it go?" Svetlana sneered into Gauri's ear.

Her eyes were blurry and her mind was trying to fight against the agonizing pain. It felt like her back was being set on fire. The salt could be describe as inflicting a thousand bee stings into her lacerations forcing her to finally fall to her knees. When Gauri finally came back to her senses she could see Svetlana crouch down smiling at her.

"Hmm...maybe I should slather on more."

When Gauri saw her come back with two handful of salt her brow furrowed. Even the strongest of men would not be able to withstand such torture and Gauri was already at her limit. As Svetlana rubbed both her salted palms onto Gauri's back she dug her nails deep into every gash that she could feel.

"AAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Her first and only cry rocked the entire palace that even Riddhima and Ishana could hear. Riddhima who had just left Samarjeet's courtyard  couldn't hide her satisfaction as a wicked grin was hiding underneath her veil.

"Finally...."

Kali who finally managed to feel his anger lift stood up from his throne to walk towards his Queen.

Barely able to retain consciousness Gauri stumbled to stand up only to see Svetlana standing there smiling devilishly at her.

"Like I said before Gauri...you will always end up paying for what you have done to my girls."

Seeing her about to break Svetlana wanted to grab more salt but Kali's hand suddenly stopped her.

"Do not taint your hands anymore my Queen. It is late and I have heard her finally cry. If she survives tonight she can only thank you tomorrow for being so merciful."

As Kali escorted Svetlana back to their bedroom chambers Gauri was left alone and as she made her long way back to her very own courtyard she could feel the blood draining the last ounce of her strength. Her head started to spin and her body started to feel cold Gauri felt her legs give but when she felt a sudden warmth wrap around her body she let out a soft sigh.

Omkara: Gauri....

His voice was so nice to hear and when she fought to open her eyes she could see his dark chocolate eyes shimmer in the moonlight.

"Omkara...."

He could clearly see that she had endured too much as her eyes fought to stay open only to lose in the end. Tightening his arms around her tattered body Omkara was filled with so much rage that he wanted to set Ashen a blaze. But when he looked down at her he believed that death was not enough. As he stood up with Gauri in his arms Ari obediently squatted down but as he was about to take Gauri back to Mordis he heard a growl.

"Where do you think you are taking my sister?!"

Ignoring the young Crown Prince Omkara continued to gently let Gauri lean on his chest as he clutched onto Ari's soft black fur. But when he saw the White Tiger block his path Omkara's eyes grew cold.

"If she stays here she will die. You are unable to protect her. You couldn't even maintain her title little prince."

Sahil clenched his fists because he knew that what was said was true.

"Take her and protect her but I will come for my sister soon!"

His lips curved up as he glanced down at the young boy.

"Gauri will be where she belongs...right by my side."

Sahil's eyes were filled with tears of sadness and rage as he sees the Black Lion fly away with his sister.

"Gauri...forgive me. I guess the promise of seeing each other tomorrow morning will never come...but wait for me..."

It was as if Gauri heard her brother's words because for just a split second she opened her eyes and saw that she was up in the sky leaving Sahil standing there down below.

As her hand tried to reach out to her little brother Gauri's eyes started to surrender to exhaustion she sadly pleaded "No....Sahil....Omkara....take me back...."

Her voice ached his heart but Omkara saw the ripped flesh on her back and his eyes burned like wildfire.

"Never. Mordis is where you belong now."

When he heard er groans of pain as she flinches at the cold air hitting her back he felt the rage he tried to push down erupted. Taking out one of his small dagger he threw it towards a candle stand in the main palace hall.

"Burn...and know that what you've done tonight has sealed your fate."

Sahil stood there as the fire grew and within himself his hatred for his home burned before his eyes but it didn't take long for the servants to sound off the alarm. As he stood there watching the palace turn into chaos he slowly walked back to his courtyard to plan what he must do from now on. Patting Kiba's soft white fur as he walked back into the night a dark aura started to surround the small Crown Prince who's once innocent child-like heart had become stone. His eyes that once held nothing but uncontrollable anger was now devoid of any emotion for the one thing he loved most he had to let go.

**Hope you guys like this update 😊. I know many had wanted the outcome a bit different but I had this in mind all along so can't really deviate from it 😅. I probably wont be able to update anymore until after Thanksgiving. I just wanted to say that this year I am very thankful to meet new friends through wattpad and that you guys hold a special place in my heart. May everyone remain happy and healthy always. Gobble till you wobble 🦃**

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