Mrithika's shoes clacked against the dirty cobblestone pathway as she trudged along the streets in the frosty afternoon of winter. The cold winds blowed, almost freezing Delhi in the process but her overcoat gave a minimal protection against it.

She had no business out in the market place during an afternoon where well off people were busy shopping for Christmas.

But what can she do when the streets don't provide that easily? Her sepia eyes scanned her surroundings for a perfect shop to steal from. After all, her stomach was growling from her scanty breakfast.

On wandering for an hour, she approached a busy supermarket. Her lips curled into a sly grin at the opportunity that was presenting itself willingly.

Slipping amongst the crowded aisles she managed to stuff three packets of chips inside her overcoat and a plum cake inside the layers of clothes she wore. The cashier and the salesperson were busy assisting the more important people to even bat an eye upon a spectacled teenager.

At times like these, Mrithika really appreciated her height. Sporting a disapproving look to convey her false distaste, she sneaked out of the store unnoticed and heaved a huge sigh of relief. Even if someone found her shady, her disguise could prevent them from finding out her true self.

Hopping back through the same path she used, an old building with crumbling paints and dirty walls came in view. The occupants were as shady as the building, no one had clean history and neither did Mrithika.

She ignored the glares and suspicious looks from onlookers hanging around and stopped near a door. She rapped her knuckles on it.

A girl with short hair and pale skin opened it with an annoyed expression that changed into that of glee.

"Come", she grinned and made way, shutting the door once Mrithika was inside. "What have you got this time"? She asked as Mrithika removed an oversized spectacles and a bob wig from her head.

"Nothing much, just chips and a cake," she replied curtly — removing the packages of food from her clothes and tossed a packet of chips to her friend.

Harshika, as she was named, caught it gladly. Both scarfed down the remnants in seconds, it was a huge contrast to the luxurious life provided by the palace where food to your liking was supplied almost instantly.

Thinking back, it was the only thing that Mrithika missed about that desolated place and now she was miles away from home in a place where people with the lowest of morals lived. But she constantly reminded herself that iron can sharpen only when it's beaten down in the hot furnace.

Harshika was the only one she trusted here, the girl was the same age as her and unlike her she was abandoned by her family at a train station in her fifth year. She was the only person who welcomed her and acquainted her with the place.

As Mrithika laid down on a makeshift bed of blankets for an afternoon nap a loud commotion arose from outside causing her to jerk up immediately. Harshika too was alerted at the noise. Before the two girls could put their finger on it, the rickety door burst open with a kick.

Mrithika's face paled at the person before her.

The man was bulky and huge, covered in black clothing with dark shades covering his eyes but even with them on, Mrithika could feel his leering and cruel gaze piercing right through her.

With a wicked smirk curling through his face he spoke, "Finally, after years of searching for you — the Ranisa shall pay me handsomely for my work".

"Well the Ranisa can go to hell", Mrithika sneered. She knew who the man was before her, it was the Queen's head henchmen, Ratan. As nasty and horrible as always but now, owing to the situation high doses of adrenaline seemed to release itself into her bloodstream, keeping her balance right on the tip of her toes.

Ratan frowned, "I see that the mouth of yours is still as foul as ever but no worries, I shall make quick work to shut it", he turned his head towards the outside of the doorway and yelled, "Hey, I fo—" a sharp pain erupted through his carotid artery as a stream of red liquid flowed from his mouth drowning his words in it.

Harshika gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth as she watched Mrithika perched on Ratan — stabbing him repeatedly on his neck with a penknife. Tiny drops of blood splattered across her face simultaneously as she slit his throat.

A gurgle left his lips before Ratan dropped to the ground lifeless. Harshika stood dumbstruck at the sight until Mrithika rushed to the other side of the room and grabbed a pitcher, pouring water on her palm and splashing her face with it.

"Why did you do that"? Harshika whisper - shouted whilst pointing towards Ratan's corpse. She wasn't new to murders and dead bodies especially when she had been living in this building full of criminals for almost six years but seeing her seemingly harmless friend killa guy in cold blood shocked her.

Mrithika did not even look up when she replied, "Self - preservation. We have only two minutes to pack everything before his men and the police sniff out his blood. QUICK"!

She threw a tattered bag at Harshika when she did not move and went back to cleaning the penknife off blood. In a daze, Harshika threw in the minimal clothes she had and was rushed out by a frantic Mrithika who was now covered in the same bob wig and round spectacles.

The corridors were busier and bloodier than usual, previously it used to be filled with drunk men lying on the corners or shady guys hanging around the shadows trying to pick pocket anyone unsuspecting, but now it was filled with the Ranisa's men either picking brawls with the occupants or scaring them or breaking down doors to forcefully search for...her.

"Mrithika".

"Mrithika"?

"Trust me, Harshika. She won't be able to find us", Mrithika mumbled with her eyes closed.

"MRITHIKA"!

She awoke with a small gasp and saw Sahadev staring at her with a perplexed expression. She looked around her surroundings in a daze and saw herself in the padmasana. She internally slapped her forehead.

"Were you sleeping"? He asked her suspiciously.

Mrithika cringed and shook her head slowly, "No".

Sahadev wasn't convinced as he raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "Yes you were. You slept while you were supposed to be meditating. Do you even meditate? Or better way to frame it, do you even know how to meditate"?

"Of course I know! I just...haven't meditated in a long time", she replied, offended with his question.

Sahadev shook his head disbelievingly, "Meditation is required for a clear mind to think during a fight, you can't solely rely on your instincts".

"Seriously? You're lecturing me on that, Panduputra? I'm very well aware on how even strength has to bow down to wisdom sometimes and believe me, I know how to use the latter", Mrithika deadpanned with her arms folded across her chest.

"We shall see how sharp your wits are but first, who's this Harshika and who won't be able to find you"? He asked with curiosity lacing his tone.

Mrithika knitted her eyebrows in thought before she realised what he was talking about, " That's none of your business"! She snapped before adding in an even softer tone after realising how sharp her tongue was, "All in time you shall know...if you're trustworthy".

Sahadev shrugged, "Fair enough, I hope I fit your definition of trustworthy one day. Nevertheless, your first step of training would be on how to balance your sword properly because without balance you cannot wield it appropriately".

Mrithika nodded as the younger Madreyā showed her techniques of balancing the blade and it's hilt when she thought of how memories that stung more than a sword resurfaced in contrary to her belief of suppressing them at the deepest pits of her subconscious. She shook her head in an attempt to forget them and went back to concentrating on Sahadev's teachings.

After all, people and places when forgotten hurt less, right?

A/N

Hi everyone, how are y'all doing? I hope your exam preps are going/went well? I know I said I'll be regular with updating AMITAVĀ but guess what? I caught a flu and was unwell and on top of that wattpad deleted my draft where I saved half of my chapter 😭😭😭.