Ishqbaaz OS competition

Contest 5 Entry 4

His Queen

Long ago, in the Kingdom of Gauravpur.

Gauri Harshvardhan Varma, sucked in a panicky breath when she heard the snap of a dry twig. This time the sound appeared to get nearer than before.

It was the mid of the night in December and for a little girl to waltz into the forest without her guards to protect her, meant an attempt at suicide.

What was the need to play a warrior woman? You should have listened to your brother's warnings, the twelve year old girl chastised herself. But she wanted to search for her savior and prove to her brother that she wasn't making up stories.

What if he didn't come to save her this time? The last time, she had been lucky... her heart dreaded.

Oh... no issues at all. As the princess of Gauravpur, it is your duty to see that every life in your providence be well fed. No matter if they were a pack of starved wolves waiting to kill you..., replied her sarcastic brain.

She stopped in her tracks as she heard a low growl behind her.

Heart hammering inside her chest and beads of sweat covering her forehead, she turned around to face her enemy.

Though she tried to be as brave as possible, she couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped her lips on seeing the sight of the animal whose eyes were blazing red, glowing in the darkness of the night. A string of drool hung down the side of its mouth, as it ground its teeth which looked sharp enough to cut through her skin, even with a gentle gash.

She looked to its either sides and saw four more of its kind, their bodies large enough that they reached her height though they stood on their four paws, covered in thick velvety fur, shimmering in the night.

They had similar pairs of eyes which looked at her in hunger, but the only difference was that the one in the center appeared more diabolical than the rest.

Perhaps, it was their leader, she thought grimly.

No matter how much she wanted to stand her ground, her feet took a reflex step backwards when her enemy took an advancing step towards her. When the animal snarled and appeared ready to pounce, the flight response in her kicked in and she ran, screaming for help.

"Shivaay bhaiyya," Gauri shouted at the top of her voice, as she ran for life, the pack charging towards her and covering the distance with time.

Noting the nearness of their steps, she screamed once again for her brother, though she knew it wouldn't be of much use.

In her quest for adventure, she came too far from the palace and her voice wouldn't reach her brother who most probably was sleeping in his chamber.

As she panted her way further into the thick forest, one of the dogs clawed at her leg and she fell first on her face, the dry leaves of the ground shattering under her weight. Though the adrenaline rush dulled the pain of the wound, the quiver of getting caught pinched at her heart.

After the thud of her fall, silence reined in the place, the enemies waiting for her to face them. Watching their prey's fear of death gave them a high and they wouldn't have a fight-less dinner, no matter if it were the beloved princess of the kingdom offering herself to them.

Okay, this is your last day Gauri, remember what your brother taught you. Face your fears with a smile, she lectured herself and turned around in her place with a winning smirk.

The leader of the pack frowned at the little girl who looked too gallant for her age.

She sure has the blood of her ancestors running in her. Those progenitors, who caused the downfall of their leader. Anger of the clan's first defeat got the best of him and he pounced on her, his paw raising in the air to tear through her fair skin.