✓ Fearless - Book 1 of The Rajkumari Trilogy

Chapter 25

Chapter 25
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She took Dipankar's words to heart and concealed the guilt from herself. 

You're on a battlefield, in the midst of a war. You cannot stop now.

Her eyes tore open, with renewed energy. Her blood boiled when her gaze latched on her enemy. He was... smirking? He always did, but this time there was a glint of certainty in his eye.

What have I missed? He's definitely planned something.

Revati sucked in a gasp as it hit her. Her horse galloped to Suruchi's side with haste.

"Revati, what are you doing here?"

"Suruchi! The castle walls are left unguarded, unwatched!"

At first, she only scrunched up in annoyance and continued firing arrows. Her face blanched in the next second. "Oh no..." 

Her sister nodded grimly, confirming her suspicions. "Children, Suruchi. There are children on the wall." She choked out, her eyes moist.

"But Revati, we're all-" she paused to hurtle a spear in the air. "-occupied. What do we do?"

"Senapati Neelkant!?" she yelled.

The trainer looked around. "Yes, we can send him."

"No, I mean, look!" She swiveled her head in the direction where Revati was pointing. A lone figure donned in armor stained with the blood flowing from his open wound was swinging his sword with all the energy he could muster. The sisters' mouths fell open in horror. 

He was outnumbered. 

It was seven against one.

"Cover for me!" was all the queen yelled before furiously charging in his direction. And Suruchi obliged.

Revati saw red. She let out a war cry as she stabbed a soldier who was creeping up on the General. "You inhumane creatures! Ganging up on a wounded soldier and killing him!?" Revati was beyond furious. She slashed at them mercilessly, killing each one. Her eyes softened as she faced the dying man.

A dagger stuck out from his abdomen, a deep gash on his chest. His body, a bloody, battered mess. She caught him before he could fall off his horse.

He gave her a weak smile. "Your father would've been proud." She watched with bated breath as he bowed to her and fell back against his horse, lifeless. She fought off her tears and whispered. "May your rest in peace, O' soldier! A true patriot of your country."

She signaled the others to carry his body in and rode away. She looked at the sky. The sun was high and directly over them. It was noon, a lot of time had transpired without them knowing. 

I will not let their deaths go in vain. 

I will deliver them justice, peace to their soul. 

It was time for her to face the root of her enmity. The one who was the cause of all this. Ballaraja.

She stooped in her tracks as she heard a scream nearby. It was a woman from her kingdom, surrounded by soldiers, struggling to fend them off.

She turned her horse backward, pulled three daggers from her boot, and swung them towards the woman, letting each one fly in the air before it struck the soldiers in their backs.

Revati met the eyes of the startled woman and her reassuring nod told her to keep fighting until her last breath. She only smiled a serious one when the woman nodded enthusiastically.