Brinda

Short-lived

King Adigun donned the traditional Brinda attire Ambika Devi had made available for their visit to the temple. It was his first time stepping out of the castle since the incidents and a necessary one too considering the need to pray to the deities for peace and blessings upon the people of Brinda.

"Things are definitely looking up", he whispered to his wife while two guards accompanied them. "The land is fertile, the people are happy about being able to air their opinions while Durga listens and communicates them to me and we even get invited to the temple to pray by the Chief Priest".

Feeling like a child who had been given new lease on life, king Adigun locked hands with his woman as they approached the temple. The large stone carved temple drilled right into a large mountain stood in beauty and with decorations all over; people have visited it more often since things became stable in Brinda and it was apparent by the gifts they left at the door step.

"You can stay outside and wait for us", King Adigun said to his guards while he believed the temple was a holy place and not one where weapons would be tolerated.

"We have o wash our feet over there before going in", Ambika Devi pointed out.

To their right was a large pot with clean water. He performed the cleansing ritual as he had been told and gladly walked through the narrow path heading into the temple with his wife closely by his side. No sooner had they walked into the temple did they see two people dressed in similar worship attire tail them closely.

"Long live the King", one of them said while he bowed his head and the woman to his side did the same.

"Women are meant to head in that direction", the man said to King Adigun.

The King looked to the right where his wife was meant to be, and spotted nothing but another narrow path with rather dangerous looking rocks mounted off of the walls on either side.

"You can come with me", the man said, enjoining the King to entrust his wife into the hands of the female worshipper.

The cave felt emptier than the King had anticipated, but it rang no alarms and he felt comfortable being in there. With calmness in his heart and an immense feeling of joy coursing through his body, he agreed and waved Ambika Devi goodbye for the time being. Walking ahead, the man stood behind him, spilling nothing but praises to the King until Ambika Devi was out of sight.

"Where are the priests?" King Adigun asked. "Aren't they meant to be here?"

King Adigun wore a frown while he turned around to see the man had pulled a knife out.

"You didn't think passing those stupid laws on Sati was going to keep her safe now, did you?" the man said with a wicked grin sprawled across his face.

King Adigun heard his heart drop and felt his throat clog almost immediately. "Ambika Devi!"

He lunged ahead, but the man rammed the blade into the King's shoulder. It did nothing to stop him as he yanked it out, pinned the attacker to the ground and did the same to him. The man growled in pain and cursed at the King.

"You are too late!" the man yelled and moaned while he tried to laugh at the same time. "Sati will remain forever once she is dead and once you die too as well. We will never relent, you outsider!'

"What have you done to Ambika Devi!?" King Adigun immediately yanked out the blade from the man and turned away.

Sprinting his way in the direction his wife had been taken, he stopped dead some feet away from a body donning the same attire as her while his heart desperately wished his eyes was playing some trick on him. The lady whom had escorted Ambika Devi stood by the wall, trapped and with nowhere to go other than to run past the King.