Resurgence of Kohl

1. Pyre of Love

The fleece of blood covered the floor that was, once, carpeted with several flowers. The sacred fire burning in the ceremonial hall for the coronation of my brother blazed; it was furious at the deceit that led to our fall.

The smell of camphor, the melodious music, the chants, and the prayers; all were gone, washed away along with tears and blood. The women wailed, and children wept; the clouds of death remained parched despite the river of blood flowing.

I lay there, in the arms of my child while the red trickled down and painted my silk skirt of similar red; drinking onto my sorrows. Medinikand today witnessed the biggest chicanery of all; one by their own princess's consort.

"Stay awake Ma." The whimper of my daughter crooned to my ears. She too was in pain, I knew that but there was hardly anything I could do to provide salve to her wounds.

I stared at the chandelier hanging above us. Embedded with numerous precious stones, it swayed above us; any moment and it shall fall, ending the struggles of both me and my daughter.

Another sob escaped my lips, I felt the bile rising to my throat and the taste of blood intermixed with my saliva was making my buds relish its coppery tang. I tried to rise, taking the support of the pillar but it was all failure, the spasm of my muscles rendered any movement I could think of.

'Maybe this end is befitting for me, stranded and unloved.' A thought contrived in my mind but was soon stopped by the little paws of my daughter that tried to reach out for my cheeks.

Like always she was trying to wipe away my tears; her trial to make me smile. My heart fuzed with warmth and I closed my eyes- sleep was reaching out for me, cradling me in its arms.

I was almost asleep- more likely dead- when a foot started pressing me on my neck; it was agonizing but despite the pain, I fluttered open my eyes to get a glance of my killer. It was my husband- the one whom I would like to call a 'traitor' from now on.

"Wake up whore." He kicked my cheeks with his feet. I could feel blood oozing out of my mouth, painting his sole red but no mercy was provided from his side; his kicks continued.

"Wake up, I said!" He jabbed my throat making me cough.

"Finally awake?" He squatted down to my level- there was a crinkle on his face as if I was some sort of filth to his eyes.

"Wh-why?" This was all I was able to muster before he kicked me again.

"Why you ask?" He sneered before probing my face with his toe. "Do you deserve the answer? I think not."

'Do I not?' A growl was articulated by my throat that came out as some muffled sob. He scoffed at it and grabbed me by my tresses. Dragging me through my hair, he mobbed the floor with my blood disregarding my whimpers and whines of our daughter who was now clinging to my leg- sobbing at our misery.

I hardly got any chance to protest before Urjit stopped. His hold loosened and for once I thought he would listen to me, rethink his action but this was not the case.

"You, Queen Vijetri are convicted of cheating your king, establishing relationships with several men and your inadequate trials to provide an heir, I bestow you with capital punishment of death. On your behalf, I henceforth appoint Devi Nirmala as my queen and Kumari Bhumija is relieved from her title of a princess too due to her lack of connection to royal blood." Urjit narrated his verdict with righteousness in front of the ceremonial fire; the pyre of our love.

My blood ran cold, not only me but now my daughter too was involved in this mess; the five-year-old innocent life who had done no wrong. I wondered how could someone do something as such to his blood but then I realized- Nirmala.

How blind was I to not notice Urjit's inclination toward my friend? Since childhood we were together, she was the daughter of our prime minister but her connection to me was unprecedented. She knew my every secret, shared the same interests as me... Even my fondness for my husband.

She entered the palace as his concubine as I was deemed unfit to produce an heir for the kingdom. After various tries, I finally got Bhumi as my daughter. Things were going just fine before today- the courtyard of my brother's coronation ceremony turned into a battleground. With deceit, my entire clan was killed forth my eyes while I was clutching myself with helplessness.

'If only I was powerful enough.' I scoffed at myself.

"Is it for her?" I tried not to stutter this time and succeeded with much effort. The sword wound near my gut oozed out blood; his sword was the first to rise against me.

Urjit didn't answer, his silence spoke out loud. He was ready to destroy our small world for his precarious love; the love with the foundation of our corpses.

I broke into hysterical laughter, laughing at not just my fate but for my daughter who has to pay the price for his father's lust. I ran after a man who had his heart on someone else; expended all my life and resources for his cause and now- this state was indeed befitting for me.

"I, Rani Vijetri, daughter of Maharaja Bhairav Pashupati Rai take the oath to extract revenge from the ones behind the fall of my family. I would make everyone pay- for their sins." With this as my last words, I jumped into the flames.

The last thing I saw was the hatred in the eyes of my amour and the teary face of my daughter who was pushed into the same flame by the man bearing my current despise.

My snow-white skin turned black as soon as getting caressed by the amber and brought a plentitude of pain to my senses. It scorched me, burning out life from my body. I tried to scream but the smoke of my burnt flesh choked me and my knees gave up.

It felt like an eternity for the darkness to get to reach me but when it was there, I finally felt peace. The sheer darkness calmed me, I felt salve being applied to my burns.

'Is this afterlife?' I mused but it was not the case. A hand shook me awake followed by a voice that brought back hatred coursing into my veins.

"Rajkumari, wake up." She called again but the only thing I wanted to do now was to claw out her tongue.

I tried to open my eyes but it was all in vain, darkness soon embraced me again, rendering all of my senses; putting them back to sleep.

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I floated in the obscurity for a long time, it was not just darkness but my life being played around me several times.

It held every minute detail, every step I took; both right and wrong. At first, I was confused then a voice whispered in the expanse.

"Do you want a second chance?"

❁┈┈┈❅ ⋞〈 ✿ 〉⋟ ❅┈┈┈❁

Maharaja- King
Rani- Queen

❁┈┈┈❅ ⋞〈 ✿ 〉⋟ ❅┈┈┈❁

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