Give It Another Chance

Treaty for love - 3

Nandini moves back, closer to Nisha, her hand palms Nisha's fist clutching sword. Nisha looked back at her princess whose eyes were trained on Chandra. She knew that Nandini suspects him. She handed over her sword to Nandini.

Nandini gripped the hilt of the sword tightly. She has to do this for her people, before its too late. The enemy is ready to attack, to slaughter her people. Why? Because they want to expand their territories, at the cost of the blood of innocent lives. Chandra looked back at Nandini's face and then his eyes swept on her hand, gripping the sword like a warrior. Villagers don't have swords. As far as I know, they don't know how to fight. That means.....

Nandini lunged forward with her sword, straight for his neck. Chandra ducked just in time and rolled out of the small cottage. His hands went to his lower abdomen on left side, where his sword would have been present, if not for his disguise. Nandini's sword came down with another powerful blow and he managed to dodge it by few inches. The only advantage he had was that Nandini was holding a heavy, battle sword, while he was light so his movements were relatively more swift and fast. "Stop..... I " No use. He looked back at her determined and fierce eyes. It would be a matter of seconds before my head will also roll down this ground.

Chandra had a burning poison, that could burn her soft skin to complete ashes but he didn't want to use that. For a fleeting second, he wanted to show it to her to confirm his suspicions. If she is so efficient with the military moves, she will recognise it. In Sujanpur, women were meant to stay dolled up elegantly within the castle walls, and the common people had no chance in even lifting a sword.

Extreme annoyance and irritation coursed through Nandini at his flawless movements. He is trained in combat as well. They should have given him something to protect himself in such condition, if he is a spy. "Stop, please." Her sword gave him a deep cut on his arm. An inch closer, his hand would have been off. Chandra registered uneasily. "Girl..... Why are you attacking me." "Who are you?" "Me?....Stop." "You are a spy from enemy kingdom either surrender or I will kill you." Nandini placed her foot on his injured arm and when his other arm came up to throw her away, she drew her sword straight towards his hand to rip it off from his body. But then, she noticed both of his hands, raised in surrender. She looked into his deep grey eyes. "I surrender." He offered in gruff voice. His visage was offering a different story now, the authority of a warrior who is calculating his next move.

"Not enough! Who are you? What is your motive?" "I am from Sujanpur." Nandini smiled, moving her sword slowly towards his neck. It's sharp edges caressed Chandra's skin. "That I know."

"We were on our way to get.....to get....well something our emperor desired from Bhaleshwar and the town next to it. We are only traders." Chandra glanced at her big fat sword, nervously. Nandini pressed her sword into his neck. "Only traders, you say." She said calmly.

"Do you think I'm blind? The way......" "Please listen to me. We are well trained in swords because people like us often find robbers and as you say, in enemy kingdom we had to be more vigilant." Nandini narrowed her eyes at him. "What were you going to get for your emperor ?"

"Well.....err.... some things." "What?" Nandini pressed her sword hard, into his neck again. "Wines, drugs and aphrodisiacs." "From where?" "Eh.... Bhaleshwar?" "Tell me the exact place."

*

"Nisha, find this place and confirm his and his brother's identity from there. I want no mistake." "Ok princess. What to do with him until then? You can't tie him to tree till then. The attack has ended and villagers will soon settle again." Nandini glanced at Chandra tied up to tree and Randev standing close to him. "Oh yes, attack..... Nisha, I will write a letter to father, we need to secure this village well and eliminate these rogues. We should be ready for war as the king of Sujanpur won't take the refusal of his demands lightly and we can't deal with internal battles, right now. These groups have to be crushed. And regarding this.... Chandra, keep a close eye on him and his brother, tell our soldiers to stay guard on all exits of the village. He should not escape at any cost." "Okay princess." At the same time, Chandra looked up and their gaze met in an unknown challenge for the briefest second before Chandra averted his eyes away.
*