Ephemera- Of Fire and Ash

Strike One, Down

Give me some credit guys! I updated today again, this chapter is really emotion packed and took me a lot of time to write this and it is so good to finally have it published. This is one of the most awaited chapters I have wanted to write since the formation of Indraprasth.

It is emotion packed and please be warned if you are sensitive to female abuse and torture please don't read the warned parts of the chapter.

If you don't understand the scene or did not read it, don't worry, I have provided a short recap of the scene at the end.

This was really hard to write but with coffee and my laptop, I made it! PLEASE COMMENT AND VOTE, THIS ONE IS LIKE ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS I HAVE EVER WRITTEN.

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14 days to Yudhishthira's birthday

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Shakuni was startled when Duryodhana opened his door to him. Red-eyed and reeked of wine and it was not yet noon. He had not bathed in days and his hair was wild and unkempt, his face unwashed. He looked and smelled more like a drunken beggar than a prince. Quickly, Shakuni drew him back into his apartment and locked the door.

Abruptly, the Kaurava fell at his uncle's feet and cried, "I can't bear it anymore, Shakuni! You must help me, or I will die."

And he sobbed. Shakuni stroked Duryodhana's head and, more to hear it from the Kaurava's lips than because he did not know, he asked, "Are you ill, Duryodhana? Or is it some other sorrow?"

Duryodhana sobbed mercifully, "I am ill with sorrow!" He was fevered and panting. "I will never be well again until I see my cousins destroyed. If you really care for me, Shakuni, make me emperor of the world. Or this ravening envy will devour my life."

Shakuni took Duryodhana's hand and seemed to be lost in thought. Duryodhana hissed, "No kshatriya worth his name can bear to see his enemies prosper. It is my dharma to fight them, to tear them down. Say you will go with me, Shakuni and I will take an army to Indraprastha and bring them to my feet."

"Fighting will never help you win duryodhana, never, let me take charge." Shakuni hissed menacingly as he started to string an evil plan.

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Warning- Female abuse and torture further 

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"I- I, let him go!" She yelled as her hands were pulled back and tied with a rope hard. She bit her lip to reduce her urge for screaming in pain, every part of her wanted to pick up her sword and them all, she was a seasoned warrior, the only equal to arjun and Karna. But her one action, one wrong action would result in death of her only one.

"Let me die, run love run!" He yelled in fear as he shivered at the sword on his neck.

"What a coward, needs a girl to defend him." One of the masked men laughed as one of them grabbed a rope to tie around her waist and felt her up.

"Ah, what a slender waist." One of the men encircled his hand around her waist as she struggled in his grip but dared not move her hands. He started trailing his hand downward her waist and to her-

She suddenly kneeled him at the place where sun never shines as he fell backward clutching his groin in pain.

Another took out a whip and lashed her with it as she felt her body grow numb for a second as her body bled like never before. She felt another whip land on her. For some time, she felt the urge to let go of her lover and run away. But she would never.

Another whip landed on her back as she saw her peach gown get stained in more blood, it was as if someone was hitting her with hot iron rods.

"Come be mine! Sleep with me! Such a beauty doesn't deserve this. For every drop of the blood you spilled of our people, we want blood. You let your coward lover die and then be mine, uite with me and pay blood with your virgin blood or we kill you and then your lover." The leader laughed menacingly as he asked one of his men to forward him the whip.