Aradhya ||Indian historical fiction||

35| A MOMENT

Everyone gathered at the execution place. Vihaan sat on his seat, and Rihit stood beside him watching over the crowd. People seemed very interested in seeing their offenders die. Aradhya and Nandini too stood along Vihaan on a raised stage.

Aagneya, Chaya and Tamasvini were all brought to the podium where three nooses hung from a raised bar. All the three had their faces strung with fear.

Vihaan nodded to the executor. The three were made to stand on a wooden desk and the nooses were put around their necks. Their faces were covered with black clothes to avoid the alarming sight of their faces while they get strangled.

Vihaan glanced at Aradhya and found her breathing erratic. Her fingers shivered. They twitched at her side. Her brows were concerned too.

"Aradhya... it's your call." Vihaan suggested, "They are your offenders"

Aradhya shot him a panicked gaze, "They are your offenders as much as they are mine. You are the king. You do what you are supposed to do."

"Are you sure?" Vihaan asked straight out of concern.

They were Aradhya's family. Yes, they were abusive to her, were unkind to her but still, they meant something to her. They rose her up to be who she was. They provided for her for nineteen years. Even if she didn't care about Chaya or Tamasvini, Aagneya...she held a soft spot for him.

Aradhya, with a shivering breath, nodded to Vihaan. Vihaan sighed and gestured once again. Grunts and screams filled the aura.

Aradhya closed her eyes. She turned away from the scene. Her lungs started to give out. Tears welled up in her eyes but she knew that deep down she shouldn't regret this. Her throat started closing up. Aradhya hid her face behind her hands.

She felt two pairs of gentle arms wrap around her. Nandini and Chavi embraced Aradhya giving her even the smallest hint of comfort they could. Vihaan and Rihit watched over her going through a rough patch.

Aradhya closed her ears, getting trauma pulled up on her by the grunts of the people who struggled for breath. As the sounds subsided and everyone else cheered a tear or two left Aradhya's eyes.

The execution was done.

. . . .

It had been a few days after the incident. Aradhya had let go of all the pain in her head. She was back to normal. She found herself wearing royal clothes again. It was unusual, to say the least. It was already unfamiliar to her.

The well-done attires, beautiful silks, gem-studded jewellery, and opulent ornaments all felt very foreign to her. She had been away for seventeen years so it was meant to happen. She initially refused all the favours but later gave in as Acharya Chitrabhanu, Nandini and even Darsh insisted.

She still was the same. Jet black hair, murky brown eyes, beautiful features and beautiful form but a mark of her struggles, a scar rested at her gut. She was proud of it. It reminded her that she was stronger than anyone she had met. It told her that no issue was bigger than her strength.

The door was pushed open and Aradhya looked back. It was Vihaan. He looked at her and was surprised. Not that he didn't want to see her like that but because he didn't expect it.

He walked in slowly taking in the old Aradhya he knew. Just by her face. He knew he couldn't have the old personality of Aradhya back. Looking at her in royal clothing again lightened his guilt.

"Why are you here?" Aradhya asked.

"Uh...Gaurang wanted to ask you something. About the outcasts." Vihaan awkwardly replied.