अन्तः अस्ति प्रारंभः।
The end is the beginning.
A caterpillar dies, to birth a butterfly. Water evaporates to rain down. Dead carcasses fill the stomachs of vultures.Life gives way to death and death to life. In a vicious circle of different karmas...
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Mihira ran, body small and not used to such stress. Her ankle screamed at her in protest— she'd twisted it not two days ago. The packet of dryfruits she'd manage to nick was jostling in her pocket, the knife she had actually gone to steal safely tucked in her jeans.
It dug into her thigh relentlessly but she needed to cross the lake as soon as possible— the hunting dogs that they had let go on her would never leave her scent if she didn't go through, soon. They were afraid of the water and Mihira needed any advantage she could possibly have.
Shaili would be waiting for her.
(Maa only ever waited for papa. Her aunt had stopped caring for anything after Mihira's uncle was killed. Only Shaili remained, who cared. Cares. Will care.)
The bridge over the water was broken.
"Why the fuck are you testing me today, Mata?" She mumbled to herself as she heard barks getting closer and closer. She pushed up the sleeves of her tshirt and looked up at the sky. "Help me cheat, Prabhu."
Eklavya flinched when Mihira grabbed his hand harshly and that was the only thing that alerted Mihira to her violent response.
"I apologise." She said, trying to regulate her breathing,"I was...distracted."
"Are you alright, Mihira?" It was rare for him to use her name instead of some half assed named he thought up at the instant. His brows furrowed and he looked down at her in concern.
Mihira nodded jerkily, coming back to her senses. "You were saying something about the Crown Prince's birth anniversary?"
Eklavya looked extremely unconvinced at her completely lame attempt to guide the conversation to a different topic but he knew her enough to not ask questions when she was in a mood. He'd learnt the hard way that Mihira never took consecutive questions very well.
(Cement gray walls with only one light over her head. An interrogation room. Where's your father? Why did he steal that gun? Where's your uncle? Is he an accomplice?
I don't know.
We have your cousin. My officers are waiting to—
I'll tell you everything!)
"Well, yes, my father and I have been invited to the party, mainly because of my father's position and my friendship with Yuvraj. You, wild thing, are also invited. I don't know what for, I doubt you've ever seen what a party looks like." Eklavya gave her a reluctant smile, hesitantly waiting for her response to see if she was calm enough now to respond to his teasing.
Mihira's heart ached for the man who would be so forgotten by history. He did not deserve such oblivion.
She raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, which party was I supposed to attend in Chedi? The fiftieth successful assault on another small state?"
