Teardrops on Roses

CHAPTER 3

In the days that followed Monami treaded with dread at every moment that passed. She almost wished to be back  at her home. She would have been forced to marry that obsessed creep of Rohit perhaps. He was a creep but he was a fool too. She would have found some way to get away from him sooner than later. She had a bloody Harvard acceptance letter. She would have had no issue in getting a visa and escaping to America, far from Rohit and both her and his toxic families. 

But now she was stuck somewhere she saw no way out. She could not even ascertain where she was. Everyone spoke and behaved in unusual ways, as if she was altogether in some parallel universe or different timeline.  

"Monami"

She froze momentarily upon hearing her name being articulated by that one voice she despised most. But that one voice against whose owner she was completely helpless. Taking a deep breathe to compose herself, she at last turned around to face Samudra Yadu, the master of the house and the perverted moron she wished to smash the face of.

"Yes, yes Shriman?" She answered careful of her tone. The last thing she wanted to do now was offend him. He was apparently a very powerful merchant in the area and had all the influence...and she had seen this with her own eyes.

"Monami you really are a rare piece"

Momani was used to words now but this time his vile hands on the bare skin of her shoulder seemed to burn her. She shivered, her eyes darting all over the room looking for some escape, anything to defend herself; they stopped on a glass bottle. It was at her arm's reach. 

She could feel his calloused palms roving up and down her hands but when they reached a little too close to her breasts she could take it no more and grabbing the bottle in her hand she aimed with all her might. But just as her luck would have it, she missed the pervert by an inch. 

If glares could kill, the dark anger that was visible in his eyes after that would have certainly stopped her breathes then and there. But the slaps she received following that little rebellion of hers crushed her soul more than ever before.

Wiping away a drop of sweat from her forehead as she recalled the memory, she waited with baited breathes as Samudra walked towards her, his steps slow but angry. Her throat started to feel dry wondering what in the world he might be intending this time. 

She had even tried running away once but the soldiers calling themselves to be of Dwarka, peculiarly donned in metal armors and dhoti had caught her and returned her back to Samudra. They had stated she was his rightful property. Property. She grimaced.

 "Get ready by night, we will be leaving at brahm muhrat tomorrow"

She could see him scrunching a piece of paper inside his palm as he ordered her.  He seemed visibly irritated by it. Monami wondered what could possibly in it. Samudra gazed at her, gradually closing his face towards her. 

"You must be from the hills of east. I have heard maidens are as fair as milk there" Samudra whispered inhaling her scent.

Monami squeezed her eyes shut, fisting her hands tightly. She dared not protests anymore. Escaping horrid things were not new to her but for that she needed to be alive.

"Too bad we have to be on the move" he continued, fingering her collar bones, "My wife is returning from her maika earlier than expected... Don't worry dear, we can keep exploring each other on the way, it would be another kind of experience."

Bile rose up her throat causing her to gulp faster, his smirk and violative gaze together with his disgusting words made her stomach churn but his next words completely blew her mind.

"Hastinapur is a wonderful place. You would like it too."