The Delphic Emir

The Satan's Havoc

Author's POV:

The former King of the Arka, Swadesh Oberai looked at the current Queen of Arka whose face emits peace and serenity.

" He had seen his mother die, dear Queen, he won't let you have the same fate." Swadesh Oberai whispered reading the same book for the nth time. The seconds ticked and Karthik's hopes vanished. As the last option, he called his security team and asked for them to search for the Queen.

Urgency echoed in his voice as he instructed them to encircle the majestic structure, leaving no stone unturned in their quest to find their missing Queen. His concern for Diya, painted a vivid picture on his face as he directed the search operation.

In the heart of the palace, Karthik found solace in the living room. With closed eyes, he delved into the depths of his thoughts, envisioning the image of Diya. Her name echoed in his mind like a sweet melody, creating an atmosphere of anticipation and concern. The secret chamber held the key to the mystery, cradling Diya in a serene slumber unbeknownst to the chaos unfolding outside. The security team, following Karthik's orders, meticulously combed through the Eastern wing of the palace. The air was pregnant with suspense, each step resonating with the collective heartbeat of the searchers. In the dusty corridors, a discovery was made, the unmistakable footprints of someone mysterious. The revelation sent ripples of excitement through the team, and they promptly reported their findings to Karthik.

Reacting swiftly to the news, Karthik's curiosity ignited like a flame. He raced towards the Eastern wing, the gravity of the situation etched on his face. The dimly lit corridors seemed to hold the secrets of Diya's whereabouts, and with each step, the tension mounted. The footprints served as a breadcrumb trail, leading Karthik deeper into the labyrinth of the palace, unravelling a mystery that held the key to the location of his sleeping Queen.

While on the other side, Diya woke up from her 3-hour slumber and searched for some water. She saw a hand offering her a glass of water and looked at it to see it was Karthik's grandfather.

" Take it dear." Swaraj smiled passing her a glass of water.

" Thank you but I don't take anything offered by strangers." She passed him a gentle smile while her throat dried.

" I pity the situation you are in my Young Queen. I don't know what destiny had put you through that you are not even eating or drinking anything that I'm giving." Swaraj said sadly and Diya looked hurt by his words.

" I'm scared because your grandson made me realise that I shouldn't take anything to feed myself that he gives, let alone the strangers." She whispered venom spitting her tone. Swaraj was taken aback hearing her tone. He was now so sure that Karthik must have done something that put this innocent one's life at stake.

"OK, you can freshen up there. The bathroom is where you find when you go straight and turn right." Swaraj said and Diya got down from the bed, just like a baby Kangaroo out of the Mama Kangaroo's pocket. She rushed to the washroom and cleaned her mouth. She washed her face and smelled her underarms making a disgusting face.

" What do I do with this smell? How can I go in front of the former King of Arka smelling like a gutter?" Diya questioned herself jumping in front of the mirror. She looked around and found nothing except some Bengal gram flour which Swadesh Oberai must be using to bathe.

" Are you gonna come out or not Queen Diya?" Diya heard Swadesh's voice and cursed herself for taking so long for nothing.

She peeked from the bathroom door which looked old and majestic and had the tales of the forests on it in the form of intrications. Once she saw that he was on the sofa away from the bed, she ran to the bed and covered herself with the duvet.