Tathya sneaks into Aadrika's room to find out if it was her who he saw in the depths of the forest. He senses a movement behind an ornate wooden panel that divides the chamber. He walks towards it to hear the gentle clang of a metal landing on something. His heart leaps and his breath catches in his throat as he watches Aadrika undress with her back towards him, the smooth silks pooling down at her feet and she stepping out of it while her anklets jingle ever so gently. The moonlight descends and wraps her beautifully, edging her delicate curves with pliable shadows that change with every breath, the weight of the ornaments grazing her body, sliding off as she catches them and places them in a beaten up brass plate. The locks of her hair tumble down in waves as she unhooks the jewel holding it up in a swift move. Her hair cascading her body perfectly, falls just above her rounded hips. Her beauty captures his heart, his throat dries up as desire shoots down his spine. He turns to leave the room but his feet seem heavy. He feels like reaching and touching her ivory skin, holding her in an embrace, with a wisp of her hair trailing the contours of his face, he wanted to inhale her scent and kiss the edge of her ear to watch her nuzzle into him. He wanted to do so much more with what he was feeling but all he could do now was turn and walk away. He shut his eyes as if he was trying to shut out the thoughts he was having but he couldn't. Why was he feeling this way he thought and wondered if she thought about him as well. The long corridors of the palace seemed lonely and seem to mock him as he paced.
The dawn descends like a mute spectator bringing bloody colors and terrifying news to the longing corridors of the royal palace.
"Please save us oh lord from this deadly beast that clawed my brother to a painful death. Only you can bring him justice my king." Says a poor man limping towards the throne of the benevolent king.
"Fear not peasant, you have my word that you will be protected, now tell me what you saw." The king assured.
"I heard a very painful scream, by the time I could go there... I saw him foaming around the mouth and the only thing that was present and indicated the presence of the beast was the claw marks." Said the limping man to the king and the members of his court.
"This is poison... He was poisoned.." exclaimed one of the ministers in the room.
"It well could be a beast." Claimed another.
"No, no it has got to be the poisoned one that we were warned about." Said another.
"We shall investigate this matter immediately." Assured the king.
Worry showed up as knotted brows on his otherwise pleasant face.
"Where did this happen and did you hear anything else?" Asked the king.
"We were out in the forest for wood and meat my lord and I was just picking logs when I heard my brother's scream and rushed to his aid. He was on the ground writhing in pain and the foaming in his mouth and I tried to see quickly if anything or anyone was nearby but there was nobody... But I think I heard the jingle of anklets my lord.. I'm not sure. I was very scared and I could have been imagining things. I could have saved my brother if there was an antidote or if I had at least known what had bitten him my lord. It was too late.. it was too late, the poison was very quick and powerful." He said and looked down.
Tathya looked at his Mahamanthri (main minister) worriedly and he nodded his head.
The figure in the forest and now this incident had gotten king Tathya worried for his men and the kingdom.
It was time to summon the Devaguru and get to know about the poisoned one and the darkness looming over the kingdom.
The king wearing a silk dhothi and a covering walked to the middle of the river at the time of the twilight to sit cross legged on a rock and closed his eyes with chinna mudra and started to summon the Devaguru using the manthra he given to do so. Dark clouds gathered, there was thunder and lightning followed by heavy showers but no sign of the Devaguru. King Tathya didn't waver, he sat in the rain as Aadrika watched from her chambers. The relentless rain beat against his muscular body. The cold icy feeling coursed his entire body but he did not allow fear to grip his heart. He had a strong resolve to protect his people and mere rain would not stop him for sure. Aadrika felt a sense of admiration for a fleeting moment but she gathered herself again. She was wavering from her goals. She was confused about her feelings and what was right and what was wrong, she knew nothing about. She wanted to believe what she was condition to think and act but her heart was fighting. It was fighting with her head, for the first time she was questioning her beliefs and the stories she had heard. Was king Tathya really the monster or was it her godmother? she was torn.
Her body trembled and she winced for her need was great, she twitched and turned as fire coursed through her being. She shivered and shook uncontrollably as she searched for her bag. With great difficulty she had her maid bring her one, it was her need, without which she would not survive, it was what kept her awake through the nights, it was her curse, it was her boon, it was what set her being ablaze. It was her need. She found it slithering around and bringing its hood to her face, she sticks out her tongue for it to bite and the cobra hisses and lunges to take the bait. Her body burns as the venom spreads, she arches and her eyes roll backwards as the pain is excruciating but it was the only way she could survive because once anyone was habituated to these poisons one could not live without them, their bodies needed them like air, it was the only way they could live another day. They lived so that they could some day kill.
