𝐀𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚 : 𝐸𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠

~🥀 Bound by His Will 🥀~

💗

As the door shut behind him, Haseena exhaled shakily, her body trembling with the weight of her emotions. She slid down the wall, pulling her knees close to her chest as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Her gaze was fixed on nothing in particular, her mind replaying the chaos of the last 24 hours.

She couldn’t fathom how drastically her life had changed overnight. Just last evening, she had been in her room, drained from the cultural programme of the day, still in the outfit she had worn for the event. She had been too exhausted to care about the missing anklet she had lost during the Durga Puja celebrations in Patliputr. Her thoughts had been on her friends, on the simplicity of her village life, on everything that felt so normal.

And then, she had felt it—a shadowy presence behind her. Before she could react, she had been snatched away, her world plunged into darkness. When she awoke, it was in a place she didn’t recognize, with people she didn’t know. But the one face that now dominated her thoughts was his. The man who had turned her life upside down—the King of Patliputr, Anubhav Singh Yadhuvanshi.

Her heart ached as she recalled his declaration earlier that day: “Aap hamare hain.” The words echoed in her mind, making her shiver. Why would a man like him—a king, wealthy, powerful, and feared—be interested in her? She was no one special. A simple village girl with brown skin and modest features. She wasn’t rich or influential; she had no connections, no background that could justify his obsession.

No, there was a deeper reason behind all this, and she knew it wasn’t a good one. Her instincts screamed that she couldn’t trust him. Rich men like him only saw others as pawns in their games. She had to find a way to escape and get back to her mother, to her life, before it was too late.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. Meera entered cautiously, her expression uncertain. “Malik Madam, Rana sa ne aapko neeche bhojan ke liye bulaya hai.”

Haseena sat up, her tear-streaked face resolute. “Hum kahin nahi ja rahe, Meera. Hume bas apne ghar wapas jaana hai. Yeh sab bas... galat hai.”

Meera hesitated, her hands nervously twisting the edge of her dupatta. “Lekin... Rana sa ke hukum...”

“Hum yahan se kahin nahi jaayenge,” Haseena said firmly, her voice trembling with suppressed frustration.

Meera swallowed hard, her face pale with fear. “Hum Rana sa ko batate hain,” she murmured before retreating from the room.

Downstairs, Anubhav was seated in the grand dining hall, still in his suit from the day’s court proceedings. His sharp eyes flickered to Meera as she approached, her trembling figure betraying her nervousness.

“Kya baat hai, Meera?” he asked, his tone calm but laced with authority.

Meera bowed her head, her voice faltering. “Rana sa... Malik Madam neeche aane se mana kar rahi hain. Unhone kaha... unhe bhook nahi hai.”

The calm mask on Anubhav’s face cracked ever so slightly, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. Without a word, he stood and ascended the stairs, his footsteps heavy and deliberate.

When he entered the room, he found Haseena lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, her face marked with defiance. She didn’t even flinch at his presence, her silence daring him to speak first.

Anubhav stepped closer, his towering presence filling the room. “Chaliye neeche,” he said, his voice calm but commanding.

Haseena didn’t move, didn’t even look at him.

“I don’t like repeating myself,” he said, his tone dangerously soft, the edge in his voice enough to make anyone shiver.

But she remained motionless, her quiet defiance speaking louder than any words could.