Avantika And Her Quest

A Worried Prince, A Dancer and a Rescue Plan

I failed to understand, why Avantika had to be late all the time. I understood that there was strict security but couldn't she just hurry up. My furious pacing was stopped when I heard someone clear their throat. It was General Suryakant, he looked annoyed.

"You know that she won't magically appear here because you cannot stop pacing. Right,?" he asked.

"I am just worried about her. She always puts herself in dangerous situations without asking anybody or telling them. I mean a warning would be nice, you know?" I said.

The General's look seemed to soften by a fraction but he still looked mad. He always looked mad at me. He was extremely protective of Avantika and he hated it when someone underestimated her strength.

He said, "you know if she did tell you that she was going to do something dangerous, you would tie her up to a pillar in the hallway, so she could not move. You treat her like she is fragile."

I glared at him, "don't pretend that you would not have done the exact same thing. You would probably keep a guard around her, just to make sure she does not escape and don't you think it's time that someone treated her with care and worried about her. Her heart has gone through enough pain, This is all her fault, she is always making me worry. If she didn't then I wouldn't have to always be worried." The General now relaxed his look and his eyes had a hint of sadness that was soon overtaken by mischief.

He looked at me and said, " I don't think she is the one who makes you worry, you do that all by yourself. Also, you might want to relax, all this worrying can make you quite ugly and wrinkly and she won't give you the time of her day, if you were ugly." I huffed and crossed my arms. I probably looked like a child sulking but anything was better than the horrid thoughts in my mind regarding Avantika's safety.

I suddenly heard a twig snap, my head whipped around with relief but then I saw that there was another woman standing there. She was beautiful, but she was not a particular swordfighter who made me worry all the time. When I came out of dreamland, I pulled out my sword and barked, "who are you?" at her. I guess I decided to abandon all the good manners my mother had tried to teach me, in my worry for Avantika.

"Calm down, pretty boy." I bristled at the comment, I had worked hard to be a warrior and just because I looked good did not mean people could judge me in any way they wanted.

"My name is Urvashi and I am..was a dancer in the court," she said. My eyes lit up in recognition, she was close to that guy, Sangharsh.

"Why aren't you still a dancer?", I asked curiously. Her face took on a look, it showed the years of pain and struggle. She whispered still with that far-away look, "because...because of a ... monster." She shook off that look and returned to the self-conceited look she usually had. She then told me," Ok, look. Before, I say anything, you have to think your options through and then react. Don't be rash." I

was mad, who did this woman think she was? I was sure that she had something to do with Avantika's absence. She started speaking in a calm, controlled manner like you speak to a wild animal, who has unpredictable behavior. But, she looked grim, that could only mean that something bad had happened, if she left the castle and put her life in danger, just to come here. She told me that Avantika had been drugged and was locked in that mad man, Sangharsh's office. I felt General Suryakant tense behind me as he heard that man's name. But, I was too busy worrying about Avantika to care. I asked Urvashi, "how did she get there? And how was our cover blown?"

She then looked at me closely, "You,...you are a prince..." I asked her my question again with more force than necessary. What could I do? I was feeling helpless and angry. She then told me everything, about the attack by Vrijji, the lost prince-Sangharsh, and the death of the king of Chetiya and how Sangharsh drugged her. By the end I was furious, "that worthless, coward. He knew he would lose in a fair battle, so he drugged her. I am going to go get him."

I got up to rush off but Urvashi stopped me. She looked at me and said with a soft look and this one surprised me, it showed a hint of pain and like she knew something I didn't. She said, "I know she needs you right now, but she would never forgive herself if you got yourself killed saving her. She needs you to think in a clear frame of mind, not in a wild rage. You have to do it for her." Her words seemed to have worked as I could think a little more clearly now and I wasn't consumed by anger. But, I was still reluctant to trust her. Something told me that I should trust her but the practical part of my brain was ringing alarm bells.

But, I needed to understand something else before all of it. I sat down and looked at the General. He looked pained and guilty. I narrowed my eyes at him, "you knew didn't you? Who this Sangharsh is?" He nodded. He then told me that he was the one who helped King Harsha escape from Vrijji and helped him win back Avanti. I sighed and said, "let's get her back." He looked at me with determined eyes and I knew I could not let him come. He had suffered a lot on his way here and with his build, he could not carry out a covert operation properly. He attracted attention everywhere he went.

So I told him, "General, this time I need your technical brilliance." He seemed to realise what I was trying to do. He looked mad at me, "that is my daughter you are talking about, you idiot! I will not rely on you to save her, I am coming with you!"

I sighed, "General, your build could pose problems for us. Also I want it to be quick. I need Urvashi to guide me to the office and I cannot just sit here, please understand." I had almost begged him, something seemed to have changed his mood and he just muttered his acceptance. I looked at Urvashi and she looked at me with this look of pained admiration. I was curious of her reactions towards me but I had other priorities at the moment. I chalked up a rough map of the palace and asked Urvashi to point out the office to me. I drew the shortest path that we would take without encountering too many soldiers.

Urvashi told me that she would take care of the soldiers. I just nodded. All I could think off was Avantika's safety. I whispered, hoping she could hear me, "I'm coming Avantika."