You and I - a pranushka tale

chapter fourteen

It was when they were going to leave that it happened.

The family gathered their items and were preparing to go home from the temple later that day. Mithrah hurriedly ate the remains of her prasatham not wanting to throw any away. She noticed Prabhas watch her with his nose scrunched up. With her mouth full, she cocked her head with a glare before focusing on her little bowl again.

He was tempted to reach forward and grab it out of her hand to annoy her, but before he could, the sound of someone screaming in agony ripped through the air. Immediately, Prabhas and Rana looked around to see where the sound came from.

Not so far away, a group of armed rowdies stampeded their way in. They were hurting whoever interfered in their way and it was clear the men had one target. Veeraiyandi. With inhumane snarls, they fast approached them. Prabhas turned to look at Mithrah.

"Take your family and go."

Her head snapped towards him. "What?"

"Mithrah, don't argue now. Go." He repeated watching the men come closer. The crowd began to flee in all directions in fear of the inevitable fight that was going to happen. There was already blood on the floor and the sound of screams steadily increased.

Rana nodded without looking back at her. "Gather everyone else and go Mithrah. Especially father. Now."

Mithrah wanted nothing more than to stay but she knew he was right. She had to ensure everyone left. The guards had begun to stand around the family in a protective stance as they drew their weapons out. They handed Prabhas and Rana knives as the two walked towards the front ready to pounce.

Mithrah turned to her family to see all the elder men prepare to fight. She didn't let them take a step further and ordered them to stay with their family. Authority was in her blood as it was in Rana's. Not wanting to disobey they all listened to her.

"We need to make our way out through the rear entrance." She said, nodding at the guards who were standing with them. There were sounds of disagreement but the unwavering power radiating from her left them with no choice but to make their way out. Mithrah managed to slip away from her family and turned around to see a moment of no movement between the two groups of men. A calm before the storm.

Then it started.

A large man ran towards Prabhas with his curved knife raised upwards. Mithrah felt worry rise within her. But Prabhas took his own knife and swung hard, causing the man to fall to the floor. Eyes wide, she watched more thugs run forward to attack. The two groups of men collided as the sound of knives hitting each other filled the air.

Almost everyone else had managed to leave the temple. But Mithrah and Veeraiyandi who also stayed behind. Mithrah was too involved in watching Rana and Prabhas in the middle of it all to ensure her father left. But even if she didn't notice his presence, the rowdies did.

Mithrah had seen her brother fight before and was used to his hard swings and methods of attacking. What she wasn't expecting were Prabhas' agile movements and calculated steps. There was an accuracy in every swing and stealth in how he caused his enemy to fall. He appeared as a predator in its natural habitat. She stared speechlessly as did Veeraiyandi. Veeraiyandi was never one to stay away from a fight but he remained on the spot as he watched the two young men battle as if this was their only purpose.

In their distraction, a rowdy had circled around to attack them from behind. However, Veeraiyandi had caught the large man just before he could hurt him and knocked the knife out of his hand before kicking him into the ground. Veeraiyandi then took a hold of the knife and swung hard, showing how age didn't affect the way he fought.

A guard then tried to take Mithrah away but she resisted. She couldn't leave. The guard looked at her with a worried expression. "You have to leave-"

"Let her stay." Veeraiyandi said. He had watched his daughter's expression for a while and he knew where she wanted to be. With knowing eyes he nodded at her. "Stay. But stay hidden."

The guard looked torn knowing he was ordered to get her out but he couldn't disobey Veeraiyandi. The men joined the fight as 8she hid behind a pillar and watched, her heart in a frenzy as she murmured a quick prayer for their safety.

Prabhas was fighting the closest to where she was.

He fought with an uncontrollable surge of anger within him. The need to protect was ringing clear in his mind as he slashed his knife through another man. One of the rowdies ran towards him speedily as Prabhas stretched his hand forward and grabbed the man's neck. In a fleeting second where he raised his knife, his eyes caught sight of a saree. The colour of the saree he was looking at all day. His anger was immediately replaced with shock as he looked at her, his grip loosening on the man's neck. In that moment the rowdy managed to push him away and swing his knife up, slashing at Prabhas' arm.

Colour drained from Mithrah's face as she saw the blood began to seep through his shirt. She felt her eyes tear up, knowing it was her fault that he was momentarily distracted. A loud thunder struck above them before rain fell down hard. Prabhas brought his knife and slashed the man, causing him to drop to the floor before he gestured Mithrah to stay hidden.

She nodded and looked at her brother, who was steadily fighting off whichever men that remained before her eyes returned back to Prabhas. She watched as they both stood together fighting the rowdies before the last couple turned to run away. Veeraiyandi grabbed one and pulled the rowdy close to him.

"Bhavani foolishly dared to come near my family in our temple." He spat in anger. "We don't like uninvited visitors. He is fuelling a war that should have been left alone. Tell him to watch his back." He threatened menacingly before letting go, allowing the man to run out.