Krishnaa~The Princess In Making ✔(To Be Edited)

54: Painful Sacrifice

Krishnaa took a step towards the crown. It was a magical moment. The crown lured her towards it. She took another step closer, when a muscular arm went around her neck, strangling her.

Her eyes widened and she struggled to breath. She flayed her arms and legs, trying to get out of the person's iron grip, but was not successful.
The person dragged her down and threw her to the ground.
She coughed violently, trying to catch her breath.
She raised her head to look at the person. Duryodhan.

Her eyes widened. Yuraj Duryodhan. Parth's cousin. Was he the one behind all this?
Duryodhan looked down at her menacingly.
Krishnaa struggled to get on her feet. She can't let him succeed.

She unstrapped her knife and gathered all her strength before lunging at him. But Duryodhan was quick. He pulled out a sword and slashed her face.

Krishnaa tried not to scream as she cupped her face. She lowered her hands to see them covered in blood. She gasped for air. She was already weak and tired, making it easy for Duryodhan to injure her.

He attacked her again with his sword. Now there was a huge wound on her side.
He attacked her a few more times. Krishnaa was losing blood fast. She wasn't going to make it out alive.
She knew that. But she won't go down without a fight.

Adrenaline pulsed through her as she attacked Duryodhan violently, injuring him.
She gave a satisfied smile, looking at his blood stained angvastra.

But this infuriated Duryodhan further. Angry, he lunged at her, slamming her head against a rock.
Krishnaa felt an excruciating pain. Her vision blurred. She had hit her head really badly.
Perhaps even cracked her skull, but she wasn't sure.

She was not aware of anything, except her pain.
She coughed and blood spilled from her mouth, staining her clothes.
Duryodhan pinned her to the ground, his hands wrapping around her throat, strangling her again.
This was pure torture. She struggled against him, but wasn't strong enough.

From the periphery of her vision, she saw another man, limping towards the crown. She has to stop him.
Her palms fisted around sand. She threw the sand in Duryodhan's eyes. He cried out in pain and taking advantage of it, she pushed him off her.

She slowly stood up. There was no way she could reach the crown before the limping man. She did the best thing she could think of.
She grabbed her other knife and threw it at the man. The knife lodged itself in the man's leg.
He let out a cry in pain, before falling on the floor.

She walked as fast as she could, stumbling in the process, before she reached the crown.
Energy pulsated through her as hands held the crown.
She had regained some if her strength. She sighed in relief. It felt different. She felt different.

Meanwhile, Duryodhan regained his strength and let out an angry cry. His voice brought her back to reality. She gulped.
Functioning mostly on impulse, she did the only thing that she could think of. She held the crown close to her chest and ran as fast as she could.

She ran through the passages, not knowing where she was going.
There were several twists, turns and upward slopes. She was losing her energy.
She was tired and drained out. She had no hopes left of survival, but still, she ran.

She halted and stumbled as she found herself at the edge of a cliff.
She panted, catching her breath. She looked down. It was a steep cliff.
She was very high up. She looked down to see a lot of greenery. Dense trees and a fast flowing river.

She heard heavy footsteps. Duryodhan has to be nearby. She looked behind, before looking ahead of her.
She closed her eyes, tired.
The image of Panchal flashed through her mind.
The image of Mata Kunti and Pita Pandu's room flashed through her mind.

She opened her eyes again. No. She couldn't give up now.
She heard the heavy footsteps approaching her. The heart beat quickened.
She looked down at the crown in determination.

This belongs to only one person. If she doesn't get it, no one else should. Krishnaa took a deep breath.
The savior of Aryavrat will come one day, but right now, protecting the land was her responsibility.
The person who truly deserves the crown, shall find it, no matter what.

She felt a presence behind her. She knew that Duryodhan was right there. Behind her. Ready to attack again. There was only one way.
Without a second thought, Krishnaa threw the crown off the cliff.

"NOO!", Duryodhan yelled as ran towards the cliff, watching the crown fall into the depths of the fast flowing river.
He turned to look at her with anger and terror in his eyes. Krishnaa gave him a smug look. She didn't let him succeed.

Krishnaa collapsed on the ground. All of a sudden, she was aware of the pain she was going through, of the injuries that her body had sustained.
She knew that she isn't going to survive this.
But she wasn't sad. She had fulfilled her duty. She wouldn't die in vain. She wouldn't die for nothing. Even in those moments, she felt a sense of pride.

Her entire life flashed in front of her eyes. Her Mata-Pita, Kanha, Bhrata Drishtdyumn, Mata Kunti Pitashree Pandu and finally Parth.
She smiled remembering all moments of her life with him. She loved him the most and always will.

Their journey had come to an end, but she knew that even in death, she would always be with him.
She had made him proud.

Black spots danced in front of her eyes.
'Ma', her heart only wished to see her mother. 'We shall finally meet again.'

The last thing she saw was a bright light, before the darkness consumed her.

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Ok. This was an intense chapter.