At times, life makes us face weird circumstances, some that we expect, some we never do.

As I ran deeper in the forest, I experienced such a scenario too. The words of Yudhishthir Kuruvanshi flayed deep in my heart.

Poisoning my veins with an agony, that spread through me burning me from within.

Like someone had struck a match stick in a well filled with kerosene, that had later combusted in flames.

Ruining my heart and my soul. Leaving it to mere husk.

Why did the words of an unknown prince matter so much to me? What right did he have to make me feel that?

What was my relationship with him?

Nothing.

We were strangers.

I knew this fact, yet I found myself running away from him, in this deep dark forest.

Away from him and his distrust.

Those dark eyes gazing down at me with such hardness, flashed in my heart.

It hurt.

Like a dagger that was stuck in my chest, making it bleed, slow.

I hated him for making me feel this, and more than that I hated myself.

I hated these tears that trekked down my cheeks.

I hated everything!

A scream tore through my lips, howling in agony that torched me.

Like a wolf crying to the moon.

It wasn't just the prince of hastinapur that hurt me. But the bottled pain.

The pain of my parents' rejection, of never belonging, of never really being loved.

What was I thinking?

Running away from my father, to here. Did I really expect someone to accept me?

A teary chuckle sneaked out of my lips, how stupid was I?

All I achieved coming here was pain, damaging my heart in the process and my soul.

Agony blasted on the side of my face, the world tilted at its axis, as I slammed against the dirt floor.

The world swarmed with a deep ache throbbing on the side of my face, as a loud 'zing' sound filled my ears.

For those few moments, all that existed was pain. The gut-wrenching agony that pulsed with each beat on the side of my face.

The world came back into focus, I forced myself to blink. To do something.

But my body felt too heavy, I grunted, forcing my lungs to breath.

"Tsk, tsk tsk, poor little thing. No one told you to not move alone in the forest? How foolish are you?" A gruff male voice penetrated through the fog of ache that surrounded me.

The voice sounded distant, like I was under the water, as he spoke.

Feet crunched around me, I tried to move. Terror sunk its sharp talons, cutting through all the defences.

But the pounding ache in my head, stopped me from moving.

I could hear multiple footsteps moving around and the panic clutched my throat.

Oh god! Who were these people.

Dark spots dances on the corner of my vision. Their voices echoed, slowly fading, as though I drowning.

And maybe I was. . .

A loud chuckle filled the air, the malicious evil sound of it, sent gooseflesh zinging through my body, it was the last thing I heard, before darkness pulled me in its embrace.

****

"Dhriti."

Nakul walked in the tent; he has looked all over the camp but the girl was nowhere to be found.

"Where the heck did, she go?" Bheem wondered, worry churning in his stomach.

He hadn't seen her once since the afternoon.

Fear slowly snaked in their hearts, as their eyes met.

"She wouldn't have run in the forest, would she?"

They said together.

Terror clutched their hearts as the duo bolted out of the tent and towards their oldest brother.

Yudhishthir looked up from where he sat going over their maps, Arjun and Sehdev flanking him on either side.

"We need to search the forest!" A panicked Nakul blurted.

"What?" Arjun asked looking confused.

"Why?" Sehdev echoed the question on their mind.

"Dhriti-"

"Now, what did she do?" Yudhishthir asked sighing, he really hated shouting at her.

The guilt was just too heavy, and that feeling of nausea just kept churning deep in his gut.

"She's missing!" Bheem shouted, terror masking his features.

The oxygen seemed to be stolen from the tent, the trio's breath leaving in a gasp, Sehdev stumbled back. Arjun froze.

"What the hell do you mean she's missing?" Hissed the eldest son of Pandu, his voice was deadly calm, the underlying lava of fury was ready to burn everything.

It was like Drau was taken away from them all over again.

The nightmare was on repeat.

"We can't find her. We searched everywhere." The eldest son of Madri explained, unease fluttering in his brown orbs had Yudhishthir moving.

"Sehdev accompany Arjun to the one side of the forest. Take some men with you." He commanded, his voice losing every last of emotions, even though his heart beat crazily.

"Bheem, you are with me. And Nakul stay back. In case she comes back, I want to know."

His voice left no room for argument, as the four nodded, bolting out of the tent.

A dark cloud seemed to hover around the eldest Kuruvanshi, his thoughts moving back to Dhriti.

The crestfallen look on her face, it flayed his heart.

"We'll find her." Bheem said firmly, assuring more himself, than his brother.

That silly girl! Where could she have left?

He should have known! He should have been there! He failed Drau once, what if he fails...

No! He won't!

He will find her.

Determination pumped through his veins, he gazed around the place, like suddenly she'll appear smiling, and chattering nonsensically about all the things that he didn't care much for, but listened because he loved to hear her voice.

Nakul moved out of the tent, his hands fisting. Worry boiled in his gut, he hated that he had to stay back.

But it was important.

What if she returned or that something important happened.

He walked out, his eyes focused on the guard opposite to him.

"I want to know the moment she has been found." Yudhishthir stated, emotions evaporated from his voice as he walked out, their quest for Dhriti beginning.

Minutes turned to hours, and with each second Yudhisthir's heart burned, the sun had set, and the fear had become now a tangible monster breathing in him.

His soldiers had spread throughout the forest, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Where are you Dhri?" Bheem mumbled to himself, moving through the thick forest using his lamp to look around.

"Your highness! We found something!" A soldier shouted as the pandav brothers rushed towards the sound.

A soldier kneeled on the floor, the flames lightened the area, as he pointed at the blood-soaked ground, and an earring, an earring that the duo knew all too well.

A wooden stump lay on the material, Yudhisthir slowed down taking the lamp from the soldier's hand, his mind whirred as he looked around, the evidences screaming at him, retelling the haunted story, that he never ever imagined he'd relive.

He casted the flames around, and he could almost see her stumbling through the forest, a piece of her odhni stuck in the tree, he lifted the piece, his gaze further moving as he could see her fall, a large wooden stump thrown at the side, coated with a deep crimson blood.

The marks on mud of someone being dragged. His jaw set, fury burning deep in his gut.

He clenched his fists as he turned to his brother, "I want that person found and dead by tomorrow morning. Tear him with your bear hands if you have to, do whatever but I want Dhriti found." He didn't shout but the words sent chill down the soldiers' spine.

The madness that glinted through the eyes of the eldest son of Pandu, spoke of destruction, one so dangerous and lethal that demanded the death of all. . .

***

It felt as though someone was pounding her head, her eyes felt too heavy, like boulders wee weighing her eyes down. She tried to open them but there was nothing that she could do, it all felt too far.

"Your highness, she's here." She felt herself being moved, and slowly being lowered, softness greeted her hard body.

"What the fuck have you done to her?" A very familiar and angry voice roared. Making her jolt back to reality, was that her...father? She wasn't so sure.

"What choice did I have, I gave you one task of handling her and you couldn't even do that. You bloody wanted the revenge on Padavas' and I made that possible, they have been miserable. But you almost gave them their happiness back!" The unknown manly voice shouted.

"I didn't know when this brat slipped away!" Her father said softly.

"Either you better buckle up or I take her away..."

"NO! The revenge on Pandavas' will be mine! I will watch them die." He almost sounded demented, a chill ran down Dhriti's back, fear churning in her stomach.

"Marry her off to some other family or you better kill her. If the Pandavas got to know the truth, we'll all be dead. And why have you stopped giving her those medicines?" The unknown voice asked, she could hear him pacing, almost agitated.

"Because she was getting too sick, always tired and in pain." Her father grumbled.

"Are you developing a soft spot for her? Huh?! Did you fucking forget that she cannot remember! Did you forget what the Pandavas did to you and daughters?! If she remembered everything, we have worked for will be over. Everything!" The unknown voice roared, she heard something shattering, maybe a vase. She wasn't certain.

"I haven't forgotten anything." Her father's gruff voice webbed through the place, it dripped of the poison of hatred and wrath.

"This is the last fucking chance you have." The second voice hissed at his father, before the was door slammed hard against its frame.

She could feel his eyes on her, fear pulsing through her veins, "You should have done what you were told to do. This fucking mess is all your fault, but one sip of this medicine and you'll be forgetting your little adventure once again."

The malicious glee was apparent in his words, she felt his thick rough fingers prying her mouth open, she tired to move, panic rose in her throat making her burn, she wanted to shout, to scream, to do something.

But her voice stayed trapped in her throat, a thick slurry liquid was poured down her lips, its acidic taste, had her nearly throwing up, he poured it down her throat, she could feel it move down her body, almost burning her from within.

A heaviness seeped in her bones, as the reality around her began to fade, she wanted to move, to run away, a tear traced down the corner of her eyes, as the world around her once again faded into the darkness. . .

****

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****

Hey Everyone! 

I am sorry about the long wait, there has been a lot of things happening in my life.  My cousin has been diagnosed with cancer, so it has been a difficult journey so far. 

Anyways, I hope you all are doing well. 

Take care. 

Love, 

Nick.