The arrow sliced through air, turning silver on catching the light. Aashvi stood below, smiling with her eyes, watching the arrow rise.

She knew it would get the ball of fire soaring high in the sky before the ball was even aware of the arrow streaking towards it. This ball, like other bee hummingbird shaped balls created by her, was alert - its senses catching every nuance, even the slightest movements. But the arrow's rise mirrored the whistling wind, it's silver like a ray of sun, unexpectedly bright. Even an alert ball created by her stood no chance.

From below, Aashvi noticed the moment the arrow stuck the ball and air consumed fire. She noticed the expression of glee and utter delight that lit up Khushi's face. Khushi had finally succeeded. She had mastered the art of archery.

And Aashvi was proud of her pupil. The girl was good with her heart at the right place though she was quite impulsive too. But then again, once upon a time, they all were impulsive. The war had effectively doused some of there impulses.

Well, when the burden of dead men falls on your shoulders. It makes people slightly more responsible and careful, for each known face dead because of you. Is a great burden to bear for the rest of life.

"Aashiiiiiii, I've done it, " the excitedly hoping form of Khushi from one toe to another washed away any daunting thoughts creeping in her mind.

"Of course, you've, you're a master now," Aashvi beamed.

Khushi flushed crimson hearing the words. She looked so adorable and at moments like this how young Khushi actually was flashed painfully in front of Aashvi's eyes. Aashvi was aware, well, more than aware with how expressive Khushi was generally that Khushi considered them friends.

But they weren't friends. They couldn't be for Khushi seemed like a child to them. A child with expressive eyes, inquisitive nature, and undaunted innocence. She wasn't much aware of the dark side of the world. She wasn't brutal. She was kind and a kid.

"You're way better, " Khushi mumbled carefully and Aashvi couldn't help but smile. How to tell the girl that it had little to do with talent and more to do with practice? The war made veterans out of rookies.

"You'll be too. Now, go start the jeep. I'll come locking the office, " Aashvi informed Khushi and smiled, the way her brows furrowed giving away her internal confusion and curiosity. Didn't she say the kid was bloody expressive?

"Yeah, we are going home early today, "Aashvi said rolling her eyes and watched the way Khushi walked towards the jeep shrugging. Her celestial bow automatically turning into a metal band on her wrist with an infinity symbol.

Aashvi is a hundred percent certain Khushi was pondering whether she has mind-reading powers or not? But how to tell this kid that she is so expressive that even Arnav doesn't need to read her mind to know what she is thinking. It's not like he was reading her mind. Arnav had blocked the link. After all, they can't afford anything binding Khushi to them.

Aashvi knows Khushi has like a thousand questions. She knows the way Khushi:s face falls when they refuse to answer some of her questions. The hurt she feels when they discourage her from asking anything about the recent times. She knows Khushi has gotten a gist about the strained relation around her.

All of them know, for the girl is that bloody expressive though after Saesha's warning Khushi is trying to school her expressions. But She still can't hide much from them and Aashvi hated watching the way Khushi's face falls not getting the answers. She hated watching the kid sad.

And she hated that it has to be like that only. They can't tell the kid anything without permanently binding her to their site. They can't tell her anything without snatching away her choice. And at those times, she hates being a Queen and not a commoner. If she was a commoner, she could have told Khushi everything she wanted to know without worrying about the consequences.

She didn't have to worry about, how telling Khushi about all that could lead to the death of 50,000 or more people. She didn't need to think about everything. She could have been free and still given Khushi the choice to be in any world she wanted. But as a Queen with people to look after she couldn't. They couldn't.

It wasn't like they don't trust Khushi. They know the kid has good intentions, they could even smell it. But they didn't trust the asuras, power-hungry half-bloods, and treacherous surs roaming on this planet. They don't trust them to not torture Khushi to madness, torture her till she reveals everything not able to bear anymore.

They didn't trust them to not use mages on Khushi to know whether she knows about the current scenarios. And if, Khushi doesn't know she can't tell them about it right. They can't read it or torture it out from her.

Aashvi might sound very uncaring and cold right now, but she has seen people turned to empty bodies after torture. And if Khushi knows about the present scenarios then they can't let her walk out of this world ever. At moments like this, she thinks their decision about Khushi the moment they found out about her condition was right.

They should have decided her fate. They should have told her there was no other option for her. They should have groomed her to be the warden of air clans. A warden of their choice. And most of all, they shouldn't have let Riya talk them out of their decision. They shouldn't have let Riya change their minds. They shouldn't have left the choice in Khushi's hands. It would have been the best decision.

Khushi's right to choice seemed a small thing then but now it was the main difference. Aashvi hates herself for agreeing to Riya but more than that she hates getting attached to Khushi. It was easier to control the choices of a stranger, to groom them in your perfect pawn, to not care about their choices and wishes. But doing the same thing to an innocent person you know is harder.

And after knowing her, it makes more sense to all of them. After all, they don't want Khushi to choose their world because she has too under pressure and fear. They want her to choose the world as something she wants. The duties she wants to perform. The people she wants to save not because she had to but because she wants too. And Khushi will lose that choice if they tell her about the current scenarios. For it'll be impossible without giving her some crucial details.

Details tortured out of her could kill thousands and details that will take away her most powerful protection. Her human smell. Her human side is still dominant. Both the surs and asurs won't target her due to it. They won't know the real her. She'll stay safe if her choice is this world.

And that's why Aashvi knows all of them will keep their silence. Even when they know it's breaking Khushi's heart. They'll take sad her over dead her any day. And as far as getting air clan under control is considered. They'll find another way. A way that doesn't involve Khushi.

Umm, they could just kill all those treacherous wardens and leaders. After all, the complete power of destruction wasn't given to the rulers of the Jeeva clan for nothing though that will be the last resort. Obviously, they don't relish in taking lives.

Locking her cabin's door taking. She walked towards the jeep. Khushi was already seated there glaring at Prithvi - her eagle companion. Who seemed to be keen on collecting the jeep keys.

Shaking her head at the poor kid. She took the driver's seat softly commanding the moody bird to meet them at the house through her eyes. Aashvi will miss both Prithvi and Khushi very much if she chooses the human world.

Khushi's primary training was over. They couldn't train her anymore without making her sur side dominant and endangering her to foes way above her league. For no matter, how much they train and hone her skills. She'll remain half-human, half-sur no way powerful enough to take on the demon lords, ghosts, cannibal mages without dying.

Unaware, she has a chance to survive. They'll try to know-how she yielded the power when even after their many experiments they didn't succeed in creating a power yielding human-asur hybrid. She is a wonder and She'll live.

And for now, that's all they can hope for. Thinking so, she started driving the jeep.

Shaking her head, well aware they had few days of togetherness left. Riya will tell Khushi the final plan soon. Khushi will have to choose then and they have to say their goodbyes. Of course, Prithvi will go with Khushi and her chosen weapon too. Khushi could change her decision and join them whenever she wants but till then they'll help her any way they could.

They'll help her dodging the soul-crushing burden of a crown. The responsibility. Everything. For they had grown attached to this kid.

They're being sentimental fools. Aashvi hates it. People, the realm, the greater good. It should have mattered more. Heck, what's one life compared to the life of a hundred thousand or million people? What's one life compared to the life of a few thousand kids?

Yet.

They aren't unable to sacrifice Khushi's freedom and happiness for them. They aren't able to snatch Khushi's right to choice. Dam it, they should have done it in the starting. Before getting attached, before loving her.

Now it was too late.

And Riya is to be blamed. Even after being a preserver, she couldn't make that damn decision. Snatching a single choice to preserve a thousand lives and secrets.

"Umm, Khushi, I forgot to tell you. Saesha is back, " Aashvi breached the topic watching Khushi the effect was instantaneous, Khushi stiffened on her spot mumbling a soft "oh!!"

"I know, you know about Saesha's past but don't ask her why she didn't tell you She hadn't talked about her past, her human relations, what happened to her for the past ten years. She is a queen, she had proved time and again where her loyalties lie. She has all but convinced herself she was never part of your world. For ten years, she hadn't talked about her feelings, her fears, her pains, her past, " Aashvi told Khushi not looking at her. She knows how hard it all was for Saesha. She couldn't understand Saesha much back then. They were so different. Aashvi had been a born leader, wild, fearless always making her presence known. When she spoke everyone listened and followed.

They said it was her aura, her confidence. The only princess of the fire kingdom to command armies. The only female protector in the fire kingdom in centuries. Saesha was the exact opposite of her. A wallflower. She was gentle and considerate in a way Aashvi could never be. They were as different as a commander and soldier. Saesha was so like Khushi back then though not as curious and inquisitive. But they were kinda same, not born rulers. They were more like people who liked to please, put others before them. Considerate, caring, and loving. But it was so a decade ago.

Saesha has changed herself from Porcelain to Ivory to steel and Saesha has five rules. Fives unbreakable rules for people outside the family. Though, she is still afraid of the people of her own family. Even after knowing they won't ever hurt her. Their first impression has left its own scars on her heart. Five rules that follow her like a shadow in court and life.

Five rules that are:

1. Don't say or do anything above the absolute minimum.

2. Don't create links between you and anything.

3. Don't show weakness or emotions.

4. Don't attract attention.

5. Don't ever trust anyone.

And Khushi had made her break some of them already. Aashvi knows Khushi isn't the one to be blamed for any of this. But she still hopes it was that way. It would have been easier. Oh! So easier for them.

She notices through the corner of her eyes. The way Khushi nods in understanding, confusion lingering in her eyes. Aashvi again could clearly read what Khushi was thinking from her expression. How did she know?

Poor girl doesn't know there isn't anything like a secret in this family. Arnav told her. Well, almost all of them. She didn't tell that to Khushi. Aashvi doesn't say anything for the rest of the journey.

Reaching home, she followed Khushi inside the old Mansion hiding its own secrets after parking her jeep. Khushi seemed to be already happily chirping with Dhriti and Saesha.

From Saesha and Dhriti's body language they seemed at ease. So, it seems like nothing serious happened in Amravati. But still, all the boys are back in Illavriti. Playing kings. Iresh in the Capital being Emperor, bashing head with those stuck up morons.

Kanil in fire kingdom being the king of fire trying to make that fool see sense. Arnav in the water kingdom dealing with the ice clans and trying to determine the present currents in his kingdom. Arjun in the air kingdom, dealing with the hierarchy. And Sid and Riya in the earth kingdom looking after the food stocks and healing supplies.

The SOS message from the capital seemed serious but if both Dhriti and Saesha are back then it must not be that serious. She took her place beside Saesha squeezing her hand reassuringly. The people of fire kingdom loved her but the ice people were still a nuisance. She doesn't know how Iresh's parents handled the kingdom so effortlessly.

But then again, they were about 500 years older than them when they got the reigns of these kingdoms. They were trained more than them and now, they're gone. And here they are trying to heal a broken realm while living under the fear of both civil war and enemy attack.

"Aashvi taste this. It's super, Dhriti bhabi made it, " Khushi's intoxicating happiness stopped the churning worry of her realm in Aashvi's mind. As a queen, every moment she worried and thought of the betterment of her realm like a mother thinking of her child.

"Dhriti bhabi cooking is as rare as the black moon. Take full advantage of this occasion, " Aashvi joked taking a bite of the snacks prepared by Dhriti and Saesha. They were clearly made from earthly vegetation. For they can't give Khushi any of their realms food too neither the juices.

The earthly food wasn't as tasty as the food of their realm was but again they managed just fine on it.

And Aashvi didn't mention the way Khushi sneaked the food to fluffy, Snowy, and Prithvi under the table. Those beasts were going to become bloody fat if both Khushi and Saesha continued feeding them like this. Though, she herself can't say no to those bloody beasts pleading eyes.

Aashvi shrugged off that thought. After eating the snacks, the four of them were sitting in the open gallery. Chatting. Well, chatting about earthly things only for the others were slightly complicated matters.

"Don't worry, we will always have your back. We are sisters after all, " Dhriti winked laughingly at Khushi's direction. Khushi was telling a story from her childhood days.

Well, many stories from her childhood about her boisterous nature and how her sister rattled out their midnight swimming plan to her mother. Afraid of punishment.

"Yups, girls gotta have each other's back always, " Aashvi agreed with Dhriti readily.

"Yeah, we will have lots of fun that way, " Saesha agreed. Going for a swim didn't sound like a bad thing to her.

Even midnight swimming in the pond seemed a good idea to Saesha. It would be refreshing and relaxing after all the tension of the past few days. But the merry mood didn't last long.

Danger bells rang at the same time in the three queen's mind. Some uninvited guests had broken down in their space. An ominous feeling gripped their hearts at once. Looking at the totally clueless Khushi, the feeling doubled.

"Saesha take Khushi, " Dhriti commanded taking control of the situation at once. Saesha nodded grabbed Khushi out of her seat and dragged her to the secret room under the house. She'll be safe there. Her presence unnoticed.

"Stay here, don't come out at all. No matter what happens out don't come out at all, " Saesha ordered Khushi pushing her in the room and closing it. Making sure it was properly hidden again.

"Ma Durga, give us strength, " Saesha prayed silently, making her way back to Dhriti and Aashvi.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Khushi didn't know what happened suddenly. One moment they were chatting happily, the second she was being dragged and locked in a room. She didn't know anything about.

Khushi wanted to question them but couldn't for they didn't give her any chance. Worried and curious about what was happening, Khushi merged her mind with Prithvi's.

Prithvi seemed to be perched somewhere high on some tree branch or something. Aashvi and Dhriti were standing tense awaiting something on the porch.

Khushi didn't know what?

But as in clue, few men clamored in black armors broke through the forest. The men looked like nothing she had ever seen from their shoulder-length hair a mixture of shades of blonde, orange, red to white, blue, coral pink. They looked odd. There were tattoos engraved on their skins in blood-red and silver.

They weren't of this world. Khushi was certain.

"Your majesty, " the blood-red tattooed guy with buffy built bowed almost mockingly towards Dhriti and Saesha.

"Who told you about this place?" Dhriti demanded in a tone that sent chills down Khushi's spine. Her voice was even-toned yet terrifying. It was like the whole earth was trembling because of her powers.

"We are here to just discuss the inheritance trouble, " the silver guy said silkily.

"And I think, its already decided, now tell us who told you, this location, " Dhriti asked Khushi was feeling chills. Dhriti's eyes were bright lime green, her tresses flowing like a sand storm.

"Dear Empress you might not know the fire doesn't bow in front of mere woman, not even if she is a queen and ex-princess as the late prince's heirs uncle should be made the warden" the guy sneered.

Khushi didn't know what was said after that for it happened so rapidly. She just couldn't catch the words escaping their lips. Until she saw the flare.

"She might not be fire queen but I'm and you'll listen to me, " Saesha announced her presence standing beside Dhriti.

"The king's human wife, the earth king's queen and the empress, of course, no need to repeat. We understand, " the silky silver man said bowing slightly as if in submission, and the next second Khushi saw a bolt of silver forming in the silver tattoed guy's hand.

"And we reject, " the silver guy said evilly, more men surrounding the three girls dropping out of nowhere.

And before Khushi could even blink, there was a myriad of colors and blood-splattered around the house. The smell of burnt charred flesh in the air along with screams.

Khushi watched horrified. Dhriti yielded sharp metals from the earth and at the same time created a diamond wall around them. Rebounding all of the enemy's attacks.

Aashvi burned every single soul ruthlessly.  Aashvi's hairs were like molten lava, eyes like miniature suns, she was a girl on fire, converting the people around her in ashes.

Dhriti's sharp metallic rods pierced through the enemies bodies, creating almost a thousand holes in the enemy's body.

In the end, it was just the red tattoed guy, and silver tattoed guy remained. Dhriti, let go of the diamond wall. Aashvi moved to meet them.

"Blessed by Asura's" Saesha warned just in time for Dhriti to anticipate and nullify the dark spell hurled towards them.

Khushi watched horrified as metals wrapped around the guy's hand and legs restraining them in their place. Dhriti's gaze locked with them as she wielded a kind of metal tentacle that pierced their chest and plucked their hearts out.

Dhriti crushed the hearts.

"I'm fire, I'll always be fire, " Aashvi whispered to the bleeding but still alive guys. Aashvi beheaded them before listing them on fire. The guys desiring to rule over fire died by fire.

A fitting end according to the queens.

The air smelled of death, blood, burnt flesh and pain. It was nauseating. Khushi couldn't take it.  She vomited again and again, remembering the bodies and blood.   But, the last act was the undoing of her. She fainted. She couldn't take it. All of it was too cruel, too unexpected for her. She wasn't made for this.

She didn't even catch Aashvi's next words.

"Can we castrate and then feed the warden and heir of ice clan to dragons?"

~to be continued~

So, what do you guys think?

They're dangerous and they kill just like that...

And who's your fav character beside Arshi? Of course, I know you're reading this because it's Arshi story. So, who's the fav beside that and this isn't quite murdering in their world.

And Saesha's introduction to their world was to these kinda powerplays. Death and destruction. Now, can you understand why she is terrified of these people even though she knows they won't harm her?

Khushi has seen the soft side till now. The side with the family. She hadn't met the side of King and queens yet. She doesn't know how ruthless these people can really be.

And with Dhriti using metals, diamonds, and all. Remember we get them from mines. It's her domain alright.