The sky turned red and cloudless indicating that the sun was about to take a break from the day and according to Rajan they should reach a village called Kalikapur soon. Chitra was drenched in frustration, after their happy romantic moment from the morning she wanted some space for self. Some personal space to clear up her clouded brain and heart, even this morning his eyes held those words of pure unsaid love for her, his teasing smiles and his romantic yet gentle touches confused her raging brain.

How can such a man like Arjuna, her dear husband ever doubt her purity and kill their child? If those intense feelings which his eyes portrayed were love then he would never abort their child, for his eyes can never lie. But he himself confessed about killing their child then why is she feeling a strong throb of guilt gripping her heart.

Her heavy thoughts of her husband came to a halt as Arjuna abruptly pressed his front to her back and placed his hand on her forehead pushing her to bend forward, almost squeezing the air out of her.

"What-"

"Why are you so lost all the time? You were about to get hit by a low branch." His voice resembled that of a scolding but it was laced with concern for her and once more her heart started pounding loud. This is the reason it is becoming deadly hard to look in his eyes and hate him, how can she? When her heart still drums up with just a light touch from him just like the first time they have met.

Arjuna's eyebrows furrowed seeing Chitra being lost In deep thoughts, was she sick? She has been lost like this almost all day, maybe her body is unable to deal with this long horse journey.

Arjuna pressed the back of his palm to her forehead to check her temperature. A feeling of shock crossed his face, her skin was as cold as the icy waters which flow from the Himalayas. He mentally cursed himself for not considering this.

Arjuna quickly forced the horse belt in Chitra's hand and wrapped his other hand around her waist which made Chitra gasp at his sudden grip.

"What are you-" Before she could conclude her words she could see Arjuna bend side-wards of the horse reaching a cloth bag hung.

Almost in seconds, her hand was holding his hand tight which he wrapped around her waist, how careless can he be! What if he falls down?

Chitra's brain was ready with curses to give him an earful the moment he sat straight. However, she was left speechless when he wrapped a warm jute scarf around her neck and ears covering her face from the evening's cold wind.

He moved closer, his legs touching hers and his broad shoulders housing her from the strong winds. An immediate feeling of warmth and love-filled her heart, painting her cheeks a crimson colour.

"Why wouldn't you tell me that you were feeling cold?" She could feel his soft breaths tickling her neck.

Lust can be controlled but love? Love is like a never-ending river, love is an ocean and once you step inside its vastness you can't help but drown yourself willingly in it.

Chitra has decided, she will ignore her brain and follow her heart, as she knows that her husband, her Arjuna, loves her irrespective of anything. So leaving all her worries to air, she placed her head on his shoulder leaning her head and Arjuna pressed her head so that it could touch his neck, he was caressing her hair silently telling her to rest, telling her that he will take care of her so she closed her eyes in content losing herself to a dreamless sleep like this all she ever needs, him and just his love.

* * *

Arjuna's faint voice woke her up, she slowly opened her eyes to a small entrance of a village decorated with several oil lamps.

Chitra sat up straight rubbing her eyes and after a few seconds, Arjuna helped her step down from the horse. She slowly stretched her arms and Arjuna laughed lightly making her feel a little self-conscious.

"Your majesty, I have just spoken with the village head and she has warmly welcomed us by providing two huts for us to rest for the night," Vikram informed and Arjuna nodded his head understanding while Rajan looked like a lost child looking around the place and Chitra stifled a laugh looking at his confused expression.

"Chitra," Arjuna called for her to have her attention, "There is a campfire near that tree, you and Rajan stand by there while we try to gather some information."

Chitra accepted his decision by nodding her head. The more people go around asking for information the more suspicious the villagers will get.

Chitra and Rajan sat by the tree waiting for Arjuna's return, while Chitra sat enjoying the warmth Rajan scratched his head in frustration.

"Why does your face look so confused?" Chitra asked with a small smile on her face.

"Confused? I am frustrated! I have a million questions about why we are at this village but Vikram won't even open his lips!"

Chitra laughed at his tone, Rajan almost looked adorable with that complaining tone. Looks are always deceiving, he was barely eighteen with a lean body and is already a soldier, no one might even guess the strength this boy has.

"At least can you please tell me about what we are doing here, My queen?"

"Shh! Don't address me like that! Call me didi, okay!"

Rajan sat motionless listening to that, how can a queen of such a great kingdom be so polite and graceful as she is? No other queen might even do as much as sit beside a lowly soldier but her, she was asking him to address her as a sister?

"O-okay."

Chitra huffed seeing a few children playing nearby, "You know the concept of royal spies right?"

"Yes, I do!" Rajan nodded his head, looking at Chitra, "A king cannot travel across his kingdom everywhere, so royal spies are placed in different villages and they are his ears."

" Yes. Recently we got a report for our spies around this area." Chitra said, pushing her hair behind her ears, "It was a detailed report about children from nearby villages gone missing."

"Missing?" Rajan asked, frowning a little.

"Yes, and those children are specifically girls with an age group of seven to ten. The first spy has reported saying that these girls were abducted and are being sold to a brothel house but before he could give a detailed report with proof, that spy disappeared."

"What? How can a spy disappear? I mean they are trained with all skills right?"

"Right, but we still cannot get hold of him. Our second spy's report was detailed with information saying that this not a case of prostitution, it is a case of a heinous act like black magic."

"What the hell! Black magic? That too on innocent kids?" Rajan's face churned with disgust.

"We already had a plan to visit Kali matha's temple and this village falls nearby, so Rajmatha wanted Arjuna to see what this part of our extended kingdom might look like."

Soon the conversation lightened and they sat talking about random stuff, Rajan kept complaining about how troubling his horse was, at one point a small tiny lizard ran by his feet and he pulled his legs up screaming his lungs off and caught Chitra's hand in fear.

Chitra couldn't control her laugh seeing his expression, his expressions reminded her of Sridhar, he must be troubling Nandhini for a bedtime story by now. Thinking she shooed the lizard away letting Rajan breathe some air in relief.

Arjuna and Vikram were walking back, he could see Chitra sitting with Rajan, her hair were flying around due to wind and if seen with his eyes, she was outshining the bright moon with a small smile on her face.

But his eyes narrowed the moment he saw Rajan gripping Chitra's hand. His frown deepened as he saw her laughing looking at him. His hands fisted up and his eyes saw red, every nerve in him wanted to punch that pathetic boy and claim Chitra but his heart said otherwise, what if she still hates him? What if this makes her hate him a bit more? Chitra laughed again looking at Rajan, unable to see that anymore he turned away, walking back to their hut.

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