I slowly opened my eyes and laid back on the floor because there was a sharp pain in my abdomen. I'm damn sure it's because I haven't had food for a long time.

My throat was dry and I started having dry cough because I was dehydrated as hell. I feel like I can't even stand up on my own.

"Thavan, are you there?", I asked.

"Yeah, is there any problem?", He asked and I started crying.

"I- I'm hungry. My abdomen hurts.."

"Just forget the fact that you're hungry and there's chances it will vanish."

"I don't think I can. Aren't you sleeping?"

"No, because I'm gonna die tomorrow anyway. It's my last few hours..", he said and I was sad the next moment.

I got up with a great deal of effort and leaned on the wall.

"Why don't you escape from here?"

"I can but I feel like life out there will be more challenging for me than death. Also, I wanna see my little sister."

"Tell me, if she's alive right now, would she insist you dying?"

"No. Come on, Princess. Please don't. There's no change in my fate and I'm gonna die tomorrow."

"I'm sad.."

"Don't be sad. Can you do me a favour?"

"Yes", I said immediately without thinking.

"Talking to you reminds me of my sister. Can you keep talking to me on my last few hours? Please..", he said and it made me more sad.

"Okay", I said meanwhile a sob escaped from my mouth.

I've never had such experience of talking to a person who's gonna die..

Imagine how painful it'd be to live after knowing we're going to die in few hours..

"Do you love your husband?"

"I always do but now... I don't know what to feel about him. He didn't believe me."

"Who knows? Maybe he do believe you."

"If he did, he would've come to check me out if I'm actually alive.."

"He did.. he came to see you in the cell. But he left once he came to know you're sleeping."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he came along with Prince Tharun."

I was really glad to know what. If he believe me, I will be the happiest person who could be alive on earth.

"He asked Prince Tharun if you're sleeping or unconscious. I could see how worried he was about you. He do love you so much.", he said and I was glad about that.

"I don't know if you'll believe me or not but let me tell you something.. I don't belong to this timeline."

"What? Wait, I don't I understand."

"I mean, I'm from future. I came from 2022. I just came here by my foolishness and then, my evil stepsister put the watch into fire. Now, I'm stuck in here. You didn't believe it, did you?"

"I still don't understand clearly but don't worry, I do believe you."

"Thank you. You're the second person who believed me about this."

The cold floor, apetite, thirst was slowly showing me the cruel reality of this world. That's when the lights were turned on and I heard some footsteps approaching my cell.

I looked at the emperor standing infront of my cell angrily. I couldn't even get up because I didn't have a bit of energy left in my body.

"Just look at how miserable you are. Your hair is messy, face is pale, hungry, thirsty. Looks like you will die in 2 days if you're not fed."

"I- Where is my brother?"

"I don't think he'll be able to collect evidence because everything have destroyed in fire."

"I didn't make any mistake. If I was punished, don't you think it will bring the biggest sin to your dynasty?"

"I am not here to argue about this. I have an offer for you. Can we talk about that?"

"What deal?"

"As you know, you killed my wife, my empress, my love. Killing you will do nothing but calm down my anger. But, will I get her back?"

"So?"

"Be my concubine and I'll let you alive to live under my feet. What do you think."

The sudden urge to kill that old bastard of that emperor was rushing through me.

"Just find yourself a pig to satisfy your needs.", I yelled where he gritted his teeth.

"You have two choices. Be my concubine or die."

"I'd rather die.", I said and he chuckled.

"You're so beautiful. Just be thankful for your beauty and just give up. I don't care if you're my son's wife. Just be my concubine for few days until I'm bored of you. I'll leave you.", He said and I'm disgusted by his words.

"You have a daughter of my age, bastard!", I yelled and the soldiers were opening the cell door.

"I'll not hurt you so much beyond your capacity."

"Just back off!", I said as he started entering the cell.

"What happened?", I heard Thavan yell.

"Help me!", I yelled as the emperor started approaching towards me.

"Oh, you got a friend? That's good but he's going to die tomorrow. Did he ever say that to you.", He said and grabbed my arm.

"Just leave me!", I yelled trying to get off his hold.

I was too weak without food and water. My head was dizzy but I kept resisting.

"Let go off me!", I kept yelling at him where he threw me on the corner of the room and leaned towards my length.

"Just kick him!", Thavan yelled from the nearby cell and I kicked him in his balls where I was able to see a painful expression in his face.

"Bitch!", He yelled.

"No mattar what! I'm not going to leave you today. Today, you'll be mine.", He stated and caught my hands in a tight grip.

"Please help me!", I yelled.

"Princess just hit him with something sharp!", He yelled.

I looked around to see if there's anything. I finally got a glance of a rusted iron rod which was lying in the floor.

Before I could reach for it, my hand was grabbed and he twisted my hand to my back.

"How dare you? I'm just leaving Thavan alone for now just because he'll be hanged tomorrow. Don't make it hard for me, Thara. Just give in."

"No", I said and he grabbed a fistful of my hair and made me face his old wrinkled skin.

"I don't care about your consent anymore.", He said and started leaning towards me.

"Leave me!", I yelled and he kicked in my abdomen where I collapsed on the floor but he kept leaning towards my face.

"Leave her, Bastard!", Thavan yelled from the other wall.

I could see he wants to save me badly but he can't because he's trapped too.

I heard metal sounds from the nearby cell which means he's trying to break the cell but I don't think it's possible because it's so strong.

"Please leave me.", I finally begged.

"Just cooperate with me and I'll be gentle.", He said.

His each word digusts me. I want to puke so badly.

"Wait a minute. Please!", I said and he started trying to remove my clothes where I yelled and started attacking him with my weak hands and legs.

"No wonder Ezhil tried to force himself on you that day night. You're so beautiful..", he said. He was unable to remove my clothes because he don't know where is the hook.

"Your highness, Prince Tharun is coming!", A soldier yelled and the emperor got up from me and got tensed.

I sighed as I was saved from this awful situation but only temporarily. Would Tharun believe if I say that the emperor tried to force himself on me?

I heard Tharun's footsteps and I was locked inside the cell again where the emperor was trying to lock the cell immediately before Tharun could see and he was successful.

By the time Tharun reached the cell, the cell door was locked and I was sitting in the corner of the cell where the emperor was outside the cell as if he was innocent and didn't do anything.

"What are you doing here, father?"

"I came here to check her out if she's dead or alive."

"Father, please provide her food. You promised her brother you'd give them one month time and you're breaking your promise.", He tried to convince the emperor.

"I asked her if she wants food but seems like she want to die. She denied my deal.", He said and Tharun looked at me.

"But, father-"

"She'll eat when she wants you. You can go to your room and rest well.", The emperor said.

If Tharun leaves from here, the emperor will not let me. He will devour and kill me this night itself.

"Okay, father.", He said as an obedient child. Before he could go, my voice stopped him.

"Tharun wait!", I said with a great deal of effort.

I was exhausted.

"I want to see my husband.", I said and he looked at me.

"Okay. I will tell him."

"No. Wait, don't leave this place.", I said.

"Is something wrong?", He asked and the emperor looked so tense.

"I think you should get going, Tharun. I will take care about her.", The emperor said and Tharun looked at me again.

He could sense something's amiss.

I slowly shook my head giving him a sign that something is indeed wrong.

I don't know how am I going to tell him that his father is trying to make me his concubine.

"Are you trying to kill her, father?", He asked.

"Even if I try to kill her, it's for good. Now, just go to your room, Tharun. Tomorrow you have to go back to your palace, remember?", The emperor said.

"Okay, I'm going to room but not before Arjun come here. She's his wife. Anything happens to her is not my care but his.", He said and gestured the soldiers to bring Arjun where they did as he said.

I sighed. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down.

After coming to know he came to my cell and left before I woke up, I started having a small amount of hope that I will get out of this cell soon before I expected.

Would Arjun believe if I tell him about his father's real face?

For now, I shouldn't care if he believes me or not. I should tell him about the emperor.

The emperor chuckled at Tharun and looked at me. He gave me a look that said no one will believe you.

But I was having a small hope that Arjun will believe me. If he doesn't, I don't know what should I do next.

Soon the soldiers came alone without Arjun.

"Where is Arjun?"

"Crown Prince Arjun have left to Chola kingdom.", The soldier said and I frowned in confusion.

"Why did he go to Chola kingdom?", The emperor asked but it was clear that the soldiers don't know the reason.

"He should've left to enquire Aarthi. He'll come back tomorrow I guess.", Tharun said.

I doubt if the emperor will let me until tomorrow.

"Tharun, please listen to me! He- Your father- He tried to-", I couldn't complete that sentence because I was not at all comfortable to tell that infront of him or every other men.

I was all surrounded with men and how can I say the emperor tried to-

"Rape her. The emperor tried to force himself into her!", I heard Thavan yell and I looked at Tharun's face which was plastered with shock and disbelief.

"What?", Was the only word left from his mouth and he looked at me for clarification. I nodded slightly and we both looked at the emperor.

"What!? You believe that bitch? Why should I do something like that, Tharun? Don't you believe your father?", He said to Tharun.

"He's lying. Just look at this scratches in my arms. It was by him.", I said as I showed him my blood clotted nail scratches in my arm.

That's when I noticed the emperor's handkerchief in floor and I took it immediately and showed him.

"This is your father's kerchief right? So ask him how it came inside the cell!", I said and the emperor looked at me with his flaring eyes.

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