(A/N: Where was I all this time?

Well, you sister was facing a Writer's block. Wanted to do my best and make it your worthwhile. So, here's a new long chapter to compensate for lost time. Happy readings. Oh, and all your comments have made my day and encouraged me to write. Thanks a lot.)

Once upon a time.

There lived a king in the land of thorns,

bleeding, burning, full of woes.

High was his throne, heavy was his crown,

his neck was bent and head wore a frown.

Everything he touched turned to ash,

his feet resting over a dead carcass.

With his subjects gone in the dawn,

he ruled the kingdom all alone.

In the barren lands and garden of thorns,

he seeks relief from uninhabited scorn.

Blaming the thorns for bringing chaos,

he vows to rip them with pathos.

Vengeful he lunges for the spiny stems,

but prickles his palm and fell great pain.

Dark red with hints of black,

it oozed along with his bubbling rage.

When a drop fell on the land,

he heard the giggles of wind in distance.

Clouds thundered in the sky,

roaring, grumbling, happy with sacrifice.

As more crimson drops kissed the ground,

chimes of anklets rang all around.

Through the haze of thunderstorms and heavy rain,

he got the vision of heaven's lane.

In the middle of his thorny garden,

stood an enchanting maiden.

Clad in a silky garment that caressed her flesh scantily,

she wakes feelings in the king ever so slowly.

Detached from reality, mesmerized by her eyes,

the king falls to his knees, forgetting his pride.

The enchantress walks towards him, a seductress in disguise,

and plants a sweet kiss on his lips, bringing elation into his eyes.

The king now turned into a man,

Retrieves a dagger from his belt.

Cuts open his chest to present her with a priceless jewel,

one that beats rhythmically in the quietest of noon.

The maiden picks the thudding heart from his bleeding palms,

to kiss a wound deeply etched, soothing it like a balm.

Returning the jewel to the king,

she walks away wearing a scar on her skin.

He puts it back in his chest,

and watches the garden blooming with essence.

With the thrones fallen on the ground,

roses erupted all around.

A tear escaped from his eye,

he breathed in relief for the first time.

Pride, power, wealth, and strength,

all came back in the next breath.

But his mind kept going back to a maiden,

who breathed life into him in a land so barren.

The lonely mistress haunting the royal residence sang as she watched the young couple sneaking out of Chitrakoot palace in the middle of the night like thieves. Her crimson optics glared at the large palm of the male engulfing the smaller one of an unsure female.

Reluctance shone on Gauri's face as she lets her determined husband pull her towards the thick forest, which covers a huge landmass and houses a good proportion of species, both harmless and bloodthirsty. The same woods where the stories of innocents and hunters were buried beneath the debris.

The eyes of the ghost spying on the young couple hardened and started bleeding when she caught the vile demon sniffing around the young virgin and following their footsteps under the blanket of nightfall. Over time, the sinful hell-born has adapted and learned to hide better while leeching off the life essence of the new bride. The demon is aware of how the beauty has the beast under her spell and with her closeness, the beast lets his guard down, becoming susceptible to unholy spirits.

In Chandra Mahal, the irreverent chants of a stubborn witch echo as she begs the underworld to fill her bones with power. The ghost of Mandakini smirked at the naivety of earthly beings for even considering that the roguish entities dwelling in another realm hold more authority than her who has been venturing in this plane longer than most. No outsider could overpower her and the beast as long as they have claimed this fort as their own.

Yagya led Gauri deeper into the lush green surrounding until she lost sight of the colossal fortress of Ranas. His warm palm was enveloping her sweaty one into a firm hold, refraining her from changing her mind about this sudden adventure.

On the other hand, more than being suspicious, Gauri was simply curious about the show he was going to put on. She was also worried about falling into the hands of trouble as they have left quietly, and nobody knows their whereabouts. But this was her husband, the King of these grounds, no stranger. He was the safest place to stay.

Her resolve strengthens as she carefully follows him on rocky terrain. The biggest tree she ever saw was the old banyan back in Shivpuri, under whose shade she used to tell stories. But the landmass behind the royal abode surprised her. The humongous and proud saplings here were so opulent and tall, she doubted if the sunlight ever touched the ground during the day.

Yagyavardhan, whose eyes have now turned golden in excitement, cuts his way through the dark, aware of each nook and cranny. The forest was his second home, and he knew it like the back of his hand. The heartbeats of his companion were also buckling wildly, matching his enthusiasm.

Suddenly, Gauri grumbled under her breath when her feet tangled in a fallen branch. Her face almost kissed the ground but Yagya uprights her effortlessly.

"Where are you taking me?"

Feeling a prickling sensation at the back of her neck, she whispered. Her sixth sense forced her worried eyes to scan the surroundings for any potential threats. She kept looking back, feeling they are being watched or followed by something sinister. Since childhood, Gauri despised darkness. And here in never-ending blinding flora, the only support was a man who could apparently see in the dark and confidently strolls ahead.

"Yagya?"

"Shhh... you might wake the wolves."

Dread attacked her with that one statement.

Gauri froze and felt her soul leave her body. She pulled her arm out of his firm grip and decided to run back to the palace. But the moment she came into action, the canopy of high trees greeted her. He has taken too many turns and their home was left far behind.

"What the hell?" She whisper-yelled and faces him in the darkness, only to discover he wasn't there anymore. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Where did he go? Her heartbeat sky rocked and she almost shed some tears when heard the sound of a twig breaking nearby. Gauri jumped out of her skin and turned to find the source blindly.

"Yagya!" She panicked and cupped her mouth when a pair of golden eyes glared at her through the shadows from distance.

"Yagya!"

"Don't move." Someone whispered in her ear and she relaxed her back against his solid chest. A wolf prowls out from the womb of murky shelter, its eyes shining bright like that of light-emitting beetles.

"I swear to God, if I die tonight, I'll murder you," Gauri vowed making him chuckle. He moved in front of her when the wolf bared his canines in warning but turns docile the moment, the bigger predator ambled forward.

"Relax. The wolves attack only if they are hungry or feel threatened." Yagya explained as he raised his hand towards the hesitantly approaching animal. "They live in packs and this one must be either patrolling the area or hunting. I can't promise that they are harmless, but they do sense when someone more dangerous than them is venturing the woods. They know when to bark and when to bite." Yagya tried to assure the trembling girl behind him.

The wolf sniffed his open palm before nudging it with his head and rubbing his muzzle against his trousers.

"He knows you," Gauri whispered in shock, clutching his shirt tighter and Yagya remained quiet for a while before replying.

"Maybe, maybe not. For now, he is showing his neck as a sign of submission."

When the wolf tried to walk past Yagya and advanced toward Gauri, she yelped. In return the possessive beast growled from the man's chest, warning the puny creature to back off. The hair on the wolf's neck rose and he slowly retreated his steps before running back in the direction where he came from.

The young girl exhaled heavily feeling faint and leaned against a nearby tree. Her knees trembling from the encounter.

Smelling her fear, Yagya felt hesitant to continue the journey. He contemplated taking her back for a few minutes but soon remembered the motive behind this midnight adventure. His mother's words kept echoing in his head.

Ducking low, he picks her up in bridal style. Gauri squeaks in surprise before circling her arms around his neck.

"I'll carry you now because the path from here becomes challenging and uneven." She nodded gently.

Earlier, she'd thought that all her fears have paled after meeting the monster beneath her husband's skin, but how wrong she was. He was dragging her deeper into a world where fragile hearts like hers rarely survived. She wanted to complain and tell him- he has judged her wrong and confess how she wasn't brave enough to sit with him on the dark side.

But there was also a part inside her that was daring and craved to dive into deep waters. She wanted to know all his secrets, the man who has now claimed her heart.

As he elegantly made his way through the darkness with her in his arms, she traced the outline of his sharp jaw covered by a thick beard with her eyes. His thin lips and regal nose.

He was a wonderful specimen for the outside world, cruel to some and kind to those in need.

But nobody knows what he was from inside. Not even his mother.

Somehow fate brought them- the two polar opposite personalities together and perched itself on the highest throne before picking a bowl of popcorn. She was everything that didn't match his status and he was something she never envisioned. Still, on occasions, they fit perfectly together. Like now.

The rhythmic tap of his boots on the forest floor made her eyes droopy. The motion of his body relaxed her tensed nerves and slowly, she found her head resting on his shoulder. His heart was beating steadily, defying the natural laws even after covering miles.

She must have closed her eyes for a minute or two when he stopped at one place. The stillness in the motion brushes away relics of sleep clouding her brain and she lets him put her feet on the ground.

A surprised and awed gasp escaped her lips as she took in the new scenery after the gloom of silent woods.

They were standing at the edge of a small valley, located between two hills. A gentle river was flowing in the middle, reflecting the twinkle of hundreds of stars shining above in the sky. The air here was fresh and cool, making her shiver in delight. But this wasn't what attracted her the most. It was the golden, blue, and green luminescence oozing from little shrubs planted in the valley.

The sea of blue-green light was tranquil beneath her feet.

Gauri never saw such a divine scenery before, one which stole the dust of heaven and amber of the moon to fill its core.

"During monsoon, a bacterium known as Mycena and a fungus of Basidiomycota division appear around this area and covers the shrubs and trees. The moisture in the air makes them active and they start emitting light for an hour or two after midnight. The season also promotes the population of local soft-bodied beetles, commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production of light, mainly during twilight to attract mates."

Yagya supplies after releasing a heavy exhale and looked at her face to see her reaction. Gauri nodded at the information, looking otherworldly, fitting perfectly into the scene like a forest fairy.

The glow of trees illuminated her figure like that of a mermaid swimming along with jellyfish.

"This is beautiful and so unreal." She mumbled in a daze, and he bit his lip, stopping himself from blurting- 'Just like you.'

The main purpose of this visit kept him at bay from reciprocating her excitement. He was feeling unnerved about the discussion which will transpire next.

"Gauri..."

The intensity with which he called her name pulled her out of the little bubble and she hesitantly turned to face him. Gauri swore even the surroundings tensed in anticipation when he looked directly into her eyes and continued.

"My mother and I talked in the evening. She adores you very much and is concerned about our future. We are aware of how the distance between us is the main topic of gossip circulating in the palace. Queen mother also worries if we'll stay apart for the rest of our lives." He stopped to take deep breaths and looked away. Gauri's heartbeats rose to a new octave.

Has he brought her all the way here to announce their divorce?

She can't let that happen.

But before she could've opened her mouth to intervene, he started again.

"Within two months of this marriage, I learned about you, and what little I found- it was amazing. You are a bloody savage woman and unafraid to fight for the people you love and want, and there is no doubt that you'll wage war to prove this point. You are devoted to your family and don't discriminate. Men and women whisper about your looks, but they are more attracted to the beauty skin deep. It is the kindness, calm, and positive mentality that earned you their respect.

I know it is too soon.

For us to focus on ourselves or build something.

It wouldn't be easy to live with a monster like me, who is unaware of his actions at times. Has no memories of some nights. Gets worked up easily and is struggling to lead dual lives. I have so much baggage on my plate. From being a beast to still holding onto the memories of a dead wife. There is so much darkness for one to handle.

At times, I ask if I deserve you. No, I don't.

But a selfish and primal part of me knows that if someday you decided to leave, I'll bathe this world in blood and gore, before plucking out my heart from my chest. I have been in love before, but what you've made me feel has scared me. I am not scared of your rejection or betrayal or of losing you. Your presence has made me feel whole and now I am scared of breaking apart.

Our lives may not fit together, but somehow our souls are intertwined.

I can't explain what I truly feel, but it surpasses all kinds of... emotions I have ever felt."

Gauri's lips parted as she listened to his unexpected confession. Her heart was ready to burst. She blinked multiple times and clears her throat.

"Yagya, I think I am in love with you." She blurted and he froze. A spell of dizziness rushed through his brain and erupted in his gut.

His jaw clenched as he looked at her in anguish. He hated that word. It has brought nothing but sadness and pain.

"Love! You toss it around as if the word is cheap. Do you know its value? Do you even know what it means? We have been together for only two months. How can you love me even after knowing what I truly am?"

He shouted and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. His chest tightened making it difficult to breathe. The animal within him wanted to be unleashed.

Tears clouded Gauri's vision as she slowly closes the distance between them. Her heart throbbing for the man who is so habitual to disappointments and punishments that he doesn't want to risk his sanity again. Only if she knew a way to show him the truth of her soul. She wanted to tell him that she was crazier and probably sicker than him for trusting the hands which are covered in blood. She wanted to say that the sinister side of him has scarred her for life but she was more scared for him because he has to go through a bone-shattering change, which has made him a target of many hunters naturally. She wanted to run away from the monster, but the lost man in front of her owns a golden heart that he carries on his sleeve.

And now when her King has openly announced his feelings, why would she run away?

"For most people love is expressed the way the sun sets so that the moon can shine. The way stubborn sea keeps kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times he pushes her away. The way dry leaves fall at the sight of autumn and the dreams that show you a way out of nightmares. Like two hearts beating together so that the souls could dance to their tune.

But for me, love is simple you."

Yagya stumbles back, glaring at her in disbelief.

How easily has she told him the truth, leaving him wishing for the same courage? But he didn't utter the word, fearing the curse from his past might take over. Shaking his head at her naivety, he cuts the distance between them in the next moment. Before she could've understood what was happening, his fingers cup the back of her neck and pulls her close so that he could feel her lips on his.