She’s gone

As dawn broke over Dharmagiri, casting a soft, golden hue across the village, Jai Shankar finally reached the mansion. The journey had been grueling, both physically and emotionally, and he felt every inch of the burden weighing on his heart. It was 5 in the morning, and the first rays of sunlight bathed the grand estate in a serene light that belied the turmoil within him.

Vedhika, who had spent the night in restless anticipation, saw her husband approaching from her room window. A surge of hope propelled her downstairs, her heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and expectation. She reached the front door just as Jai Shankar dismounted his horse, his face etched with lines of exhaustion and sorrow.

"Jai Shankar!" Vedhika called out, her voice trembling. She hurried to him, her eyes scanning his face for any sign of good news. "Did you find them? Where are Rudra and Ambika?"

Jai Shankar looked at his wife, his eyes red-rimmed and filled with an unspoken agony. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. The pain of the night's events was still too raw, too overwhelming to articulate.

Vedhika grasped his hands, her grip tightening as she searched his face. "What happened, Jai? Please, tell me."

He took a deep, shuddering breath, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his sorrow. "Vedhika, I... I found Ambika," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "But... she..."

Vedhika's eyes widened, her breath hitching as she braced herself for the worst. "No," she whispered, shaking her head in denial. "No, it can't be."

Jai Shankar closed his eyes, a tear escaping down his cheek. "She's gone, Vedhika. She... she didn't make it."

Vedhika staggered back, her hand flying to her mouth to stifle a cry. The world seemed to tilt around her, the enormity of the loss crashing down on her like a tidal wave. "And Rudra? What about Rudra?"

"I couldn't find him," Jai Shankar admitted, his voice breaking. "Only Ambika's body, and then... then the lions..."

Vedhika's knees buckled, and she sank to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Jai Shankar knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her as they grieved together, their hearts breaking for the family that had been torn apart.

"We have to be strong for Rajeev," Jai Shankar murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "He can't lose us too."

Vedhika nodded through her tears, clinging to her husband as she drew what strength she could from his presence. "We'll get through this," she said, though the words felt hollow and far away. "We have to."

Together, they stayed there for a while, holding each other in the growing light of dawn, drawing comfort from their shared grief and love. In the face of their devastating loss, they knew they had to find a way to carry on, for Rajeev's sake and for the memory of the family they had lost.