5 Into The Dark

With Arjun being sent to prison, I won at least one battle, The lady, Arjun's mistress, was sent home. But it was not something, to be happy about. Because my father was not happy with me going outside the castle. Father turned towards me and said-" Now that Arjun is been locked up, there is nobody to make it up for you for leaving the castle again."

I replied-" But father, I am fine, If I haven't gone outside this castle I would have never found out the truth.

My father said angrily-" The truth would have come forth by any means, for that, I cannot consider your safety my dear.

My mother speaks out in this-" Megha my dear, please understand, if we are doing something about your safety, we want your good, we don't want anybody to hurt you, my child.

I replied-" But mother, Our kingdom has been on the term of peace all these years. What are we afraid of? And I am not a kid anymore mother.

My father's voice turned down and he said-" There are certain things, you are not aware of yet.

I replied -" Is it related to any of my powers?

My mother quickly said-' Who said you all these?

I said- " When Arjun and his mistress have been discussing, they were saying about some powers that belong to me, and he wanted that. What is this all about?

My father said in anger-" There are no such things like that. Do not be fooled by that bastard. And we are not talking about this anymore." My father stood up, Followed by others' present in the court. My father said- "The court is dismissed now." And he walked away.

It is my seventeenth birthday today, Usually, on this day the kingdom celebrates very joyfully, but I guess this year is different, Arjun has been locked up, Father was sad and worried. mother is not fine either. It did not feel like my birthday today. Yet I was happy finally I had raised my voice against the lies. Shaanti came to my room and asked me-" Princess, Are you okay?

I replied smiling-" Yes dear I am.

Shaanti looked at me carefully and said again-" Then why do I find you in a worried face?

I said-" Well there is something which does bother me.

Shaanti asked -" What is it, princess?

I said-" I feel, there is something everybody is hiding from me. First Arjun said something about me having powers, which he wants, and then when I asked father about it he tried to ignore and hide something. This makes me more sure if there is something, everybody is hiding from me. I need to find the truth.

Shaanti asked me-" How are you going to find it out princess, by king's order you cannot leave the castle again.

I said-" That is something we need to find."

Shaanti said to me in a confusing face-" Well princess, There is an old man in our kingdom, known to be alive for 100 years, I heard, during your birth, he came to meet the King. I think he might know if there is anything.

I found hope at least, and I am ready to take the risk to know the truth-" Where will I find him? Help me to reach him Shaanti."

Shaanti agreed to help me, She had words with her beloved, to make arrangements for me during the evening, Father was leaving for his neighbours’ kingdom today afternoon. It was the perfect timing for me to go out. As per our plan, after father left, We were ready to leave too. Me and Ajay (our guard, also shaanti's beloved) left to find the old man. Shaanti said to Ajay-" Take care of princess and yourself." She turned towards me and said-" Be safe princess, Come back soon. I will manage everything here until you return."

I smiled and looked at my castle once more before we left.

In the meantime, without anyone's notice, Arjun had made his plan to escape. In these years he made a few of his man to follow him, who helped him to escape from the prison when the king was not in the kingdom because that was the best time for him to take revenge. In the rage of revenge, he escaped to our most rival kingdom, Druvgarh.

Arjun said-" her majesty, Greetings from the crown prince of Rajnagri, I came here to make a fair proposal,

The Queen said-" Proposal? What kind of proposal shall I want to take from you?

Arjun replied smiling-" I was been betrayed and removed from the throne, all my hard work and my dreams had been destroyed by them, I seek revenge, I want what is mine, I want the throne, and in return, I will help you to conquer the other kingdoms, and will always be your slave.

The queen smiled and asked-" Why do I want to help you? I can easily get it if I want it.

Arjun said-" Not the Rajnagri her majesty.

The queen looked in confusion and asked-' Why not? don't you know my powers? I have no mercy.

Arjun said-" Rajnagri has been hiding a deep secret of its protection. I can give it to you.

The queen asked-" You would betray them?

Arjun said frowning-" They have betrayed me, her majesty. I have done so much for that kingdom, And in return, they dethroned me from my own kingdom. I seek revenge. and hence I came to you her Majesty, I know only you can give me justice. "

The queen asked-" So tell me what is the secret that beholds the Rajnagri?

Arjun replied-" The princess."

The queen asked in confusion-" The princess?"

Arjun replied-" Yes her majesty, The princess is the protection of Rajnagri, She embraces magical powers, which shields the kingdom. When she was born, it has been prophesied that she holds the strong magical powers that will protect the kingdom forever, But she herself is not aware of that powers. Once she becomes seventeen, She will open up to explore her true magical power. Her power is so strong can provide life, or can take a life. She has turned seventeen today, and I also get the information that King is not in the kingdom, He went to his neighbour kingdom for her marriage proposal, after I have been prisoned. So If we can capture the princess, All the shields can be broken.

The queen was listening to Arjun very carefully, She understood, That I am that princess, whose identity has been hidden for years. She said-" Very well, I shall help you, But in return, I want your blood.

Arjun got frightened and asked-" Blood?

The queen smiled and said- " Don't you forget Arjun who we actually are, We live on human blood. But don't worry, I will not kill you now, you will serve me, as my slave."

Arjun not knowing, where he had come, in his rage of revenge and greed, lost his soul to the dark queen. The queen drank his blood and took his soul, and made him one of her slaves.

The queen asked one of his guards to take Arjun from there, and prepare to attack our kingdom.

The King of Druvgarh was once human too, he fell in love with Queen Daina, and gave his soul to her. But still, he holds somewhere humanity in him. He advises The queen to right or wrong. despite being called King of Druvgarh, he was just the husband of queen Diana. The queen runs the kingdom here. They have two sons, Sanjay and Tarun. Sanjay was the eldest son and favourite of the queen. He was born out of the dark and holds the power of fire that can destroy everything on earth. The queen had spoiled his son by giving all his darkest desires to come true. He is also the leader of the army, He had never lost any battle. the strongest weapon of Queen Diana. He was arrogant, Angry, a player of a woman's heart, and a dangerous monster. It is said that he doesn't have a heart. the heartless creature, world fear of. And Tarun, the youngest son, though he doesn't have any powers due to being born from a human soul when the king was still human, But he was clever and jealous of Sanjay, being called the most powerful. All his life, He has tried every possible way to be the favourite of the queen, but alas! she only gave all her attention to Sanjay. But Tarun has never stopped trying. The Queen's most trustable knight comes to her court and he greets her majesty.

Daniel-" Greetings, her majesty!

The queen replied-" Yes Daniel? How is everything?

Daniel replied-" Arjun had been taken care of. we are prepared to march towards Rajnagri.

The queen said-" very well, I have received the information needed, I don't need Arjun anymore. Keep him alive till we capture the princess. Also, I need more information about that mystery princess.

Daniel replied with confidence-" Yes her majesty. Shall I inform His majesty for this?

The queen smiled and said-" No I believe, you can manage this little work, No need to bring my son into this little matter. Let him enjoy his vacation for now. By the way where is my son Sanjay nowadays?

Daniel replied- " His majesty is at his palace, with his mistresses.

The king turned to the Queen and said-" Diana, He is our son, Do not only use him as a weapon.

The queen looked at The king in amusement and said-" My king, Sanjay is my favourite son. I love him. I dare not use him. He is the crown prince, I am just training him for the future. He needs to be ready for every circumstance, he cannot get weak."

The king replied-" You should also consider him as your son, before calling him as the crown prince. and as his mother, you should also sometimes consider giving him lessons of life, Like not to play with those innocent hearts. Your son only uses them as many as his mistresses for his part of a play, those innocent girls fall for him, and he turns them down, If this is the case, He shall become a good warrior, not a good King who shall look after his people.

The queen smiled a glance and replied-" My king, You are too naive, for this dark kingdom. My son is not only a good warrior but also the best for this throne. in our dark world, we don't have a heart like humans, If we have, we cannot rule this kingdom. And like me, my son, Sanjay doesn't belong a heart.

The king frowned and said-" But Diana, know that, once you had a heart that is why you loved me."

The queen replied to this-" Love is a weak word for us, my king. Well you are my husband, yes once in this lifetime, I became weak and fall for you, And I won't lie, that was the best time for me, but also I had to lose half of my powers as a punishment of this. In our dark world, We cannot be weak or we shall not rule this kingdom. My father knew I was the strongest in this kingdom to be crowned princess, Hence, I was given the throne. That was the main reason our son Tarun is not as strong as My son Sanjay.

The king's face turned down a little he replied-" Though Sanjay was not born from me, yet he is my son, I raised him, Given him all my love. He is my eldest son, I want his best to be.

The queen turned to him and said-" I know my king, You are the only human, that makes me weak. But you are my strength. Don't worry, He is the son of the dark. Nothing can beat him. For now, Our main focus is the mystery princess of Rajnagri.

Queen Diana, sent his small army towards the Rajnagri, Me not being their, present at that moment makes the shield weak that was made during my birth. they attacked the kingdom and got to know I was not in that kingdom. Luckily, Shaanti helped my mother to escape from there. She told my mother where I went. My mother got really scared and prayed about my safety. It was my mother's prayer that has saved me today. Somehow, Ajay's partner had given him the news of the palace is attacked. He told me-" Princess, the palace is attacked, we need to go to a safe place.

That time, I was scared, but I was very near to my truth so I cannot go back, and I cannot be selfish to keep Ajay here. My kingdom needs him. So I said-" Ajay, the old's man place is nearby, You need to go back to the palace, Save others. I will stay here. Once everything is fine, you can come and take me. Moreover, if they are here for me, I cannot go front.

Ajay looked confused and asked me-" But princess, what about your safety? I cannot leave you here. King shall...

I said-" Ajay, for now, your kingdom needs you. Don't worry I will be safe here. Nobody knows I am here. Go.

He left without his consent. I ride my horse towards the old man's house in the wilderness. Suddenly there was a dark cloud all over, My horse stopped in between, with unknown reason, I was scared, and suddenly he started behaving oddly and run towards the dark wilderness, and sometime later, he suddenly stopped and I fell and I hit my head hard and I blank out.