*Drought struck village.

It was still far from the capital city of Surasena.

Ira was quietly planning for an escape. She was not sure whether she could trust General Amar. Before she realized, it was already night. She had not eaten anything since noon.

Who would have known that just by searching for the lead of her family's killer she would stumble upon another sacred stone...

Her head was a mess... Not only was she not able to get her revenge, she was also kidnapped... Talking about the worst, there could be nothing worse than her situation right now.

She had barely realised her feelings for Shiv. But before she could even voice it out, here she was kidnapped again.

Ira suddenly swore to herself that when she meets him again, she would tell him her feelings and act upon it without holding back.

Seeing her being quiet all of a sudden, General Amar could already guess she was planning something.

****

Hearing Aditya talk about his painful past, Shiv couldn't help but feel sad. Even after hearing about how he killed him in his previous life, Shiv couldn't bring himself to resent him as he consider it was all in the past.

He believed, this curse itself was more than enough for him to repent on his mistakes. He lived 1000 years of solitude while he continued to wait for his birth...

All the people he loved, were dead and gone but here he was standing still like a piece of hardened rock.

Shiv couldn't begin to understand how lonely and terrible he must have felt by living all those years in the confinement of life...

Before he realized, his eyes were blurry with tears for the friend whom he cared about the most.

He didn't let him see his tears as his mask acted as a perfect cover. He went and gently patted Aditya's shoulders as he softly spoke to him.

"Don't worry about that... It was all in the past that I never knew of... But remember one thing... Irrespective of what you may have done, I trust that you might have had your reasons and my trust in you is not something so meek that it could be wavered by this! I will always continue to trust you!"

Shiv's heartfelt words made Aditya go weak on his knees as he fell. He knelt before him and faced down as the tears were streaming down his eyes.

"I am so sorry... I am not even eligible to apologize to you... But still please accept my apology. I have greatly wronged you and Lady Ira, forgetting that she too was my family! I was blind. Before I realized my mistake, everyone I loved and cared about were dead and gone! I was foolish, foolish enough to fall into his scheme. Please forgive me! This time, I will do whatever I can to protect you and her! I will not let the same mistake to repeat!"

Even though his face was stained with tears, his eyes were sharp and fierce as he looked at Shiv.

Shiv didn't say anything as he nonchalantly stretched out his hand for him to grab hold of it. Aditya took his hand as he silently swore to himself that he would protect them no matter what the cost might be....

****

Ira's stomach started to rumble. Her beautiful ocean blue eyes were tainted with embarrassment as she held her stomach and scoffed at herself internally.

'Stupid dummy! Did you forget that you are kidnapped!? How could you be hungry now!!!?'

She held her stomach as she chanted to herself softly, "I am not hungry... not hungry... not hungry..."

General Amar couldn't help but think she was so adorable. He smiled to himself as he ordered his men to stay the night in the nearby village.

Hearing his remark, Ira's face suddenly brightened up as she was tempted with food! But she forced herself to stay cool and level headed to not be lured by food.

General Amar could read her like an open book for she looked so innocent and pure. It pained his heart to bring her with him to that wretched palace, but he was left with no choice but to obey to what that man says...

They were in the outskirts of the capital. It was a small village. But to their surprise, the village was in a terrible state compared to the capital.

The people were dying from drought... There was no water... All the well in the village were dry. They couldn't depend on farming for their source of living. The people looked so thin and weak! They could barely stand. They were in no position to go in search of food.

Seeing the situation of the village, General Amar immediately ordered his men to pull out and head to another one.

Ira strongly opposed him as she started becoming unruly and hard to control.

"How could you be so heartless? Leave?? Try me if you can!"

She was riding the horse together with General Amar. Even though her hands were tied together it didn't stop her from suddenly kicking the horse. He was barely able to manage it. Unable to withstand her temper, he finally gave up and raised his white flag to her.

"Fine! Fine!! Please stop! What do you want to do?"

"I want to help them." A mischievous glint was flashed on her beautiful ocean blue eyes as her pure white hair was dancing in sync with the rhythm of the wind. She looked simply stunning, making all the men to gasp.

Even Amar was a little shaken by her unearthly beauty. But he recovered soon the moment he realised the meaning of her words.

'Don't tell me apart from helping them, she is planning on doing something? This.. girl, is definitely not ordinary! Even in this hopeless situation, just where does she get the energy to fight with hope in her beautiful eyes....'

He couldn't help but sigh deeply as he prepared his heart for whatever she was planning on doing....