You belong to me!

"FIRE! FIRE! The tawaif is set on fire."

The prince set a single curtain on fire. Yet, the flames devoured the entire establishment with an insatiable hunger, transforming the Tawaif into chaos, guards and servants safeguarding the minister and the courtesans dousing the fire with water-filled buckets. Amidst the cacophony of shouts and crackling flames, Zhan and Hiraan ran through winding alleys and hidden passageways, cradling the baby, concealing their presence from guards until, at last, they ended up near the market port.

Hiding behind a banyan tree, Hiraan huffed and puffed, his hands on his knees, as he looked at the baby, her cries echoing relentlessly until they seemed to exhaust even her own tears. Poor thing. She must have been really really scared when they were running!

What spell did she put on Zhan to make him go crazy and set the Tawaif on fire for her? Ahantha, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and also his crush, had never gotten Zhan's attention like this infant.

Hiraan scratched his head and asked. "What are we gonna do with her now? Let's take her to the palace?"

"No way! We can't take her there, he will hurt her!" He said, shaking his head vigorously. "Go to the palace and bring Mother here, but you have to keep it a big secret!" The little prince declared. He has an idea—he could send the baby to Warandras Kingdom to his grandmother, where she would be super safe and protected.

"Before you go to the palace," The prince called out, flinging a copper coin that Hiraan caught with a quick hand. "Run to the market fast and get some milk." He said, noticing the baby monkey's dry, tear-streaked throat. 

"Where did you get the copper coin? Who gave it to you?" Hiraan exclaimed. While a copper coin might seem insignificant to a prince, it was precious to Zhan. Despite carrying the title of a prince, Zhan endured harsh mistreatment within the royal palace, especially when compared to his brothers. The king loathes him, calling him a curse to this kingdom.

"The landlord gave me a special treat for pulling weeds from a whole big acre of land!" The prince said with a mischievous wink. Hiraan's eyes lit up like the twinkling stars as a plan took root in his mind—he would pull the weeds from two acres of the land tomorrow and collect not one but two shiny copper coins that would jingle in his pocket.

Hiraan quickly returned with the glass of milk in no time before rushing off to the palace again. Zhan fed the milk to the infant. However, half of the milk ended up spilling onto him. "How clumsy you are! You can't even drink the milk properly."

He looked at the tiny bundle in his arms, watching as she stretched her tiny hands to touch his face. "I hate when someone touches my face." He muttered, pulling her hands away. However, her persistent little fingers returned to his face again, erupting into cackles now that her hunger was sated. "Stubborn little troublemaker." He muttered, relenting and allowing her to have her way.

"Why did you appear in my dream, baby monkey?" He questioned, caressing her soft cheek. The visions he had experienced today were unlike anything he had ever known. How did he appear near the river Rudhavi? "Why did you ask me to save_"

"The prince has escaped again. He slipped out of my eyes just in a second."

"A fruit vendor informed he saw Hiraan buying milk. If he is around, the prince must be nearby too, up to his mischief as always. General Parastin ordered to search all the taverns and inns."

When Zhan heard the guard's whispers, he started thinking if his grandfather had nothing better to do than spy on him. What if Hiraan gets caught before bringing his aunt here? The king will find out about the baby and will definitely hurt her.

He scanned his surroundings anxiously. To his left stood a tavern, and adjacent to it was an inn, neither of which seemed safe. His eyes finally landed on the small temple of the second god, built for travellers to take a quick blessing before they leave. He waited for the soldiers until they were out of his sight and dashed towards the temple. Opening the temple door, he stumbled upon six sealed urns.

There was one urn that had fallen on the ground, its lid left open. "Baby monkey, I will be back for you soon. Stay here and don't make noise." He attempted to place her inside the urn, but suddenly she clung tightly to his finger, refusing to let go. He chuckled. "I will be gone just for a little while. I will bring my mother here to help us."

Yet the baby stubbornly held his finger.

...

"Have you checked the seven urns? The women inside those urns aren't ordinary. They might attempt to escape." A man questioned the merchant, observing as the porters loaded the seven urns onto the ship, which they had hidden inside the temple from the evening.

"Fear not, Captain. The witch has concocted a potion that shall keep them unconscious." Assured the merchant. "However, exercise caution until you enter the southeast borders. If words reach the court walls that the ship is heading to the Demon's land, our death cries will echo through the city walls by tomorrow."

"Fear not. My crew will handle that matter," Assured the Captain. He tossed a pouch towards the merchant. "Here, one hundred gold coins."

"Hundred?" The merchant yelled. "We agreed_"

"Another hundred shall come to your hand once I deliver these seven ladies to the Demon King's land." He declared and released the rope, and the ship moved forward.

Mere moments after the ship had sailed past, the prince sprinted towards the temple, accompanied by Hiraan. His breath caught in his throat as he didnot find a single urn inside. "Where is the baby monkey? Hiraan, look around the temple."

For a full hour, he scoured the bustling market, desperately searching for any trace of the urn or his baby monkey, but to no avail. Defeated, he settled beneath the familiar tree where he had once sat with the infant. "Baby monkey is gone, Hiraan. Someone has taken her. I couldn't protect her."

Hiraan sadly looked at his friend, who was twirling the half-moon ring, his face all sad. Isn't it the baby's ring? Did he not return it to her? But then Hiraan noticed something, a ring was missing from the prince's finger. "Zhan, where is your ring? It's the only gift you have from your mother."

"Lost," He replied with a dull tone. He lost the baby monkey, and he had lost his mother's precious ring. It was no surprise that people called him the bringer of destruction.

A little while ago, at the temple, she refused to let go of his hand, making him helpless. No matter how much he tried to coax her, she held his finger steadfastly, wailing as if he would leave her. So, he took his ring from his hand and placed it gently in her tiny palm. "This is a precious gift from my mother. I will never give it to anyone else. Please keep it safe until I come back, alright, baby monkey?"

As the baby stopped crying and let go of his finger, he carefully placed her inside the urn and closed it tightly. He took a few steps but then quickly turned back, opening the lid and cradling the baby in his arms again. "If bad people come here to hurt you before I return, just say you belong to Arazhan."