DEVI - I {Fall of the Hunters}

Kingdom of Hunters

Castle of Solar Dynasty

The silence was eerie, frightening and unnerving. Not even the shivering of dried leaves was detected as the cold wind blew past them. The full moon glowed high in the night sky, scattering its light all over, drinking the darkness and illuminating the mountainous figure of Castle.

A diamond, similar to the size of an egg of an ostrich, glinted hard under the moonlight. It was craved at the top of the highest minaret. A traveler lost amid thick forest could easily point it from miles and reach the destination without going missing. It could be easily said that the kingdom was glorified and had edible resources to stand without support. If not the diamond then the golden pillars at the entrance and many other parts of the castle could justify the magnificent rule of a proud king.

The richest and most powerful clan of the world resided in this area.

No supernatural can ever touch the heights of esteem and reverence these hunters hold. The ultimate balance keepers and peace holders reside in this clan. But this golden kingdom has somehow managed to catch an evil eye.

The chaos rang hard along with screams and wails of a woman, who was being dragged mercilessly by the bunch of soldiers. KirtiRaje was the name of the woman. She struggled hard and kicked as the soldiers dragged her through heavy iron chains that were tied around her wrist. A worried Prince Surya ran after them, feeling utterly helpless. The crime his wife committed was heinous and unforgivable. His dear wife, whom he loved more than anything, gave poison to the Queen of Hunters. Unfortunately, the queen was pregnant. Behind Surya, a 10-year-old boy ran wearing his white cotton nightdress. Horror was coated on his features replacing the once cheerful persona. He was called Indra, firstborn of the next generation of King and only child of Surya. He was the expected heir of the throne as King Raghav and Queen Vasundhara wasn't gifted with a child for 10 years until now.

Driven in greed and jealousy, Kirti poisoned the pregnant queen, fearing to lose the throne. She has always dreamed of her son sitting on it one day.

As the soldiers neared the grand courtroom, the struggles of the woman increased and screams were released in a high-pitched sonnet. She resembled a rabid animal at the moment with her once tied hair sticking out in all directions, forming knots and clothes were poorly holding the grip on the body. Her foot wares were long-lost in the fights and struggles and so was her gold jewelry.

For the first time in the history of hunters, the High Queen- GayatriRaje, mother of King Raghav and Prince Surya, called this court at 1 am.

The moment warning bells were ranged, the entire army of high officials jumped out of their sleep and rushed to see the emergency. Now they all were settled in the courtroom completely shocked and taken aback. It was hard for them to decipher, what has gone wrong that the princess of the kingdom is being dragged like a criminal.

In no time King Raghav entered the courtroom dominating the air that strolled across the pillars. Walking gracefully, with his head high and chest puffed out, he reached the throne and settled elegantly. The king was a buff man with heavily packed muscles. His height was 6'5. Cherry red hairs covered his head and brought out his fair features. His eyes were grey rounded by silver rings. They were bloodshot and swollen tonight. No matter how charming he looked, the deadly aura surrounding him immediately made the onlookers downcast their gaze. Under his menacing glare, they felt small and powerless. He was the king. King of Hunters, the ultimate peacemaker among supernatural and most powerful species. They were graced by great strength and senses to have the upper hand on creatures of the night. The human nature was never a weakness but posed as a great strength. They were all skilled warriors, in front of whom no vampire or werewolf could stand more than a minute without losing a huge piece of a chunk. The supernatural feared them and called them the reapers, that could pull the very soul out of their chest without breaking the sweat. This was the clan of hunters, the protectors, the humans, and the best warriors.

As King Raghav settled on his throne his stormy eyes immediately focused on the crying woman at the center of the grand hall. His nostrils flared in anger recalling how his beloved wife was struggling to even breathe and was vomiting blood. He remembered the face of healers and qualified doctors when they wore a grimacing expression and shook their heads telling no hope was left. The pleading eyes of his wife, Vasundhara, got imprinted in his mind for forever when she held his hand tight and clutched her bulging belly. She was scared, so scared. It has broken his heart. And in return, he wanted to do nothing but kill the woman who has managed to destroy his love for her stupid greed. But this was a female who has committed a crime, and as a king, he can't punish her. Only the queens have the right to hear the cases with such crimes according to the hunter's laws.

Everybody stood in respect as the old queen entered the courtroom wearing her white gown. She had big brown hair with a hint of grey near her ears. Her pale complexion made her look like a goddess descending from heaven. Her hands were joined in front of she walked down the grand courtroom with a commanding vibe. As she neared the throne of King Raghav, the warriors settled back on their place.

A small minute of silence was passed as the old queen stood over the stairs and swept her eyes over the power-hungry and cunning woman who once Gayatri called her younger daughter-in-law.

As the moments passed, Princess Chanda, the only daughter of Queen Gayatri and sister of Prince Surya and King Raghav entered the courtroom with her 7-year-old son Rudra and a year-old daughter Shakti. She occupied the empty chair beside her husband, Commander Bhanu C. Thakur and looked at her mother with sharp eyes. A storm was brewing among the family after watching the Queen Vasundhara of hunters slowly fading in nothingness.

"Tonight, we all have gathered here to follow our religion and respect the laws that were made by the ancestors of this solar dynasty a long time ago. Tonight, an odious sin was committed inside these very walls of justice. A life was stolen tonight, not any ordinary but the life of our leader and queen was taken tonight. With deep anguish, I announce the demise of Queen Vasundhara." The moment those words left Gayatri's mouth, chaos broke within the once silent atmosphere. Various voices rang together in shock and worry. All their eyes landed on the silent king who was barely holding the thread of sanity after losing his wife. His hold on sword tightens hearing the cruel words passing his mother's tongue. Unfortunately, death and life weren't in his hands, otherwise, he had never let his beloved die. The yells of disbelief and quarrel over the departure of Vasundhara boiled the blood that he shouted.

"SILENCE. Maintain the decorum of the court." The words were uttered through gritted teeth and everybody retreats. Tears escaped many eyes as they reminiscence the deceased queen. She was a kind, brave and just Queen. The wisest of all time. Nobody ever suffered under her watch. She took care of her kingdom like a mother and didn't let anyone sleep mourning over hunger. They never saw a day of poverty under her laws.

"We want justice for our Queen. How did she die?" One of the warriors hollered, making Prince Surya grit his teeth in anger.

"She was poisoned." Gayatri cleared and the hall once again broke in murmurs. "She was poisoned by Kirti, wife of my other son, Surya. The drug Kirti used didn't have any antidote or cure, so we failed to save the queen. She has passed an hour ago. But we are not going to mourn right away forgetting, that we have a murderer on lose. So, I, Queen GayatriRaje is going to take liberty on punishing this worthless woman, who has burned her own house. Not only did she had killed the Queen of this empire but also put the life of the heir in danger. She has tried to harm the Royals, so I disown her from this family and commence a penalty as retribution for this unforgivable offense. Just like the Queen of this empire was burning from inside after you poisoned her, I suggest you be burnt alive in the middle of this hall to redeem your mistake and save this kingdom from the likes of you." Queen Gayatri declared and the yells of the agreement broke instantly. Surya was gone far in the darkness and fear to lose his wife that didn't even object. He stumbled back in shock and fell on his knees. Indra was a different story. He sprinted towards his chained mother and hugged her torso tightly. He was scared to lose her. He wasn't mature, but he very well understood the torture.

Watching him crying and begging melted Chanda's heart, so she carried him back to her chambers along with her kids. No sane mother will ever want her children to face such cruelty. As soon as they left, Gayatri gestured the executioner to come forward and begin the said sentence. He was a bulky man and stood at 7 ft. He wore a dark mask to cover his face. Bringing a canister of kerosene, he poured it over her in a measured quantity. Kirti could only gasp as her skin absorbed the product in seconds. Her heart hammered against her rib cage and she regretted doing the deed. Minding a harmless distance, the executioner than lit a match and threw it over the sinner. In no time, the sizzling fire caught the body of Kirti following the general chemical reaction. The entire court watched the suffering of the killer with emotionless eyes. The figure of Kirti was strained by the chains to prohibit her movements. Her cries echoed in the castle like the melancholy of a ballerina with broken feet. The same fire danced in the eyes of Surya, who witnessed the death of his sanity.

***

After an eventful night, everybody returned to their chambers. King Raghav settled on the velvet cushioned chair in front of the fireplace of his chambers. His eyes stared in distance, watching nothing as mind kept replaying the fragments of memories of Vasundhara; he has woven all these years. When the infant in his arms mewled in her sleep, he rocked back and forth on the chair while humming a soothing tune that lulled her back to rest. Moisture shined in his stormy grey eyes as he remembered their last moment together.

She was in pain.

So much pain that she couldn't even scream. She was choking and gurgling on her blood. Her body was turning blue slowly and limbs were achieving coldness that settled fear in his heart. But her womb was surprisingly intact as she cradled it in worry. She was afraid to lose the baby. When the doctors concluded that she couldn't be saved anymore, he had to take a heartless decision.

In all ways, he will lose his wife, but he is not going to lose the proof of their selfless love. The poison has already reached the lungs and was on the way of burning Vasundhara's heart. The pain had sent her on labor at 8 months and it was distressing.

Using his machete, King Raghav beheaded his wife successfully relieving her of deep burning agony. The act shook the hearts of onlookers. The moment he took that terrifying step, the flow of blood went to the north along with poison pumping with it. In the meantime, the doctor's somehow managed to deliver the child using a c-section. The baby was pulled out alive and poison-free due to that heartless act. When the baby cried, there were no happy tears or cheers in the room. All remembered the burning ache and pain of the queen. Nobody fell to celebrate the appearance of a new life but wallowed over the departure of the queen.

"It's a girl." The nurse sobbed, wrapping the small and fragile figure in the warmth of a white towel. Leaving the side of a dead wife, King Raghav took the crying girl in his arms and kissed her forehead. Tears streamed from his eyes and landed on her forehead. He didn't punctuate his pain out loud but his shoulders did shake when he held his child for the first time stepping into fatherhood. Something, his wife always dreamt of. He brought the baby close to his chest letting the infant bask in his warmth. The moment King Raghav's stormy grey eyes met the hues of vibrant silver that matched the moon itself, he knew his Vasundhara was born again. It was a spitting image.

"My daughter, you are my hope."

****

The crowd was immense. It was there to pay homage to the deceased soul. It was the last goodbye to Queen of Hunters, VasundharaRaje. The heavy mass was settled in the garden where the rituals will start soon. The front row was occupied by the Royals and their commanders. The event even brought the supernatural to show their grief and pay respect to the departed soul. King Raghav didn't sit alone but with his good friends and allies. King Francis Dracula of Vampires and Alpha King Octavius Knight of Lycanthrope sat at either side of him, giving his slumped shoulders their friendly support. The moment, the news of Queen's death was out the royals of supernatural made sure to show up and give their condolences. Their wives also accompanied them with heavy hearts. The queen of hunters held a special spot in their hearts too. Her death was sudden and unexpected.

Whoever heard the news, has unknowingly shed tears. She was that valuable and loved.

Gayatri was sitting at the far end of the front row with a 3 days old Devi in her lap. The child was unaware of the happenings and was deep in slumber. Gayatri's heart melted knowing how difficult it's going to be to bring up a girl without a mother. She made soothing circles on Devi's scalp and caressed her pink cheeks affectionately.

ChandaThakur was sitting right next to her mother holding her 1-year old daughter, Shakti. Her eyes refused to dry remembering the beautiful Queen. 7-year-old Rudra was sitting at the chair next to his mother, holding her scarf. It was scary and astonishing for him at the same time to watch such a crowd in one place.

Besides Rudra, a boy was sitting on his mother's lap. He should be not more than 5 years. Rudra felt unnerved in his presence all the time. Maybe, it's because he was a Lycan or because of his constant glare on Queen Gayatri. The boy possessed forest green eyes with golden rings around them. His dark hairs were messed, and he was dressed in dark black like everybody. What differed him from the crowd was the vibrant aura that Rudra found weird. For some reason, he didn't like this boy. He noticed how hard the boy was gripping the handles of his chair until his knuckles turned pale. He was staring at Queen Gayatri for some time now.

"Don't look at her." Rudra blurted finally, fed up with his behavior. In return, the boy bared his sharp teeth in a warning and made a gesture of clawing Rudra's face. Hearing a low growl from him, his mother quickly flipped his ear and warned him to pay attention.

"Edward, behave." Her cold tone immediately raised his hackles, and he retreated back. His face revealed the madness he was feeling. Short breathes came out of his chest in warm puffs. "Edward, what's wrong?" His mother asked in a hushed whisper while rubbing his back. He leaned his back on her chest and took deep breathes.

"Mother, can I play with that doll? I want her." He said pointing at the sleeping beauty on Gayatri's lap. A sharp intake of air was heard and his mother immediately turned him to face her. She cupped his cheeks and looked in his eyes sternly. It was highly unlike his son to ask to play on foreign territory and that also with an infant girl. Edward has never played with a girl in the past let alone breathe around them. He just doesn't like the company of any female that isn't family. His Lycan, that hasn't matured yet, doesn't let him associate with any of them.

"Why do you want to play with her, Edward?" Her mother asked curiously with a thumping heart.

"Because she smells like the moon to me." He whispered in her ear as if it's a grave secret. When she pulled back, her eyes were teary. She kissed his forehead and nodded.

"You may play with her, but only when she is awake. She is resting now, my son." Edward pouted and looked back at Devi's sleepy face in longing.

"Can I look at her?" he asked seeking the permission of his mother who instantly wore a cold expression. In Lycanthrope, the male isn't allowed to look at any female that wasn't their mates or family. The rules and laws of species command them to be respectful towards females. His mother shook her head.

"You can't look at her, not before granting permission from her grandmother. Behave like a good pup now." His mother warned in order to avert his mind from the pull that he felt. He was too young to step in that role. Also, the girl belonged to a different territory and didn't hold a wolf as her spirit. Edward was young, still, he caught that scent of the moon because he belongs to the strongest bloodline of Lycanthrope and is a future Alpha King. He has the sharpest senses and reflexes. Grunting, he jumped off his mother's lap and in next second appeared in front of Queen Gayatri, who almost had a seizure watching him pop all of a sudden.

"Grandma Gayatri, can I look at the doll?" he asked excitedly keeping his voice low making the old woman frown. Confusion dawned on her features as she looked at the firstborn of Alpha King Octavius.

"What doll are you talking about, son? I don't follow." She mumbled affectionately not daring to touch him, respecting the rules of Lycanthrope. The males shouldn't be touched by a female that isn't family.

"The one, sleeping on your lap." At his answer, her eyebrows raised high and she gulped. She stared at his expectant figure for some time and then nodded.

"You may."

"Can I hold her too? I swear I won't wake her up." He promised and before Gayatri could answer, his mother, Luna Amara appeared smiling and lifted him up in her arms.

"No. You can't touch her, son. That's not right at the moment. You see, she is still an infant, just 3 days old. You may look at her since Queen Gayatri gave you permission." She mumbled and kissed his cheek. He nodded with a sigh and finally took a good look at his doll. His lips parted immediately watching small pouty lips open partially. The chest of his doll heaved as she breathed slowly. She was so small and so delicate. He saw how her fingers were wrapped around Queen Gayatri's thumb. A smile broke on his chubby face noting she was drooling too.

"My doll." He whispered in amazement stiffening his mother, who chuckled later and corrected him.

"She isn't a doll, Edward. She is Princess Devi."

Fall of Hunters