Page 43 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

I descended the stairs and walked towards the ministers. I pointed my swords at them and said,“You are not my target. Go to that bastard, Surgami Dev Singh, and tell him his boy is waiting for him. Let me kill him, and I will touch none of you.” The ministers retreated, quivering, as my stature towered over them.

“He will be here shortly,” they exclaimed, and I nodded. Even though I had warned them, I looked at a group of soldiers lifting their swords to attack me. But before their swords could reach me, I pushed mine against theirs and pulled out my dagger.

“So, you want it this way, hnn?” One of them targeted my injured arm, while the others struggled to keep up with my speed.

“Ahhhh…” the soldier cried loudly as I plunged my sword into his stomach, making him fall to the ground. I attacked the others. A few were killed, and a few were injured. The hall reverberated with violent screams and reeked of blood.

By that time, my prime target arrived, shouting authoritatively.“What the heck are you doing?”

I turned around to see him holding a sword, and the mere sightof him antagonized me.

Death—a normal death wouldn't be enough. I wanted to afflict him with so much pain, torment him, give him a slow, agonising death, so he would regret what he did to my girl.

“I’m claiming what's yours like you did with what’s mine,” I said, dropping my sword and sprinting to him. Clutching his neck, I pushed him against the wall at full strength.

A group of soldiers attacked me from behind, slashing my back, but my hold on him did not loosen, not even a bit. Blood rushed to his face as he struggled for air and writhed in my hands to escape.

“How dare you? How could you even think of that?” I growled at him, and suddenly he shoved a dagger into my abdomen. My knees weakened, and my hold detached from his neck. He gasped for breath, coughing, and barked out a laugh.

“That girl is promiscuous and a little minx. She offered to sleep with her,” This was it; the moment those words slipped out of his mouth, I curled my right hand into a fist and delivered a strong punch right to the side of his jaw, holding his shoulder with the other hand.

“She's everything I've got, and you did not spare her either,” I gritted, and a squad of soldiers lunged at me, tearing my skin, making me bleed, but the strength in my hands did not for once falter while punching that old bastard in his guts. He fell on his knees, throwing up blood, and the soldiers drew me back.

Circling, they attacked me and I tried to match their blows, simultaneously pulling the dagger out of my stomach. The sting made me breathe out a howl, wincing in pain. I again charged at them, and the King scrambled away in the middle of the battle.

“You will never get the throne until I am alive,” He yelled, standing at the exit and turning towards the soldiers he commanded,“Kill him.” The tremor of fear in his tone did not go unnoticed by me.

And the troop sprang at me. The soldiers who were on my side, and I fought them back.

With the sunrise, the cries of pain also rose. Hundreds were wounded, and a few died. However, the King fled with a small convoy.

I fell on my knees with hundreds of gashes on my body, bleeding grievously.

Despite the ongoing battle and the king’s survival, the throne’svacancy and the absence of a ruler threatened disruption in the kingdom. Therefore, as regent, I claimed the royal prerogative to ensure the kingdom’s stability and progress.

But that wasn't enough. Although I had only a battalion of soldiers on my side, the royal army of the state included soldiers who supported him. Despite being their head commander, their true loyalty lay with him.

The sun, blazing at its peak, indicated it was afternoon, and I was still fighting the battle. That boneheaded king ordered his army to fight me and then fled; therefore, I could never win because the battle is only considered won when the current ruler is dead.

The sun set until the last soldier thudded to the ground, leaving me with the people by my side. My stance was unsteady as I fought thousands of soldiers alone in the long battle.

But the bloody day had not ended. For now, I was in the regency, a temporary king. And no king and kingdom would ever be complete without a queen.

The time had come to bring the Queen to her kingdom.

?? ? ? ?

Nandani

After completing some rituals, the attendants helped me prepare for the wedding. Ruhani didn't want to be a part of it. She was anxious about what would happen, but deep down, I knew what would occur.

The sun was about to set, yet the king wasn’t back. I felt mystifyingly peaceful, but a part of me was anxious, too anxious. I was jittery, and thoughts of what consequences would arise if the king never made it back kept running through my mind.

“Shall we make you ready?” Suman's voice brought me out of my trance, and when I looked at her, she seemed worried.

I asked her to bring the leftover henna. She creased her eyebrows at me but left to get what I requested.

Upon her return, she gave me the bowl. I dipped the tip of a feather into the paste and firmly wrote on my hand.

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