* * *

Vikram quickly walked to his chambers and pulled the ruby necklace set which he bought for Nandhini before he left the kingdom, he smiled ear to ear imagining Nandhini's expression the moment she would get to see this set. She always gifted him something or the other and this is going to be his first gift for her.

His huge smiled disappeared when he entered her chambers, Nandhini was no where in sight and on top of if her large almirah was completely ransacked, of course Nandhini was an unorganised person in nature but this looks weird and this is definitely not her work, if she is not in her chambers then she should be in the garden then why couldn't he see her there when he passed by?

He rubbed his forehead with his thumb wondering if something was wrong, it should be. He stuffed that pouch in his armour and ran outside to inform this to the soldiers.

Vikram's heart was pounding loud as his brain started to picture the worst of worst scenarios, Nandhini doesn't even know any self defence techniques. Oh Nandhini, where are you?

* * *

Arjuna was trying his best to calm Chitra, but she was like a burning fire pit. His mother also came to the royal court not understanding what the chaos was about but before Rajamatha Padmaja could voice out her questions Rajan marched inside the hall with female guards behind him who were pulling Apsara by her hair.

"You son of bitch! Tell them to let go of me!" Apsara screamed at Rajan but he remained unmoved as he stood in front of Arjuna bowing his head.

"Your Majesty! Senapati Vikram ji has caught Apsara stealing ornaments from Princess Nandhini's Chambers and also unfortunately the princess is missing."

"What!" Rajamatha looked shaken as she slowly uttered those words.

"Where is Vikram now?" Arjuna asked with a huge frown on his face, "Tell him to-"

"Excuse me for interrupting, my majesty." Rajan said as he stepped backwards as he was a little scared to stop the king from speaking, "But Vikram has already sent a few soldiers outside the palace to search for her while a few are doing a through check inside the palace."

Chitra stepped down from the dias and placed her fingers under her chin, forcing Apsara to meet her eyes, "What did you do to Nandhini?" Her voice came out deep and demanding.

Chitra knows perfectly that Nandhini going missing is one of her acts but instead of answering Chitra's question Apsara's sardonic laugh echoed through the huge hall irritating Chitra even more.

Chitra caught her throat pressing hard making it difficult for Apsara to breathe, "Answer me or you die-"

"I die? No queen, your pathetic princess is dying from slow poison right now." Apsara grinned as those world shattering words left her mouth, "And if you want your princess alive, set me and my brother free."

* * *

Some unknown feeling told Vikram that Nandhini should be inside the palace. He was running outside of her chambers and that was when he saw Apsara walking in a haste as if she was hiding something and when checked, he found a few gold ornaments safely wrapped in her dupatta and the troubled expression on her face told him everything.

Vikram knows that she won't spill out anything soon so he immediately handovered her to Rajan, sending half of his men outside the palace to find Princess Nandhini. Where as he was trying to gather clues to reach her, how can a princess be abducted without raising any suspicion? Nandhini is a princess, sister of the king of a nation, so all day she is surrounded with tight security, just how did a pathetic woman like Apsara abducted her?

"Chief," A soldier marched towards him, "No soldier at the night shift or in the morning shift have heard or seen anything suspicious."

Vikram just wanted to bang his head somewhere but no, he can not give up or turn emotional. He has to do this for his love, for his innocent Nandhini.

"You," Vikram's words came out stiff and determined towards the soldier, "Go and gather all the maids who work for Princess Nandhini."

Soon Nandhini's Chambers were filled with nine young maids who stood in a line with their heads hung low in fear, it was offencive for young woman to be seen without a veil but Vikram has no choice, he has to this but a woman chose to speak up for her fellow maids, "Senapati ji, with due respect we have already been interrogated regarding this issue them are why are we forcefully being gathered again?"

Ignoring that woman Vikram cleared his throat before he spoke, "You might have heard about the unfortunate news about Princess Nandhini's abduction and I also know that you have given your set of answers. But remember this, you will be interrogated again and this time I will not accept a no as an answer."

Everyone was visibly scared and Vikram signalled for the female guards to come inside the Chambers and seeing female guards around created more tension in the huge room.

"The moment I hear a no from your mouth you will be beheaded, as a punishment for your lack of responsibility, for not performing your duties as a maid of our princess."

Few maids started sobbing hearing Vikram's words. His harsh words and his empathyless eyes made everyone shiver in fear.

"The tiniest of your guesses, silliest of your answers, everything matters. So make sure you have something to speak up when you have time, otherwise prepare for your death." Saying Vikram walked outside to his soldiers.

"You two, interrogate each and every soldier who has joined our security forces for the past week. Make sure you cross check every aspect."

Nodding their and promising to perform their duties with all their might and heart the soldiers left. Vikram pulled out the ruby necklace from his kutha pocket as his heart was slowly wailing thinking about Nandhini, how did you get yourself into this deep trouble, my love?

"Senapati ji!" A female guard walked outside pulling out a young maid roughly, "This girl has something to say relatable."

Vikram waved his fingers indicating the guard to leave. He quickly observed the girl, she was pale and should be around a young age of seventeen. Her lips were shivering in fear as she slowly talked.

"I t-think our palace is hau-haunted senapati ji. Yesterday night I heard sounds of payal so I hid myself in my room, ma-maybe that is the ghost which has ab-abducted princess."

Vikram wanted to hit himself listening to that rubbish, "Around which time at night and at which side?"

"M-mid night? And my room is towards the north side, so-" She squeaked in fear.

Mid night? He knows how curious of a person Nandhini is, seems like she went and fell in the trap all by herself. This is a huge clue and Vikram hurriedly took a few steps forward but stopped himself as he turned around, he faced the girl as he spoke.

"Remember this girl. Humans are far more dangerous than some stupid demons and ghosts." The girl looked at Vikram from the corner of her eyes, "Demons just feed on your fear, but humans feed on your trust and love to break you dead."

Saying so Vikram marched outside to his soldiers, the only place towards the north side is where the palace ends. Either Nandhini was hidden there or she was abducted from there.

In a fraction of minutes every soldier was at the north side, behind the palace searching for clues but for some unknown reason his focus was struck on a cow stable.

Trusting his instinct he ran towards the stable and broke the door open of the room behind it. Miraculously he found Nandhini, but his eyes were stinging with tears looking at her state, he quickly picked up an unconscious Nandhini in his arms, her skin was cold and her body was drenched in sweat. Holding back his tears he ran outside towards the royal physician chambers.

* * *

Nandhini's throat was still hurting but nonetheless she felt better and her eyes slowly fluttered open only to see a depressed Vikram looking at her longingly.

His eyes shone with relief and happiness the moment he saw her opening her eyes. "Nandhini! Are you alright? "

She smiled as she lifted her hand up to place it on his cheek, slowly rubbing his beard in process.

"I am fine, Vikram." Saying she slowly moved aside making space for Vikram to sit on the bed and he followed her instructions sitting at the edge of the bed beside her as he delicately smoothed her tangled hair.

But soon his brain reminded him that he was supposed to scold her, "How irresponsible can you be! Why will you go looking for trouble in the middle of the night!"

"Oh that. Before yesterday night I once heard Apsara planning an escape, so I wanted to catch her red handed-"

"You could have informed your mother! You could have taken my men to capture her! However, all you need is trouble-"

Unable to hear his irritating taunts Nandhini placed her hand on his lips silencing him.

"Senapati ji, your to be wife is here sick, lying on a bed and all you can do is taunt? Stop being a mother hen!"

"Then what should I do! You-"

"You should kiss me so that I can heal faster-"

"Nonsense."

Nandhini lifted herself placing her weight on her elbows and pressed her lips to his, slowly and steadily their lips synced in passion as Vikram's hand went behind her tiny back keeping her in place, the palace, the wounds and worries, everything was forgotten but abruptly Nandhini bent away.

And Vikram sat confused and frustrated, "Why would you-"

"Someone told me kisses are nonsensical? Where is that person! Can you see him, senapati ji?"

"Shut up." Smiling he bent forward trying to continue their broken kiss. A voice in his mind kept teasing him about how madly smitten he was by this princess but alas, his world revolves around her.

* * *

Chitra's eyes flashed with fury and anger. How ungrateful can a human be? Apsara's brother was a shame on humanity, he supported and planned with bandits to burn villages, killed several lives and all these sins were just done for power.

And Apsara was no less than her brother, she lied to Chitra and tried to break her marriage. She hurt an innocent child like Shridhar and now, she was trying to kill Nandhini?

Her hands itched to strangle her to death, rage filled in her as she stomped near a Sliver case where royal swords and daggers were kept and pulled out a sword from there.

Chitra pulled the sword out of it's case and placed it on Apsara's neck, drawing out thin lines of blood which slipped down her neck.

"I am giving you one last chance so speak up! What did you do to Nandhini?"

Even at that point where a sharp sword was placed on her neck Apsara seemed unbothered. She smiled, shaking her head in a no.

The anger in her quickened seeing Apsara's ignorance and disrespect, Chitra lifted her sword up ready to slash Apsara's head and right at moment a loud sound of a wooden box breaking was heard.

With the same rage and irritated expression Chitra lifted her eyes to see the source of the sound and there at the entrance of the royal hall stood little Shridhar with fear filled eyes.

The little boy shivered in horror seeing her making Chitra's heart race with fear. The moment Chitra saw Shridar she dropped the sword to the floor looking at him and took a few steps forward.

Unlike usual, unlike how he would run to her arms laughing with love and happiness he stepped backwards in fear running away from there and Chitra's heart shattered to a million pieces seeing his terrified expression.

----