Chapter 99
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[MEMBERSONLY]
Chapter One Hundred Seventy Two: When Time Becomes Threat
"That one," Lord Arnav pointed out to a gold ring from the selection that was arrayed before him where he leaned against the wooden counter of the jewel shop in the South Village market.
The jeweler, who still found it hard to believe that the First Lord himself was in his shop, bowed a millionth time to the tall figure and mumbled fearfully, "Shall I pack it with the other one, most honourable sire?"
"No, just hand them to me," said Lord Arnav, taking out from the pocket of his suit, a tiny bag that jingled with coins.
He dropped it casually onto the wooden counter, the coins clanking as they hit the surface, and the shopkeeper's trembling hand respectfully placed the two gold rings into the First Lord's waiting palm.
Slipping the rings into his pocket, Lord Arnav turned on his heels and was soon out of the shop, walking towards where he had left Shadow waiting beside a tree.
The cold wind slapped against his frame as he strolled forward, his thoughts immersed in rampant calculations.
Tomorrow. The marriage would have to be done tomorrow. That was what he promised Master Shashi Gupta.
So that meant he had exactly 24 hours to proceed and complete the rest of the rituals before next night's wedding. But first, he would have to break the news of his decision to Lady Deviyani and Lady Anjali and, though they would refute, he would have to make them willing.
En route to the Castle, Lord Arnav was leading Shadow along a short cut through the forest to get there before the procession, when Shadow suddenly halted and shuffled about where he stood, fidgeting.
"What is it, Shadow?" Lord Arnav frowned concernedly at the back of his horse's head.
Shadow grunted and bobbed his head discreetly into the darkness before him and Lord Arnav's gaze slid to the space between the grim forest trees that stood looming in front of them.
"Very clever, Master Menace," a drawling voice opined from the darkness, and the First Lord's fists clenched while still holding the reins.
He didn't offer any reply but waited in fuming silence as General Shyam trotted smartly towards him on the white horse, Lightning.
The black horse sniffed disgustedly at the white horse who in turn bared her teeth in anger at the black one.
"You imbecile brute!" Lord Arnav hissed through gritted teeth, and made a move to get off his horse but the General laughed, "I should have guessed when I saw you slip out of the stable with Shadow something was out for a catch."
As he spoke, he had eased Lightning to Shadow's side such that the General was inches away from the mounted Lord Arnav.
Lord Arnav's hands were appallingly pale with the strain of wringing the reins. If these reins were instead your neck……...
The General smirked, "What you plan to do will not happen."
Lord Arnav frowned, but said nothing.
The General leaned forward and whispered, "You will not get her."
Furious, Lord Arnav raised his fist but the General moved his horse away, chuckling, "Close call," he winked at the scowling Lord Arnav, "You really think you can win this little fight with me, Master Menace?"
"I will, you stinking scumbag!" issued Lord Arnav, trembling with anger, "You will not DARE to harm my sister!"
"I mean her no harm, really," said the General simply, "She's too fragile anyway."
"You-" Lord Arnav seemed short of words, rage and impending devastation bowing him down, "Why..." his hands were trembling as they held the reins, "Why!! My sister loves you more than she loves anyone in this world...how can you betray her when he is carrying your child..."
"I would not have to make all these absurd plans of running away if tonight had not turned out the way it had."
Lord Arnav was still angry but the General read the confusion in his eyes.
General Shyam explained, "You know the truth and she knows it too. It's too risky to stay here anymore if I need to execute my plans...All that matters to me now is that village girl."
Lord Arnav's glare was fierce upon the General, "Leave Kushi alone."
"I cannot," said the General smiled innocently, "I need her and, by the looks of it, you cannot STOP me." He grinned at him cunningly, "I know Kushi better than you know her. She was too trusting that she spoke all about her to me through the many letters we shared. Infact, if I remember right, she even mentioned a million times how much she hated you. Detested you. Yes, that was the word she used. Beginning from her days at the Industry under you. You should have read her letters…...dripping with disgust for you, Master Menace. You were cruel to her...uttery!"
Lord Arnav roared, pulling at his reins, but Shadow refused to move closer the hateful white horse, "Shut your lying mouth, devil!!"
"I speak the truth," said the General, assuredly, "Sadly, the letters are all burnt. I regret burning them now... I should have let you read them and know the taste of her fresh hatred first-hand...instead of giving in to my initial rage and burning them all up."
"How dare you..." Lord Arnav's eyes blurred with angry tears, "How dare you betray us when we gave you refuge..."
"Refuge?" snorted the General, glancing around casually before looking at the seething First Lord, "I needed no refuge, Master Menace. I only needed a pawn beside whose shadow I could get on with my life...but folly be mine for I let my pawn become my prison. In fact, if your sister had not been so keen on wanting me, I would be free to run away with that village girl."
"You will not lay a finger on Kushi and you will not leave my sister brokenhearted," barked Lord Arnav.
"Oh come on," the General remarked in mockery, "You can't be serious, Master Menace! It's not like you like her or anything…...…" The First Lord spoke no word but the General noticed the muscle in Lord Arnav's jaw tense.
"You simply can't be serious!" the General replied in amazement, "I thought it was just a fantasy of your sister and your grandmother to get you two together. Its sad, really, because I am certain she doesn't like you-"
"SHUT UP, you brute!!" yelled Lord Arnav in a rage, "You are probably good at words but you can't fool around with me, General. Not anymore. I am not going to let you get on with whatever turpitude you are up to!"
"You can't stop me," teased the evil brother-in-law, "I've set my target on having her and I will. No one can stop me. You can do nothing!"
"I will stop you."
"Oh really?" the General's eyebrows rose, "How? By kicking me out of the family Castle? That is a fitting plan, I must say, for it would give me the freedom to leave this land with the girl."
"You won't!" Lord Arnav shot.
"I will," whispered the confident General, "I know you are planning to leave me disabled by marrying her yourself. When did you tell that old man that you were going to marry her? Tomorrow?" the General laughed, "Well, before sundown tomorrow, I will have disappeared with her. I am just waiting for everyone to lose themselves in the festive joy of tonight's marriage."
And then before Lord Arnav could react, the General reared his horse, and with a sly smirk, he disappeared into the darkness leaving Lord Arnav on Shadow, too taken aback by all that was said to make a move.
"Shadow," Lord Arnav said at last, as he picked up the reins once again, "We cannot battle against that foul being's plans when time is of essence. Brace yourself, friend: we'll have to do things my way."
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