Chapter 2
3 months later:
Peace is back in Jaigar, as murders have stopped happening. People praised and blessed the Jaigarh army and the 7 knights. The king was indeed very proud of his brave knights although they had not brought the head of the killer, but all that mattered at that moment was that people had started leaving their lives like they did earlier. Nevertheless, the knights were determined in finding out the criminal, and understood that he was quite intelligent and cunning, to stop the murders, and bring normalcy back to the town again for sometime.
Vedanta: We have to be very cautious. i don't think the crimes have altogether stopped. May be the criminal wants us to forget the problem for sometime, so as to get the right opportunity for a big incident.
Udayveer: you are absolutely right Vedanta. We can't just relax. rather we will act like we have forgotten the case forever, as the king himself is relaxed now. But we have to keep an eye on the people. Specially in the nights when everyone is asleep.
Both agreed on the terms of this secret work and decided to discuss this with all the other knights, who were also thinking of the same thing.
Next day they discussed this with the king and also the rest of the knights, and the king was very pleased seeing the sincerity in his knights.
That day the king threw a grand invitation of food and drinks in his palace for his knights and himself. They had great fun, dancing and drinking with all the lovely apsaras, who walked gracefully to the men, but most of them controlled themselves to show their virtues as warriors. Udayveer just had his drinks and looked at those women and smiled.
"what a waste of beauty. If beauty is something which claims praise in this way from every men, then i despise such beauty and grace. Beauty is something which even in a veil can be recognized it as Beautiful!..." he said to himself..
the king who was listening to him all this time smirked at his remark and patted his back
"Don't be so sarcastic towards beautiful women son. You don't know what Godly beauty can do. If you fall in love with any of the beauties, you are gone for ever. That can be more devastating than even solving a horrible murder mystery. Women bring sorrow as much as she can bring happiness. Never underestimate them..."
The last words of the king had a seriousness in his tone, and Udayveer although didn't pay much heed to any of the words, nodded in agreement to show respect to the king. He bent slightly to take his leave from the palace as it was too late at night.
Uday pulled the horse reigns and galloped it faster as he was quite tired and badly needed sleep. He felt like his dreams were calling him with both hands and the only thing he could imagine at that moment was his giant soft bed and the feathered pillow, which could take him to dreams that were much more than a little child could think about.
Ever since Uday was a child he would dream about mountains, hills, rivers and he in a mask and a sword, driving the horse like crazy, and a girl, who would scream at the top of her voice, which only irritated him, rather than making him feel bad for her, whom he thought his duty to save, and save himself from her shrill voice which would have definitely deafened his ears in his sleep. Only after he would save her, and kill the demons who must have abducted her, he heaved a sigh of relief!...That was a strange dream which occurred not once or twice, but many times, in different places in his dreams..Sometimes in hills, sometimes, in deserts, and sometimes, in the midst of a dark forest..and once he even saw himself killed by that strange girl!...Ever since the day he saw himself killed by the girl, he never saw the dream again. He promised himself, that whenever he would dream of it again, he would definitely kill her instead of saving her, but that lucky day never came which disappointed him.
"eeeaaahhh"...a sudden strange voice brought a halt to Udayveer's speedy journey
Udayveer stopped his horsed and tried to listen to it again to understand whether it was actually a sound or whether it was his dream, as he had started dozing off in between, as he had full trust on his horse...
It was quite dark as the time was 10 past 1 in the night, and everyone in the world must have been half dead in their beds, with sleep. It was a deep dense forest which he had to cross to reach the hills where he had his house built. Udayveer always preferred some calm and quietness, which made him chose a residence in such a place far from inhabitants.
Udayveer: did you too hear the strange voice shera or was i hallucinating?
Uday's horse just led a soft neighing sound, which confirmed him that it was a YES from the creature. That was definitely a voice quite clear.
"aaahhh ahhhaahhh hheeeaaahhh...bachao humei bachao"
Now he got worried about who it was, as it was quite evident that the person was a lady, and he quickly ran towards the place from where the voice was approaching. He saw a woman being grabbed by a dozen of men, supposedly daccoits, who were trying to take advantage of her. She tried to fight helplessly, as they pulled her hair, and one removed her aachal from her head. She cried and pleaded to stop, but all laughed at her misery. Udayveer was in complete rage as he saw this and rushed to help her. In minutes he blew them off with his manly power and strength. He fought fiercely with his sword and even stabbed a few, seeing which the other ran away from the place in shock and fear.
The woman who was crying, sensed that Udayveer was approaching towards her, and so immediately took her pallu lying on the road and covered herself and avoided him from seeing her face.
"Thank you for saving me knight Udayveer. i owe you my life. If you would not have come at the right time, i would have lost my everything today.." she started weeping.
Uday consoled her by patting her shoulder, and tried to look at her from the pallu that she had in her face. It was very dark in the forest, but even then, he wanted to thank the rays of the moon, which let him see her vaguely, if not clearly. From the complexion of her skin, he could understand that why those men were after her. She was definitely, a beauty, but only with chastity. She was very shy, and quiet. He could see her lips, although not her eyes. Those lips were perfect like some creation of an artist's painting, and they smiled when he consoled her and as he offered her to leave her home, the smile, deceased, which turned into sobbing. That strangely pricked his heart a bit, as he felt like some guilty man, for hurting an innocent soul.
"i don't have a home. My swami left me"...
"How harsh a man can be, who can leave such an innocent soul. Those lecherous men, always desperate to enjoy some other woman, and they talk about dharma(religion). they are sick fools"...he thought...
"No worries. i am sorry to make you cry. Look its quite dark here and very late. i can't leave you here. if i do you will again be surrounded by those goons. You just come with me for tonight. Leave tomorrow early morning. "
"i am sorry sir, but i am not those kind of woman. May be you have mistaken me. i can't come to your place. what will people say if they see me. My living will become difficult in this town..." she sobs again which irritates Udayveer now.
"Enough of your chastity lecture. I am not suspecting your chastity lady. All i am doing is trying to protect you. Do you understand that..I won't leave you here. To protect a citizen of this town is my duty and am only doing my work.."
The woman gets a bit scared and agrees to go with him, as she could see that there was no use arguing with his knight.
He makes her sit in the horse and leaves with her from the isolated forest towards the hills.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
