The Lion and the Panther- (Ragna ff) REMOVED - Page 15

Absolutely amazing update!!!! Loved it!!! I love the transition of their relation!

Please update soon!!! Cant wait.

Your eye for fine detailing is truly remarkable . Raghav and Kalpanas journey of slowly unravelling each other to reach a togetherness is heartwarming . May the force be with you Vidya . 😊

Thanks for the kind comments everyone. Oh and as for the comment with the Star Wars reference, that was pretty cool. 😆 I love Star Wars. May the force be with you too. 😃 Now here is chapter 6

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Chapter 6

Maharaj Fort in the East.

Pakhi stared at the blood that pooling on the dungeon floor and felt numbing chill travel up her smile. Prem stood over the bodies, the blood coating the blade of his sword, a sneer plastered on his face, a manic gleam in his dark brown eye.

"Do I even want to know why you killed these two men?" - Pakhi asked dryly as she moved around the bodies and came to stand next to him. The dimly lit corridor of the dungeon was lined with palace guards so Pakhi knew even if the men had tried to escape it would have been futile.

"When someone dares to challenge the crown, it is my duty to silence them." -Prem held up the bloodied sword and traced his index finger along the blade with a wry smile- "Do you see this sister?" - he rubbed the blood in between his thumb and index finger and brought it closer to Pakhi's face. She leaned away in disgust earning a chuckle from him- "This is the price these scumbags paid for trying to accuse the crown of rape and molestation."

"I see.." - Pakhi eyed the blood before her eyes fell upon her brother's face with a frown- "So these two men thought you murdered someone..."

"Their daughter. They accused the palace guards of raping and killing their precious daughter and sister." -Prem said with a scoff as he eyed the dead bodies maliciously.

"And are the palace guards guilty of that?" - Pakhi asked regardless of the fact that she knew the answer.

"Of course not." - Prem said dismissively as he pointed the tip of the sword to one of the dead man's throat- "/I/ raped and murdered his daughter. She was a feisty one I must say." - he spat out venomously- "So when these two commoners appeared before my council today accusing the /guards/ of the act, I knew it was an indirect accusation to /me/. I can't have them ruining the reputation of the crown now can I? " - he gritted his teeth as he sank the tip of the sword into the man's throat, causing more blood to erupt onto the already damp ground- "So I decided to grant them the honour of joining their daughter and sister in hell or heaven. I don't know where commoners depart to when they die."

Pakhi folded her arms and looked away momentarily, silently disgusted at her brother's sadistic behaviour- "I have news for you." - she said, trying to change the topic- "The word is your dearest Kalpana has already married Raghav. They have probably arrived in the North by now."

Prem glanced up at her words, burning anger flashing across his eyes- "Oh is that so?" - he gritted out. Unwillingly the idea the Raghav and Kalpana would have consummated the marriage by now further fueled his anger into murderous rage. The thought of Raghav touching her and caressing her with the intimacy of a husband to his wife caused him to dig the blade further into the dead man's body- "Kalpana loves me." - he muttered angrily as he removed the sword from the man's throat. Even though Kalpana had never expressed her feelings to him, he was confident that she had fostered affectionate feelings for him in her heart- "She wouldn't let that cold Northsman touch her." - he said, more in an attempt to convince his own self.

"Well we are not in their bedroom now are we?" - Pakhi replied dryly- "We don't know what they are doing in the privacy of their chambers." In a flash Prem stepped closer to her and grabbed onto the back of her neck roughly, his fingers gripping her hair painfully as he pulled her face closer to his.

"If you weren't my sister.." - he whispered menacingly- "I would have sliced your neck out for your foolish words."

Pakhi trying to pry his hand from her neck, her eyes burning from the pain of his fingers digging into her skull- "Brother... you're hurting me..." - she gasped out.

"That was my intention."- Prem spat out angrily before he released her. She staggered back and touched her head, the tears biting her eyes. He turned away from her and heaved a deep breath- "I will allow Raghav to grow fond of his eastern bride. And when the time is right, I will invite them to the palace. I know that once Kalpana sees me again she will remember her love for me. Then Raghav will know how much it hurts to lose the one you love."

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Greyland in the North.

The short tour of the castle was enjoyable to the new Lady of the North thanks to her husband's patience in escorting her around the different parts of the castle. By the time an hour had passed, she had visited a few of the main rooms, including his study, the council room and the room which had housed the portraits of his ancestors. For a long time she stared at the beautiful picture of his mother for her heart had sunk ever so slightly when she saw that regardless of the fact her father had informed her that Raghav's mother was of the East, the woman was a lighter shade of brown than her. A part of her had hoped the woman had her shade of brown but to her disappointment the complexion of the woman had more resembled that of the Kapoors. Raghav had continued speaking about the different faces on the other portraits but she had vaguely heard his words for her eyes had been focused on the bandages on his eyes. Would he be disappointed when he eventually sees me? she had wondered but she tried to push the foolish thought aside as they continued walking around the palace grounds.

After a visit to the armoury, stables and kitchens, they were now walking down a stone path at the back of the palace. Raghav explained to her this was the back yards to the palace and Kalpana noticed that to the right of the pathway there were a line of trees with leaves as white as snow. To the left of the yard there was lake but because of the cold weather it seemed barren and dismal. The grass was also a dull green, unlike the vibrant green of the grass in the East. While they walked, she remained quiet, remembering the critical looks that had come her way while Raghav had introduced her to the kitchen staff. She wondered if the staff had approved of her but she knew she was still a stranger to them.

"You are quiet, my Lady. Would you like to return inside?"- she heard Raghav say and she glanced at his face as he paused along the pathway.

"No my Lord.." - she said quickly- "I was just wondering what is the name of the trees with the white leaves.. They are quite beautiful..."

Raghav turned his head to the direction he knew the trees were- "They are called Winters Tale."-he said casually- "They only grow in the north and are featured in most of the Northern folk tales. Hence the name."

"Oh..." -Kalpana muttered in understanding as they continued their slow stroll- "This yard is quite vast. I can just imagine what a beautiful garden it will make if there were flowers here."- she said with a small smile. Raghav could hear the longing in her voice and he titled his head in her direction.

"Do you love gardens?"- he enquired curiously and he heard Kalpana sigh by his side.

"Oh yes very much." - her soft voice replied and he could hear the smile in her voice- "I spent most of my time in the garden back home, in the East. It always felt peaceful there, among the flowers, the birds and the trees. The temple was also constructed there so..." - she paused, realizing that he might not know what she was referring to- "The temple is my--- "

"Place of worship.." - Raghav finished off, knowingly- "It is the home of your Gods."

"Oh of course.." - Kalpana said with a soft sigh- "My father told me your mother was from the East so she probably told you about some of the customs.."

"She mentioned some..." - Raghav said as he focused his face straight ahead once more- "But she only spent a small portion of her childhood in the east. Her family moved to the north when she was still very young so she eventually adopted the Northern traditions and customs. By the time she married my father she was already worshiping the Unseen Gods."

Kalpana remained quiet, wondering if he would ever expect her to worship his Gods as well. As if sensing her thoughts, he continued speaking- "I would never ask of you to give up your Gods, my Lady. You are free to worship the Idolized Gods for that is where your faith lies." He heard the sigh of relief that escaped her.

"Thank you for your understanding, my lord.." -Kalpana said sincerely, her expression softening as she looked at him. Once again she thought she saw a flicker of a smile grace his face but it disappeared so quickly that she guessed it was only her imagination. As they continued walking, a moment of silence descended between them until she continued speaking.

"How old were you when your mother passed away?" - she asked gently and Raghav felt a hint of sadness tug at his heart at her question.

"I was ten.." - he replied quietly- "She died during childbirth and the baby as well. My little brother. My father never truly recovered from her passing. I think he blamed himself since she died while giving birth to his son. She was a very strong woman and a great support to my father. He was never whole again after she departed. Before he died, he told me to marry an Eastern woman as well. "They make fine partners" he said." - he bowed his head and shook his head slightly at the memory of his father.

"Oh so that's why you married an Eastern woman." - Kalpana said with a hint of tease and Raghav sighed at her teasing.

"It was my choice as well my lady." - he replied, touching the back of his head as he turned his face to her direction. Kalpana smiled at him but her eyes grew sad as she addressed him.

"I am sorry that your parents left you so soon , my Lord. It must have been lonely living all these years without a family."

"Hmmm.." - he said quietly- "My people are my extended family so I was never truly alone.." - he said gently- "And now I have my own family again.." - he turned to her and reached for her hand. Kalpana bowed her head with a small smile, her eyes lingering on their joined hands.

"Yes you do my lord.." - she said softly. She looked up when he stepped closer to her and again she was reminded at how tall he was in comparison to her.

Raghav could hear her soft breaths and unable to resist, he raised his hand to her cheek but hesitated before his fingers could touch her skin when he remembered how she had tensed at the gesture on their wedding night. However, any doubts that plagued his mind were extinguished when Kalpana stepped closer to him and with a relieved sigh, he cupped her cheek, his thumb tenderly brushing the smooth surface.

"Are you cold, my Lady?' - he asked gently- "We could see the woods another day if the weather is troubling you."

His warm hand on her cheek relieved any chill that had clung to Kalpana's body in the cold Northern weather. With a soft gaze she looked up at his solemn face and wished she could see his eyes staring back at her- "No, my lord.." - she replied quietly, touching his other hand which still held hers between them- "The weather is bearable. I would love to see the woods today."

"Very well..." - with a nod, he stepped away from her and reluctantly their hands slipped away from each other as they continued treading the path in silence. As they entered the shade of the woods, Kalpana noticed that most of the trees were dead and crystalized with the cold. Regardless of their barren state, she could not help but admire how striking they looked and she imagined their beauty must be enhanced in the snow. She was beginning to realize that even though the North did not have the vibrant physical beauty of the East, it did possess its own unique beauty that had much to be admired.

As they walked further into the woods, she slowed her walk as they approached a group of majestic trees which unlike their neighbours, possessed luxurious green leaves decorating the strong branches. However, the image that caught Kalpana's attention was the thousand bright red dots that decorated the branches.

"Wow..." - she exclaimed quietly and Raghav turned his head at her direction, silently disappointed that he could not see the awe which he knew was dancing in her eyes- "Are those...cherries?" - she said with smile and Raghav nodded.

"Yes. These particular cherries only grow in the cold." - he stepped closer to the tree and raised his hand to feel for a low branch. When his fingers brushed the leaves, he plucked a few of the cherries off and approached Kalpana- "We call it the blood of angels'.." -he held out the cherries and Kalpana shook her head at his words.

"You northerners do have unique names for your plants.." -she said with a hint of tease as she took the cherries from his hand. Curious, she popped one into her mouth and immediately a laugh left her.

"Oh my goodness!" - she exclaimed in surprise as she covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with laughter- "These are absolutely delicious! I have never tasted such sweet cherries before!"

Raghav listened to her quietly, the sound of her laughter like music to his ears- "That is the first time I have heard that" - he said and Kalpana looked at him in shock.

"This is the first time someone has told you how delicious these cherries are?!" - she exclaimed disbelievingly.

"No..." - he said shaking his head- "This is the first time I have heard you laugh.."

She glanced down at his words, the blush rising in her cheeks- "Well one of us had to do it. And seeing that my lord husband always wears a grim expression I guess it was going to be me eventually. Maybe one day I will see him smile as well."

He looked away at her words and shook his head at her teasing- "You seem to be in a mischievous mood, my lady wife. You have teased me a couple of times during our walk thus far." - he said in mock sternness earning another chuckle from her.

"Thank you for the cherries, my lord.." - Kalpana said with a sigh as she ate another- "Don't you want to have one?" - she stepped closer to him and held out a cherry to his mouth. However, realizing that she had been caught up in the light teasing between them and that he might not take lightly to her attempting to feed him, she immediately apologized- "I am sorry my Lord, I shouldn't have.." - as she moved to lower her hand, Raghav touched her hand, stilling it in place. Surprised, she stared at him, her eyes widening slightly when he bowed his head and ate the cherry from her hand.

"Hmm you are right..." - he said as he straightened up, his hand slipping from her wrist- "It is delicious."

Kalpana remained quiet at his words while she ate another cherry. She noticed that surroundings were slowly becoming darker which meant that it was now late evening. Raghav took a deep breath, the cool breeze ruffling his brown hair and making him feel more energized than he had felt during his time in the Eastern heat. But with the slight but noticeable drop in temperature, he knew that night was fast approaching.

"Shall we return to the palace, my lady? We have to prepare for the feast."

With the surroundings becoming colder, Kalpana was also beginning to crave the warmth of her chambers so they left the woods and made their way back to the palace.

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The loud music and boisterous laughter of the people in the banquet hall during the feast did not surprise Kalpana. After her wedding, she had come to realize the Northerners threw reservation aside during their celebrations. Raising the silver goblet to her lips, she took a sip of the wine and cringed slightly at the strong taste. It was definitely much stronger than the wine of the East, for that she was certain.

As she lowered the cup, she glanced at Raghav who was drinking the wine with ease while he quietly listened to the celebrations around him. The two of them were seated at the High Table which overlooked the other rows of tables at the level below them. Kalpana smiled at the sheer happiness of the men and women who were conversing in the hall. Regardless of the cold outside, a comforting warmth shadowed the hall and she was eternally grateful for the many candles that were lit on the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

"A DANCE!" - one of the men in the hall exclaimed, causing the band to pause the music- "A DANCE FROM THE LORD AND LADY OF THE NORTH! A DANCE FOR GOOD FORTUNE!" -he shouted earning a cheer from the crowd. Kalpana saw Samar raise his glass of wine in agreement in Raghav's direction. Her husband however remained motionless and quiet.

"A DANCE MY LORD!" - another man supplied and soon the hall was filled with chants of "Dance! Dance! Dance!" Kalpana blanched at their chanting for she did not know any of the Northern dances. When Raghav lowered his wine glass and stood, she gulped slightly and tried to hide the anxiousness in her gaze as he held out his hand for her. With a deep breath, she slid her hand onto his, the gesture earning a loud applause from the crowd. Wordlessly, Raghav led her to the middle of the floor. As he stepped closer to her, he could feel her fingers tense in his grip.

"I don't know any of the Northern dances, my lord.." - she whispered to him and Raghav could hear the slight nervousness in her voice.

"There is no need to worry..." - he whispered back- "I will teach you.." - with that, he tenderly slipped his arm around her waist and drew her closer to him. Kalpana felt her heart racing against her chest, both out of nervousness and from their close proximity as the frost of her dark blue dress brushed the front of his black leather doublet. She looked up at his face and he could feel her warm breath tickling his skin- "You have to place this hand here..." - he placed her right hand on his left shoulder before extending his right arm with her left hand in his- "And now, you just have to follow my lead.."

The musical band began to play a melodious slow tune and Raghav took a step forward. Following his instructions, Kalpana stepped back and soon they were moving slowly but in timing to the music.

"Very good..." - Raghav whispered to her as they glided along the floor to the tune- "You are naturally gifted at this, my lady.." -he said softly and Kalpana felt herself relaxing in his arms.

"You are only speaking such compliments to calm me, my Lord.." - she said with slight shake of her head but at her words, his grip tightened around her waist and he pulled her even closer to him.

"I never give false compliments.." - he replied quietly, his head bowed closer to her face and Kalpana knew that if she could see his eyes, there would only be sincerity there. Soon the tune began to move along faster and keeping with the melody, Raghav increased his footsteps and she followed his lead as the swayed faster to the tune. From the corner of her eyes she saw more couples joining the floor and soon laughter was bouncing off the halls as the pace of the music increased even more. As they swayed on the floor, Kalpana could not help the laugh that escaped her at the vibrant music that filled the atmosphere. With a bright smile she looked at Raghav and to her surprise, she saw a small smile tugging at his lips.

The music came to an end then and they stepped away from each other slightly as they applauded the band, the other people joining in the applause- "Well played!" - Raghav said firmly, earning a cheer from the crowd. The band members bowed at his compliment and Kalpana smiled at them to show her appreciation for their fine music.

"I saw it.." - she said as she looked back at Raghav- "I saw what you did."

At her words, a soft sigh left him and he leaned closer to her face as he cupped her cheek- "And what exactly did I do, my lady?"

"You smiled. I saw it. I know I did." -she said as she touched his hand on her cheek with a bright smile. The dance had caused her heart to beat even faster and she took a deep breath- "You can't deny it.."

"I'm not denying it." -he said, his voice firm but gentle- "Because in this moment, I have felt true joy." - he said sincerely, his thumb tenderly caressing her cheek- "I thank you for honouring me with this dance my lady.."

Kalpana blushed at his words and stared at him as her hand came to rest on his chest where she felt his heart beating against her palm- "Thank you for teaching me, my lord. Maybe someday, I will show you a dance from the East."

Raghav smiled warmly then and nodded at her words, the sound of the festivities vibrating around them- "I look forward to that day, my lady wife."

Wow back to back updates! Am I glad or what?!!!! Awesome to see them come closer! Beautiful! I just wanna be there in the snow!!!!

beautiful update.. Read both 5-6 chaptr in one go.. So kalpi is now in Her's nd raghav's home.. Which is north.. Nd Raghav teaching kalpi dance.. Wow nice.. Plzz update nxt chappy soon.. Waiting..

Beautiful!!! I think I'm also becoming a stalker!

Not on top but still kicking ass!!! 😉 caught me at work today and can't go on phone easily there. 😆
But all good ! So getting to chappy gotta say moving along nicely and loved the bonding occurring during the tour. Kalpi no longer gets nervous at his touch and found it so cute when kalpi wondering if he'll find her beautiful or not and the way she fed him cherry was so cute.,? And the dance omg 😲 sonay pe suhaaga 😛 😉 but that Prem 😡 if he think kalpi will choose a rApist like him he is wrong 😡 bas***d just cause he's king who died and gave him Rights to rape and kill innocent woman. The guy Needs his wee wee cut off and fed to the wild animals but even they'd spit it out due to the bacteria formed on it. Waiting for next chappy muah 😃

Ps: since all their clothing is fur chadi bhi fur ki pehentay hai kya 😉

Great update prem i will u 😡 he thinks kalpi loves him poor man. Ragna journey is wonderful their trust respect care @n each other awesome slowly slowly their bond raise strongly powerfuly
impatiently waiting for daily dose u r soo soo sooo sooo sweet u give us regular updates