CN SS: ~REVENGE~ part 11 updated at page 31

India... 400 BC... The country is fragmented into pieces; they are happily living with their mutual enmity and fights... A great emperor from far Macedonia has already set off for conquering India... but none is worried about that... Except a common poor Brahmin teacher of Taxshila... He understood the necessity of a unified India... he understood the necessity of a king who will be as hard as a rock and will dedicate his life in serving his subjects selflessly. He understood the necessity of a king who will worship his country like his mother, not as a piece of land... So he set off... to find the crude stone from whom he will embellish to a unique and excellent gem... he got a little boy with fire inside. He dedicated all his life to give that fire a direction, a destination which he has to reach at any cost! They are Chanakya and Chandragupta... two great names of Indian History...

Magadh... The greatest kingdom of India... The subjects are living in the hell under the authority of king Mahapadmanand and his elder son Dhananand. Nand dynasty... the most inhumane and infamous dynasty in India... There are a lot of stories flying in the air of Magadh about the birth of Nand dynasty. Even the little children of Magadh know how Sishunag king was killed due to the joined conspiracy of treacherous queen Avantika and Nand, followed by the cursed night of Nand's crowning as king! They know how perfectly all the accusations were shifted on Maharaj Suryagupt, a small king of a small state Pipplivan after murdering him too! They also know about Rani Mura, the queen of Suryagupt, spending her days in the prison of Maghadh bearing all the tortures and humiliations of lecherous Nand. They only know, but they can't even whisper that in public places. The only punishment of uttering these stories is death! Nand, alias Maharaj Mahapadmanand, who is said to be a barber's son and the personal barber of king Sishunag, does not let rumours to fly. He is the authority, and his whip speaks up most often on any random innocent among the subjects to prove the fact again and again that he is the king. He wants to be a blue-blood king... He does not want to keep any gap in his royal attitude, so he keeps on increasing his wealth... he keeps on showing off his wealth... squeezing the blood of the common subjects of Magadh! The dwellers of Magadh have even lost their hopes of waiting for their saviour, and have been habituated to their bad fate!

Only Queen Mura has not lost hope; in her prison, she is counting the days... when her son, her new-born kid whom she had left in a stable will come to avenge her humiliations!

And he came. He came as a saviour of Magadh. He came as the saviour of his motherland India. He is the son of Bharatmata, he is the son of Mura, the most efficient pupil of Acharya Chanakya, whose goal of life is to fulfil his guru's dream, he is Chandragupta Maurya...

He demolished Nand dynasty; he slaughtered Nand and his sons; he finished the tale of cruelty of the violent Nand princes from the soil of Magadh. He became the king of Magadh. He became the king of the centre of India... Such a king who will be as hard as a rock and will dedicate his life in serving the subjects selflessly... who will worship his country like his mother...

There were still some supporters of Nand dynasty in Magadh. There were several supporters from outside. To stop them forever, Chandragupta took the strategy which has been taken by all the kings of that time. That is to marry one of the defeated king's female family members to provide the females of the defeated family a secured life, and to end the chance of further war forever... This marriage is a formal way of surrender of the defeated king. So Chandragupta wedded Nandini, the youngest daughter of Nand, the girl who has witnessed the death of her father and 7 brothers in front of eyes... This marriage was nothing but a political move, and at the personal level Chandra considered this marriage as his final victory against Nand, and Nandini as his ace against him!

Nandini... The darling daughter of Maharaj Mahapadmanand and Rani Avantika... Her character is made with equal amount of fearlessness and viciousness inherited from her parents... But her sensibility, eagerness of gathering knowledge has not snatched the light of humanity from her heart even in the darkness of evil all around her. She can differentiate the difference between good and evil, right and wrong, light and darkness. She accepted Chandragupta's proposal of marriage whole-heartedly and agreed to give away her life on the name of the same man who destroyed her world... only to get revenge from him!

Their bond of marriage had been tied with the urge of revenge; their seven vows consisted of hatred and vengeance... Two young lives started their life with the oath of revenge only... His revenge was from her father and his blood, her revenge was from his existence...

Will Nandini be able to avenge her father's death? Will Chandragupta always hate her for being the daughter of the worst sinner on earth? Or their destiny has stored something different? Will the journey on the thorns of hatred and revenge ever change into the petal of love and compassion? ...

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"SLASHHH!!!!!!"

"SLASHHH!!!!!"

"AHHH!!!!!AAAHHH!!!!!!!!"

Blood flooded through the passage of the cave, the sculptured chest of the strong-built warrior was being slashed inhumanely with the sharp edge of the shining and vicious sword; the darkness was prevailed by the heart-rending cry of the powerful king... and was strangely being overpowered by the silent vicious laughter of the blood-trusty slaughter...

And then suddenly the cry, the scream stopped... The silence of death dropped a curtain of cold and merciless peace...

Nandini woke up. She was sweating, her limbs were trembling terribly after revisiting the horrible memory in her nightmare, but there was no tear in her eyes. The source of tears has been dried up. Only one urge is left... the urge of revenge of the blood of her father and brothers.

"Nandini..."

The young lady sat on her bed and looked with numb glare. It is her mother. The gorgeous former queen of Magadh is wearing the outfit of a widow. But the lack of ornaments is not able to hide the in-born royalty from her gestures. She sat beside her daughter and held her chin. "Get ready my dear. It is time..."

It is time... Not for Nandini, for that bloody slaughter... Chandragupta Maurya... It is his time to good bye the world...

"What are you thinking Nandini?"

"Nothing Maa!" Nandini chuckled, wiping out the trace of trauma from her face. Today is the date of her marriage... She is going to bind herself in an unbreakable bond with such a man, who has murdered her father and brothers mercilessly...

Now it is your turn Chandragupta! I will not die before wiping out your last trace from this world!

A vicious smirk appeared in her innocent face, making her beautiful face looking unexpectedly ugly.

"I will tell you only one thing Nandini." Avantika was minutely observing her change of expressions... "Don't try to do anything stupid that will tell upon on the rest of your family. Remember, we all have got a chance to live our life with respect again... and none of us can afford to lose it!"

"Living the life with respect on the mercy of your husband's and sons' killer! Don't you feel ashamed to live such a life Maa?" Nandini smiled sarcastically, her taunting voice lashed Avantika. Yes it stings... If not in the fire of revenge in which Nandini is burning, then this stinging is for that hurt ego of the queen of Magadh- that the new queen-mother has smashed under her elegant mercy. How tactfully she managed to break the bubble of Avantika's ego by herself coming with the proposal of marriage for her daughter. Clearly she showed that the former queen of Magadh has no way but to live upon the mercy of the woman whom she and her husband have tortured for long 20 years... Living a slave's life is still tolerable, but living a status of a queen on the mercy of the same person who was once under your feet- this burn of hurt ego not bearable! "What has happened was ought to happen Nandini!" she sighed before addressing her. "And what's happening with you is not a new thing. It is a common practice, and you have to abide by it. Remember, you are not the daughter of Mahapadmanad anymore. With the marriage today, you are going to be the queen of Chandragupta Maurya. Try to utilize this new identity Nandini, don't stuck with the old..."

"Can you please leave me alone for a moment Maa?"

Her voice had something which compelled Avantika to listen her. Nandini stared at her path while smiling... What is happening with her will be a new thing! As, none of the wives must have planned to kill her new groom at the first night of their marriage!

It has a great risk, and maybe she is pushing her family in danger by doing this, but she has to do it! Chandragupta cannot survive after giving her the greatest loss of life. She will fulfil the duty of a daughter- the duty of a sister!

"Kinnari..." She called out...

"Yes Nandini." Her attendant cum friend came and sat beside her. "What you had asked for has come..." she whispered.

"Nice!" An evil vicious smile appeared on Nandini's face. Eyes beamed in the fire of revenge. You have to pay the price for the blood of the Nands, Chandragupta... You had vowed for eradicating Nand dynasty; but you have forgotten that one of the Nands is still alive, whom you are going to give access in your private and vulnerable moments.

"Give it to me..."

Kinnari plucked the hairpin from her bun. Nandini stared at the sharp edge for some times... "Will it be enough?"

"Another weapon will be there in the flower-vase of the bedroom..." Kinnari whispered. "Rani Sunanda has arranged everything. But remember, you are going to get only one chance... If you miss, we all will be slaughtered!"

"I will not!" The confident princess smirked brutally. "I have enough of opium in my ring that will make him sleep forever when I will mix that with his milk. If he does not die, it is going to make him sleepy and weak. This is the first night of togetherness between bride and groom..." her eyes shined. "How will he stop himself from being imprisoned in his beautiful bride's embracement? And that will be his embracement with death! He will not get a moment to shout. This small innocent dagger will readily enter in the most delicate place of his neck before he can save himself from the embracement of death!"

Kinnari was listening with goose-bumps. "I think you know what your duty is after this?" Nandini asked.

"I will set fire in the room and at the entrance of antahpura! The soldiers will be busy with that and we will escape through the secret door... The men of the new king are yet to know about the locations of secret doors, they will not be able to catch us!"

"Remember Kinnari, the lives and honour of the ladies of Nand dynasty is in your hand now!" Nandini told with a measured authority... "After getting out of Magadh you all will go to our relative's states for help. There are many kings who are waiting to finish new king of Magadh, they will obviously help us!"

"But Nandini... how will you escape?" Kinnari held her hand. "Will you be able to go to the secret passage after stabbing the king?"

"I will." Nandini assured her. "That's why I have ordered you to put the whole palace on fire... There will be enough smokes to confuse the soldiers." She smiled with lost glare... She will escape for sure... If she can't go to the secret door, the heat and fierce of the fire will be enough for her to escape from the world!

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It was night. The night after the celebration of the royal marriage was over...

The most of the guards of the antahpur are sleeping under the hangover of plenty alcohol and opium they'd taken in the celebration of wedding. In a very sloth and cautious pace, Kinnari trotted towards the entrance of Antahpur. There were no guards, as expected. She has to complete the work of this portion fast before going to the room of bride and groom. The king has gone to his new bride just some minutes back. She has to do hurry now to spread oil in front of their room! As per their plan, when the royal bell will announce the first hour of night, she will instantly put on fire. Over the railing of the corridor Vishakha was waiting for the signal. One single sign from Kinnari, and she will open the hidden door of the secret passage made behind the wall. She carefully took out the vessel of oil from under her wrapper. One little spark will invoke a big fire! First here, then in the corridor, then in front of the king's room... none will be able to escape...

Nandini took a long breath before picking up the hidden weapon from the vase of flower. This is a very innocent girly element, only a designed Kanchuka (breast band)... only this one is made of steel, with a few innocent spikes peeping out from the plate. She touched the blades of those small daggers... sharper than she expected. The head of those are intentionally made twisted, so that the prey cannot free himself easily from the embracement of death... Lovely stuff, isn't it?

The doors were closed, curtains had been dropped. Nandini pulled off her veil and dupatta and strapped the breastplate with her body. There is enough of this type of weapons in the stock of the female assassins of this palace, whom her father used to send to the enemies as spy. It was not very tough for Sunanda to get one of them and transfer that in this room with the flower-vase. Luckily this one is the positive point of Nandini and her team- maybe now they are without any resource and surrounded by the guards of enemy camp with the cunning eyes of Chanakya's men always observing them, but almost all of them knows each and every corner, the secret paths and shortcuts of this palace like the lines of their palm. In this case they are one step ahead of Chandragupta's men; they are not smart enough to track them all the time. Automatically, a sigh came out from the deep of Nandini's heart. They had such a great army, such a great monarchy, such a grand and magnificent lifestyle they used to live! And now everything is been snatched by that mere shepherd boy! That Chandra, now the great king Chandragupta Maurya, the long lost son of some random prisoner Moora, who was not even worth of an ant in front of her father's vast power, suddenly came up like a thunderstorm and snatched everything from her!

And now she, the former princess of Magadh, the daughter of Mahapadmanand is going to become a silent assassin. She is going to act as a seductress, to intoxicate Chandra with her passion, then suddenly to stab him to death...

Suddenly Nandini shivered to imagine the scene!

Despite all her agony, her rage, her revenge, she cannot deny that Chandra was a warrior. A valiant warrior... He fought a fair battle, with the army 1/4^th of his father's vast force and only with his concrete war-strategy, great leadership and unbelievable strength, tactics and courage he has won Magadh! He has not done anything wrong! He has not done anything unethical as per her bookish knowledge! He did not snatch anything! He only won the war, where her father lost it... And as a consequence of a war, all of her family got the most expected thing, death! He was violent, he was unforgiving, but he was not mean, not evil!

And she has made a cheap and coward policy of killing him such a way, by stabbing him from back, when he is not in warrior's armour and weapon. Her father lost his war and to avenge his death she is going to gift a valiant warrior such a disrespectful death!?

A face flashed in front of her eyes... his face with full of sympathy and tenderness when she was wailing for her father the night she lost her in front of her eyes. None can have such empathy in his eyes unless he has a great heart even to think for his enemies... She had never seen this empathy in any of the males of her family; she did never imagine that a male warrior can have this empathy inside their stony heart... that one glimpse of that man told her that he is different- completely different from those whom she has worshiped from her childhood, and that difference is never a bad, if not more superior and assuring...

The spontaneous cheers and chants in the name of Chandragupta when he entered into the palace suddenly rang inside her ears. The subjects of Pataliputra were chanting on his name, was celebrating the death of their king Mahapadmanand after the defeat of Magadh. More than Chandrgupta's victory, they were happy for the death of their former king. Every single dweller of their kingdom was supporting the greatest enemy of their kingdom! The whole Magadh was on the top of the world in the date of Chandragupta's coronation. When he addressed the subjects in his coronation speech, the mass of the kingdom spontaneously showed their overwhelmed excitement in a very cheerful way, that they would never even have thought for Mahapadmanand! Their cheers were entering in her ear like melted lead that day, but today just at this moment, she became thoughtful about it. And that thoughtfulness invoked a dilemma. The words of Chandragupta in his speech started echoing in her heart. All the words of her enemy were completely based on a simple truth. No king can sit on the throne without the support of his subjects. The subjects are the pillar of the empire, and the subjects make the king. Nandini was never taught to think that way; she has only learnt to live her life like a princess, fulfil all her wishes like a princess. She never ever has thought to think for the subjects who are the pillar of the empire. Neither her father ever has! But it was the most necessary duty for them. The fall of Nand dynasty was written in their destiny. Chandragupta has only become the weapon of that...

Why she is thinking all these!! Nandini wanted to slap herself hard for getting in a dilemma! She does not have the option to give a second thought now. She is set for her mission and by hook or crook she is going to win it. She needs not to think about right and wrong now when it is too late. She needs not to think what will happen to the people of Magadh now after losing their most deserving king in such a way! She needs not to think that the beautiful Magadh will burn into ashes if no controlling figure sits on the throne... She has turned herself in a flame of destruction, and a flame only knows to burn and destroy. She cannot think!

While covering her breast-band properly with the gorgeous Dupatta, she wore the heavy ornaments swiftly. Perfect! She smiled while looking at her reflection on mirror. She slowly picked up the ornaments of flower. The big bridal garland hid the dreadful breastplate completely. Now in this dim night-lamps Chandragupta can never suspect that she is going to hug him till death! She touched the hairpin on her bun and tightened that. She will be getting only one chance... Only one chance she is going to get... She has to avenge her father's death! She has to avenge the destruction of Nand dynasty! She has to wipe out the trace of Mauryan dynasty forever! It is her one and only motto of being alive now!

"Kinnari? Isn't it you? What are you doing here?"

"Vai...vaisali... I mean... Maharajkunwari... De...devi Chaya!!" Kinnari stammered. The young and beautiful princess came forward and smiled decently. Kinnari suddenly felt her heart is going to come outside due to terror.

"Yeah, it's me. But what are you doing here at this night?" Chaya looked absolutely normal. She walked towards her, and suddenly her feet slipped in the viscous liquid fallen on ground. "Hey, what is this? Oil??"

"O..oil... yeah!! I was actually fetching some oil to lip the lamps of Ranivas! The container slipped from my hand..."

"Is it?"

Kinnari shook from core again. The voice was not of sweet and charming Chaya. It was coming from the elegant and hardcore Rajmata Moora!

"R...Ra..rajmata!"

"Check her!" Without wasting a single word, Moora commanded to the woman soldiers who were following her. Kinnari left dumbstruck, praying to the God only! "Check the vases too, I am sure they have stored a lots of oil here and there to burn us alive in the palace!" Moora came closer to Kinnari. "You will tell everything about your plan. Won't you?"

The new king was looking at her face with calm and saturated eyes. Nandini smiled delicately. He is looking extremely resplendent today in his attire of royal groom. The priceless angvasra with golden embroidery is covering the broad manly chest, the masculine arms are looking like a perfect marble sculpture embellished with priceless stone ornaments. The royal turban with the symbol of Mauryan dynasty shining on the head is making his pleasant and majestic presence even more magnificent! His calm smile is as soothing as the moonlight. And his eyes are shining like a blazing sun! Strange and unique his eyes are... Sharp like dagger, cold like ice but not vicious- rather assuring and benevolent... warm and indulgent... He is smilingly gazing at her face, his piercing eyes parching her mind, her thought, her conscience. Nandini's heart suddenly filled with an unknown fear looking at those eyes... it seemed to her as if those deep intense glare will read everything going inside her mind!

"Magadhnaresh ko Nandputri Rajnandini ka pranam!" She removed her eyes from his eyes in hurry and lowered her head with respect to the king. "Will his majesty allow me to serve him tonight?" With a tempting smile slowly covering the delightful shade of her face, she stretched her hand towards the king... "Welcome to the room and the life of Nandini, Majesty!"

Chandragupta stared at her face like before. Neither he glimpsed nor did his eyes signal any change of his emotion. She took a long breath. This young man looks completely indifferent to the desire for woman! He is not smitten a little bit with the sensual smiles of beautiful Nandini!

"Your Majesty!" Nandini moved one step forward and touched his hand with wearing an alluring smirk in her lips. "Won't you complete my existence by welcoming me in your life?"

This time Chandragupta's smile broadened, he took her palm in his hand and kissed them in a lovely gesture. "Come..." He touched the shoulder of his new wife, and led her to the bed. The first barrier is passed! Nandini sat beside him of the bed of flowers. Chandragupta, with a little bit of hesitation, touched her cheeks. For no reason his small touch doubled Nandini's heartbeat. She touched her garland to feel the place of the breast-band. It is in the right position and not visible from outside...

"I want to say you something, lady!" Chandragupta started in a very low, unfurnished yet magnificent voice. Nandini looked at his face with eager eyes... Chandragupta pressed her hand which was in the grip of his hands with the touch of assurance.

"I know how difficult it had been for you to agree for this marriage. After all, I have killed your father and brothers." He kept on telling without a little shake in voice, as if killing her brothers and father is a very much normal and ordinary incident. "Anyway, I had given you full liberty to choose your future- that if you're ready to be the queen of Magadh, or want to remain as the daughter of the previous lost rogue king. I am happy that you chose the first one. I have no personal grudge on you and the other ladies of your family, so you people will stay safe and happy under my rule. I hope..." he unnecessarily gave stress on the word hope'... "...you will be able to compromise with this marriage and be able to move forward in your life peacefully."

I will not get the peace before I see your blood in my hand, Chandragupta!

Nandini smiled endearingly. "I am your wife now. You are my husband, my lord, my destiny. I hereby surrender all my body and heart in your feet. Yes it was tough for me to compromise with this marriage... But after all I am a woman, and a woman is always like water; she can shape herself according to the container... she can compromise with any of the situation. I have vowed the promises of marriage, I have connected my life with the greatest bond with you, and from now I am all yours..."

I hope my acting was whole convincing!

Chandragupta smiled again, this time his eyes sparked. "All the best, my dear lady!" He uttered with a hidden amusement in his eyes.

"So, my lord..."Nandini came closer to him, showing all types of sensual signal that one can. But Chandragupta was sitting like a stone idol. Concrete, rigid and unbreakable!

Nandini became confused now. In her imagination and little experience from the other males of her family, she had guessed that this young man will not be able to control himself from drowning in her sensual beauty. She never ever expected that a man can sit so calm and composed for such a long time when a beautiful woman is alluring him from so close. Is he a warrior, or a monk? Strange!

"Your majesty..." She, coming out of the hesitation of a maiden, stepped more forward, stretched her arms and clung to his neck. Her eye trying to shower as much as seductive vibes as possible for her, but this stone-man was hardly smitten by her tactics. Even after this much, his eyebrows did not move! His body too seemed strangely hard to her. Is he really made of stone or what?

"Am I not fit for you, your majesty?" Leaving him, Nandini tried the oldest girly tactics of getting a man's attention- the wet eyes! Chandragupta showed some action now. He pulled her closer by holding her chin, affectionately looking at her eyes... "Time will tell Nandputri, that whether you're fit for me or not!"

Nandini's conscience gave her a jolt suddenly. She could feel the coldness of his warm and tender eyes. No, Nandini, you have to be more careful! This man is not any random ordinary man. He is unique... Uncannily unique!

Moments pass, Nandini could not flow with the time. Strangely her heart was subsequently drowning in his magnificent eyes. His face was very much closer to her, he was gazing in his eyes without a blink, she could feel his breaths sweeping in her face. He had no touch of mesmerisation or desire in his eyes... only they were pulling Nandini like magnet! All her thoughts, her emotions, her pain, her anger, her plans everything was getting mingled with each other, and sinking in the deep of his intense blackish brown orbs...

Time is going on... Nandini cannot afford to waste more hours. She closed her eyes and moved her face. From the nearby table she picked up the glass of milk and smiled. "This is for you, my lord!" Taking a long breath she handed the poisonous milk in his hand.

"Thank you..."Chandragupta smiled back and took the glass from her. He sipped once a very little amount... Nandini tried hard to keep her expression normal. No. It's not that easy to kill a man in cool mind!

But just after touching the glass with lips, suddenly Chandragupta looked at her. His smile was endearing, but his eyes again feared Nandini to death! She gulped and wore a smile again. Chandragupta took the glass in front of her lips. "Take one sip from me." His offer was very innocent, but it shivered Nandini from core!

"B...but... your majesty!!" Nandini tried hard to look normal... "It's for you! It's a custom your majesty that grooms has to drink milk in the Suhaag Raat, you are my husband now and so... I..."

"Custom!?" Chandragupta smiled delicately. "Isn't it a custom too, lady, that any foods or beverages offered to the king has to be first tasted by the person who is offering that?"

"Yeah... but... I mean..." Nandini stammered getting out of excuses. Chandragupta laughed out. "I was joking, Nandini!" A shade of a vicious mischief came and disappeared from his face in a moment. He suddenly kept the glass on the table. "Leave it. Let's talk and know each-other." He proposed.

Nandini's eyes were stuck on the glass of milk and her breath-rate had increased automatically, and it took a longer time to fake herself again. Time is flowing, Kinnari will set fire when the royal clock will rang pratham prahar. If she cannot send this man to the hell before this, they all will have to live in hell for the whole life! She became adamant suddenly. By hook or crook, she will take his life now!

With a strange passion from her heart she stepped forward, and dared to act in such a way that she could not even imagine doing one day ago! Wearing a seductive smile in her lips and eyes, she pulled his face towards her, her lips almost trying to touch his lips... Chandra's eyes shined again in an unknown spark, but he did reciprocate this time. He smirked and pushed her in the bed, and leaned over her. Taking his face over her face he swept her soul with his warm passionate breaths. "I never admitted it to anyone Nandini; but you're beautiful- dangerously beautiful!" He whispered. His voice was cold- without any touch of mesmerisation! Nandini closed her eyes and took a long breath. It's not at all easy! It's difficult! She cannot! She cannot!

But she has to! He is slowly leaning on her... he will try to embrace her. Nandini managed to touch the hairpin-dagger of her bun for once... Now!

She smiled very alluringly, and suddenly sprung up from her posture hugging Chandra. Chandra pulled her through her waist, and took her body inside the imprisonment of his arms... They embraced each other in a strange passion- closer, more closer... and suddenly a metallic sound of collision contaminated the ambiance of the passionate night suddenly!

Nandini readily loosed her hold, staring at Chandra's eyes with surprised, hurt glare... Chandragupta was smiling, and this was not the same smile that he was wearing throughout. This was a savage, vicious, insane smile of a warrior after he conquers his victory in a savage battle!

"What do you think Nandputri? You will decorate yourself with the special ornaments for tonight and I will come here without any preparation?" He smirked and simultaneously removed his Angvastra. With shocked eyes Nandini could see, there is a thin armour of steel covering his broad manly chest- which was deliberately hidden under the robes, garland and ornaments!

"What happened, my dear Nandini? Come?" He kept on smiling brutally, his steps slowly coming towards her. Automatically Nandini stepped backward, her limbs trembling in a pure fear now, as she was unable to thing what is going to happen with her now. "What happened Nandini? Are you fearing from me?" His sarcastic taunt with the smirk clearly indicated his apathy and hatred towards her. "Won't you want me to complete your existence by accepting your body and heart?"

Nandini stopped against the wall, Chandra's strong arms pressed her against it. He took his lips too closed to her. "Come on, let us celebrate our first night!" He smirked.

"I will surely celebrate your death, Chandragupta Maurya!" Splitting fire from her eyes, Nandini spontaneously took out the hairpin from her bun and pierced Chandragupta's neck. But alas! He was swifter than her! He had immediately saved his neck by springing at right side, and almost simultaneously he pulled Nandini's waist and clasped her against his body. Her last weapon, the hairpin had come in his hand!

"Is there anything more in your stock, Nandputri?" His voice bent in sheer hatred while taking the name. He eventually pulled other hairpins from her bun and freed Nandini's hair. He pulled the flower garland from her neck and threw that on floor. While Nandini was trying hard to get a smaller chance to free herself and attack on him, he was clasping her body more mercilessly.

"Leave me!" Nandini was roaring in the imprisonment of his strong arms like a wounded tigress.

"I haven't held you for leaving you so easily, Nandini!" He uttered in a very mild, cold emotionless voice.

REVENGE~

PART:2

The Nand queens of the women-quarter are sitting at the edge of their seats... This night is going to decide their destiny! The moon of the night sky is playing hide and seek with the black cloud. The happy air of the festive night is slowly being touched with black and gloomy omen. All are living with a hope... some with the hope of a new beginning, some with the hope of burning everything including own identity in the devastating fire of revenge! None knows what is going to happen next!

"I am afraid that we are doing wrong Sunanda!" Avantika whispered with a hopeless sigh. "This was a last chance for Nandini to live her life; but she is ruining the chance in the urge of revenge!"

"You cannot do anything Avantika. She will not be happy in this forced relationship." Sunanda discouraged her. "Your daughter is going to fulfil her duty as a daughter. You should bless her instead of thinking about a selfish future!"

"Duty of daughter!!" Avantika closed her eyes in a sheer pain. But she took no time to control emotions. "We have taken a great risk Sunanda! We... we did too hurry!"

"Everything is going as per plan. We have a concrete plan Avantika!" Sunanda tried to assure her.

"I do not believe. Acharya Chanakya and Chandragupta have defeated the vast army of Magadh! They cannot be so dumb in front of some mere little conspiracies of women! That can't be so simple..." Avantika's voice was increasing restlessly! "Sunanda, I fear there must be..."

"Excuse me ladies!!"

Both of them were shocked with the stony voice. A rough and tough woman soldier is standing. Vishakha was standing behind her, with trembling limbs!

"Acharya Chanakya has ordered you all to meet him!" She ordered in an emotionless voice! They stood speechless, being unknown to their destiny.

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