Persephone ~TaaRey OS~Final Part Pg 26 - Page 16

A few days had passed. The Duke came to her everyday to see if she is eating properly or not, if she is offered the best luxury but nothing happened between them like that day.

Reyansh, Duke of West won another battle against the king. He threw a party in his castle to celebrate. Taani was given a red gown made of finest silk to attend the program down the hall. When she came down the hall she saw Duke dancing with a girl in a blue dress. She noticed the way the girl has kept her hands around his shoulders, the way he took her by waist she couldn't help but feeling a little bit of jealous. No. You're not jealous. Who are you to be jealous? He's none to you but your abductor. She kept chanting it in her head like a mantra.

"Shall we?" She saw the Duke bowing in front her offering his hand to dance. She accepted. He escorted her to the dance floor and started to move as the music started.

Again she felt he's dangerously close to her. She could feel his hot breath on her face. His strong pair of arms were clutching around her waist. In her life she never felt so perilous yet so safe. She felt two completely opposite sensation on the same moment. Dangerous and divine. Looking directly at her eyes she witnessed the pair of rich brown eyes were burning with passion. His breaths were growing heavier with every passing second. She closed her eyes parting her lips waiting for him to touch then with his lips. But she felt nothing. When she opened her eyes she finds the music has stopped and he is standing in a safe distance. Bowing to each other to end the dance formally she left the dance floor. Just after a few minutes she saw him on the dance floor again with another girl. Again this time she felt a tinge of jealousy.

When the party ended she witnessed most of the people drunk. Even the man who guards her day and night without sleeping. From his state she was sure the man couldn't come to guard her tonight.

"Taani, this is your only chance of running from here." She murmured stealthily going towards the door.

Through an open window she landed on the garden and started to run towards the main door of the castle. Suddenly she heard a lot of dogs burking. Her blood ran cold. She knew how dangerous the guard dogs are. She tried to run faster. Suddenly something big jumped in front of her.

"where are you going?" He asked in a hoarse voice. It was the big man. Who was looking like an evil creature in the darkness of night.

"AAAHHH!" She screamed in fear. Then fall backwards on the ground. Her head hit on something solid. Her views started to blur.

"Taani.. Taani.." She felt some one slapping her softly. She opened her eyes to see silhouette of a body. It was so perfect..She felt someone catching her under her back and legs and lifting her in his arms. It was the safest place she has ever been. Her world got engulfed by darkness once again.

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She woke up found herself in bed. Duke and an unknown old man were sitting next to her. She could see concern in eyes of him.

"She's is fine duke. It was nothing big."

The duke nodded with a ghost of smile in reply and indicated him to leave. The man obeyed. After the man left closing the door behind him the duke walk a few steps and stopped in front of a window guarding the views of outside from her.

"I'm glad you're fine." He said clearing his throat.

"No. you're glad I couldn't flee." She replied.

"I'm extremely happy you couldn't flee." He replied giving a small smile. "Taani the world outside is dangerous. You know nothing about it. You could have been in a great danger."

He didn't even try to hide that he cares deeply for her. The golden beam of sun was kissing every part of his body giving him a mysterious aura. Mystery. That's what he is. Is not he the one who abducted her? Isn't he the biggest enemy of her father? But Taani has never seen anyone cares so much about her. She has seen her maids taking care of her every small needs. But it was their duty. Why does he care?

"well from today there will be three guards guarding you in every shift." Saying he moved a little bit to see three men standing down in the garden. Taani positioned herself next to him to see the guards. But she was shocked to see them. It was the ship like big man. But there were three of them.

"three of them?" Taani sounded astonished.

" they're triplets and very loyal to me."

Suddenly she started to laugh. She sat on the bed clutching her belly.

"why are you laughing looking at them? I always thought girls will be scared seeing them." He was baffled.

"I was scared. I used to think he does not sleep." She said stopping to take breath. "they remind me of Cerberus, the three headed guard dog of Hades."

"you're into reading books?" He questioned.

"hmm.." She nodded positively. It helps me to create a small world of mine."

A few moments of silence passed.

"come with me." He tugged her hand gently.

"where?"

He didn't answer but pulled her with him.

They crossed a few corridors and end in front of a small wooden door. It was closed.

"why did you take me here?"

"to show you something."

"what? A closed door ?"

"Welcome to my world." He said pushing the door open.

It was a library.

"wow!" She said being overjoyed.

"I guess these will keep you busy." He said smiling.

"Did you read all of them?"

"No. But I guess I will end all of these on my 8oth birthday." He said pulling out a few books from a shelf. "tell me what do you like to read?"

"I love everything. Drama, poetry, philosophy everything."

"Did you read Shakespeare?"

"I've read Merchant of Venice, Twelfth Night, As you like it and many more comedies." She said looking around.

"have not you read tragedies of Shakespeare?"

"No." She shook her head. "but read Greek tragedies."

" trust me Tragedies of Shakespeare are much better." He said handing him a book. "so start reading. I've to go to practice." He left.

She kept looking at his retreating figure until it disappears. Then she looked at the book. It was a book with beautiful red cover. Romeo & Juliet was written on the book in a reach golden colour.

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She completed the novel next evening. He was right. It was better than Greek Tragedies. Love of Romeo and Juliet was so deep and pure. She was taking quick steps towards her room only to stop when she saw the duke practicing sword in the garden. He was wearing his practices dress which was clutching his perfectly toned body. He was unnaturally beautiful, as perfect as god could make someone. He has seen men trying to make them attractive but his charm comes so effortlessly. She felt tempt to touch the high fine brow, such a straight nose. The clean shaven jaw made it almost impossible for her to resist the desire to reach out and touch his face, see what it felt like, smooth skin, chiseled bone. She suspected when god had created him, had crafted his whole face specifically. She kept watching him peeping behind a pillar how smoothly he was playing with the sword as if it is just a mere feather. She moved behind the pillar to hide as he moved toward her.

What would he think if he sees you looking him like this? She questioned herself.

He moved the sword in the air. Then hold it in front of his face like a mirror with his two hands. He saw something reflected on it. Her beautiful face. She was watching him from behind a pillar. As soon as he turned towards her she hid behind the pillar. He smiled and witnessed it repeating two times.

Slowly he walked towards the pillar. He stood on the other side of the pillar and moved clockwise to hold her. No. She does not want to get caught in this embarrassing position. She started to move clockwise around the pillar. Completing a circle around the pillar when she was going to run away she felt a pull on her hand from behind. Losing her balance she stumbled backwards but found herself half hanging in mid air. Strong pair of hands was engulfing her waist.

"I thought you are a brave girl." He said playfully.

"I'm." She gave a small reply.

"oh really? Then why are you watching me hiding?"

"I'm.. mmm.." she found herself stammering.. his eyes were even taking her speaking ability. "I want to learn fighting" She said pushing him away. Dragged a knife from his belt and pointing it towards him.

"That doesn't look good on such fragile hands." He said taking small steps towards her. "give me my dagger back."

As he looked at her trembling hand she gripped the dagger.

"it is no longer yours." She tried to sound strong. "I snatched it from you."

"Give it back to me Taani." He repeated.

Her fingers loosened from it and she puts her hands down. He slowly untangled her fingers from the dagger keeping his eyes fixed on her face.

Suddenly she felt thirst. Thrust of touching the lips of his from hers. For the first time in her life she felt wild. Her wilderness overpowered her and she pressed her lips on his wrapping her hands around his neck. Her nails digging in his skin. She felt his arms around her back clutching her tight. It was hard to breath. Is she going to die here? But this moment of her life is worthy of her dying.

A few seconds later his arms got loose on her. She lifted her head to meet his eyes. There was a delicious danger in his eyes. She wondered did he felt the same wilderness she felt.

"I should go to my room now." She gulped and managed to say before retreating.

"Taani.." He called her from behind. "this is yours. Keep it." He handed him the dagger then he left.

A smile escaped her lips looking at the dagger. It was the same dagger he used when she went to hit him. It's hers now. With her the little secret between them and the dagger will be safe.

She ran towards her room and locked the doors. Sitting on the study table she took out a book. Story of "Hades and Persephone". She had brought it yesterday from library. Taani opened the book.

Mother of Persephone, goddess of the harvest: Demeter was horrified hearing Hades took her daughter. She went to her brother, father of Persephone to bring her daughter back to her. Demeter was devastated. She forbids the earth to produce, neglecting the earth and in the depth of her despair she causes nothing to grow. Finally hearing the cries of the people of Greece Zeus persuaded Hades to give Persephone back. Persephone slowly fell in love with Hades. He's the one who loved her, not her beauty. He made her secure in the world so dark Far away from the world she knows. When she heard she's going back to her mother she was happy. But deep in her heart she was sad. Hades made her eat seed of underworld. This kept her bounded to him forever. She was obliged to spend half of each year in the underworld, and the remaining part of the year with the gods above.

It will always be her favorite story. The love story of them always sent a chill down her spine. But she could not help but feel a little bit sad for Persephone. She had to stay apart from her beloved for half of the year. Hades and Persephone didn't get the happy ending they deserve. What would a girl do if she is forced to be apart from her loved one? What would she do if she is forced to stay away from her lover, the duke.. Yes. She accepted him as her soul mate, a life partner.

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Far away from the castle of West in the Royal Palace the king was sitting lonely in his room smoking from a bong. The smoke created a dirty aura around him. He had lost so many battles to the Duke of West. Most of his soldiers died and others are prisoner. He got blinded with anger when The Duke won the battle of the South-East. He got so blinded with anger that he jailed all of the soldiers who returned alive to the country. A few unlucky men earned a death sentenced.

"Taani.." he murmured her name dangerously with odium. "She's responsible for your fall."