57. The end of enemies
"Abhinav,"
"Bhayya,"
"Abhi,"
"Beta,"
Everyone shrieked as they watched the blood flowing from the sword. Abhinav turned around the sight made his breath stop and heart pain. His wife, his Isha was holding the sword that was about to attack him in her hands, blood oozing out from her palms and tears in her eyes.
Isha pushed away the attacker with all her might and her face resembled that of Kaali Maatha as she glared at the woman who gave birth to her husband laid there on the ground, with no ounce of regret for trying to kill her son.
"I warned you, I warned you to stay away from my husband, didn't I?" Isha's anger-filled voice boomed in the room and everyone stopped their fight hearing the roaring lioness in front of them.
Everyone including the family except Abhinav, Ishaan, Harish, and Dadu sa shuddered at her tone. They never thought their sweet daughter-in-law could get this aggressive. Isha continued as all of them stood there tongue-tied while her brother and husband looked at her proudly.
"How dare you? How dare you think of harming my Nav?" Isha's voice boomed with anger as a tight slap landed on Manjiri's face making her fall to the ground with effect from where she just got up.
"Woohoo, bhabi maa kya maarthi hai yaar!" Abir exclaimed proud of his bhabi maa.
(Woohoo, bhabi maa hits so good)
"Remind me not to anger her in the future," Abhishek muttered to Priya who bit her cheeks to stop herself from laughing at his horrified expression.
"Dharam," Isha roared, and the next moment Dharam was standing in front of her bowing his head.
"I don't want to see this woman again, her punishment will be decided by the King but for now take her away, and I want every fucking traitor involved in her escape and who allowed the guns into the palace before sunrise." She commanded and Dharam left after nodding his head while a few lady guards dragged Manjiri away.
Isha rushed to Abhinav and hugged him to her dear life while tears rolled down her face like the gates of some dam opened. Her sobs clenched the hearts of her husband, brother, and father but they all knew how much she was affected by the recent events. Abhinav caressed his wife's head and kissed her hair.
"Princess," He whispered slowly to which she replied by hugging him more tightly as an indication of not being ready to leave him. He understood her turmoil kissed her head multiple times and murmured softly.
"I am just asking you to dress up your wounds, Princess. I am not going anywhere." He said moving a little away and lifting her in his arms bridal style. She let her hands hang to the sides not wanting to apply pressure on the wounds or strain his clothes.
Abhinav carried Isha to their chamber and made her sit on the couch. He got the first aid kit and started cleaning the blood strains dabbing the cotton dipped in Dettol over her injuries and blowing air to ease the burn caused due to Dettol. He did his work with utmost concentration and care as if it was the most important and complicated task of his life while Isha's tears were flowing like never-ending rivers. She didn't even hiss when the liquid touched her injuries.
"Princess, look at me," Abhinav called out softly once he was done cleaning the wound, applying medicine, and tying the bandage.
Isha lifted her wet lashes to look into those eyes that have always managed to feel her safe and loved. His eyes are something she could drown in all her life.
"How...." is the only word she managed to utter and got on her knees and hugged her husband for her dear life.
"Princess, look at me. Why are you crying bachha?" Abhinav cooed, placing her in his lap as he sat down on the floor with his back touching the couch.
"How can she try to kill you, Nav? She gave birth to you! How can a mother kill her own son?" Isha's desperate and devastated voice reached his ears but it didn't hurt him much as it was not the first time his so-called mother tried to kill him. He cried more than Isha when he came to know about her intentions first but with time he learned to live with that fact and after a few years she was just an enemy who was after his family, with no relations attached.
"She's not my mother, Princess. Neither she nor I acknowledge that relationship anymore. Please stop crying bachha! Your tears are making my heart bleed." As soon as Isha heard him, she looked up at his face that held pain, it was not because of what that woman did but because of his wife's tears. Isha wiped off her tears and caressed Abhinav's jaw before pecking his cheek lightly making him chuckle a little.
"That's like my lioness! I love you, my fierce Queen!" Abhinav whispered in her ears trying to change her mood which worked as Isha blushed with a shy smile.
"I love you, my Warrior King," Isha whispered back resting her head on his chest as he caressed her head with love and affection. Soon, Isha dozed off due to the tiredness and excess crying while Abhinav patted her head until his eyes closed and he too slept.
The next morning Isha woke up early but with a stiff neck due to their sleeping position. She hissed in pain as soon as she tried to move her head making Abhinav open his eyes.
Seeing Isha holding the side of her neck, he understood her pain and started massaging her neck slowly making her sigh in relaxation. After some time Isha got up to get ready when she felt better and Abhinav inquired Abhishek and Abir about the security arrangements in the meantime. He also instructed Khanna to put an end to Raman as he didn't want him to escape like Manjiri and cause any trouble to his wife which was not even possible because of the torture he inflicted on him for days. Raman is like dead meat now but still, he can't be at peace until his wife's tormenter is dead.
Isha walked out by the time Abhinav was done with the instructions. She wished with her brothers-in-law and Khanna who wished her back with happy faces seeing her fine. Abir asked his Bhabi maa about her injuries to which she replied she was fine and it didn't pain much.
"Nav, you should get ready," Isha instructed her husband once everyone left their chamber. Abhinav nodded at her and went away to get ready for the day.
Abhinav and Isha walked to the courtroom together. Their steps were synchronized, their pair looked like a perfect combination of dominance and empathy. As the huge doors of the courtroom opened, the man with his hands and legs tied shivered looking at the power couple in front of him.
"Rana Ji, I beg your forgiveness, Rana Ji! I became greedy for money!" He begged for his dear life while Abhinav stood there emotionless. He turned to Isha with hopeful eyes but she turned her face to the other side not wanting to look at the man who was responsible for the attack on her husband.
"Rana Ji, he was the one who leaked the information about the fight between Rani Sa and Rajkumari sa to Manjiri with which she tried to manipulate you and Ishaan ji against Rani sa. He was the one who leaked the palace matters to Manjiri and who helped her in escaping." Dharam filled in the details and a strong punch landed on the man's face.
"How dare you? How dare you plot against my wife and my sister?" Abhinav hissed in anger and another punch landed on his face and blood oozed out from his mouth making Isha step back.
"I want him dead tomorrow," Abhinav roared and a shiver ran down the man's spine listening to the order of Rana Ji.
"Rana Ji, please Rana Ji, Please forgive me!" He begged more trying to touch his feet but Abhinav moved away not wanting him to touch his feet.
"Okay, Dharam I want you to burn down all his asserts for which he went against the royal family. I want him on roads with nothing in his hands," Abhinav declared and walked out holding his wife's hand.
"What punishment did you give to Manjiri?" Isha asked once they stepped out making Abhinav stop in his tracks. He turned to her and cupped her cheek while caressing it with love and said,
"She made my Sunshine cry and now she would never see the sunrise, she is going to live in the darkness until death consumes her." He announced and kissed her forehead.
Abhinav has already taken away everything from her for hurting him and his family but wanted to let her live as she gave birth to him, but after seeing Isha cry, he decided to take the sunlight away from her life and caged her in one of his fort's cells where his ancestors used to keep the criminals and he made sure that the security is tight this time and that palace is also far away from them as it located in the forest and there was no way for her to escape.