Enemy's Woman

Chapter 61- When friends turn foes

Shivaditya stared at the bloodied man tied in front of him.

"Did he confess?" Shiv asked.

"No your highness. We have tried everything."

Shiv looked at the tall powerfully built man. These barbarian lords were mercenaries. Torture wouldn't work.

"I know who you are. I will pay you more if you tell me where is the princess." Shiv said in Turkish.

For the first time, the man gave some sign of intelligence.

"You speak my tongue!" He said.

"That's not the point. Where is the princess? Answer me and I would let you go along with your people. Otherwise, I will kill everyone right from the oldest man to the youngest babe of your tribe."

The man laughed.

"You people are too soft, you follow these weird laws you wouldn't dare."

"Try me! There is a reason I am called Shivaditya the ruthless, I will do exactly what I said. My reputation is quite well known."

"I don't understand all this fuss about a woman! You people give too much freedom to your women. They dont even cover their faces!" Ghori was clearly annoyed.

"I am not here to discuss your opinion about women! Where is Chitra?"

Shiv yelled.

"I don't have her," Ghori said.

"But I wish I did. 2 mighty kingdoms fighting over her. She must be something!" He smirked.

Shiv clenched his hands in a tight fist trying not to hit him. He needed him alive, and willing to talk.

"Where is she?" He repeated patiently.

"She is with King Vikram. I don't know what issues you both have but he wanted me to get her for him. He invited me to attack Navsarika. I was supposed to capture her and deliver her but his men took her away during the battle."

Shiv's face burned with Fury.

"Vikram" he muttered.

"Where did he take her?"

Ghori smirked.

"That information will have a cost."

"I will pay you whatever you want. Just give me her whereabouts."

"Release me and my men. Give me a sack of gold for every man I have lost and all the jewels of the palace. I will take you to her."

Shiv's face had hardened like a mask.

"You have my word. I will fulfil all your demands. Take me to her."

Ghori smiled. These people were foolish enough to fight over petty things. He would be back.....one day.

*******

"Over here your highness!" called a faceless soldier somewhere to Shiv's left.

They had followed the narrow path for hours. Although it pained him to proceed at such an infuriatingly slow pace, he knew the importance of a single clue - and the consequences of missing it. If they went tearing up the path, they could miss a vital clue or some tiny hint that showed the way to Chitrangda.

Shiv rushed over to the soldier who pointed to the ground before their feet. "You see here sir? The ground is a little disturbed and over there can you see how the grass had been bent and in places broken?"

"It looks like more than several pairs of footprints," Shivditya said, his anxiety rising.

"Indeed sir. I'd say according to the indentation they went this way," he said, tracing the outline of the footprints with his index finger.