Chapter 35

Pagan jumped out of bed, grabbing a pair of night pants and a shirt off the floor. "Don't leave this room." He spoke sternly as he pulled them on.

"What are you going to do?" Ishwari asked, fear filling up in her chest.

"I'll grab the children and I'll come right back." He made for the door, turning to face her before exiting. "Do not open this for anyone except me." and with that he was gone, locking the door on the way out.

Ishwari tried to control her breathing. The thought of something happening to her family made her overwhelmed with fear. She prayed that Pagan would return any moment with both children safe. She closed her eyes and began to take deep breaths in attempt to calm her anxiety.

The gunshots that echoed through the palace, now began to sound distant. As if the chaos had moved outside. Ishwari turned and looked at the baby monitor, carefully listening for any sign that Pagan and her children were okay. The silence was deafening. A cry would at least let her know they were alive.

She wiped the tears that were welling up in her eyes and stood from the bed, making her way towards the door. She rested her forehead on the wood, eager for Pagan to knock. As the minutes past, her worry built. He should have been back by now.

Before she knew it, fifteen minutes had pass. The knotting feeling in her stomach told her something was wrong. She took yet another deep breath and unlocked the door, ignoring the instructions Pagan had given her. She peeked into the king's office, finding that nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She walked to the Golden doors, also opening them to peek outside. The hallway was empty.

Reluctantly, she stepped out and began walking. The sound of gunfire could no longer be heard and it almost seemed too quiet. She walked in the direction of Ajay and Lakshmana's room. Turning the corner, she stopped. The two figures standing outside the children's room had startled her. It was Pavel and Shanna. Ishwari would had been relieved if Shanna wasn't crying. Her back was facing the bedroom and she had her face buried in Pavel's chest. Pavel showed grief in his expression as he stared straight into the dark room.

Ishwari took another agonizing step towards them and Pavel turned his head, noticing her. "Ishwari..." He said, grabbing hold of Shanna's arms and gently pushing her off him. He walked towards Ishwari. "Please...don't come any further."

He reached out to grab her arm but Ishwari smacked his hand away. "Where are my babies?" she asked, struggling to get the words out.

"Ishwari..." Pavel said once again, trying to stand in her way. Without thinking, Ishwari shoved him to the side and started running toward the room. She stopped once she stepped through the doorway.

Pagan was sitting on the ground next to Lakshamana's crib, quietly sobbing. In his arms was a little bundle, wrapped up in a blood-soaked white blanket. Ishwari forgot how to breath, falling to her knees. Tears began pouring from her eyes as she tried to make sense of what was happening. She desperately wanted to move closer to Pagan, but her body refused.

She glanced around the room and choked out words. "Where's Ajay?"

Pagan shook his head and buried his face into the white bundle, sobbing a little louder. Pavel knelt down to Ishwari's level. "He took him..." He said with guilt in his voice.

"Who?" Ishwari cried.

"Mohan Gahle."

Ishwari's eyes widened at the sound of her husband's name.

"He snuck up on us with about a dozen golden path. He made his way in the palace while the guards were focused on what was happening outside." Pavel's eyes also began to water. "I'm so sorry I didn't make it to the children in time. By the time I arrived he had already..." Pavel was unable to finish his sentence. "He had hold of Ajay and I was unable to shoot him for fear of hitting the boy." Pavel dropped to his hands and knees, placing his forehead to the floor. Bowing to Ishwari he repeated once more. "I'm so sorry..."

Ishwari wanted to tell Pavel it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't' find her voice. She swallowed and crawled towards Pagan. She sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, quietly grieving for the rest of the night.

The morning sun began to shine through the small window, lighting up the room. Darkness faded and the reality of their nightmare became more visible. Pagan still continued to cling to Lakshmana's limp body and hadn't spoken a word. His blue shirt was soaked in blood and tears. They had been sitting in the same spot for hours, too afraid to move and accept what had happened.

The silence was finally broken when Shanna entered the room and carefully knelt down beside her grieving friend. Her eyes were red from her own tears and she too was sleep deprived.

"Ishwari..." Shanna whispered. "I can't imagine what you're going through, but you have to stand up..." She brushed a strand of hair out of Ishwari's face. "You can't stay here. You and King Min need to go rest. I'll take care of Lakshmana. Let me clean her up so you can grieve properly."

Ishwari looked over to Pagan, who refused to make eye contact with anyone. He had been staring at the same wall for hours. "Pagan...we need to move." Ishwari spoke to him with a broken voice. He made no acknowledgement of her words. Ishwari shook her head. If Pagan wasn't moving then she had no intention of moving either. She would stay beside him for as long as he needed.

She looked at her friend. "He's not going to let you touch her yet. His daughter is his world and she was just taken from us."

Shanna frowned but accepted her friend's request. "Ishwari, you should know. Pavel has already called the king's sister." She hesitated, unsure if Ishwari would appreciate the gesture. "She should be arriving anytime."

Ishwari had no reply for Shanna. Whether or not Yuma came, it didn't change the fact that her daughter was gone from this world and her son had been kidnapped. She did find the faintest bit of relief knowing that Ajay was safe. No amount of rage would ever push Mohan to harm his son. Ishwari glanced towards the window when she heard the faint sound of a helicopter approaching.

"Speaking of which." Shanna too turned towards the sound. "She's here."

It didn't take long at all for Yuma to appear in the doorway. Yuma always came off as a cold-hearted soul but for the very first time, Ishwari's saw sorrow in her expression. She moved close to her brother and knelt down in front of him.

"Brother?" she softly spoke. Pagan continued to show no response. Ever so slowly, Yuma reached her hands up and placed them on the bundle cradled in Pagan's arms. To Ishwari's surprise Pagan willingly allowed Yuma to confiscate his greatest treasure. As his daughter was removed from his grasp, he let his arms drop to the ground and he hung his head, not saying a word.

Yuma stood and started walking towards the door, signaling Shanna to follow. She stopped when she heard Pagan speak.

"Yuma...I want him found."

"Brother?" She asked, confused by his request.

Pagan finally raised his head. "I want you to find Mohan Gahle." Pagan gritted his teeth, anger seeping from him. "You burn every village down if you have to. I want that piece of shit brought to me alive."

Yuma nodded and left the room. Ishwari looked at her King. The anger that radiated off of him was almost terrifying. "Pagan?" Ishwari asked. Pagan sighed and stood from where he had been sitting. He started to walk out of the room, pausing just before exiting.

"Yuma was right." He spoke, still not looking at Ishwari. "I have become soft. I should have killed him that night when I had the chance...It won't happen again." and with those final words, he left, leaving Ishwari on the floor alone.