"And I hated every second of it."

______________________

•○AARIV○•

The moment she opened the door, she smelled of exhaustion and sandalwood. A strange mix of battle and softness.

I watched her freeze, the bravado melting off her like wax from a candle. She hadn’t expected me. Good.

She should have.

This woman—this sharp-tongued manipulator—had locked me in a fortress of madness. Drugged me. Lied to my face and smiled while doing it.

She should’ve known I’d find her. Even the darkest maze cannot hide its creator forever. This woman she dared fool me.

Me.

Raja Aariv Dhir Yaduveya.

The King of one of the most powerful kingdoms of its time and this bloody woman. I kept her pinned against the wall, my gaze at her soul.

"W-What are you doing here?" She said, stuttering. I could see the uncertainty and shock in her eyes. I intensified my glare. She clicked her tongue as soon as she realised her mistake. "Mera matlab tum yaha kya kar rahe ho?"

"Tumne humse jhooth kaha." I said. My voice was low, measured, and quiet, too quiet for her good. I knew I should'nt have trusted this woman. But I had no other choice. No one was ready to willingly talk to me aside from her let alone listen to my side of the story.

The way she spoke commanded in that court of hers. This fierce, bold, deadly woman. I am not going to spare her now. She won't be getting rid of me any time soon. Not until she finds a way for me to go back to my century.

She gulped but held her ground. "Haa kaha, toh?" She muttered defiantly. Her eyes meeting mine, stubbornly, refusing to back down.

The audacity.

"Tumne vachan diya tha tum hume wapis jane ka marg bataogi." My voice was thick with emotions. All the mixed emotions I was feeling. How did I time travel to the 21st century? Is that even possible? Certainly, if we consider where I am standing right now. But how?

"Toh jaise diya tha waise hi thod bhi diya." She countered. "Aur tum aise kaise mere ghar mein ghus gaye, huh?" She demanded. I tightened my hold on her wrists and pressed her against the wall more firmly. She gasped.

"Humare yaha jhooth ka gala talwar se milta tha." I said with an unlying threat in my words. If only she were in my kingdom right now. She dared use me, lie to me, and betray me. And then just leave at some mental asylum. Does she think of me as some fool?

If so.

Then, I'm about to clear her this misunderstanding real soon.

"For God's sake, ye koi 17th century nhi hai. Ye 21st century hai, yaha raja, rajya kuch nhi hota. Apne iss delusion se bahar niklo. Dimaag kharab hai tumhare." She snapped in frustration. I didn't get a few words that she said, but I got enough to know what she was saying.

"Tumhe yakeen kyu nhi ho raha humari baato par?" I pressed, gritting my teeth. This was all getting out of my sanity now. My mind was spiraling.

She scoffed. "Tumhe sunai bhi de raha hai tum kya bol rahe ho? Satravi sadi ke raja ho aur samay sadi lang kar yaha aaye ho? Mujhe pagal kutte ne kata hai jo mai iss bakwaas par yakeen karu." She hissed the last part bitterly.

"Aur chodo mujhe. Mere ghar se abhi ke abhi niklo warna mai police bula dungi." She warned me. Does she think these idle threats will scare me? I have fought more wars than what her age might be right now.

P-Poolice?

I clenched my jaw and tightened my hold painfully on her wrists. I pressed her more against the wall. I could see the pain, but this stubborn woman refused to let that stop her from being defiant.

I grabbed her chin with one hand, titling her head up to make her look at me. I leaned in closer. I could feel her warm breath mixing with mine.

"Yakeen toh tumhe karna hoga." I said. My voice was low, dangerously low, with an unlying threat beneath my words. She gulped but kept her eyes meeting my cold gaze intact.

"Shuruwat se shuru karte hai." I began. My voice was calm and composed, but firm. "Hum satravi sadi ke raja hai. Waha se yaha pata nhi kaise samay sadi par karke aa phase." My voice was unwavering. I was telling the truth. My truth. She had to believe that. If not, I'll make her believe that.

She scoffed again. "Aur tum chahte ho mai iss baat par yakeen karo?" She said defiantly. As if daring me to say anything more stupier than what I had said. What I have been saying.

"Tumhe yakeen karna hoga." I gritted out. Pressing her more firmly against the wall to make my point clear. There was barely any space between us right now. I could feel her heart beating in an unsteady rhythm.

She didn’t flinch.

No. Of course she wouldn’t.

She tilted her chin up, her breath brushing against mine. "Kyu?" She hissed. "Kyu karo mai yakeen? Kyu manlu jo bhi bol rahe ho sach hai? Tumhari baatein sunkar na koi bhi tumhe pagal khane se bhaga koi mariz hi samjhe ga."

I tightened my hold. "Kyuki yahi satya hai. Humara satya hai ye." I pressed. My voice menacing yet desperate. Believe me.

She shook her head. "Sach aur jhooth ka antar bhul gaye ho tum. Ilaz ki zaroorat hai tumhe."

"Hum koi mansik rogi nhi hai!" I snarled, my hand slamming flat against the wall beside her, making her jump slightly. Her breathing became heavier, and so did mine.

"Hum bas.. bebas hai filhall." I admitted. Never in my whole life had I ever expected or asked for anything from anyone. Yet destiny played such cruel game with me, leaving me with nothing but helplessness.

And I hated every second of it.

Destiny.

That cruel little thing, I'll make it pay for what game it played with me.

"Humari madat karo. Humare wapis jana ka marg dhundh ne mein hunari sahayata karo." I saw a flicker of surprise flicker through her eyes. She was expecting me to ask for her help. Neither was I.

As much as fury is filled in my body for this woman. She's the only one who can help me. The rational part of my brain is justifying her actions. If someone had come to me saying they were from the 21st century and had time traveled to the 17th century. Maybe I would've done the same.

She was panting now, defiance and confusion lacing her expression, her lashes low over her eyes. "Aur mai kyu karo tumhari madat? Kyu karu tum par yakeen? Ye faltu ki bakwaas koi sabut bhi hai tumhare paas?" Her words came out quieter this time, sharp but breathless.

"Nhi," I agreed, leaning closer, our noses almost brushing. "Nhi hai koi sabut. Lekin humari sahayata karo satya apne aap pata chal jayega."

She blinked. Her lips parted as if to say something else, but I didn’t let her.

Instead, I reached up and touched her jaw—barely. My thumb skimmed her chin, and she went perfectly still. I felt her pulse kick against my wrist.

"Tum humse bhaibhit nhi ho. Aankh se aankh milar kar baat karti ho. Pehle kisi ne ye cheshtha nhi ki thi. Tumne ki." I said, almost to myself.

No one even dared to meet my eye back there because they were too afraid to let alone talk to me so defiantly like this girl had. There was something intriguing about her fearlessness. Something that told me, there ws more to what met the eye.

"Madat karo humari." It wasn't an order. I wasn't a request either. It just was. A helpless saying from a lost man.

She narrowed her eyes. "Paise hai tumhare paas?" She asked out of the blue. I was taken aback for a while. I didn't have any gold coins with me right now, but I did have one of the largest treasure chambers back there in my kingdom.

She shook her head. "Nhi hai na?" She answered for me. "Toh jao nhi kari mai tumhari madat. Mai bina paiso ke koi kaam nhi karti." She stated stubbornly.

"Manusyata ke nate kardo." I said. She looked at me funny as if I had said a more stupidest thing than me being a time traveler from the 17th century.

"Manusyata?" She scoffed, but there was a flicker of  something deep in those greyish eyes. Something that almost resembled pain. "Aaj kal ke zamane mein na Manusyata ki wahah se ek roti ka tokda tak milta. Aayi samajh? Yaha paisa bolta hai aur bolwata bhi hai." She deadpanned.

There was brief silence for a moment with us just looking into each other's eyes, trying to figure the other out, before she broke it off, averting her eyes from me. "Aur kaisi madat karu tumhari huh? Chalo mana tum kahi ke bohot bade raja ho, toh isme mai kya karo? Kya chahiye tumhe?" She spat, low and venomous.

"Hume bas humare rajya jane ka marg chahiye." I said, my voice lowering dangerously. I just need my way back. That's all.

"Aur tumhe aisa kyu lagta hai mujhe ye cheez pata hogi!" She snapped in annoyance and frustration. Her big grey eyes glared at me like a kitten, ready to pounce any chance she gets.

"Pata nhi hai, toh pata lagao."

"Kyu? Tum mere mele mein bichre huye baap lagte ho?" She deadpanned, looking dead in my eyes. This woman and her choice of words. Such a foul-mouthed kitten.

"Ji nhi." I answered.

"Toh mai tumhari madat kyu karo tumhari ye sick fantasy puri karne mein?"

Sikh f-fantasi what?

I glared at her, cold and calculating. I held her chin, titling it up to meet my gaze head-on. "Kyuki tumne humara istemaal kiya.. ab humari bari hai." My voice was low, composed but equally intimidating.

A slow, dangerous smile crept on my face. I left her wrist and chin and moved back. Her eyes followed my actions, contemplating my next moves. I looked around her 'house', it was so different. Everything looked so... different. I don't know how to explain. It was completely different from my palace.

My gaze fell on the couch kept at the corner. I went towards it and sat on it like it was my throne. I leaned back on the couch and stared at her. "Ab jab tak aap humara kaam nhi kar leti... hum soch ke chalenge ki ye humara naya nivas hai."

She titled her head, biting her cheek, completely riled up. She looked like she might burst at any moment. Good. Burst. I can presume it would be fun to see that sight.

She breathed heavily, seething in anger just like I was doing a few hours ago at that... wrenched place.

***

FLASHBACK.

I woke up, feeling like someone was pounding hammer on my head continuously. I groaned and tried to sit up, but.. my hands were tied to the bed I was laying on.

WHO DARED TO TIE ME UP LIKE THIS!?

I looked around to find myself in a strange room. The walls were white, and a strange smell was filling the room. There were strange equipments all around me.

I looked down to see my clothes were changed. I gritted my teeth. Someone dare touch me without my consent. All I could feel right now was anger.

The kind of anger that makes you burn everything into ashes. And I might just do it.

That woman.

That cunning, lying, and deceiving woman. She lied to me. She betrayed my trust. She should have known I don't do well with betrayers. I clenched my hands.

Nandini.. we'll meet soon.

And this time, I won't be so nice or control myself. I aready that did control more than enough in front of that foul mouth of yours.

I ripped those damned things off my hands to free myself. So damn easy. Is this how they capture their enemies? So poorly arranged. Is this their dungeon to keep offenders? So posh.

I stood up and made my way outside. As I was pushing past the door. My eyes fell on a small dagger kept on the table. I picked it up.

Itni choti churi? Isse kya ye jan machhar marte hai hai? Teej toh hai. In jano ki shatru sanraksha suvidhaye ekdum vyarth hai. Aise rakha karte hai ye apne rajya ki?

Vichitra nagri, vichitra jan.

(It was a scarpel.)

The people who saw me come out gasped, and their eyes widened. Some people ran towards me to capture me. I used the scarpel in my hands to scare them away.

I didn't want to hurt them, but I wouldn't hesitate if they tried first. I had to know where I was. The people stopped at a dustance, seeing me pointing the dagger towards them.

"Konsa sthan hai ye?" I asjed, my voice stern and commanding, leaving them no choice but to answer before I sliced their necks through and through.

One of the men, who was wearing a strange white uniform and white cap, gulped before answering, clearly intimidated. "Th-This is a mental asylum, sir. We are just here to help you out, not harm you. Keep that scarpel away. We promise we'll not hurt you."

Why was everyone talking in this weird language instead of using our ancient language even after knowing it?

I didn't understand a word that he said. But through his tone, it seemed like he was trying to pacify me or sonething, trying to give me some kind of reassurance. But I didn't need that. I needed that woman.

Nandini.

She was so going to pay for what she did. And I was going to make sure of it.

"Jo abhi kaha, usse hindi mein kaho." I demanded, glaring at them.

All of them looked confused. One of the elderly women came in front with a calm expression, holding her hands out as if to show me there was nothing in her hands.

My eye twitched. Did she think I was some freaking wild animal who she can tame?!

She nodded reassuringly,  before speaking. "Dekho, hum log tume koi hani nhi pochana chahte. Tum is wakt mansik chikitshalay mein ho. Hum sab yaha tumhari madat ke liye hi hai. Ye.. isse niche rakhdo." She said, nodding towards the knife in my hand. Her voice was calm and composed.

Mansik chikitshalay.

"Shant!" My voice roared through the whole hallway. Every one, every single fucking one of them flinched. My anger was above my control now.

A fucking Mental Asylum!

So, this is what you played, Nandini? Was it fun? Was playing with my trust fun?

"Woh stree jo humare saath aayi thi. Kaha rehti hai wo." I asked, narrowing my eyes.

A man shook his head. "H-Hume nhi pata, woh kaha rehti hai. Woh toh bas aapka dakhila kara kar chali gayi." He said, his voice hesitant.

Liar.

Lies.

I hate lies.

"Jhooth ka gala seedha iss churi se baatein karega. Toh aap sabke bhake ke liye yahi uchit hoga ke aap hume uss stree ka pata bataye!" I roared, my voice raising, loud, unyielding, intimidating, and commanding.

I leaned forward and pressed the knife against one of the men's necks, applying pressure, drawing out a prick of bleed from his neck to imply my point. I wasn't kidding with this. He winced, sweating dripping down his body. He looked like he was about to shit himself.

He looked at me with wide, fear filled eyes. I pressed the knife more, intensifying my glare, daring him to lie again, asking him the same question again.

"A-Aisa mat karo. Please, mujhe jane do. Mai.. Mai bata hu." He said and turned towards the lady behind the counter, with whom Nandini first talked with.

"What are you watching? Give him her address, or this insane man won't hesitate to kill any of us!" He hissed, his voice trembling but filled with venom and sharp retort.

The woman behind the counter gave me the address. I again turned towards the man I had held on with the help of the snall knife. "Hum iss sthan par kaise ja sakte hai?" I asked.

Some of them gave me funny looks. What? I don't belong to your world, people. I don't know my way around here.

One of them let out a nervous chuckle. I turned my eyes toward him, sharp and unblinking. He immediately shut up, swallowing his laughter as if it would choke him.

"Humne koi chutkula sunaya?" I asked, my tone flat. He shook his head quickly, looking away. Good. "Toh phir itni hasi kyu phoot rahi hai?!" I snapped loudly, irritated by their behavior now.

I looked back at the man under the knife. His pulse was racing beneath the blade, a steady throb against cold metal. He was sweating bullets, but at least now he was speaking.

He hesitated for a second before replying, "A-Auto le lijiye. Ya cab. Bus station ke paas se milega kuch." he looked around nervously, voice low. Aato? Kab? Bas Station? What is all that? Don't that have any carriage here? I didn't any horse either.

"Hume iss sthan par leke chalo turant." I demanded.

***

"Tum mujhe dhamki de rahe ho!" Nandini's sharp voice brought me back to present, breaking my trail of thought.

I nodded solemnly. "Ji bilkul. Aur isse dhamki ke alawa kuch aur samjhne ki bhul mat karna." I leaned back on the chair leisurely. Looking around her house. It was different and small. I mean, compared to my palace, it was almost equal to my throne room.

Nandini gritted her teeth. I could see fumes of fury emitting from her. "Tumhari itni himmat tumne mujhe dhamki di. Tum ruko, abhi police ko bulati hu. Tumhe toh woh log batayenge." She spat in a venomous tone, snapping her fingers, pointing them towards me.

Police?

"Ek shan." I interrupted as she turned to look around the room for something, most probably that small weirdly glowing metal box of hers. "Kisi ko bhi bulane se pehle ye toh bataiye, ye puleese hota kya hai?" I asked.

Her mouth fell agape. I could practically hear her inner thoughts about finding an object to go smash her head on. Whose the insane one now?

She looked around and found that box of hers, she clicjed some buttons on it and then turned to me. She Gugald something, I guess. The thing she's been doing every now and then before conversing. "Yeah, dandhadikari ko bulayungi mai." She spoke.

Dandhadikari? Is she talking about the king of this era? Why would she call the king himself for such trivial matters? Meh, let her do it. I'll show both her and that king of hers just who AARIV DHIR YADUVEYA is.

I hummed dismissively. "Jise bhi bulana hai." I spoke in a bored tone. She again went back to pressing something on that box. When suddenly the door to the left right opened and Prem, what I assumed his name was from what I've heard from their conversations, emerged, looking sleepy.

He rubbed his eyes and started making his way over towards us. "What the fuck, Nandini? Kya laga rakha hai raat ke 2 baje? Have you gone mad? You bloody disturbed my sleep, kitna accha sapna dekh raha tha ma—" his words dead down his throat, eyes widening as his gaze fell on me.

He turned towards Nandini with a questioning look on his face. Nandini turned her sharp gaze towards him, sighing heavily.

What was he doing here?

Do they live together?

Are they married?

I didn't see any nuptial chain or sindoor on her, though. What if they don't wear that anymore in this era? He's sleeping here, most probably living here with her, they have to be married or why would he—shut up, Aariv. That's none of your businss.

"What is he doing here?" Prem asked Nandini, half surprised, half confused, and half curious. Nandini bit her inner cheek. "This insane being is threatening me to either find a way to his non-existing, delusional kingdom for him, or he'll not leave." She vent out to him in frustration.

"Fuck, Nandini, you brought this upon yourself." The Prem guy sighed, rubbing his temple. Honestly, I felt like a fool sitting there, jot being able to understand what they were talking about. Obviously, they are talking about me, but what?

Nandini huffed. "Don't worry, I'll call the police. They'll show him." She turned and glared towards me. Just a feisty kitten, aren't we?

"Aur tum dekhna aise-aise sections lagwaungi na tum par saalo tak jail se bahar nhi aa paoge." She gritted out. "SECTION 448 IPC – House trespassing. Jante ho saza kya hai, 1 saal tak ki jail, ya fine, ya dono. Aur tum jaisa kangal toh fine bhar hi nhi payega toh uske extra years in jail alag se."

I didn’t get the most part that she had said, but.. Kangal? Me? Was she calling ne a Kangal? I scoffed. Ye pura niwas kam padhega humare khazane ke samne.

She didn't stop at that. She took a step forward. "Aur itna hi nhi, SECTION 503 IPC – Criminal Intimidation, 2 saal ki jail. SECTION 354C IPC – Voyeurism, 3-7 saal ki jail + fine."

"Toh kul milake pure 10 saal ke liye andar jaoge tum. Let me just call the poliixe—" she trailed off when the Prem guy held her wrist. My eyes narrowed.

"Are you mad? What are you doing, calling police? Did you perhaps forget you used him as a witness in court, painting him as some godly professor in court?" Nandini's expression changed as she heard his words. Her expression, one of such as realisation dawning upon her.

"Shit, I completely forgot this." She muttered to herself. And again turned her glare towards me.

You're gonna be one fun kitten to play this game with.

I smirked.

Time to make you pay for your deeds, Ms. Nandini Sanyal. I assure you it'll be fun... for me.

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Adios, Mariposas🦋