Yamini: The Unfaithful Warrior

Her pov:

The day has come to an end and I could see moonlight entering my room through the window. I had been sitting frustrated on this bed all day long, reading my books. My legs are feeling restless.I wanted to run away but I couldn’t as my father wouldn’t like it in the morning when he sees my chamber empty, again.

It was my well-known habit in the kingdom that I do not like to stay in the palace and often run away whenever I feel like. I’d rather spend my whole life living in the forest, hunting, horse riding, sword fighting and excruciating but the problem is that I’m a girl. And moreover, I’m a young adult - 20.

I got up and threw the book back in my study room and went towards the dressing room. I got ready wearing an all black outfit - a black dhoti and kurta. Tying my hair in a bun, I started wrapping my head with a black coloured cloth. When I was done tying the turban, I applied kohl in my eyes.

I picked up the dagger from beneath my pillow which I always kept with me as anyone can attack anytime when you are from the Royal family. Wearing the juttis, and tucking the dagger in my belt, I started walking towards the door.

Covering my face with the leftover cloth of my turban I exited the chamber. The corridor was empty, so I started walking towards it. I heard some giggling coming from the left and quickly hid behind the pillar.

I saw my badi-ma walking with a few of her attendees. Giggling and talking to them about something that I really don’t care about. Badi-ma was a very nice woman until it came to me. She always wanted me to act like a girl, learn cooking and dress up wearing lehenga cholis.

She never forgot to remind me that once I get married, I’ll be foreign to my own parents, kingdom. And I’ll have to start my new life after getting married sacrificing my love for horse riding, combat, and other things she considered only boys should do.

She’s the first wife of my father and when she couldn’t give birth to the heir, my father married my mother - Sandhya. But when she delivered me my father was not as happy as he expected a baby boy. My mother gave birth to my little brother who is just 10 years old - Aditya. I love him so much.

I realised that i could not escape from here, it’s too risky as anyone could see me. So. I went back to my room when the corridor was empty. I walked to the balcony and looked down to see how above i’m from the floor.

“Hai, Mahakaal. Kripa karke bass haddi tutne se bacha lena.”

(Hey, lord shiva. Just save me from breaking my bones, please.)

I muttered under my breath and started climbing down. I thanked god for the safe landing and I looked around to see no one saw me. I walked towards the stable and a soldier was standing there with a spear in his hand. I walked up to him, removing the cloth off my face.

“Rajkumari, aapko idhar nahi hona chahiye. Maharaj ne mana kiya-”

(Princess, you shouldn’t be here. Maharaj refused to-)

I glared at him and he shut up. I moved forward and pulled my horse out.

“Hum Chirutha ko lene aaye the. Kathi taiyaar karo.”

(I had come to take Chirutha. Prepare the saddle.)

I ordered him and he bent his head down and moved to set up the saddle. I pet Chirutha’s head.

“It’s done, Princess.”

He bent down and I nodded.

“I’ll get you some water.”

“No, it’s ok-”

I was going to deny but he already walked away.

I stood there waiting for him and thought that I should take my crossbow with me as walking out in the night could be dangerous.

“Yamini!”

I heard my father’s voice from far behind and saw him standing at the door of the palace with the same soldier.

“Bastard!”

I cursed under my breath. Taking the crossbow I ran to Chirutha and climbed it.

“Chirutha, RUN!”

I pulled the ropes and he neighed before running. I was continuously jumping over his back as he was not running but talking to the wind. And well, that’s the reason I named him Chirutha in the first place.

“OPEN THE GATES!”

I shouted and the gates opened at the same time I took the exit. I looked back at my father who stood there in shock.

I smirked at him and saw my mother standing there with a disappointed look on her face.

I moved my gaze forward and controlled the tears from coming in my eyes.

Covering my face with the leftover cloth of turban, I turned to look back and I saw some figures on the horses.

It was so dusty and dark that I couldn’t see their faces but I knew that my dad was the only one who sent them behind me.

“Chase, chase. But I assure you, you won’t be able to catch me.”

Saying this I pulled the ropes again and Chirutha ran even faster.

I heard noises from behind but couldn’t understand their words as the only sound coming to my ears was of wind.

I looked back at them still following me so I took the turn towards the forest which was new to me and ended up in getting a lot of scratches on my arms.

We stopped when I saw a river. I got down and pulled Chirutha with me to drink some water as we were running for the past half an hour. I washed my face and hands in the river and drank some.

“Hungry, Chirutha?”

He neighed at my question and I chuckled.

“Me too.”

I hadn’t had food since morning as I had a fight with my father when he blamed my mother for my interests, which according to him is ‘loitering around’.

I walked into the forest holding Chirutha by his neck rope. I guided him in and he stopped smelling the fresh grass and started munching on it.

I chuckled at him.

There, I saw a tree filled with mangoes.I kept my crossbow on the ground and started climbing the tree.

I reached the top of the tree and it was very huge when I looked down. I do not know how I am gonna climb down but it’s after I eat something.

I plucked a few mangoes and ate a lot of them. I saw one more mango which looked so big and tempting, I forwarded my hand and my legs slipped.

I closed my eyes waiting to fall down but opening them, I saw myself still in the air.

Opening my eyes I saw myself hanging in the air as my leg got stuck in one of the tree branches.

I pulled myself up to get a hold of my leg but failed and swung in the air. I tried again and again but failed.

I was swinging in the air.

“AHHHHH!!!”

I shouted in frustration and took out my dagger.

I pulled myself up, cut the branch holding my leg in one swipe and fell on the ground.

I was ready to cry in pain but I blacked out.

I was woken up by Chirutha licking my face and I realised it was late morning as sunlight cut through the trees and entered my eyes. I stretched my arms and legs.

“Ouch.” My neck ached. I sat up carefully not to move my neck too much.

I did a neck exercise and some push ups. Working out was my daily routine and I was very consistent with it. Picking up my crossbow, I settled it on my back and walked towards the river.

I drank water from it with Chirutha. I washed my face and covered it again.

“Let’s go, Chirutha!” I climbed on him and settled down.

I saw a beautiful deer come into my vision. It was so beautiful that I got so mesmerised by its beauty and its eyes were so big and brown.

It was a golden-yellow deer with dark brown antlers. I got down from the horse to chase it from behind as it was busy eating grass.

As I got near him, he sensed me and ran. I got back on Chirutha’s back and now we both chased the deer like idiots.

I followed the deer and he ran straight.

I pulled out my crossbow and fired an arrow towards his next step as I didn’t want to hurt the deer but just to scare him off and stop him from running.

He turned his direction back from where we came and I chased it.

I fired many arrows in his direction but he didn’t stop and I had no way to stop him other than actually hitting him with my arrow.

But I needed to shoot at his legs so that he wouldn’t get hurt so much and I decided to treat his wound later after catching him.

I was so lost in chasing it that I didn’t realise when we came down the hill. I looked at the sky above me and realised the sun had already settled down.

I turned my gaze down to the deer and it was still running. I chased it and a few tents came into view. By the look of them, I knew a royal family were travelling and were staying in the tents for the night.

As I myself sometimes take the soldiers with me like this whenever I don’t want to stay in my kingdom and feel like taking a visit outside of the palace.

But sometimes, like today, I took a visit alone when my father didn’t allow me to go on an excursion.

I shot an arrow at the deer but he ran and hid behind one of the tents. I again shot an arrow at the deer but he ran away dodging the arrow. The arrow went inside the tent and I heard the voice of a lady.

“Ahhhh!”

Shivers ran down my neck and I was praying to God that the arrow might not hit near the heart or the thigh.

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