AVNI
đź“Ť Mussoorie,
India.
The cool breeze danced on my face as Bahadur's hooves rhythmically struck the rugged ground. It was my last day in Mussoorie, a precious chance to embrace a day just for me.
No royal duties. No prying eyes. No reminders of my responsibilities.
Just me, the mountains, and this fleeting taste of freedom.
I couldn't help but smile at how effortlessly I had outsmarted Rudra. That horse race? It was never really about winning; it was my way of sneaking away. I knew he wouldn't push too hard for victory—despite his tough exterior, Rudra had a softer side, and I was certain he held back, thinking he was doing me a favor.
He didn't know I had taken that moment to slip away.
"Dimag toh hai mujh mai," I chuckled quietly.
(I've got brains)
"Sorry, Mr. Bodyguard," I murmured as Bahadur let out a gentle neigh, as if in agreement. I reached forward to stroke his neck.
"You're the only one who really gets me, aren't you?" I whispered. He whinnied again, picking up the pace, sensing my excitement.
The trail ahead opened up, and I stumbled upon a clearing bathed in warm morning light. My breath caught at the sight of the majestic mountains—endless peaks, a forest blanketed in green, and a sky painted with shades of amber and gold as the sun rose.
I slowed Bahadur and hopped off, my feet crunching on the gravel. I led him to the edge of the clearing, stepping carefully over rocks until I reached a stunning drop-off. This was the moment I had come for—a space away from everything.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, letting the crisp mountain air fill my lungs. For the first time in ages, I felt absolutely free.
Bahadur trotted ahead, eager to explore the edge. My heart raced, and I called out to him softly,
"Bahadur, not too close, all right?"
But he ignored me, his ears flicking back momentarily, seemingly dismissive of my worry as he stepped forward, eager to take in the view.
I smiled watching him. Bahadur and I were alike, weren't we? Both craving moments that felt genuine and unrestrained.
As the breeze picked up, tousling my hair, I settled down on a flat rock nearby. For once, I didn't consider my duties or expectations. I simply enjoyed the sounds of the wind, chirping birds, and Bahadur's calm presence.
If only this day could stretch on forever.
Suddenly, a wave of uneasiness washed over me. Maybe it was a change in the air or the faint crunch of gravel that didn't match Bahadur's movements.
I froze, my instincts kicking in. Slowly, I turned my head to check behind me, but before I could fully look, a strong arm wrapped around me, and a cloth was pressed against my face.
"Wha—" I tried to protest, but the sharp, chemical scent hit me like a brick. My heart sank. Chloroform.
I struggled, thrashing wildly, but their grip was too strong. My vision began to fade, the world around me dimming as the fumes clouded my senses.
My eyes shot to Bahadur, who stood still, seemingly unaware of the danger. It struck me hard—how could he not sense this? He was always so alert. Whoever this was had managed to sneak up on him.
Who could have that kind of skill? My mind raced, but everything began to blur.
I fought one last time, my strength slipping away, before the darkness closed in. My body went limp, and then... nothing.
______________________________________________
I came to slowly, my head pounding as if it were being hammered. I groaned softly and opened my eyes to dim light and the musty smell of damp wood and smoke.
Looking down, I found my hands loosely tied in front of me, resting on my lap. A smirk tugged at my lips despite the pain in my head.
"Bewakoof log! Aage hath bandh rakhe hai! Aram se nikal jaungi," I whispered to myself.
(Dumb heads! tied my hands in front! I will get out easily.)
Kidnappers are not kidnappering.
The place I was in felt rundown, like an old warehouse. The walls were cracked, rusted beams supported the roof, and cobwebs adorned the corners. The floor was a mess of debris and broken furniture.
A faint breeze whistled through the shattered windows, mixing with the smoky scent from a bonfire nearby.
Around the fire, I spotted four men lounging, completely oblivious to my awakening. "Dumb kidnappers," I thought, rolling my eyes.
One of them, a tall man with a scar on his cheek, leaned closer to the flames.
"She's the princess of Lucknow," he said, his voice laced with greed.
"We've struck gold. We can hold her family for ransom and demand a fortune. Once we get the money, we'll vanish. No one will come after us."
Another, shorter and stockier, snickered.
"Look at her. She's a real beauty. Women like her are rare finds."
His words sent chills down my spine, but I clenched my fists, determined to stay calm.
The third man, in a tattered jacket, grinned lecherously.
"Haan, Jeevan mai aurat sukh ki bhari kami hai!"
("Yes, there is a great lack of woman happiness in life!")
Yes, there's a huge lack of women's happiness in life!
I bit my tongue, anger bubbling beneath the surface. These morons had no clue who they were dealing with.
My inner voice was scolding me.
Now Did what you wanted!?.
You got kidnapped, now your heart got some relief?
That's why I couldn't escape Rudra. I needed his protection.
But of course, I had to "celebrate" my "last day of freedom!"
The fourth man, the youngest in the group, laughed and said,
"We'll keep her for ourselves. Just picture the princess of Lucknow entertaining us!"
My blood boiled, and I tightened my fists against the ropes.
"Lucknow ki rajkumari hai voh!"Â the scarred man snapped. "Kutto ki tarah marenge police-wale!"
(She's the Princess of Lucknow! The policemen will beat us like dogs!)
That was enough. My patience snapped like a thin thread. I leaned back in the chair and let out a soft chuckle. Their laughter faltered as they turned my way.
"Voh toh tum abhi bhi pitoge. Kutto ke tarah."
(You will still get beaten. Like dogs.)
My voice was sharp, slicing through the atmosphere. Their smug expressions turned to shock as they began to register that I was awake.
The room fell silent apart from the fire's crackling. I tilted my head, smirking. "You've kidnapped the wrong girl. Now you'll find out what happens when you mess with Avni Raghuvanshi."
Their laughter morphed into silence, their smug faces replaced with confusion and worry.
One man, the stout one, sneered and stepped closer. "You think you're clever, huh? Let's see how you chat now."
"Aa ja." I said, cracking my neck as if I'd been anticipating this.
(Come).
I didn't wait for him to finish. Using the ropes around my wrists, I swung them into his face. The fibers scratched his skin as he stumbled back with a yelp. Before he could recover, I pulled my hands free—these fools hadn't tied the knots properly.
Scarface lunged at me with a rusted knife. I dodged easily, grabbing his wrist mid-swing. I twisted sharply, hearing a satisfying snap as he cried out, dropping the knife.
Before he could react, my knee struck his stomach, sending him crashing to the ground.
The second man attacked me with a wooden plank. I sidestepped his clumsy swing, snatching the plank from his grip.
"Yeh lena, tere dimag se zyada kaam ka hai,"
(Take this, it's more useful than your mind)
I taunted, bringing it down across his face with all my strength. The crack of wood against bone echoed as he crumpled to the ground, holding his bleeding face.
The third man tried to grab me from behind, arms wrapping around me.
Big mistake. I stomped hard on his foot, eliciting a yelp, then drove my elbow into his ribs. Spinning around, I gripped him by the collar and bashed his head against the nearby wall. He slumped, limp.
Turning to face the youngest one, I saw panic on his face as he stumbled backward, losing his footing against the bonfire. With a scream, he fell into the flames.
"AAAAAAH! Meri...! Meri...!" he yelled, jumping up as the flames licked at him.
I couldn't suppress the laugh that escaped me. "Now, this is called jealous ass!,"Â I remarked, smirking.
The scarred leader scrambled to his feet, attempting to pull the younger man out of the fire. Instead, he kicked him in a frantic effort to extinguish the flames, a scene so ridiculous that I couldn't help myself.
"Side mai hi bottle padi hai, nahi dikhi gadhe ko!"Â I thought, watching them struggle.
(The bottle is lying on the side, the donkey didn't see it!)
They ignored me, still wrestling with the fire while the younger man screamed. I shook my head, exasperated.
The stout man attempted to crawl away, but I seized a metal rod and smashed it down on his leg. He shrieked, collapsing face-first into the ground.
"Kahan jaa rahe ho? Ab maze lo entertainment ke," I threatened, my voice low and fierce.
(Where are you going? Enjoy the entertainment now!)
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced my shoulder. One of them had managed to slash me with a shard of glass. Blood seeped through my dress, and I winced from the sting.
I wiped sweat from my brow, glaring at the scarred leader, who now menaced me with the shard.
"Ek kharoch ke badle tu Aaj kitna pitega bhaiya," I growled, adrenaline pumping through me.
(How much will you get beaten today for a scratch, brother)
shree Ram ji! I had waited my whole life to deliver this line of Akshay Kumar!
I slammed my foot into his knee, twisting his arm until he dropped the shard. He screamed as I headbutted him, sending him crashing into one of his partners.
One by one, I took them down. Kicks, punches, every bit of strength I had poured into each hit. Blood and sweat drenched me, but I didn't stop until they all lay defeated at my feet.
I staggered, reaching for a nearby water bottle, and collapsed onto the heap of their bodies. Sitting like a queen on her throne, I uncapped the bottle and took a refreshing sip, letting the cool liquid soothe my throat.
I raised the bottle over my head, letting it pour over my face to rinse off the blood and dirt. My breathing was heavy, my body ached, but my spirit? It was wild and free.
The sudden sound of the door slamming open startled me. My tired eyes, still heavy with fatigue, lifted to meet a pair of hazel brown ones filled with worry and urgency. Rudra.
His expression froze as his gaze swept over me—sitting on a pile of moaning, bloodied men, looking like a victorious warrior—drenched in blood, water, and sweat. His face shifted from relief to disbelief and then horror, as if he couldn't grasp what he was witnessing.
"Avni..." he breathed, his voice trembling.
Before I could respond, a loud, amazed voice broke the tension.
"Whoa..."
I slowly turned my head to see Avyukt Bhai standing there, phone raised as if to capture this wildly surreal moment. His face hovered between awe and humour.
"This is gold," he said, slightly waving his phone. "Perfect shot, Princess of Lucknow: Warrior Edition."
Next to him stood Aksh Bhai and Atharv, their expressions serious yet relieved. Aksh's jaw was clenched, his fists tight as if he wanted to retaliate against the men beneath me. Atharv remained quiet, his sharp eyes scanning the room, though a flicker of respect crossed his face as he regarded me.
I attempted to smirk, to say something clever, but the adrenaline that had sustained me was waning. The pain in my shoulder surged, radiating through my entire body. My limbs felt heavy, and I began to feel lightheaded.
"Bhai, stop clicking pictures," I murmured weakly, even to my own ears.
I tried to push myself off the pile of bodies, but my legs buckled, and the ground tilted. The sharp pain shot through my arm again, stealing my breath. My vision blurred, the world spinning.
"Avni!" Rudra's voice pierced the chaos, now full of urgency, but I struggled to focus on him.
Before I could hit the ground, I felt warm arms wrap around me, pulling me into a solid, comforting embrace. The scent of cedarwood and something distinctly him—clean, sharp, and reassuring—washed over me, confirming it was Rudra.
His grip was firm yet gentle, his heartbeat steady against my cheek. I wanted to say something, perhaps thank him or joke about the situation, but the darkness was too inviting. I succumbed, feeling safe in his arms.
(✧｡✿｡✧)
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