Tara's Pov

My heart raced as I stumbled through the dense forest, my breaths coming in ragged gasps. The sounds of my pursuers echoed in the night, their angry voices piercing the darkness around me. I have never felt so alone, so utterly abandoned by the world I once knew.

The old servant's betrayal had cut deeper than any blade, leaving me vulnerable and exposed in the unforgiving wilderness. Tears welled in my eyes as I struggled to keep moving, the branches clawing at my tattered clothes, a stark reminder of my shattered reality.

As I pushed forward, a flicker of light caught my attention. With renewed hope, I followed the faint glow until I stumbled upon a clearing where a group of boys huddled around a small fire.

Not boys but these are the goons of Rathore's their Jeep has a special logo. But what are they doing here. This part of state is under the control of Thakur's.

I stopped at some distance and hide behind the tree on the side of road. But it's too late to take an action, they already heard the bells of my anklets.

I heard a sound of someone coming towards me. "Kaha Jaa Raha hai re",
One of them shouts.
"(Where are you going)".

"Koi hai yahan par", that man said in drunken state.
"(Someone is here)"

"Kaun hai?"
"(Who is here)"

"Koi ladki hai, Maine jhanjhro ki aawaz suni",
"(There is a girl, I heard a sound of anklets)"

"Pagla ho gya hai kya, daru ka Nasha tere dimmag par chadd gya hai".
"(Have gone mad. Alcohol has took over your head)"

I don't know how many they are but I can sense there are five to six men are present. Then I heard a voice of a third man.

"Itni raat ko jungle mei sirf chudel ghumti hai"
"(Only witches roam in the forest at this time of night.)"

Suddenly my foot tripped a little and a light sob left from my mouth which is more than enough for them to heard. My foot is bleeding. I covered my mouth with my hand to suppress my painful whimpers.

"Dekha Maine kaha tha koi hai yahan par, koi choori hi hai", one of them shouts at others.
"(See, I told you there is someone here, it is definitely a girl.)"

Saying this he started coming towards me. I am still hidden behind the tree.
There is no way I can save myself from them.

All of sudden an idea popped in my brain. I bend down and picked up a stone very carefully without making any sound. And throw it opposite to the direction of my presence.

"Pakdo,... Saali baagi rahi hai", they shout and ran towards that direction. I take breadth of relief.

"(Grab her,...the bitch is trying to escape)"

I can't stay here any time longer. They will come back soon. Then my attention shift towards my wounded foot. I tore a little piece of cloth from my dupatta and tied it around my wound.

Just then I stepped out behind the tree two of were already present there. They were looking at me like predator is looking at a his prey. They started coming towards. Their one step forward and my two steps backwards.

"Tune kya hame pagal samjha, jo hum tere iss khel mei phas jaenge"
"(Do you think we are dumb that we will get trapped in this game of yours?)"

I heard this from behind and turning my head I saw three men are standing there. My breath become uneven. I tried to run inside the forest but my this attempted got fail as someone of them grabbed my hand tightly.

"Not this time beauty. You can't go anywhere before satisfying us", he declared. And start me dragging towards their Jeep.

"Lea-leave me please ", I pleaded but it didn't affected him a bit. He threw me on the road and all five of them stood around me in a circle.

"Who will go first", one of them said.

"Ofcourse me I have saw her first".

"But I have caught her".

"I will not take your used slut".

"That's your problem not mine".

All of them were fighting. Suddenly a man came to me, he grabbed by hair and lift up my skull and sprayed something on my face. My eyes stated burning and vision is getting blurred. But somehow I managed to stay conscious.

One of them started coming towards me, he snatch my dupatta and hover on me . He to about to kiss me but before that I smashed a stone on his head. He hissed in pain while rubbing the target part. And detach himself from me.

Getting an opportunity I immediately stand up and about to run when one of them again tried to grab my wrist.
This time I didn't let him succeed. But in the process of withdrawal he tore the sleeve of my kurti. I cared less about that and started running, without even looking back. I am running.

My wound become worse. It is bleeding and hurting a lot. But still I didn't stop. My vision is getting blurred and I am feeling very dizzy.
But I can't stop, they are still behind me.

After covering a good distance, I saw a man sitting on the bonett of a car middle of the road, a ray of hope seem to me. His face is not so much visible because light is coming from his behind.

Till now my condition has become so much worse. I am very much sure they have spayed some kind of drug on my face.

Coming closer to him, I was about to loose my balance but before touching the floor he caught me. He hold my waist securely and remove the remove the fallen strands of my hair from my face, tugged them behind my ear.

I still didn't saw his face but I can say he is like a god came from the heaven. I hold his shoulder tightly. He came towards my ear and whispered, "are you lost somewhere princess". That's the last thing I heard before loosing my consciousness and got fainted.

__

The rays of sun are peeking inside the room through the window, interrupting my sleep. I came over my deep slumber. And found myself in a foreign place.

I remove the blanket and see my wounded foot is bandaged. I stand up and limping towards the mirror. My forehead is bandaged too. My head is aching.

Suddenly I heard a sound of door opening. I move towards bed fastly, lay down and cover myself in blanket. And pretend to be asleep.

I heard someone is entering inside. Sound of boots are echoed in the room. He came near the bed. I can sense the his gaze is already on me. But I didn't move and continue my act.

"I know you are awake, don't act", he said near my ear and in his husky tone. But still I didn't move. "Get up Tara", he know me, he know my name but how? I never saw him, never met him. Why did he bring me here? What place is this? My head is filled with lots of queries

"I will answer everything, get up first", huh? Can he listen my life thoughts as well. I open my and sat up. I look upward and found a person I don't want see even in my dreams.

He is a elder heir and crown prince of Rathore family who rules over more than half of the state. The Surya Singh Rathore. A man of rule. The most heartless man in entire state.

Our eyes met, my iris got big seeing him so close to me. Being nervous under his intense gaze, I broke the eye contact and jerked myself away from him immediately. He smirk at my reaction.

"Change your cloths and get ready FAST. I am waiting outside. GET THAT", he instructed me and I just replied in a simple nod. "I am asking something. And I would appreciate if you use this preety mouth of yours".

"Ji", I replied. My gaze is downwards. In no way I could handle his aura. He moved out of the room and slammed the door shut. I got flinched at sudden sound.

Just after his departure attendees come inside the room with cloths and jewellery.

I am perplexed, why did they bring bridal attire. Did he told baba about me or maybe they are coming here to complete the wedding. What if they make me married to Virendra. No this can't happen. After walking a long path I can't let everything to be shattered so easily. I will protest.

"Kumarisa, please change your cloths", an attendee come to me.

"Why did you bring this bridal attire", I asked them. But their faces are telling that they didn't even know.

"Ranasa has instructed us. We are only following his orders", they replied.

"So, go and ask him first about the reason behind this first", I spoke firmly.

"We can't question him, he is our master", they said fearful. But this time I didn't melt.

"So, I can't wear these cloths too", I replied. And move towards the door. But one of them hold my hand lightly. "Please, he will get angery". She said.

I remove her hold jerk and move out of the room. At end of the corridor there is big drawing room. He is standing in middle and talking to someone on the phone. At this far I cannot listen to him but I can sense he is angery.

He cut the call and I moved towards him. I patt on his shoulder and he turned around and saw me. Colour of his face changed. Seeing me not in his desired look he got more angery. Both of the attendees came running. And stood behind me. His gaze tuned to them.

"Pack your bags and get lost from here. I don't want to see you two here anymore", he fired them.

They didn't has any other word to say. I felt guilty. Both of them bowed to him and left.

"Why are you not ready till now", he spoke angrily. "Why did you sent the bridal attire, I am not a bride", I tried to act like courageous but only I know how scared I am from inside .

"Don't answer me with a question", he grabbed my shoulder and dug his nails in.

"I am again asking, why did you sent the bridal attire", I again raised the same question and he got more frustrated.

"Because you are going to be my bride, Tara Surya Singh Rathore".