Veerata bid goodnight to Vidyuta, and entered his designated guest bedroom. The crippling pain in his thigh had temporarily dulled. 

On stepping inside, the unexpected presence of an unknown, beautiful, semi-naked woman in the middle of his room caught him off guard.

An assassin?!

He’d already drawn his sword before reason came to his rescue. Something was off. Her lowered head and cowering form made the young general hesitate. 

Being a seasoned warrior, he sought her motives before lowering his sword. 

“Who are you? What are you doing in my room?”

No reply. She opened her moist eyes and stared back at him. 

“Speak, girl! Don't test my patience!”

She flinched and closed her eyes again, shaking from head to toe. In that same instant, his eyes went to her quivering, pink lips, her tiny, exposed navel above the folds of her antariya, her bare chest that rose and fell in rapid motion, her shivering crossed arms, and the ill-concealed the bulges of her breasts over the top of her white bodice. 

A quick glance at the two lewd paintings on the walls next to the bed made him even more aware of the young maiden’s state of undress and her overpowering fear. A warm sensation triggered inside him. 

Could it be?

Veerata was no stranger to the pleasures of a woman’s warmth. Had she willingly offered herself to him—and his wound had not been aching all day—he knew he would have succumbed to her seduction. 

But the young maiden before him looked terrified. Possibly, she thought the worst was about to happen. He despised men who forced themselves upon defenceless and frightened young girls like this. To top it all, she looked no older than a child. Yet, there were bruises visible on her arms and a telltale red mark on the left side of her face. 

How could anyone be this brutal?

There was nothing more to do than to correct his prior mistake. He sheathed his sword, shrugged off his own uttariya, and flung it over her shoulders in a few quick movements. 

Pity loomed in his mind as he watched her discover the cloth and wrap it over her upper body. As she sighed in relief, he clutched his forehead. He had almost killed an innocent maiden. 

“What's your name?” His tone was gentler this time.

She looked up at him again. Fully dressed and relaxed, her shining, almond-shaped eyes made a deep impression on his heart. 

Why does she seem so familiar?

“My name is Satya,” she answered, her eyes dropping to the floor. 

It was a common name for girls in Satayu. 

He nodded. “Satya, do you live in this town?”

“In the village.”

“I see. Can you tell me who sent you to my room?"

Bit by bit, she narrated the events of the day. Veerata listened, his fury rising and his fists clenching. Padmapani was right. The kidnappers abducting girls from the village worked for Brahmadatta.

Human trafficking? Slave trade? What was that dastardly mayor thinking? 

When she finished, he cursed under his breath. On an impulse, he stepped closer, studying her again. With two fingers under her chin, he raised her face towards him, ignoring her open discomfort at his proximity. He frowned at the red mark on her left cheek. 

“Who did this to you?” he asked, unable to disguise the dangerous undertone that had crept into his voice.

“I don't remember,” she replied, her innocent gaze piercing his heart again. “They blindfolded me and dragged me here. When I fell down, one of them slapped me. I never saw his face.”

Veerata released her chin and turned away. He searched the room and found his luggage at one corner. Rummaging through the contents of a leather sling-bag, he returned to her with a papyrus scroll.

“Take this!” He held it out to her. “Show it to the guards at the gate. They won’t stop you from leaving this place when they see this.”

She hesitated, still staring at him in confusion.

He continued. “I'm sorry for everything that happened today. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them from hurting you.” He shook his head, exasperated when she still had not moved. “Go home! You don't have to stay here any longer.” 

Satya took a deep breath. With a few short words of gratitude, she held out her hands together. He dropped the scroll into her cupped palms, his eyes lingering in mild fascination on the tanned skin of her arms. Again, she stood rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed on the scroll.

He frowned. “Is there something you want to say?”

“The girls,” she said, her tone faltering. “They’re still somewhere in this mansion. I can't leave them.”

He snapped. “If you get caught again, you can't help them either.” 

She bit her lip. 

He exhaled, checking his temper. “Don't worry. I’ll make sure those girls return home unharmed. Trust me.”

Her beautiful, deep brown eyes glowed in gratitude and wonder, sending his heart into a flutter for the third time. As he watched, she skirted around him and made for the door. 

A sudden bolt of pain shot through his wound. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth from screaming out loud. Beads of sweat appeared on his brow. He didn’t want to alarm the young maiden.

If only I could sit down on the bed... 

He took a step forward and lost his balance. As he fell to the floor, his consciousness drifted in and out of a paralysing stupor. 

“Senapati, are you alright?” 

A strange sense of comfort enveloped him, hearing her soothing voice. He opened his eyes for a brief moment. The young maiden knelt beside him. A fleeting memory rose in his dazed mind. 

Queen Nandini lying on the cold stone floor with an arrow through her heart. Her deep brown eyes staring at Veerata in defiance.

He blinked. Why did I remember her?

Pushing away the unsettling vision, Veerata summoned his remaining strength and beckoned Satya to come closer. She lowered her ear to his lips. 

Get the medicine from my luggage. 

The words remained stuck in his throat. Exhausted beyond his limit, Veerata sunk into a dreamless coma.