Shackles of Desire - Chapter 13

The moment he heard his father, Veera’s eyes shot open. He jerked his head towards the door at his right. Although it was closed, he could hear his mother screaming. He looked at his father and found him struggling with all his might to free himself from the rope around his neck and the one binding his hands behind his back. 

Something burst inside Veera as he watched his father. Gritting his teeth, he sprung up on his feet. Without giving any of the henchmen time to react, he reached the door and kicked hard on it but it didn’t open. Instead, the impact of the kick almost made him lose his balance. Steadying himself, he was about to reach the knob when some henchmen caught him from behind and dragged him away. He struggled against them but failed to get himself free.

“Your son is a big troublemaker isn’t he, Vikramveer?” he heard Thakur Baldev ask, snickering hard as his father glared at him.

“Let them go. It’s me you want,” he heard his father say.

The sound of a wood hitting a human head echoed in the room just as the words left Vikramveer’s mouth. Veera watched in horror as his father fell to the ground, blood oozing out from his head.

He was about to scream but his insides burned as he felt a something sharp cut through the skin of his back. Just as the sharp edge went through, he felt his arms go free.

Veera tried to get up but couldn’t. The more he tried, the more the pain intensified. Finally, without caring, he gave it his all and dragged himself away. As the sharp edge slipped out, he cried out in agony and staggered to the corner.

Heaving and panting hard, he tried to focus on his father, who was still lying motionless on the floor. He could hear the whimpers from the closed door in front. Jumbled up with every little snicker, every spoken word, every stare from their captors, his mind couldn’t figure out who to save first. On the top of all of this, the pain in his back was blinding his senses completely.

“Where is the deed?” he heard Ratan Raijdas ask as he came near him.

Veera instantly stepped back a little fearing the worst. The whole room erupted with laughter and within seconds he realised his mistake. He was cowering with fear and being Vikramveer’s son it was not something that was expected of him. Clutching the doorframe, he straightened and glared at Thakur Ratan.

“I don’t know.”

The sting of the slap that struck his cheek went to his veins like a shot of hot iron. He fell down on his knees and shook his head to clear out the ringing in his ears.

“Wake him up,” Thakur Baldev told his son gesturing at Vikramveer.

Veera’s eyes shot open just as one of the henchmen poured a bucket of water on his father’s face. He saw Vikramveer shake up a little and sit up groggily. But then as his eyes registered the people around him, he remembered everything.

Instantly Vikramveer’s eyes shifted to Veera, who looked at his father trying hard to mask the fear settling inside.

“Where is the deed, Vikramveer?” Thakur Baldev asked going near him.

“What deed?”

“The original deed or rather the deed that your father faked to get this haveli.”

Veera saw his father raising his eyes and looking straight into Thakur Baldev’s. He knew this look and a frightening shiver ran down his spine as he knew that his father won’t tell him where it was. He would do everything, from stalling to going into a verbal spat; but he would not disclose where the deed was.

But Veera knew.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“We know all your plans. We know that you were planning to submit the deed tomorrow in the court. So, where is the deed?”

“I said I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Hmm! Ok! I believe you need another demonstration.”

Saying this, Thakur Baldev flicked his finger and within seconds the door that had been closed till now opened. And just as it did, Veera was shoved to the ground and dragged all through the floor to the room. Some henchmen picked him up and shoved him right in front of his mother who was staring blankly in space.

Feeling his arms lose, Veera hugged his mother as silent tears fell down his eyes.

“Amma!” he whispered brokenly.

As his tears slipped down his cheek and fell on his mother’s exposed shoulder, he felt his mother bury her face in his neck.

“The moment I say, pick your sister and run as fast as you can, and don’t stop until you reach the check post,” he heard his mother whisper in his ears.

The words slivered through his brain leaving a shiver at their wake. Leaving his mother here with these hounds was not an option but getting help was a choice he was willing to take. He gave a subtle nod and let go.

“Now, let’s see if your father loves you the most or this haveli,” Thakur Virendra said as he took the stick from one of the henchmen.

Veera felt his head being shoved to the ground. As one of the henchmen placed his feet on his head, he heard his father protesting violently but nothing registered in his mind other than the stick that was being lined along the lines of his head. He knew anytime soon it will strike his head and he will lose consciousness.

The stick swung and Veera closed his eyes for the impact but none came. Instead, he heard the swish of the knife and as he snapped his eyes open, he saw his mother’s hand holding a knife that was embedded in Thakur Virendra’s thigh.

For a split second, he was completely blank. Then he flicked his gaze at his mother, who pulled the knife out and struck again, this time at the other thigh.

“RUN!”

Veera sprung to his feet and rushed towards the other door at the back where his sister was being held by one of the henchmen. Without thinking, he jumped on the henchman and bit hard on his exposed shoulder till he felt his teeth puncture the skin. Although he tasted blood, he didn’t let go.

The henchman cried out in pain and let go of Gera. And the moment he did that, Veera grabbed her hand, and practically lifting her in his arms, ran out of the door.

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