Meanwhile, it was a beautiful spring morning in the beautiful Lotus kingdom. Ashmita along with Pratap and Shilpa is moving towards a village and they're all dressed in the uniforms of a soldier of the kingdom. Even being a princess, Ashmita doesn't like to be treated special amongst everyone especially when it comes to soldiers because she believes when everyone is working for their own kingdom, one need not outshine. She respects equality more than anything not only in work or gender but also in wealth. She never looked down on the poor or weak but she blended into them.
Suddenly they heard the sounds of horse footsteps and they became alerted. Everyone hid themselves behind the large trees, leaving the horses in the way.
After sometime a group of people came into their view and stopped near the horses that were left out in their way. They seemed like strangers who don't belong to the Lotus kingdom. The person who seems to be their leader got down from his horse and went near Ashmita's horse while looking at the surroundings to find its rider. Following the leader, the rest of them got down from their horses and started going towards the other horses.
One among them spoke to their leader, "Don't you think this is a trap?" he asked.
The leader and the others stopped in their tracks and before the leader said something Ashmita and others started attacking them.
Startled by the sudden attack, they also got alerted and started to counter attack protecting the leader of their group. Ashmita already ordered her team not to hurt them because they don't seem like robbers but to be on the safer side, she wanted to arrest and interrogate them.
So everyone is using their fists and swords to make them surrender but to their astonishment the other group is fighting back with the same intensity. Ashmita observed this and wanted to make her way carefully to the leader who is protected but she is not able to see his face clearly.
The leader also observes them and his interest is also in particular someone who is trying to get near him, so he gets alerted.
When Ashmita got a chance she broke the barrier and placed her knife on his neck making everyone stop their fighting. Taking this as a chance, all the team members of Ashmita placed their swords on the necks of the strangers.
All the strangers are left in shock because their leader would never surrender like that to anybody. They all know how agile he can be and if he wants he can place the same knife on the opponent's neck in the next blink of an eye. But he is not doing anything, instead just simply raised his hands in the air in surrender with a smile on his face. They didn't understand what's happening there.
"Woah.. Feisty.. Calm down.. We don't mean any harm to you guys.." leader said in a playful cool tone.
Ashmita who didn't focus on him earlier got mesmerized by his voice. 'His voice is sweet..' she thought to herself. 'The hell.. Ashmita! when did you start getting diverted by a mere voice.. and whom he is calling Feisty..!'
"Just shut your mouth. Do you think I don't know who you are? Huh?" Ashmita said coldly.
He chuckled and asked, "oh.. you know us? Really?? Please tell us who we are."
Ashmita again went into trance by seeing his smile from the sideline as she attacked him and placed her knife from back so she wasn't able to notice his face now, but when she saw from the side itself she was stunned.
'Woah.. He is handsome.' She thought.
"Sure. I do. You all are the kidnapping team." Ashmita sneered.
"Haha.. Kidnapping team.. Who? Me?? Well feisty, just as you said.. I am the kidnapper.." He said but before Ashmita replied he added " but not humans.. their Hearts..!"
Ashmita heart skipped a bit when he said "Hearts.." but she composed herself and replied back.
"Now don't try to play tricks with us. Just tell me the truth. Who are you?" Ashmita's patience is running out.
"Okay cool down little Feisty. I will tell you..",he said.
"Hey.. Who is little? You are little! and call me like that only if you got a death wish", Ashmita threatened by tightening her grip on his neck.
"Okay.. Fies.. I mean Miss.. I am not a kidnapper nor a thief. I am just travelling around the kingdom to gain knowledge and to improve our network", he said slowly by maintaining some distance between his neck and knife.
"How do I believe you? Which kingdom do you belong to? Prove me your identity right now!" Ashmita asked seriously.
The stranger smiled and said,"We are from IRIS Kingdom and here is our badge" by slowly taking a badge from his pocket.
After seeing the royal symbol she released him and signalled all of her team members to release others.
All of them were released and before they took a breath something unexpected happened.
Ashmita took her knife back from his neck and before she retreated, the leader grabbed her hand and dragged her towards him by making her fall in his embrace by folding her hand back.
Time seems to stop for everyone and all of them hold their breath. Ashmita also seems to be in trance by looking at those mesmerising eyes.
Ashmita didn't notice him before but now when she looks at him clearly she falls in daze. A beautiful face. Well defined, with a sharp jaw and angular cheekbones. The complexion of his skin goes well with his honey eyes. One look from him made girls' hearts float in the air.
Satisfied with the outcome he smiled and asked,"May I know your beautiful name Feisty?"
"Ash.. Ashmita" Ashmita replied in daze.
"WOW.. Indeed a beautiful name to a charming face",he said while tucking her hair behind her ears.
"Yours??" Ashmita asked as she was under spell.
"Hahaha… I am glad you asked." He laughed by throwing his head back.
"RISHI...RISHI PRASAD" he said with a wink causing Ashmita to bring her back to reality.