"Where am I?" She gained some consciousness.
"Birha? "
"Baba"?
"Maaa"?
"Birha... Baba ... Maa... Birha..." Risha called in a low voice.
She wanted to turn her body and wanted to move but she was all chained up. She was tightly chained with a strong iron chain and couldn't even move her hand.
"Who could chain me up like this?" She thought of Zebar. As he was the only person who could do this with her. But why would he kidnap her and leave Birha? She thought.
It might be someone else. She pondered for some time.
"What on the earth must have happened?" She recalled. But all in vain. She remembered she was sleeping with her family in the forest on their way to Eastern Valley. But afterwards, she couldn't remember any detail.
She was not a weak woman. Only if she was not unconscious till now, she could have killed everyone who dared do this with her. She was a girl of courage, dare and bravery. How could she forget herself? She might not have faced this kind of situation before, but she was determined to fight with the enemy even if it kills her.
"How can I kill my enemy without even knowing it?"
"It can be anything." She thought.
She was also familiar with the ghost rumor but she didn't buy it. She was still thinking she might have been kidnapped by Arz's or Zebar's men.
Her condition was getting worse. Due to hunger and thirst, she started to lose her senses again. All her energy was drained out. She even tried to break the iron chain but it was stronger than she thought. Her arms and ankles were wounded. The iron chain had left marks on her neck, abdomen, waist, and almost every part of her body. If even she was freed from this, she would need someone to help her.
She fought with all her courage, but couldn't get herself released from this strong chain.
The rumours also said that the iron chain was magical. The ghost general used that chain by putting a talisman and no one can get rid of this chain unless he knows Forty Talismans of the Ghost Kingdom. Risha was not aware of this, all she was doing was wasting her energy and power.
"But, I won't give up.
Am I that easy?
Whoever it is, it has screwed up with the wrong person.
I'll kill you, my kidnapper." She gave a devilish smirk and fainted.
_____
It was raining cats and dogs. The forest was looking like a horror movie location. The darkness and strong winds were making the jungle more horrible. Thyme had to stop somewhere as he couldn't continue his journey in this weather. At a distance, he saw a hut, Thyme was not much happy with that but at least he got shelter. He whipped his horse towards it.
After a while, he reached there. But he couldn't open it. He soon realized that it is the magical hut. He recalled some Talisman that he learnt in Arz's army academy. He tried two of them and the door suddenly cracked.
As he entered the hut, he knit his horse in it. There was fog and darkness and he couldn't see anything unusual. But he was aware that there must be something.
"How one can lock the hut with Talismans if there is nothing here?" Thyme thought.
Again, he tried some Mantras and soon there was light.
Thyme turned around and took a glance at the hut. His eyes were stuck on the girl who was chained with the iron rod. He came closer and his eyes were wide open in shock.
"Ri... Ri... Ri...Sha... Risha"? Thyme was shocked.
--------
After three days, Moobhan and his family reached the Eastern Valley.
"Who are you?" The gatekeeper stopped them at the fort entrance.
"I'm Moohbhan Javedan. I'm an advisor of Awaish's ruler and we are from Javedan's tribe. We live in Awaish." Moobhan's voice was calm when he introduced himself.
"Please accept my apologies, but you can't enter Eastern Valley."
"Please, let me meet with Emperor. I can make him understand, please." Moobhan begged.
After pursuing a little, the gatekeeper took them to the emperor's hall.
The emperor of Eastern Valley was in his 40s. He was known for his kindness and wisdom. His name was Emperor Shah Jahan. The gatekeeper told him and the emperor summoned them in the hall.
"Please, accept our blessings, Emperor." The three of them knelt before the emperor.
"Stand up," Emperor said in a soft voice.
He looked at Moobhan and soon was aware of all his misery.
"I'm aware of everything but we cannot allow outsiders in the valley. I'm sorry but values are more important than kindness." Emperor said softly.
"Aaqa, (it is a word used for calling an emperor/respectable person who is high in rank) please let us stay for a few days until I get back my daughter." Moobhan broke down in tears.
"What? " Emperor seemed confused.
"On our way to Eastern Valley, we took a nap in the forest but when we woke up, my elder daughter was not there," Moohbhan explained with teary eyes. Birha and Risha were also sobbing.
"The ghost general," Emperor said as if something clicked in his mind.
"The ghost general must have kidnapped her. Due to this situation, the emperor allowed them a house in Eastern Valley.
"You can stay in Eastern Valley until you find your daughter but when she is found you must go from here." He ordered.
"As you command, Aaqa." he thanked the emperor and knelt before him once again.
The three of them were given a cottage near emperor hall. The cottage was big enough for this family. When they entered it, all three of them fainted.
Due to hunger, thirst and trek, their condition was miserable. However, the emperor was kind enough to call a doctor who treated them and appointed a servant for the family.
In the evening, they gained consciousness. The servant had already prepared the meal. When they woke up, they had dinner and some medicines.
In the night, they were feeling better.
"I'll go tomorrow to find Risha," Moobhan said.
"But you are not well enough, Baba." Birha sadly said.
"..." no answer.
At night, Moobhan went to Emperor and asked for his permission to go to the forest again.
"Moobhan" Emperor said in a soft voice.
"You know why I permitted you to stay here"?
"..." Moobhan looked at him with curiosity.
"You seem a decent and loyal person. Your daughter won't come back. The ghost general has kidnapped many girls and none of them has ever returned. You can stay here as long as you want."
"She is my daughter. I can't leave her alone in that jungle. I would find her at any cost." Moobhan said with anger and sadness in his eyes.
Aaqa smiled at his bravery and said, "If you have already decided then you won't listen to me. But you should go the day after tomorrow. As you haven't recovered yet and I'll send two soldiers with you."
Moobhan looked at Aaqa with gratitude in his eyes and again knelt before him.
When Moohbhan returned to the cottage, Birha and Misha looked at him. Their eyes wanted an answer and he already knew the question.
"I'll leave the day after tomorrow," Moohbhan said.
"But why not tomorrow?" Misha Bai asked.
"Maa, Baba isn't well and it's okay if he could take a rest for a day. You know Di, who can harm her." Birha gave a short smile with tears in her eyes.
"Mn..." Misha said.
Moohbhan was confused about Emperor's behaviour. Why did he suddenly accept them? Why did he offer help? Did he want something?
Moohbhan was also aware of the political games and the evil schemes.
"He wants to get rid of the ghost general. Yes. This is the only possibility. And if I die during this, the emperor doesn't even have to explain this to his people." Moohbhan thought.
He was ready for losses but he wanted a safe return of Risha. His life without her was not a life.
All his life he only wanted to protect his family. This was the reason that he left Awaish, his hometown. He was well aware of Zebar's schemes and plans. He never wanted to marry his daughter with him. Somehow he had the idea of the secret deal between Zebar and Arz.
"To hell with this world, my world is my family and I'm willing to take the risk for it. To hell with all the rules of politics, culture, and social values. If I can't even protect my family, I can't be called a man. I'm a father, a husband and a man who loves his family. And what does make a man a man? His moral and family values." He thought and was determined to get her daughter back from that fucking ghost general.
____