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The MeetingMany years had passed since Prophet Govind had gone missing. Aradhana followed her husband's order of not allowing Tara to go to the capital city Storybrooke. Tara had grown into a beautiful girl. Whoever sees her once can't stop praising her and her beauty. The King had stopped grieving for his first child publicly but he still grieved for him in private. Prince Aditya and Princess Vasundhara were grown-up now.
Witch Kalavati was getting old day by day. She now required the blood of a young girl who was around twenty. She was again preparing and collecting ingredients to do the dark spell to regain her youth. Previously when she tried to do this spell, she was interrupted by the King. So to ensure that this time she did not get interrupted she had kept a vampire with her - Vampire Nandini. Vampires have the capability to compel people and make them do what they want. But the person having the pearl with them can never be compelled. The only way to kill a Vampire was to stab them in the heart using a stake.
Prince Aditya got married to Princess Meethi of the neighboring kingdom as a treaty for peace. The whole Wonderland was celebrating this alliance between the two kingdoms. There was a fair at Storybrooke. Tara wanted to visit that fair. She requested Aradhana to allow her to visit the fair. Like always, Aradhana wanted to refuse but this time she allowed her, as Tara was now twenty, and according to Tara's father's warning she had crossed the limit and it was now safe for her to visit the capital. So she allowed her to visit Storybrooke.
Tara was overjoyed to know that Aradhana was allowing her to visit Storybrooke. She was very much excited to visit the capital. She imagined how Storybrooke would be like, how the people in Storybrooke live, what places she would visit, what she would purchase from the fair. It was her first chance to visit Storybrooke. A place which she had only heard about but never had the chance to visit. That night was the longest night for Tara. Finally the morning arrived.
Tara got ready for the fair very early. She wore a cream coloured off shoulder gown with golden border having short sleeves and bare back with strings criss-crossing across her back. Her long black hair covered her bare back. Her beauty was mesmerizing. Aradhana made a black dot behind Tara's ears to protect her from evil eyes. Today Tara was looking the most beautiful girl on earth. Tara and Aradhana left for Storybrooke.
After reaching Storybrooke, Tara was amazed to see beauty of the city and its people. Aradhana was a little afraid for Tara but she allowed her to go to the fair alone and went to the palace, as she knew that as long as King Jayraj was there, the people don't need to be afraid.
Tara entered the fair and first chose the merry-go-round as her ride. She was enjoying it when she saw a Fortune Teller's tent in the fair. After getting down from the ride, she was moving towards that tent when she heard a scream.
She followed that scream. The scream led her into the dark forest which was called the "Enchanted Forest" by the local people because of the secrets it held. She saw a cottage in the forest. It was Witch Kalavati's house. She peeped in the cottage from the window to see what was happening inside and whose scream it was.
What she saw in the cottage shocked her.
She saw an old woman having red eyes, drinking the youth of a young girl through her eyes which was turning that girl old.
After seeing this, Tara screamed in terror and ran from that place. Witch Kalavati was alone at that time and was not strong enough to chase Tara, but she saw Tara and her beauty. She had found the girl to complete the spell to regain her beauty.
Tara was running in the Enchanted Forest in the opposite direction from the city. She ran without knowing where she was going. After going far into the Enchanted Forest she stopped, only to notice that she was lost.
Evening was approaching.
So she again started running and bumped into something, which was strong like a wall but soft like a flower. She bumped into a man, who was over six feet tall, had strong hands, a beard and hair tied up in a ponytail. Tara was going to fall but was saved by that man. She was in his arms with his strong hand on her bare back and her wide eyes looking at his face. The man was drinking her beauty through his eyes.
Trees showered flowers on this spectacular moment due to a gust of wind. The whole Enchanted Forest was happy to witness their meeting which would lead to the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Yes, the man was MRITYUNJAY SINGH SHEKHAWAT. He was living at the other end of the Enchanted forest with Prophet Govind .
After what seemed like an eternity but in reality was only a few minutes, Tara realized where she was and stood up straight on her feet.
She thanked him for saving her from falling. Mrityunjay turned and started to walk away. Tara called him and asked if he knew the way out of this forest as she was lost and she has to reach home before evening.
Mrityunjay brought his horse from his house which was nearby and offered his mare Maria to Tara and asked her to sit on it and he would take her out of this forest. Tara hopped on the mare with Mrityunjay's help after her two failed attempts to sit on Maria. Mrityunjay held Maria's reins and they started their journey with Tara on Maria and Mrityunjay on foot.
After riding in silence for sometime, Tara broke this silence by introducing herself as Tara Sharma, daughter of Prophet Govind Sharma. Mrityunjay was still quiet and leading Maria in the direction which led outside the forest. Tara asked his name.
He replied, "Mrityunjay."
On hearing his name Tara instantly replied, "Do you know what is the meaning of Mrityunjay? It means the one who had conquered death and it is also another name of Lord Shiva. And... ".
On hearing Tara's non-stop chatter, Mrityunjay looked at her and on seeing Mrityunjay's reaction, she stopped. But after a few moments of silence she asked, "Do you live in this forest? With whom do you live? And what do you do?"
On hearing Tara's questions again, Mrityunjay stopped and replied, "I am a hunter. I live here with my Guruji and I don't have a family. Do you want to ask anything else or shall we proceed outside the forest as it is getting dark."
Tara kept a finger on her lips showing she would be quiet. After half an hour's journey, they reached the edge of the forest. Tara got down from the horse and thanked Mrityunjay for helping her to find her way home.
Tara proceeded on her way home. Mrityunjay got on Maria and left for the forest. He opened his ponytail and let his hair fly and talk to the wind riding back to his place in the forest.
Prophet Govind was waiting for Mrityunjay . When Mrityunjay arrived, Prophet asked where he had gone. Mrityunjay narrated the whole incident and went inside the house.
Prophet Govind never told Mrityunjay his name. He told him that he has a family and he would meet them when the right time came. Till then he needed to do what he said. The Prophet was happy to know that the time had arrived to finish Witch Kalavati and reunite Prince Mrityunjay with his family. He was imagining how his daughter would be looking like after twenty years because the last time he saw her she was a child. How his wife Aradhana had lived without him? All these years of distance from his family was going to end in a few months as the prophecy would come true very soon. This meeting of Mrityunjay and Tara was just the start of the prophecy being fulfilled. And years of training Mrityunjay had made him ready to fight Witch Kalavati. The only thing that was acting as a hindrance in completing the prophecy was the spell cast by Witch Kalavati on Storybrooke. But that day is not too far when this spell would break. As soon as that spell broke, he would tell Prince Mrityunjay who he was and for what he was there.
On the other end of the forest, Kalavati was scolding Vampire Nandini for not being available when she was required the most. Nandini in her defence stated that she was at the fair to find beautiful girls for her. But Kalavati was very angry and was not ready to listen to any excuse.
She said,"No need to find any other girl for me as I have found the one girl who is required to complete the spell for youth. This is her portrait. Go and find her for me and if you fail you know what I will do to you."
She warned her by showing her a wooden stake. Vampire Nandini got scared hearing the witch's warning and promised to find that girl for her. After that warning, Nandini returned to Storybrooke.
After reaching home, Tara wanted to tell Aradhana about the whole incident but kept quiet as it can lead to her being banned from visiting Storybrooke again. But to suppress her fear of the old red-eyed woman she hugged Aradhana. Aradhana to cheer her daughter up asked
"Do you want to visit the palace? The Queen was asking me to bring you to the palace. And also you would get the chance to meet the new princess, Princess Meethi. Do you want to come?"
Tara was very happy to hear this. After the fair, she is going to visit the palace.
"Yes mom.When we can go to the palace?"
"Tomorrow" replied Aradhana.
The day was a day of surprises for Tara. First the red-eyed old woman ,then a man in woods and now the news of a visit to the palace. But her mind went back to Mrityunjay's face and their meeting in the woods. Her heart was calling out his name and wishing to meet him once again in the Enchanted forest.
While Mrityunjay was grooming Maria, he found a red scarf on her saddle. He thought it must belong to Tara.
The thought of Tara brought a smile to his face and he remembered their first meeting and her non-stop chatter. He kept that scarf safe in his closet, thinking that if he ever met her again, he would return it to her.
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Sorry for being late 😊
I hope you liked this update.😊
Thanks Shaina_b for making it readable😃
Thanks for reading😊
Edited by Archi21 - 6 years ago
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