Empire of India: Rise of the Ruthless Prince

"Leave Lady Isabel. Don't harm her." Pedro pleaded in the native language.

"I will be the judge of that." Harsha spat back. "Put all your weapons down and walk to the side."

Maria, who was standing beside her, shuddered as she saw her sister being held hostage and began crying. "Sister…" She sniffled.

There were four, including Pedro and Maria, and then two other soldiers as their escorts. They were reluctant to give up their weapon but as they saw their lady hostage, they quickly put their weapon down.

"Move." Harsha warned coldly.

They moved to the side; Pedro dragged Maria with him.

"I will save the lady." Pedro whispered to her in Spanish.

"Walk ahead; follow the marked trees," Harsha gestured at the trees with his chin.

"Alright." Pedro walked ahead; he looked at Isabel and said in Spanish,. "My lady, I will give you the signal. We will kill that man." With that he walked ahead with his back facing Harsha.

Harsha's grip on Isabel's chin tightened and he whispered right into her ear in Spanish. "Don't try anything funny. I will end everyone's life here."

Isabel's blue eyes stared right at him and she shook her head slightly.

"Hmm…now that's an understanding woman."

Switching to the native language. Harsha ordered Pedro to follow the trail of the marked trees; the sun was setting and they were nearing the camp.

Harsha felt something was off with Pedro's behaviour. He inspected the surroundings since so far, there was no signal for Isabel or others to attack. Harsha's gaze was fixed on them.

"Now." Pedro screamed.

Harsha clicked his tongue. It was an ambush.

A man in leather armor rushed from behind, swinging his sword in a deadly arc at his head.

Harsha loosed the dagger from Isabel's neck and ducked down with her. In an instant, Harsha stabbed the dagger into the shin of the attacker.

He got up and slammed his palm into the chin of the man. The man staggered back and Harsha caught his sword arm in a lock and snapped it like a twig. The sword clattered to the ground.

"Die, you bastard." He took his last dagger and pierced his windpipe and left to squirm to death.

Harsha kept a significant distance with the group ahead, so before Pedro could reach Isabel. He took the sword and pointed it at her neck.

"You dirty Mleccha, I told you to try anything or her head will fly."

Pedro skidded to a stop right in front of Isabel. He didn't expect the man to be that skilled and swift after fighting a leopard. He expected him to be exhausted but he overpowered the knight within an instant. He was a monster in human skin.

He raised his hand to stop the other two.

"Wait...Wait...I was wrong. Don't harm her. I will do anything."

Maria was still crying and Isabel just watched the fight with her eyes wide in horror.
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'Who is this man.' She thought. She never saw someone as strong as him even back home.

Harsha grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her up.

"Walk ahead, you dirty mutt," he cursed at Pedro. "I will give you your punishment for this later."

As they walked ahead. Isabel pursed her mouth shut out of fear of the man that held her hold. Her heart was racing and her feet were paining from the long trek.

"See that camp over there?" Harsha gestured. "Go there."

Harsha was late because of this mess and it seemed that Dhruv was about to begin the search for him as the dark began to consume the orange light.

The four of them were first spotted by the soldiers and Commander Dhruv.

"You…Who are you?" Dhruv pointed the sword at them. "You are outsiders." He noted their pale skin.

"Soldiers?" Pedro exclaimed. "Please help us; a madman has been holding our noble lady from the Spanish Empire hostage." He said to Dhruv in the native language.

Dhruv turned serious. "Where?"

"He is just behind us."

Pedro glanced back.

Just then a cold voice rang out.

"Dhruv, capture them."

Harsha walked out of the pasture with his grip steady on Isabel's neck.

He pushed Isabel to Dhruv's side.

"This is the madman," Pedro exclaimed. "Please help us."

Dhruv turned to Pedro.

"Watch your mouth, you outsider."

"Huh? What do you—who is that?"

Harsha threw his sword aside and took off his hood. Revealing his long black hair and a set of obsidian eyes.

Dhruv sighed and declared.

"He is the Sun of the Vijayanagara Empire—The Emperor, Harsha Deva Raya."

Harsha walked up to Pedro and grabbed him by the neck. He lifted him off the ground.

Isabel and Maria gasped as they watched in horror.

"Didn't I warn you to not run your filthy mouth, you Mleccha?" Harsha said coldly, and Pedro looked at Harsha and was shuddering in fear. It was the fear of death creeping up.

A young man casually lifted him off by the neck and was staring into his soul without a hint of emotion.

"I tried to be nice once and you tried to test me with your little tricks."

Harsha dropped Pedro on the ground. He coughed out loud.

"Cut off both his thumbs and heel tendons." Harsha ordered Dhruv, "Treat the ladies properly. No harm should be done to them."

Harsha glanced back at Pedro and, in Spanish,. "See you later, you dirty bastard."

"What about your injuries?" Dhruv asked.

"Send a medic; it's just some minor scratches from the leopard I killed."

"You killed a leopard?" Dhruv's eyes widened.

"Well, it's not a tiger now. It's not a big deal." Harsha claimed and walked towards his camp.

The others were dragged away and both the ladies were guided safely to the nearby bonfire to get them treated for injuries first.

After getting treated, Harsha walked out of the camp. He just remembered there were no female attendees in the camp to tend to the ladies and there were some noises in the distance.

He walked towards the noise and saw the brunette lady fighting the medic and pulling his hair while the other lady tried to calm her down.

Harsha sighed and muttered. "Today is just not my day."