Chapter 13, "Why didn't you just beg me earlier? Why put on such a high and mighty act?"
Sati clutched her stomach, a churning sensation washing over her.
Then, her throat began to burn with pain, her whole body feeling like it was experiencing both ice and fire.
Seeing this, Shiva sighed, stood up, and walked deeper into the forest.
"Help...help..." Sati choked out, her right hand frantically reaching in the direction Shiva had left, her last straw.
As expected! He really did find her too annoying and turned away, leaving her speechless.
If heaven gave her another chance, she would never throw such a tantrum again, otherwise she would surely die a gruesome death.
Heavens above, I, Sati, have sworn a solemn oath, please, someone save me!
Sati slowly closed her eyes, tears sliding down her cheeks, awaiting death.
In her dazed state, she felt her mouth being pried open, and a warm liquid flowed into her throat, instantly bringing her immense comfort.
Sati opened her eyes and found Shiva standing before her. He held a vessel made of large green leaves, containing a liquid that emitted a medicinal fragrance.
"You dare to eat any fruit from the forest? You're quite bold."
Shiva genuinely didn't want to deal with this unruly princess, but she was, after all, the spirit of the goddess Sakti resided within her. If Sati died easily, the goddess Sakti would once again begin wandering the universe.
Last time, it was Brahma who lured the goddess Sakti out by cursing the Vedas and getting his head blown off.
If the goddess Sakti were to wander again, summoning her next time would likely be extremely difficult. Brahma only had four heads now; he couldn't afford to be blown off a few more times. 2
"You savage, though rather rude, aren't inherently bad. I won't bother you anymore. How about this: you like drumming, so I'll teach you music, and in return, you escort me out of this forest. How about that deal?"
"My music is my own business; I don't need to learn from anyone. Not everything in life is a transaction. To obtain something, you must ask with courtesy. You must admit that you are powerless to obtain what you desire before I will consider sending you out."
"Alright, all that talk is just to make me bow down to you, isn't it? Men and women are equal. Since you can come and go from this forest, so can I! I'm not such a powerless woman!"
"As you wish." Shiva remained noncommittal and resumed his meditation.
......
In Daksha's palace.
His subordinates had already reported Sati's disappearance, which greatly angered Daksha.
He hadn't been keen on sending Sati to the far north, but after being thoroughly outmaneuvered by Sapienza last time, he had no choice but to compromise.
Now, his daughter had disappeared before even reaching Anghira's kingdom. If anything had happened to her, his father, Brahma, would surely not forgive him!
Daksha immediately summoned the sage Bhriku, the leader of the Seven Sages.
"Bhriku, you will immediately lead a search party to find my daughter. If you fail in your mission, I will personally go to Anghira's kingdom. You know the consequences!"
"Yes, Lord of Life!" Bhriku hurriedly accepted the order and withdrew.
Ever since his father, Brahma, had lost a head to Shiva, the Lord of Life had become much more ruthless. If he were to personally go to Anghira's kingdom, a massacre would be inevitable. At least millions of lives would be lost.
......
Since Sati's disappearance, the guards had remained stationed in place, not advancing an inch.
The guards were all working with incredible energy, searching from dawn till dusk, more diligently than if they were looking for their own mother.
After all, if they didn't find their own mother, at most they would just be motherless. But if Princess Sati wasn't found, they would lose their lives.
Unfortunately, the nearby forest was vast, teeming with wild beasts and venomous insects, making the search extremely difficult.
Sati's sisters could only stay sadly in their tents, praying for their little sister's safety.
At this moment, Sapish's assassination assistant, posing as a rendezvous person, infiltrated the guard.
Sapish's intention was to create chaos. Although they hadn't assassinated Sati, killing Dasha's other daughters would have a significant effect.
So, the assistant found a cobra and secretly released it into the eldest daughter's tent through the window.
The snake bit the eldest daughter's hand, causing her to scream in pain. Hearing the scream, the second daughter rushed over and immediately told Sapish's assistant to find a doctor. The old physician arrived quickly and bandaged the eldest daughter's wound with herbs and bandages.
"Thank you so much. If you hadn't come in time, I would be..."
"Your Highness, there's no need for such words. I only came to see what was happening because I heard your scream. I didn't expect it to be a snakebite, a wound I specialize in treating."
"What? You came because you heard me scream? Didn't I send a man to find you?"
"No. I came of my own accord. No one came to find me."
Hearing the old physician's words, the eldest daughter was furious. She summoned Sapish's assistant to question him, but the assistant deflected responsibility, saying he had also sent two men to deliver a message, and it must have been them who failed to relay the order in time.
Sapish's assistant pointed at his two men, making them scapegoats.
While everyone was at an impasse, the sage Bhriku arrived at the tent.
"Heh, you dare to subcontract the Princess's orders to your subordinates? You've got some nerve! Lock them all up and let me interrogate them!"
Just as the guards were leading the three men away, two screams rang out.
Sapish's assistant had already killed his two men to silence them, insisting they were spies plotting to assassinate Daksha's daughter.
Then, Sapish's assistant quickly left.
Barigu stared at the man who had killed them, but didn't give chase. He knew things weren't that simple.
Two unknown men suddenly wanting to assassinate Daksha's daughter—there must be a larger force pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Perhaps it was a conspiracy orchestrated by Angie and his son.
Barigu was in a dilemma.
If he told Daksha about Angie and his son's involvement in the assassination attempt, Daksha would surely unleash a furious revenge, even cursing Angie and his son to destroy his kingdom.
But if Daksha isn't told, Angie will surely try to sabotage him again.
"Both Daksha and Angie are difficult to deal with. It seems I must find Sati as soon as possible and bring Daksha's daughters home," sighed the sage Bhriku.
...
In the forest.
Sati wandered around, still not out of the way, and instead encountered Shiva, who was on a long ascetic retreat.
Asceticism and meditation were Shiva's daily rituals. Through asceticism and meditation, Shiva could more skillfully control his powers.
"Why are you still here? I thought..."
"Aha! Thought what? Thought I had already left? If you were willing to lend a little help, I might have really left long ago, but you didn't. I know you want to laugh at me, so laugh all you want, I don't care anyway."
Listening to Sati's lightning-fast, slightly rambling speech, Shiva simply found a tree to sit on, remaining silent.
Soon, Sati's voice grew softer, and even her attitude softened.
She had been walking all morning and still hadn't found her way out. If she didn't ask the man before her for help, she might truly have to spend her whole life in the forest. Perhaps she would even be taken by this savage.
The thought sent chills down Sati's spine.
She lowered her stance, approaching Shiva with a beaming smile.
"Savage brother, please tell me how to get out. You don't want me to bother you here for the rest of your life, do you?"
"Just over that small hill," Shiva pointed to a small hill to the east.
[Why didn't you ask me sooner? What a joke!]