Chapter 4

After Haad left, Anna got out of bed and hurried to the door. She put her hand on the handle and tried to open the door, but it did not open. Anna looked around the room with her heart pounding. There was no window anywhere but a curtain hung in front of a sidewall. Maybe there’s a door behind it. Thinking this, she moved towards the wall and removed the curtain. There was really a door on that wall. Anna’s eyes sparkled. She grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door to open. A gust of cold air from outside hit her body. The hair around her face swayed in the wind, creating a beautiful scene. A smile spread across her lips. In front was a long corridor that turned to the right after some distance and ended at a back main gate. Along the corridor was a large swimming pool filled with water. In the blue darkness of the evening, the water seemed very mysterious. Anna left the room and started walking in the corridor. After walking fifty or sixty steps, she turned to the right of the corridor. After a while, she was in front of the big gate that was enclosed in the back wall. She tried to open the door but it did not open. She tried for a long time but to no avail. Her whole excitement cooled down. Disappointingly, she stared at the large walls around her that were impossible to get out of.

“Mama … please get me out of here.” She sat there and started crying.

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When he returned with the mangoes, he found the room empty where Anna was. His heart pounded quickly. He looked around anxiously. His eyes fell on the curtain and he moved quickly towards it. He removed the curtain and saw that the door was open.

“Oh. How did I forget that?” He muttered and moved ahead. It was getting dark, but everything was clear to Haad's eyes. He saw Anna sitting by the back gate in the right corridor. He took a deep breath and walked slowly closer to her.

“Anna!” Staying a few steps away from her, he called to Anna and Anna’s heart trembled with fear. She stood up nervously.

“What are you doing here?” He approached her, asking in a stern tone.

“I … I …” she stammered.

“Yes, you.” He was very close to her. Anna stepped back in fear.

“I… I wasn’t running,” she said quickly, trying to convince him not to punish her for trying to run away. Haad’s anger subsided in an instant. There was a smile on his face.

“Then what were you doing?” he took another step closer to her and she started walking back through the door.

“I … came here to get some fresh air.” She swallowed barely and made an excuse.

“Is it a great place to get air? You could have taken it somewhere else. Then why did you choose this place?” He said and amused by her fear. Anna realized her stupidity. If the door was not open, she should have gone from here as soon as possible. Now she did not know what to say.

“Wind was blowing very well here.” She made up an excuse again. Haad shook his head and pretended to believe everything.

“Well! Do you intend to stay here all night?” He asked, putting one hand on the door and leaning slightly over her face.

“N … no.” She held her breath.

“Then come in and eat. I have brought the food .” Haad grabbed her soft and delicate hand and started walking towards the room. And Anna was dragged with him making a face.

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“Did you find that girl?” When Aman called Sanan, he asked as soon as he picked up the call.

“No sir. I’m trying.” Aman reported in disappointment.

“Do anything, Aman! I want that girl at any cost. You have twenty-four hours.” Sanan said angrily and hung up. He did not understand how she suddenly disappeared.

“Which girl?” Eshal's voice came from behind and he turned quickly. Eshal was his cousin and loved him. She lived in his house. Her parents had died.

“What are you doing here?” He raged.

“Answer my question first,” Eshal said sternly.

“I’m not obligated to answer you. Get out of here and don’t come into my room next time without my permission,” Sanan said bluntly. Eshal's eyes were wet with grief.

“Sanan!” She was shouting at him in a pleading tone.

“Go,” Sanan said. She angrily struck the decoration piece with her hand on the floor and left the room.

“What the hell,” he muttered, looking at the broken pieces of the decoration piece.

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“Is this food?” Seeing the mangoes instead of a meal, Anna thought, twitching her nose. Haad understood from the look on her face what she was thinking.

“This is the food available now. I will make arrangements for another food from tomorrow,” said Haad, peeling the mango and presenting it to her.

“There is no food to feed me. And you imprisoned me here.” Anna thought, holding the mango and started eating it. Her boredom could not be hidden from Haad.

“You should thank god for this food,” Haad advised her.

“I don’t eat mangoes in dinner,” Anna muttered in fear.

“So what do you eat?” Haad was talking to her softly now.

“I eat fried chicken, pasta, pizza, Chinese rice, and some vegetable dishes at night,” Anna told the menu with great innocence. Haad didn’t understand what dish she had named. He was watching her staringly.

“Do you know how to cook all these dishes?” He asked happily. If she knew how to cook, his job would be easier.

“no,” Anna said hesitantly, placing the hair behind her ear. Haad shook his head.

“So I have to cook.” He muttered and started eating mangoes.

“Eat this mango now. I’ll learn to cook very soon.” He peeled another mango and gave it to her.

“Until then, will I just eat fruit?” She thought in confusion. However, she did not dare to ask.

“Mama….. I miss you.” Anna wanted to cry but she couldn’t cry in front of Haad.

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Zolun was sitting on a sofa in front of Zaria, she was confined in chains in a small glass room. She was looking at Zolun with bloodshot eyes. And Zolun was looking at her with a triumphant smile.

“You’re finally in my hold,” he gloated proudly.

“You attacked from behind like cowards. If you had come in front and fought, you would never have been able to capture me.” Zolun laughed at her words.

“You have done many such cowardly things too. A good witcher is not the one who is brave, but a good witcher is the one who is cunning and you are a good witch,” he said.

“This good witch will soon take its revenge on you. Remember that.” She was burning in the fire of revenge.

“You won’t be able to take revenge anymore,” Zolun said, waving the fingers of one of his hands. A wave of white light came out from his fingers.

“Because all your powers are now mine.” He threw that light on Zaria.

“No. You can’t do that.” Zaria howled anxiously. Zolun’s magic was dominating her. She could not even defend herself. The white light completely engulfed Zaria and began to draw powers from her body. Zaria was screaming helplessly. In a short time, all her powers were within the reach of Zolun and she had become an ordinary woman. Without powers, she felt lifeless. She was pale with grief. Zolun got up from the sofa and walked towards her, the glass walls removed from around Zaria. Zolun knelt in front of her.

“Are you angry with me?” He asked innocently, burning her like wet wood.

“Don’t worry. If I let you go, you can compete with me again by getting magic from your old teacher.” Zolun said and Zaria was confused. Did he intend to spare her?

“I can set you free, but you have to do something for me.”

“what?” Zaria asked quickly.

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Anna woke up all night. It was very difficult for her to be held captive by a stranger in a strange place. Her little heart was trembling with fear. She cried all night. She was afraid of Haad. Why he imprisoned her and what he wanted. All these thoughts were not letting her sleep. When the morning light spread everywhere, Haad entered her room. He had spent the night in the room in front of Anna’s but had not slept. He had complete control over his sleep. He could stay awake for several days. And because of Anna, his sleep had diminished.

“I’m going out. You eat mangoes for breakfast. I’ll come at noon and bring some food,” Haad said, placing mangoes on a table near her. Anna was looking at him in fear. Haad was turning when suddenly he remembered something.

“And yes, don’t try to run away. It’s all in vain.” He looked at her beautiful face with affection and left the room. Anna began to control her frightened heart.

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Haad crossed the jungle and entered the Fairy Meadows Valley. There was a time when he was the ruler of this area and now he is a stranger here. There were new people. Everything had changed. It was unknown which year is it or how many centuries he remained in a statue state. Thinking this, his eyes fell on a child who was walking along the side of the road holding a ice cream. Haad looked at him with interest. Suddenly his sensitive ears heard a dangerous growl. It was the sound of a tiger, Haad had known. He soon knew the direction of the sound. The tiger was behind the bush near which the boy was passing. He ran to the child without wasting a single moment, and before the tiger could jump on the child, he pushed the child back and came in front of the tiger. The leopard swooped down on him and tried to grab his throat with its claws and teeth, but Haad circulated his front legs tightly and threw him away. This scene was amazing. People around him did not believe that a human being could be more powerful than a tiger. They were all terrified but stilled there to see their fight. The tiger got up from the ground, stared at Haad, expressing his anger, and ran towards him in a rage. As he approached, Haad leaned down quickly and the tiger could not stop due to its high speed and passed over him. Haad grabbed his tail from behind and once again rotated it and hit it to the ground. The tiger turned, opened his mouth, and tried to bite him but Haad picked up a stone from the ground and put it in his mouth, which got stuck in his throat. The tiger fell down helplessly. Then a bullet came from somewhere and penetrated the body of the tiger. Haad turned around and saw the same man who had shot him when he was in the form of a wolf. He stared at him observably. He had a modern kind of weapon in his hand that would make anyone helpless in an instant. Haad wanted to know about it. Sanan was also watching Haad. And he seemed very impressed with his bravery. Haad looked away from him and saw the tiger lying on the ground flooded with blood. A man approached haad. His name was Awan.

“You are a great man. I will never forget the kindness you have done to my son.” He, holding his son, spoke in a grateful tone.

“Don't mention it,” Haad spoke politely. He had killed a man in the form of a wolf, which he deeply regretted. Now he was probably trying to atone for it.

“But how did you do that? How can a man be stronger than a tiger?” The other man asked. Haad could not answer. The rest of the people came closer to him. Some people were carrying the tiger somewhere.

“Come home with me to my house. It will be a great pleasure for me,” Awan said in a tone of joy and gratitude. Haad had to make a connection with someone so that he could learn how to live in that era, so he did not turn down the man’s invitation. When he was going home with Awan, he noticed that the man who had shot him and the tiger still watching him. Everyone was watching him, but he was feeling sanan’s eyes a little too much.

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Anna was sitting near the pool, looking at the transparent water in which the color of the sky was visible. She was upset and afraid. Her life changed suddenly. She spent 18 years in the same house in peace. Zaria was a strict mother but she provided Anna with all the necessities of life. And Anna loved Zaria as every daughter loves her mother. She had only one complaint from Zaria that she would not let her go out of the house. It is human nature not to be confined to one place forever. Recreation is very important for peace of mind and heart but Zaria never allowed her to take this Recreation. Now she understood why Zaria would not let her out. Now, She considered that Zaria was afraid of losing her. And when she left the house, she was kidnapped. When she was playing by the lake, a wolf approached her and she fainted from fear. Then she regained consciousness when her neck was pressing. Zaria was not at home either. She ran out of the house in fear and hit Haad. At first, she considered him sympathetic, but when she talked about going home, he chained her. The moment before it, she was in front of Haad, and the next moment, in the blink of an eye, she was in chains. From this, she had guessed that Haad was a witcher. Thinking this she was even more frightened.

“Mama! save me. This cruel man imprisoned me here.” She started crying again. She looked like a princess captured by a tyrant beast. And the prince comes to free the princess from captivity.

“But Haad is not less than a prince.” She muttered, remembering Haad’s vision.

“But he’s bad. He took me away from my mother and imprisoned me here.” She put her head on her knees, speaking in a sad tone.

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Awan had a small family. He had a sister, a wife, and two children. His wife’s name was Zainab and his sister’s name was Imama. Awan introduced them to Haad and also told them about his fight with the tiger and Haad’s act to save his son. They both were astounded. Imama was very impressed by Haad. They both started serving Haad. It was breakfast time. First, Haad was given “ lassi” (a Pakistani drink) and then "potato tortilla” (a Pakistani dish) was offered. He knew a little about this dish. His mother also used to make “lassi” and potato tortillas”, but new methods to make these things were modern. Haad liked the potato tortilla very much. His heart wanted to take it for Anna, but due to hesitation he could not ask for it, but he did ask for the recipe of these tortillas.

“How does it make ?” He asked innocently. Zainab and Imama laughed.

“Why do you have to learn to make it?” Zainab asked in wonderment.

“Actually, I’m a traveler. I don’t know how to cook anything. But I want to learn to make it on my own so that it can come in handy in time,” he said.

“Yes, Imama. You teach him. He has done for us.” Awan agreed.

“I will teach you, but come to us when you have something to eat,” Imama offered.

“No thanks. It doesn’t look so good,” he declined. He was Prince Haad. His ego forbade him to request but for Anna, he was requesting. Even after rescuing Awan's son, he was embarrassed to ask them to teach him to cook. Imama took him to the kitchen. The kitchen was old-fashioned but still new to Haad. He had learned from the Imama to burn wood on the stove and make "potato tortilla”. Haad also experimented and learned how to make a potato tortilla. The man who had always fought with swords was learning to cook for his love. In addition to potato tortillas, he also learned to make omelets and simple tortillas. He also learned to boil rice and make tea. The items used in these techniques were also well memorized by Haad. Now he had to buy these things. But he needed money for that. He could not ask for money from anyone.

“What work do you do?” Haad asked when he sat with Awan after learning cooking.

“I work as a carpenter,” Awan said, happily.

“Get me a job as a carpenter please,” he said quickly.

“But will woodwork be suitable for you?” Awan asked, looking at his gorgeous body. He looked like a prince of any state. Awan did not think that the woodwork was suitable for him.

“No work is bad. Any work that is done honestly is good.” Haad smiled.

“Okay. Come with me to the furniture shop where I work. I’ll get you a job there.” Awan said, shaking his head.

“Let’s go now,” Haad said, getting up. Awan was surprised at his quickness.

“I really need the money right now.” He said confusingly.

“You can ask me for money,” Awan offered.

“No. Just get me a job,” he said, and Awan took him to a furniture shop owned by an old man. He introduced Haad to him as well as praised his bravery. The old man also saw the potential in Haad. He hired him. Haad gladly accepted the job and with some people, he went to the forest to cut wood.

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