his mercy was her name

Episode12

Chapter 12: The Storm That Took Childhood Away

Pihu's POV

The night was too quiet.

And quiet nights were dangerous.

Because silence had a cruel habit—

It made room for memories.

I sat curled near the large bedroom window, my knees pulled to my chest, watching the moonlight spill softly across the gardens outside.

Everything looked peaceful.

Too peaceful.

As if my heart wasn't slowly unraveling.

Leo lay sprawled beside me on the bed, one massive paw resting over my legs possessively, as though even in sleep he refused to let me drift too far.

His warmth grounded me.

My fingers absentmindedly moved through his soft white fur.

And slowly—

Painfully—

My thoughts drifted back.

Back to a time before heartbreak became complicated.

Before silence hurt more than words.

Before Rudransh Singh Rathore became the devil.

Back when he was simply—

Ansh.

My Ansh.

---

Flashback: Years Ago

Pihu: 8 years old

Rudransh: 9 years old

"ANSH!"

My tiny voice echoed loudly through the garden as I chased after him with all the determination my little legs could manage.

Ahead of me—

Rudransh sighed dramatically.

Even as a child, he acted as though the world burdened him personally.

"You're too slow, Pihu."

I stopped instantly.

My cheeks puffed.

"No fair!"

I stomped my foot.

"You always say that!"

He turned around, crossing his arms with exaggerated patience.

"That's because it's true."

I gasped in pure betrayal.

"You're mean!"

For a second—

He just stared at me.

Then, with a long-suffering sigh, he crouched down slightly.

"Come here."

My anger vanished immediately.

"Piggyback?"

"Before I change my mind."

I squealed and launched myself onto his back.

He barely stumbled.

Strong even then.

My arms wrapped around his neck tightly as he adjusted me carefully.

And despite his endless complaints—

He always held me securely.

"Ansh?"

"What?"

"I'll always stay with you."

He didn't answer immediately.

At that age—

Maybe neither of us understood how heavy promises could become.

But after a moment—

He replied quietly.

"Obviously."

As if there had never been another possibility.

---

Pihu's POV – Present

A small smile touched my lips despite the ache inside me.

He had always been like that.

Quiet.

Protective.

Certain.

Even as children—

Ansh never made promises lightly.

And maybe that was why remembering hurt so much now.

Because somewhere beneath the coldness...

The silence...

The distance...

I still remembered the boy who used to tie my shoelaces because I was "too careless."

The boy who fought other children for making me cry.

The boy who always saved me the bigger piece of chocolate—

Even when pretending he didn't care.

My chest tightened painfully.

Because loving Rudransh had never really been a choice.

It had been as natural as breathing.

---

Flashback: The Last Happy Day

The sun had been bright that day.

Too bright.

I remembered running between both houses freely, laughing.

Our parents sat together in the garden.

Talking.

Smiling.

Safe.

I had been trying—and failing—to climb a tree because I wanted flowers from a higher branch.

"Pihu!"

Ansh's furious little voice still echoed clearly.

"You'll fall!"

"No, I won't!"

I absolutely did.

One wrong step—

And suddenly I slipped.

But before I could hit the ground—

Strong little arms caught me awkwardly.

Both of us tumbled.

He landed first.

I landed safely on top of him.

"Ow!"

"Ansh!"

My tiny hands immediately touched his face.

"Are you hurt?!"

He frowned despite clearly being in pain.

"You're impossible."

But his hands were already checking me for injuries.

"You could've gotten hurt."

I blinked.

"But you got hurt..."

He looked away.

And muttered something I'd only fully understand years later:

"Better me than you."

---

Present – Pihu's POV

Tears filled my eyes.

Because even then—

Before blood.

Before mafia wars.

Before tragedy—

He had already been protecting me.

And perhaps...

That was the cruelest part.

The man breaking my heart now—

Was also the boy who had spent his entire life keeping it safe.

Leo suddenly shifted, lifting his giant head into my lap with a soft huff.

I blinked.

Then laughed weakly through my tears.

"You always know, don't you?"

Leo stared at me.

Massive.

Silent.

Judgmental.

I smiled shakily, wiping my face.

"You're honestly too emotionally intelligent for a giant murder cat."

Leo blinked once.

Then dramatically licked my hand.

I groaned softly.

"Great. Now you're being affectionate."

He flopped half his enormous body over me in response.

As if physically declaring:

Sadness denied.

And just like that—

I laughed.

A real laugh.

Broken, soft, but real.

"Fine, fine..."

I wrapped my arms around him.

"You win."

---

Rudransh's POV

I hadn't intended to stop outside her room.

But hearing her laugh—

Even softly—

Made my feet betray me.

I stood there silently.

Listening.

And for one dangerous moment—

Everything else disappeared.

No enemies.

No politics.

No sacrifices.

Just...

Her.

Then I heard it.

"Ansh..."

My breath caught instantly.

That name.

That old nickname.

The one only she used.

The one tied not to Rudransh Singh Rathore—

But to the boy I used to be.

My eyes closed involuntarily.

Because no matter how much blood stained my hands now—

When she said "Ansh"—

I still remembered.

The gardens.

Her tiny hand in mine.

Her stubbornness.

Her laughter.

Her absolute faith in me.

And suddenly—

The weight of what I was risking became unbearable.

Because I could survive her anger.

Her hatred.

Even her misunderstanding.

But if I lost that version of us—

The version where I was still her Ansh—

Would there be anything left worth saving?