A night without end

The beautiful daughter of the Prince was one like no other. She sang like a nightingale, rode like a warrior, dressed in both fineries and common clothes, was kind to the farmers and others and yet stayed veiled as per her father's wish during some months. No one had seen her fully unveiled face and her eyes burned bight in her face. Eyes that were like liquid fire.  The Prince was not married to her mother. Infact no one knew who was her mother. The two wives of the Prince had a few sons between them but other than the eldest referred to as Jay, no one knew of the others. By the rules of succession, after the King Sahas, the thrown of that rugged land would go to the Prince and after him to Jay. Yet in all forums and meetings and fights, he proudly introduces his daughter as his first born.  Did that cause discontent in his heavily veiled household ? No one knows the answer to that. But Jay or Younger Princes were fond of their eldest sister, or so was said. Her name was forgotten in the heavy mists of forgetfulness one inflicts upon herself, when the history is painful. Her name possibly would have been noted in that land's history if she had not meet Raj, the rival King of the nomads.  Raj was young, untamed leader of the nomadic clans that ruled the deserts beyond the hilly terrains of the King Sahas. It was impossible to cross the deserts without their guidance and help. They knew and levied high charge for their service causing much clash of wills between him and King Sahas.  In one such clash, the Prince's daughter saw the Nomadic Raj. Was it a love at first sight, no one knows, but it was love indeed. The kind that burns bright and casts it's shadow on the ones in love .. leading them to forget all but their feeling and need for one another.  The details of the story can only be assumed. But Raj was betrayed by his clan , sold off, for the rights to settle in the hilly land , they wanted to be nomads no more, with houses and acceptance in the life. In frontal battle he was undefeatable , so they poisoned him, then slaughtered him.. and left him to die in a place where convicts were put to death. No one heard of the Princess or saw her again. Lores whispered that she was also given poison for bringing dishonour to the family as it was discovered that she was pregnant. Some said she was locked in a stone cell to die slowly with no food or water.  But none was the truth. If you visited the killing ground of the doomed convicts , their corpses will tell you the true story of the fallen King being butchered to almost death and then thrown in the bottomless well to die.. even as pained cries of the Prince's daughter filled the skies. She denied her pregnancy, saying the Nomad King has never even touched her.. that she was okay to die in his place.. that she truly loved him.. They say the next day the King .. with the remaining little breath of his, waited for a whisper of his dear one .. one more assurance that she was alive, heart broken but unharmed.. to breathe his last..but he was thrown a bloodied tongue..  They whisper that he is still alive in the well.. and he visits the doomed hilly city searching for his beloved.. with her tongue in his hand.. mowing down anyone at his path..  The broken walls of the palace destroyed many years ago by a strong earthquake..whispered by the residents as the wrath of the Nomad King, had long forgotten its given name of Sparkling Fortress.. but was called the King's curse. A resident would die but not visit the hill top Fortress. The nomads had long been driven away from the city.. with the name the Betrayers.. But the biggest curse that still lingered was that most first daughters of the once thriving city and now a cursed village , were born without a voice. They would never speak, till the King found his Mate again.