Mirage: Hearts Amidst the Mist | ✔️

15. An Olden Bond

Shachi had left a huge responsibility for Chandraa to fulfil. How would she manage to do this alone?
Suddenly a brilliant thought came into her mind. She wrote a letter to Madhav, her friend.
She wrote it in Mahidhar's language of course.
In it, she mentioned that she had to rule the kingdom and she needed someone who could help her and whom she could trust.
She gave the letter to a servant asking him to deliver it to Madhav's house.

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After a few days, the letter reached Madhav. Till then, Chandraa was somehow managing the kingdom till now. On reading the letter, Madhav instantly packed his bags and took a bullock-cart to Vyushti.

"Chandraa, here I come!"

When he reached there, he was awestruck by the beauty of the place. The houses of the people of the kingdom were well maintained, there were enchanting forests in the way, serene ponds with golden lotuses, and hustling bustling marketplaces. Madhav was happy that Chandraa was the queen of such a prosperous kingdom.

Soon, he saw the palace in front of his eyes. A high stone building with beautiful ancient scenes carved on it. Madhav entered the palace. He asked a minister where he could meet Chandraa. He guided Madhav all the way to Chandraa's room.

He said that Chandraa had already told him that she was expecting someone to visit her. He went.

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After a while, Chandraa entered the room.

"Madhav! You really came for me?" she screamed excitedly.
"I had to."
"I wish I could hug you as I used to when we were little."

"We were children at that time. You should thank God that you're even able to talk to any other man except your husband!"

"People here are not like that, Madhav. They do not mind a woman and a man being friends."

"Really?"
"Yes. Shachi jiji told me thi-"
"Who?" he asked.
"Wo... my husband's first wife," she said.

Madhav was surprised at this. No one had more than one wife now. Marrying more than once was long abolished. And how was Chandraa so OK with this?

He needed to find out.

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The kingdom was now being ruled by Chandraa peacefully. Madhav was helping her understand how to rule nicely. He was taking care of every detail. He trained the army in case someone attacks the kingdom, he learnt the language of Vyushti and then made Chandraa learn it, and he also made sure that all the residents of the kingdom are living happily.

He had thought that the people wouldn't like a man staying close to their queen or a stranger having a higher position than them in the court, but the subjects understood that the queen needed somebody to guide her, whom she trusts. Madhav was, at first, shocked to see this.

Few months passed. There was no news of Suren and Shachi yet. The Raja and Rani had sent a letter saying that they would be returning soon.

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One day Madhav, who was passing by the temple, heard Chandraa praying to God. What he heard, left him shocked.

"I pray for the well being of my husband, Yuvraj Suren and his wife Shachi. Oh God, please return them to me safely."

How was that possible? Chandraa was married to Yuvraj Suren? He wondered.