Dhruva Nakshathra - The Game of Alliance ✔

THIRTY

Nakul had sent Nathan and Nakshathra to head to the temple while he stayed and listened to the problems the people had in their places. When one group of people left, another gathered around him for a different reason. They had come to him with hope, their spirits lit in anticipation to hear some good news. They asked Nakul with reverence they have for their God. "Yuvaraja, will our missing sons return? We heard a few of them were brought back safely yesterday. When will our father come back? My husband? Our brothers?"

Those who were brought by Dhruva had reached sooner to their houses than Parthiban who was still escorting Abhimanyu and his procession to Sikva. The news of their arrival must have spread like a wildfire and had led the people to seek Nakul to enlighten them on the matter.

He was shaken by the question and the plead his people had put forth. What was he to say when it wasn't him nor the kingdom, retrieve the fortunate men but a man from the kingdom they all despise? What was he to say when he doesn't know where the rest of the missing men were, not even the prince of Durja? However, the crown prince maintained his composure as he addressed them reassuringly, "We have sent men to the places where we were given possible trails to find the rest. We are positive to bring more back. Rest assured and keep faith. We will find and bring them all back."

Although the palace had deployed the best army to find for the missing people outside Kavish, the apprehension of it turning a failed mission lingered among the princes and commanders. The possibilities of finding them in the said places were extremely thin, Nakul could only pray to make it easy for his men in the expedition of searching the missing Kavishians.

The group had left soon after and he was again bombarded with a different set of queries by another crowd. "Is it true? Our princess is going to get married to Prince of Pareen?" They sounded excited hoping for a celebration in addition to the festive season.

As he thought of their celebrative mode, the sound of drums rolled in from afar, distracted them. The people were intrigued at the loud music played, they took leave of the crown prince and headed towards the source of music. Nakul's eyes were trained at the direction of the sound of drums. Tall trees, houses and buildings had seized his view of the procession but the high raised blue coloured flags did not fail to scream who were they. A guard on a horse reached the crown prince with the announcement of the royal guest's arrival.

"Your Highness, the king requests the presence of Yuvaraja and Rajakumar at the palace gates as soon as possible to welcome the Yuvaraja of Pareen," notified the guard.

"Go get prince Nathan. He is in the temple and tell Nakshathra, she doesn't need to be there." He pointed at the Druga temple and left to welcome the most anticipated royal guest whom they were disparately thinking of a way to send him back.

**--**--**--**

The wide cobblestone road to the palace often a less-likely used path by commoners was now swamped by them. The bright sun, the single Peepal tree by the side of the road which offered minimal shade and the close proximity of each other added to the heat. Despite the sweat and stuffiness around them, the people of Sikva stood eager outside the palace gates in hope to get a glimpse of the foreign prince who had entered the palace a while ago.

Two people stood on top of a bell tower at the middle of the town to get a glimpse at the growing crowd. There were constant burble and arguments among the people as they pushed each other further towards the palace gate. A quite an unusual behaviour of the city folks who often choose nothing but to mind their own business.

Behind the huge gate and strong sandstone wall laid the massive palace of Sikva gleaming in gold under the blazing sunlight. A contrast to the natural hued palace, blue fabric banners adorn from the highest level of the palace to the lowest with red fabric banners arranged alternatively to symbolize the second merger of the two kingdoms; Pareen and Kavish.