Patrani (The Chief Queen)

The dwellings

Aaryaveer's POV

"I think we should commence our journey."

It was already dawn and thankfully, we were able to camp at previous night without any disturbances. The exhaustion bestowed me with uninterrupted sleep. Though many times when the untamed sounds of howling or roar would erupt into the stillness of the forest and reminded us about our reality.

Once, at the middle of the night, I even came out of my cover and saw Veertiji adding woods to the already burning fire.

"We need not to worry. The campfire and many humans would help us to keep the animals at bay." She smiled.

"I know that." I managed to give her a tight lipped smile. Again, she had forgotten to greet me. And then gave me her unsolicited advise. I had fought half a century of battles so I knew the tricks to survival.

"I know that you have enormous experience of dealing with all kinds of emergencies. However, being a loyal subject of yours, I couldn't help myself and after much of thought, I have finally decided to do this." she said and ended up giving me her dagger.

"I know you don't need it but it will render me some piece of mind if you do so." she cut me off before I could protest.

"You look very concerned about me." I couldn't help but pointing it out.

"All your citizens are concerned about you, Your Majesty." she said. I felt like she taunted me by saying "Your Majesty" because she wouldn't use that phrase when it would be customary.

However, behind that veil of cutting words, I could sense her panic. As if I was breaching her privacy. However her previous words depicted a kind of her "concern" towards me. That kind of caring I was already used to. If my parents, wife, elders or friends would have been handling me a dagger at that time of night, it would have been ordinary. But she was a total stranger.

"As YOUR King, I have a few questions for you. I want you to answer them." I said. If she had to impose her right on me, as a subject for her King, I too had right as a King to ask her some basic questions.

"I do not see why a man of a gigantic stature as yours would be interested to find about me" she spoke, trying to avoid the eye contact.

We both knew where the conversation was heading towards. I wanted to go into that direction. However, I could sense a resistance or hesitation from her side.

"As my subject, you are obliged to answer me a few questions." I sat beside her on the ground. I had intentionally kept more distance amongst us than the social norms dictated. So that she felt safe. After all, she was a woman.

"I shall try to answer them to the best of my capabilities." she spoke with her voice low, her fingers fidgeting with a piece of straw. I wondered that a fearless woman like her dared to roam around the men and exert her supremacy but scared to answer some questions.

"I assure you, you may choose not to answer any question if it makes you feel uncomfortable." I assured her. For the first time in the previous few minutes, she looked into my eye and nodded.

"What's your name? and are you really from my kingdom?" I asked.

I could hear a ring of laughter in her voice. Her body posture seemed to relax.

"I am Veerti. Yes, I belong to your kingdom now." she said in one go.

"You seemed to be very experienced in the art of war. Were you trained to be a warrior? or you picked up the skills randomly?" I asked her.