(Book 1) Hayden Mackay & The Forgotten Kingdom

13. Princess of Sharad Dynasty

He noticed Sarpanch walking towards the metal gates designed like a shape of a tiger's growling face. He knocked the gate twice and a small window opened quickly letting the two eyes peek out.

"Sarpanch?" said the voice from the behind the gate, "Is that you?"

"Yes," he said. "I need to talk to the King."

"He is not in the court right now."

"Oh," he said disappointingly, "Is there any way I can come inside? This is really important. I can wait inside for a while."

"You can meet Princess Lithika. She is alone in the court right now."

Sarpanch looked at Pruthvi, trying to make a decision and then said, "Yes, that should work."

The window closed quickly and the gates slowly slid off. Entering inside, Pruthvi was able to look at the person who Sarpanch talked to. He was dressed in a very unusual manner with a metal helmet and holding up a sharp spear. There was a long lane leading to the entrance of the court; with small bushes on either side. There were few elephants being washed. Some of the male people were standing, getting trained to operate their bow and arrow; few were trying to take control over the horses. This looked completely different from the village outside the gate. It was lively and full of people that he was seeing after a long time.

The large door at the entrance was opened and inviting. Pruthvi nervously stepped inside, careful enough that he might slip walking on the marble stoned floor. On walking inside, it was nothing but seemed as if it was the entrance to the heaven on earth, neat and tidy everywhere. Pruthvi was now standing in a huge stadium sized room filled with many pillars, supporting the nicely carved rooftop, thrones arranged in a line and walls decorated with maroon curtains. Pruthvi's eyes even fell on the sculptures designed on the golden pillars. On looking ahead, there were two smaller thrones on either side of a comparatively larger one, right at the beginning of this colossal hall. He was suddenly distracted when he heard giggling sound penetrating inside from the corner of the hall. He tried to glimpse intently towards the laughing sounds but was again distracted when he heard a voice inside his mind. He quickly recognized whose voice it was and so he walked a slight distant away from Sarpanch acting like watching a pillar.

"Tyrell," he whispered making sure the Sarpanch couldn't hear, "I can't speak loudly...yeah I am fine...just trying to breathe actually...Room in the pond? Wait...what are you talking about?"

"All hail the princess," Pruthvi got interjected by Sarpanch and he quickly said to Tyrell, "Tyrell listen, I cannot speak to you directly but follow my conversation...I know I'll not disconnect, okay...just hold on..."

It was tough for him to keep holding on for Tyrell inside his mind and to pretend talking to someone else, but he still managed his best.

"Princess Lithika," Sarpanch said, "I apologize for the inconvenience. But I want you to meet this young man...Will you please come here?"

"Sure, Sarpanch" he said when he asked him to, stressing hard on the words so that Tyrell could have some hints. Pruthvi walked nearer to have himself acquaintance but the fact that he was actually in unknown place named forgotten kingdom was not as surprising as this one. Princess Lithika looked exactly like...

"Leena?!!" he cried with his mouth ajar and eyes wide open.

"Nice to meet you too," she said her voice soft and charming just as Leena's, "But I am not Leena."

Pruthvi watched her; she had same features, same height, same physic, only thing changed was the dressing. She was wearing bright yellow Indian attire, with green vile covering a portion of her head. He ornament looked extremely expensive.

"I am Lithika, Princess of Sharad dynasty," she continued saying it very proudly.

For once Pruthvi thought Leena was messing with him, but as he realized he was not in USA and no way could Leena actually be here, he changed his mind. He knew he was ogling at her but he couldnt manage to avert his eyes of her.

"I am sorry, Princess Lithika. I thought you were one of my friends," he said quickly, finally blinking. Tyrell on the other hand, was continually talking to him in his mind, asking him about Lithika and Sarpanch. But Pruthvi stayed calm trying to focus on what was happening.

She stared back at him asking, "What is it Sarpanch? How can I help you?"

"Princess, I am not able to believe myself but here it goes. This boy is having the thing. I think...I think he is one of them... a Samagraha."

Princess frowned, "That is not possible. My grandfather told me they were all gone."

"Boy," Sarpanch ordered Pruthvi, "Take your stone out."

Pruthvi was not sure if he liked being commanded by Sarpanch. Unwillingly, he ducked his hand in his pocket and took the emerald stone out.

Princess gasped and said, "Is it a real one?"

"Yes Princess," said Sarpanch, "I have seen him talking in the air and above all that; he was kidnapped and dumped here. He mentioned about Shourya being responsible for his abduction."

Her eyes flew open when she heard the other name. She asked, "Did anyone give this to you?"

Pruthvi was now irritated but still he kept his voice low. "No one gave it to me. It just appeared in pocket when I was little."

"That's impossible," she whispered.

"Unfortunately, the impossible turned possible, not that I wanted it to," Pruthvi said.

"What is that suppose to mean?" she asked.

"It means I can't waste my time explaining you everything," he retorted and turned to Sarpanch, "You told me I was going to get help. But that seems to be nowhere."

"You can't talk to Princess with that tone," he said.

Princess interjected him. "What kind of help is he talking about?"

Sarpanch said, "Princess, he needs to get back to place he came from."

She looked at Pruthvi, "That is not possible. Now that you have this stone, we have to judge you carefully before you go back."

"Thanks a lot for your help," said Pruthvi sarcastically to Sarpanch.

They looked at each other for a while and then Princess said, "I want to talk to him in private. Sarpanch, if you don't mind, leave the boy here. I may look after him till my grandfather arrives."

Then suddenly Pruthvi remembered about Tyrell. If princess wasn't watching him, he could have hit himself for disconnecting unknowingly.

"Your call, Princess," he said bowing.

With that Sarpanch turned around and walked away leaving Pruthvi all alone in the mysterious court with the one who looked just like his girl friend.

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