Forging The Sun

Two

A/N: I couldn't really find something more accurate to my imagination of the palace. This has to be the closest one. I wish it also had fairies holding torches on each side of the pathway.

Meaning of non-English word(s) used in this chapter.

Acharya: An acharya is a preceptor or instructor in weapons training, religious matters, or a highly learned person. It can also serve as a title affixed to the names of learned people e.g Atreyacharya. 

His given name is Atreya, Acharya can be added first or last.

The King Vikram Jeet looked intimidating with a tall build and a big mustache. He gestured Acharya Atreya to sit.  After greeting the King she sat in one of the chairs across her father. The chairs were so wide that two adults can perfectly sit together but they were still meant for one person only. The king sat at the head of the long table.

"Thank you for coming here on such short notice", although he was thanking  Acharya Atreya, his tone was nowhere to be called polite. Atreyacharya slightly nodded in acknowledgment.

Suruchi kept looking around in curiosity and awe. In her memory, it was the first time she was seeing the palace. 

Although the King had summoned him for an important matter but got distracted by this curious, beautiful little girl, "Is she your daughter, Acharya ?"

"Yes, she is" Atreyacharya replied.

Their conversation had attracted her otherwise curious attention towards them. "Your palace is very beautiful Your Majesty", she said.

The King chuckled, "Your daughter is beautiful and well-spoken". Turning to Suruchi he added, "Do you want to take a look around?"

She looked at her father for consent who smiled back at her in a 'yes'. Vikram Jeet called for two maidservants and instructed them to give her tour of the palace. Her father told her to be careful and talk less.

"What is that? What is this? What is it for?" she kept asking maidservants anywhere she went in the palace. Maidservants were finding it hard to keep up with her. Personnel in the palace were enchanted by charms, turned heads wherever she'd go. 

After roaming the palace for who knows how long she found herself in the rear of the palace. This area looked rather crude not as refined as the main palace. It looked like the practice ground for soldiers and palace guards. Some parts that were divided into large squares looked like wrestling rings. Some other parts of the field were meant for sword practice and shooting range. 

As she walked further into the practice ground what caught her attention this time was a chiseled carving of The Sun on a wall. For some reason, it looked very much out of the place. It was broken and chipped which suggests someone has tried to remove it but couldn't.

"It's alright Your Highness, try again" 

She heard a voice, some children were probably practicing archery in range. Its natural instinct of kids to be attracted to other kids to play. So she ran to them, maidservants ran behind her, "Miss you shouldn't go there, wait".

A five year old kid was trying to shoot arrows at the wall scribbles that were meant to aim but let alone shooting the aim, the arrow didn't even touch the wall. Suruchi laughed with "Pff---You are doing it wrong"

He turned around to look at her in confusion, "Who are you?"

Terror could be seen in maidservants' eyes, "I'm sorry Your Highness, we tried to stop her but-". They were worried that if The king gets to hear about it they will get punished.

Prince Bhanu could sense their fear, "Don't worry I won't tell father about this". 

Maidservants in chorus, "Thank you very much, Your Highness!" Now that they were relieved and Suruchi has entered shooting range anyways they felt the need to introduce both of them, "Your Highness, she is Miss Suruchi, Acharya Atreya's daughter and Miss. Suruchi he is the son of His Majesty, Prince Bhanu!"

Suruchi didn't greet the prince, he didn't seem to mind either, "You said I was doing it wrong?"

"Yes, you were. See. Do it this way" she stood in a posture with an imaginary bow with its string stretched with an imaginary arrow. Although her training hasn't started yet but by looking at her father's disciples when he trained them, she has caught some techniques and postures. The prince mimicked her posture and shot the arrow, although it still didn't hit the aim, it sure managed to reach the wall. 

The so-called aim was actually an eye. Rules of shooting the eye were stated in big letters on the wall, 'the pupil gives ten points, the iris gives seven points, white of the eye gives a four, outlines give zero and if you can't manage to even hit the eye, why are you even shooting?'

She scrunched her nose looking at the rules on the wall and poorly drawn eye, calling it a scribble would be more appropriate, she blurted out "Ugh! You have vandalized the entire wall" 

All other children and maidservants burst into laughter with her choice of such a difficult word. Prince was however offended, "I didn't do it, do you think I can reach up so high? It was already there when I came here to live."

"Suruchi, let's go now", suddenly her father and The King popped in, none of them had realized that they have been standing there for a while. 

Seeing The King and Atreyacharya a series of greetings started, Prince and others greeted Atreyacharya and father-daughter duo bid goodbye to The King.

Happiness of visiting the palace could be seen on her face. 

"Did you like it here?" Atreyacharya asked. She nodded furiously. With a bounce in her feet she asked, "Father, may I come with you on lion hunt?"

Atreyacharya with a bland expression, "Yes, you can"

She couldn't believe her ears. He never agreed to take her on an adventure before, her stars were definitely shining bright today. He added after a while, "But it's already getting dark so we will go tomorrow."

Katyayani was facing back and forth in front of the main entrance of gurukul, with a grave expression her face waiting for them to return. Daksh stood on a corner of the entrance. Upon seeing them she quickly approached them. "I was worried, it took you so long." She looked at her daughter and immediately a smile broke on her face. 

"Let's go inside and Daksh we will go tomorrow," he said

🎀*'¯'*.¸¸.*'¯'* 🎀*'¯'*.¸¸.*'¯'* 🎀

I'm so excited for the next chapter :)

Hope you like the story so far if you do plz

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