Mahina, capital city of Durja
Agitated, mad, apprehensive and doubtful; she had been in all of these mental states for the past few months. She received no news from Ranganathan since he left to Shoolin and every day of wait seemed like decades. Alli anxiously marched back and forth in her chamber, her heartbeat raced every time her mind diverts to Shoolin. She feared if the Shoolin king had killed Ranganathan. No, not that she worried of her partner in crime but all her thoughts were on the army she had spent sixteen years assembling them for her future plan through the help of Shijay. If he had killed Ranganathan or wasn't happy with her offer, she would lose the sole strength she relies on to fight against her nemesis.
She stared at her reflection on the mirror, inspecting the thin aging line on her forehead. "Growing old and accomplished nothing," she commented and dropped herself on a settee facing the balcony.
From agitation, her mental state fell into boredom. There was no news from anywhere to inspire her spirit and get things done. Almost every day it has been mundane. Neither did she get any news from Ranganathan nor from her spy planted in Kavish.
"Oh, God! Please give me some enthusiasm to keep going or I might just loose interest on it." Alli slumped into the settee and settle for a quick nap.
Hours later, the cooing noises of pigeons woke her up from her nap. She groggily rubbed her eyes and searched for the source of the noise. One of the pigeons sat on the headrest of her bed and the other on a table she hardly uses.
"Surprise visitors. Well, hello!" Delighted, she jumped on her feet instantly.
Alli reached for the nearest one sat on the table and untied the note from its leg. She skimmed through the note and nodded. A sense of relief washed her anxious mind. It was a message from Ranganathan, a message of his well-being and that everything under control. He had also asked her to keep him informed of any important news in Durja. With a side note that said, Maharaja Shijay wanted to know of Durja's state of events.
"Always keen to know about other kingdom's affairs," she huffed and burnt the note at the nearest lamp. Her eyes darted to the other pigeon, curious she dropped the half burning note on the floor and reached for the other one.
The note was a pleasant surprise which doubled her spirit. "God, I asked for one but you sent me two news that I badly wanted to hear from. Thank you, I shall come to your temple and break nine coconuts in your name." Alli vowed and kissed the pigeon that carried the news before throwing it up in the air. It fluttered away as it cooed.
She felt her heart beat rapidly against her chest. It was for the joy from the note that overwhelmed her. She read the note repeatedly to her heart's content.
Greetings, Devi.
Prince Dhruva was seen in the heart of Kavish with few of his guards. The reason however, is unknown. More news will be shared.
"Good news! Good news! My plan is going on floor even without my knowledge, things are happening in my favour. Oh, I should do something to elevate things there!" She clapped in merry.
Although her plan to get the daughter of the royal family was still far from done but with Dhruva being there made things much better for her. Alli sighed with contentment, faith has its way to get its work done, she thought as she laid on her bed. Tonight, sleep came at ease for Alli as she believed the events to unfold on its own.
***---****---***
Sikva, capital city of Kavish
Arunya forcefully fed the princess who had wanted to skip her dinner for the night and only let her rest after she had finished everything on the plate. Nakshathra laid her tired and limp body on the soft mattress after a long day contemplating on getting freshened up.
The last few days of work had drained out her energies and today tops the list. After whiling her time, Nakshathra snailed herself for a bath and changed into a fresh set of clothes. Barely dragging herself, she slumped on the bed ready to doze for the day.
When she heard the door knocked, her heavy lids snapped open. Someone had let themselves in, she crawled to the end of her. Three familiar figures entered, Nakul in the lead and the other two behind one another. If anyone had asked for her go-to energy booster, it was to them she would point—always. The sight of her brothers no doubt sent her sleep away as she sat wide awake with a big smile on.
"Hello, brothers!" She beamed, her occupied schedule had detained her from spending time with her family and seeing them after many days, delighted her.
"How was your day?" asked Parthiban as he sat next to her and immediately got his hands on her hair.
Gently he loosened her messed tresses and massaged her head. An act Nakshathra finds relaxing and have always waited for the special treatment from her brother. It's so special not even their sister, Madhuvahini gets one but her, the rest often teased him hair-dresser but that never stopped him from caring for her hair. Like everyone else, she too had wondered the reason behind his obsession but found none and she let it slid as time went by.
Nakshathra enjoyed the head message smiling and then growled in annoyance as she recalled the day. "It was good until Arivu and his friends decided to make a hullabaloo," she narrated the event animatedly all the while displaying her bandaged fingers.
It didn't take them long to notice and Nathan got hold of her hand and examined the wrapped fingers. "You got hurt?" He looked closer and asked, "Is it painful?" as he went on to press the tip of the bandaged fingers and laughed. She winced, the bite had been quite bad, she realised just then.
"Of course, it hurts." Nakshathra threw a pillow on him and puffed a breath.
"How did this happen?" enquired Nakul. He sat at the other end of the bed.
"Thanks to Arivu for that. He was being a monster. Not only him but all the children in Kavish are monsters. They simply don't want to have the supplements we prepared," she growled like one too.
The brothers broke into a fit of laughter. "Here we are witnessing our own version of monster who calls the kids monsters."
Nakshathra groan with a shake of her head and filled them in on the encounter with the man she accidentally hurt him with a dagger in Mount Gaja.
"There you go. Real dangerous monster going around hurting random people," Nathan teased and winked at smiling Parthiban.
"Not funny, Nathu. That was an accident."
"Alright kids. I think she needs rest. Arunya told us you had a rough day. So, I guess we should let you get the rest you need and will see you tomorrow. Good night." Nakul got on his feet and ruffled her hair back to a mess, Parthiban glared in return.
"I just fixed her hair and you messed it."
"She is going to sleep, Parthi. It is going to get even messier," Nakul chuckled and shook his head. "I thought your obsession with her hair was gone for good. Looks like it never did," he added.
"She has a beautiful hair and I will forever be obsessed with it," he huffed and fixed it back before leaving a small peck on her forehead.
Nakshathra watched in adoration, it has been long since they all bantered over nothing and she enjoyed the little moment shared with her brothers. On the other side of the bed, she caught Nathan rolling his eyes and mouthed good night to her as he dimmed the lamps around the room and drew the curtains close.
***---***---***--***
"I thought we could give her a heads up on Abhimanyu's matter but her over exertion with the arogyalaya, I don't want to add this on her." The elder among the three spoke in a hush as they crossed the gallery towards the courtyard.
"I know. I still doubt if we should tell her. Remember, she was at her worst the moment she realised there was no way to get the lost people but marrying the prince of Durja?" Parthiban shivered at the thought when Nakshathra had ghosted herself in the palace.
"But she will need to know about it sooner or later. If not, she might throw a fit for not telling her," Nathan chipped in.
There seemed to be no way but one. She would eventually get to know about it whether it was from her brothers or her sister-in-law or perhaps from her father. There was no running away this time. The brothers could only pray and hope the last few months of her meditation help her cope with the upcoming news of her marriage with prince Abhimanyu.
**--***---***--**
The flirtatious lady he met at the garden somehow found him again amidst the heavy crowd at a temple the next day. She had introduced herself as Ramani and offered to follow him while she tried her best to get his attention. Dhruva however did not reciprocate to her much, he was a quiet listener as she played the not so professional tour guide.
The young girl possessed beauty features she flaunted proudly, her long and thick tresses, sharp and fair face adorned with a pair of dark brown eye; noticeably an attractive woman. Dhruva dare not deny her charming appeal but she wasn't someone he like to spend his time with, he was sure of that at least. A conversation he had with his Yujyagana when they encountered Maithili strike his memory, a topic on the kind of partner he looked forward.
"I prefer an ambitious lady. She should have dreams big or small that doesn't matter but there must be something that she is passionate about. I have always seen maharani tagging along maharaja all day. I don't want that. As much as we need each other, there should be an equal amount of attention spent on oneself. That way I too can participate in her interest and she in mine. I foresee a wonderful journey together if my future partner holds such personality."
"What if you find a girl who doesn't have a dream?" asked Arasu.
"Hmm... I might help her find what she could possibly have interest on. I don't know. Wait! Why are we talking about me? We were talking about Viswa." That day Dhruva had unintentionally slipped details of his dream lady but managed to effortlessly move the topic back to Viswa.
"I knew it."
His memory shattered. Dhruva found Ramani beaming bright.
"I knew you are new here the moment I laid my eyes on you. There is no one that I don't know in Sikva," Ramani boosted as she took him to a nearby theatre. She promised to get him into the always full theatre house for the day's show and he agreed simply to get her off his back or he might not get his work done.
"Well, since you know everyone. I would appreciate if could you help me arrange a meeting with the king. I'd like to have a talk with him," he asked. Although Dhruva merely teased her, it was the sole reason he had come to Sikva too.
Ramani had her mouth open wide, staring at him in confusion trying to assimilate if his request was serious or a joke.
"I was just pulling your leg. You don't have to fix an appointment with the king," he chuckled. Just leave me alone. There was no way he would use a commoner to get him meet the royals, he needed to do it by himself or he would invite trouble upon them.
Ramani held her chest in relief, "I told I know the commoners not the king or the queen. Had I known them, I might have been in the place of the royal physician," she huffed, twisting her lips to a corner and stride ahead only to stop midway.
She turned back and rushed to Dhruva in panic, "I have to go, she is here. If she sees me not at the arogyalaya then I'm done. I'll see you later." Ramani left the flurry of words before he knew and dashed back to the same way they came.
Who was she afraid off? He thought and made his way to the housing area he learnt through the people around. Dhruva traipse around to find one but much to his surprise there were no single vacant house.
A not so long walk later, he spotted the same lady physician he had the 'dagger encounter'. He chuckled at the name but since he yet to know her name that would be her identity for him. The day before ended up quite tiresome, they couldn't get to introduce themselves at all. Dhruva glanced at the direction she had gone and followed her track. As he observed her from a distance, he noticed the way she carried herself, she gave an impression of a lady from a higher status with her authoritative commands and the respect given to her by people around, a tiny hope tinkled in him. If his assumption comes true, he might get her help to reach out to royal family in no time.
Dhruva waited outside the house she went in and he heard a familiar voice.
"You hate me all you want, Arivu but I'll keep coming here to check on you." The voice he assumed to be the lady's, neared the entrance of the house. "I'll see you again next week." She said and stepped out of the house.
"Excuse me! Devi!" He shouted aloud several times to get her attention.
It was only at his last and loudest attempt did she turned towards the direction of the voice. "Oh, it's you." She smiled warmly. "I'm sorry, I left without properly bidding goodbye yesterday."
"That's alright, you seem to be a busy lady. I saw you going this way so thought to greet you and get some help perhaps." He took noticed of her as she stood as tall as him or perhaps an inch shorter, graceful yet she possessed a firm physic, he would give that to the work she does—chasing children. Her mirthful doe eyes complimented her dusky, round face.
"Sure, why not." She threw her black, long braided hair behind her shoulder. " My name is Nakshathra and you can call me by my name, no need of honorific." Her voice sounded rich and sweet. "Anyway, you have not introduced yourself."
"I'm Dhruva. From Haridra." He folded his arms in a formal greeting.
"Nice to meet you, again. And what are you doing in Kavish? Well, as far as I know, Sikva has nothing special, surely not a tourist spot although we kind of portrait it with all the necessary facilities for travellers as you might have seen. Yet people do come here to get some good artistic stuffs but why are you here?" Nakshathra inquired curiously.
"We just travel around going to places. We do some small works here and there enough to eat and move around. I'm here with a bunch of friends actually." He managed to say without slipping any doubts of his disguise.
Nakshathra nodded and scanned around, she asked " Where are the bunch?"
"They must be somewhere around here. I'm actually looking for a bigger place to stay. I have a number of friends coming to join us later. About twenty or so." Dhruva had pondered on circumstances that might occur for all of them to stay in Kavish longer and thus he was in search of a bigger house.
"Twenty? Wow that's a big group. Where do you stay now?"
"In a guest house close to Shuban Vattika."
"Oh..." She thought for a moment as they continued to walk. "If you are looking for a bigger place, I think I know one that can fit for at least forty people. It was once Rishi Bhadra's ashram but now he had moved to somewhere else. The ashram is vacant, maybe you'll like it. It's close to the river Smiti, there is another market and a big temple close by," Nakshathra suggested.
"I would love to check on the ashram," he blurted. He couldn't miss a chance of getting a house to fit all of them. Once he gets the dwelling settled, he can then start on his mission without any disturbance.
Viswa, Arasu and Dhandapani join them just on time. "Wow, Dhruva. You found a lady friend and forgotten all of us? Ha, no wonder you prefer roaming around alone," Viswa bleated, evidently surprised with Dhruva's new friend.
"Excuse me?" Nakshathra called, letting them know she was still in an earshot distance from them. A tiny smile lingered on her plump lips.
"Apologies, Devi. It's just that we got excited that our friend here is with a new friend and you happened to be a lady." Viswa's eyes rolled left to right, mischievously.
"Really? Well, then I have more to add. There was another young lady who seemed to have an interest on your friend. I saw her with him a little while ago," she added. Her eyes glimmered with a hint of mischief as she raised an eyebrow to Dhruva. "I miss nothing," she whispered although it was loud enough for the other to hear.
"Ohhhhh...... I see." The three of them gasped in unison.
Embarrassed as if he was indeed caught doing something inappropriate, Dhruva covered his face with his palm. Does Nakshathra whom he had just got introduced had to be like his friends, ready to tease him at any given moment?
"Shut up," he ordered his friends and turned to Nakshathra with a pleading face to not lengthen the topic of Ramani. Please, he mouthed.
"Anyway. Welcome to Sikva, I'm Nakshathra." She folded joined her palms together, welcomed them formally.
"This is Viswa, Arasu and Dhandapani," Dhruva introduce his friends to her as they reciprocated with a formal greeting.
"Nice meeting you. Both of us are heading to a place where it can accommodate you bunch of twenty people. Want to join?" She mockingly emphasized the number, "you guys are a big family, are you?"
Dhandapani laughed and answered on behalf, "We work as a team, devi. Our team is incomplete without any of us."
Dhruva observed as she nodded to Dhandapani, he could see she was trying to assimilate something from his friend's statement. He hoped it did not give any negative or doubtful ideas on them going around in a group of twenty.
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