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*** Nanada ***
"You wish to see me, your highness?" I asked Adi as I entered his chambers.
He nodded.
"Just wanted to ask how the soldiers drinking party went yesterday," he replied.
"Your highness, it is extremely offensive and disrespectful for you to even think...." I fell silent when Adi showed me the cap of one of our alcohol bottles.
Idiots!
I told them to make sure all bottles have caps before burying them.
"No one drank past two glasses. I made sure of it," I said honestly.
"Of course," Adi replied sarcastically, "that would justify going against the king."
"I know you are angry," I said careful to not trigger him further, "but we are in the middle of a war and I suggest you don't...."
"Of course I won't confront the soldiers," Adi replied, "They wouldn't dare to go against me if their general didn't promise to protect them. He will be the one to be investigated once the war is over."
"I'd rather be imprisoned," I stated.
"Good to know your preferences," Adi replied, "Fortunately, they will not be honoured."
I rolled my eyes.
"Is this revenge for hitting you yesterday?" I asked frustrated.
"No," Adi replied, "It is revenge for you not telling me the true reason behind it."
I fell silent.
"How I wish god gave me a chance to investigation you on that," Adi added, "but if this is the most I could get, I'll take it."
"I would like to emphasize again that...."
Our conversation was paused when we heard soldiers running outside the tent and immediately ran outside to see our men surrounding something or rather someone.....a kid who was around 12 or 13 years old....from Agastya!
Once again, my soldiers made me proud because while they did surround the kid and held their weapons like they should, they had the compassion to understand that the kid is not their enemy and to not show any form of intimidation in their looks or actions.
"What brings you here, my child?" the King calmly asked as the clueless boy looked around and trembled in fear.
We all patiently waited for him to answer.
"I...I..." he hesitated, "I came to meet my friend...to play...."
Another depressing consequence of going into war with a Kingdom that has been a long lasting friend.
Poor kid but still....
"Did you check if he has any weapons or confidential information?" I asked one of my men.
"No sir, all clear," he replied, "Story checks out."
I nodded and turned to the King.
"Should we allow the kid to cross back, your highness?" I asked.
"Not yet," the King shook his head.
"But the boy is...."
"Trust me general," Adi interrupted, "I have good reasons."
I nodded.
If Adi says he has good reasons, he probably does!
"Take the kid inside, get him something to eat, calm him down and keep an eye on him," I told the soldiers.
The soldiers nodded and put back their swords.
"You came for one friend and ended up finding so many of us, buddy," one soldier smiled to calm the kid down.
"What game do you usually play with your friend?" another asked.
"Can I be your friend?" another added and together they took the boy with them conversing as if he is one of their little brothers.
*** Veer ***
I took blessings at the door before stepping into the palace temple where the Queen was performing an aarti. As per tradition, I offered my respects to Devi ma first and then bowed down to the Queen.
"Greetings your highness," I said.
"Greetings, Veer," the Queen smiled as she offered me the aarti and prasad.
How come Naina didn't evolve from being a cute angry demon, despite staying in the peaceful company of the Queen for so long?
"Your highness, do I have permission to meet Naina?" I asked.
"You have my permission," the Queen replied, "Not sure if you have hers."
"She told you something, your highness?" I asked carefully.
If she told the Queen about me saving her and sending her away, I need to put an innocent face. If she told the Queen about me being angry and telling her to stay away from me when she came back to make ammendments, I need to put a guilty face.
"Shouldn't have sent her away," the Queen said giving me my answer.
"Hmm," I nodded, "Any suggestions to win her back, your highness?" I asked.
"Sorry Veer," she genuinely apologized, "I am on her side!"
Such a pure heart she is, even apologized for not taking my side.....
I turned to look at Devi ma.
"Devi ma is also on our side," the Queen added innocently, "we told her everything."
Damn! Devi ma also not on my side!
"Mahadev might take pity," the Queen added noticing my sad expression.
"Har Har Mahadev," I chanted before going to meet Naina.
*** Naina ***
Di tay didi tay di tiy didi tiy
My guru stopped the tala when he noticed someone behind me.
Stupid Veer!
"Greetings sir, someone came to see you," he effortlessly lied.
"I'll be back, keep practising beta," my guru told me and left.
"It's dishounarable for a soldier to lie," I said looking at Veer who is now smiling at me.
"For my future wife, I can be a little dishounarable," he said as he walked towards me.
"I am not your future wife," I said in attempts to make him angry again so that I can stop myself from melting in his words.
"You are right," he replied calmly, "Not future wife, because our souls are already married."
Aww Veeru!
No Naina, stay strong!
"You yelled at me," I stated as a matter of fact.
"And you yelled back," Veer replied as if it's obvious, "For some reason looked adorable doing so."
"I won't fall for your charms," I said looking away and Veer immediately pulled me into his embrace.
I panickingly looked around.
"These are mere words, Ms. Naina," he whispered in my ear, "I've saved the charms for after marriage."
I pushed him away and looked down to control my smiles.
Veer chuckled.
"Anyway," he said, "I admit it's my fault. So I got you a gift to compensate."
"What gift?" I asked curious.
"A gift that would allow me to touch your feet without shattering my ego," Veer joked as he made me sit on the chair and kneeled down to hold my feet.
"Veeru what are you...."
"Calm down Naina," Veer interrupted as he took out the ghungooroo's from his pocket.
"I'll put them on...."
"No," Veer pulled back the ghongoroo's when I tried to reach out for them.
"Tying them is a process, Veeru," I explained.
"I know jaan," Veer replied, "I learned!"
And just like that.....I fell into his charms once again....
Now I understand why the Queen went through a four hour investigation and still decided to not hold a grudge against her husband.
*** Verma ***
"We haven't received any complaints of missing children," one of the Kings replied, "and we have more than enough reasons to think he is one of your spies. We will not....."
"Yes we will take him back," I interrupted.
They did not recieve the compaint because my people don't trust them, but I am very much aware of the missing child.
"Your highness, please send the kid over," I requested, "I promise he is not our spy and neither does he have anything to do with the war."
"Sending him over is not a problem, Verma," the King replied, "but I am afraid, given the previous friendships, this will not be the first time a civilian accidentally or intentionally croses the borders. I'd prefer we have a solution on that."
"If I may suggest your highness," I adviced, "Until the war commences again, we could have a 100 meters common zone with soldiers from either side on duty in order to stop the civilians before they could reach enemy's border."
"Appreciate the idea," Adi replied, "but I trust neither the kings nor their soldiers."
"Woldn't be their soldiers," I replied, "I will appoint my personal army."
The King thought for a while before nodding and signalled the general to bring the kid.
*** Nanda ***
"There's your prince, kiddo," I told Surya pointing towards Verma at the other side of the border, "You are free to go."
"Yayy!" the kid yelled and turned back to hug me. "Thank you Nandu bhaiyya," he exclaimed and the very instance Adi glared into my soul.
Why is jealous Adi so difficult to maintain eye contact with?
I looked away intimidated and turned my attention back to the kid as I sent him off. He was safe as long as he was within the borders of the Nine Kingdoms, but the moment he crossed, one of the King's angrily came forward to confront him but Verma immediately pulled the kid to his side and pulled out his sword.
"Careful!" he warned, "These are my people not yours. I will hunt down your entire clan before you could even think of hurting them."
The king fell silent.
Whatever made him think a warrior like Verma would allow for a neighbouring king to hurt his subjects.....even Adi and I would think twice before doing something like that....
"Thank you your highness! Thank you general!" Verma turned and greeted us before taking the kid and leaving.
He is a good man! How I wish he was on our side!
*** Sruthi ***
"Pratap, I ran out of ink," I told one of the soldiers, "where I can find more?"
"In the general's office, Sruthi," he replied as he continued to play ludo with Pallu, "want me to help you?"
"No that's alright, I'll go find it," I said and went to the general's cabin.
How I wish I could somehow magically find him here?
My eyes teared up a little at the mere thought of his absence.
For godsake Sruthi! He did not go to war, he just went to make some talks.
Get yourself together.
I thought to myself as I opened the shelves and found the ink bottle. I also noticed some papers with paintings beside the ink bottle and out of curiosity looked into them.
Probaly paintings drawn by the king.....
One showed him and the general as kids.
One similar to the painting I've seen in the general's room.
One painting of them as adults.
God! Anyone would easily mistake them for brothers....
One painting with both of them and some other guy practising sword fights.
and one painting of the old King with King Adinath and the general on either sides.
"The king is truly talented," I thought to myself before putting back the pictures but while doing so found another crumbled piece of paper at one corner of the shelf.
Of course, it's the general's shelf. What more did I expect?
Shaking my head, I took it out.
It looked like the note he gave me after I cut my finger.
Last I remember I threw it away....how did the general find it?
Anyway, I opened it out of nostalgia.....except this time....I could actually read it's contents.
"I apologize, my love"
WHATTTT!?
I thought this was supossed to say "Be careful, you idiot!"
The general's drunk words rang in my head.
"I can't even tell you that I love you......"
So those weren't actually drunk words????
The man I loved for so long actually loves me!???
Maybe he was being sarcastic when he called me love?
But then he wouldn't lie, would he?
Tears rolled down my eyes at the realization.....my Kanda DID love me...he is just too stupid to tell me....and it's not just in my head.....the King, the Queen, Naina have always been hinting me on this......
Happy tears rolled down my cheeks as I collapsed on the ground and put the paper close to my heart and cried out of pure joy.
Why are so dumb Kanda?
Why didn't you just confess your feelings?
What more are you hiding?
Kanda loves me
KANDA LOVES ME!!!!
I am getting married the moment he comes back!!!!
*** Veer ***
"Veer," Vishnu sir called me out while I was patrolling on the corridors and I turned back.
"I need help from you and Naina," he whispered after looking around to make sure that no one is listening.
I also looked around just to imitate and annoy him before replying back, "We'd rather listen to an entire day of Pallu screaming, sir."
"Not funny, Veer," Vishnu sir said angrily.
"Oh you want to hear it in a serious tone?" I said changing tones, "Neither I, nor Naina will ever do anything that would benefit you in the slighetest."
"It's not for me, it's for the Nine Kingdoms," he replied, "I sense something wrong and I need to talk to the Queen."
"Get an appointment," I said and tried to leave but he stopped me.
"It needs to be unofficial Veer," he said, "I can't let anyone know."
With no due respect sir," I said frustrated, "What makes you think I would trust you enough to go against my principles and job ethics to help you, especially after you almost ruined my life?"
"I only told the general what I saw Veer," Vishnu sir replied in frustration, "It was an act of concern, not an act of vengence."
"If it's an act of concern, why not confront me and Naina in the library instead of snitching to her brother about us?" I asked.
"If we were to go down that path Veer, why were you meeting Naina in private instead of telling her brother about your love, especially when he has a very good impression of you?" he countered and I fell silent.
"You can't answer me because you know I woudn't be able to understand your perspective because my marriage happened the conventional way," he answered on my behalf. "And similarly Veer," he added, "You wouldn't be able to understand my perspective because you are not a father yet."
I kind of agreed with his point but refused to express it in words.
"Anyway Veer," the intellectual continued, "This is much bigger than our petty disputes. It is about the future of the Nine Kingdoms and I really need your help. I need to meet the Queen."
"To discuss what?" I asked.
"It's complicated," he replied.
"So risk my job and the Queen's safety to arrange a meeting off records so that you can discuss something that you could only discuss as 'complicated'?" I asked sarcastically.
"Veer I..."
"Play your mind games elsewhere, sir," I said and walked away.
Question of the day: With relation to Adi, what according to you is
The funniest scene?
The scariest scene?
The most romantic scene?
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Next update: 14th March if the trget is reached and 16th March if it isn't