Sikva, Kavish

"Why you'd said no when you eventually say yes?" Nakshathra asked, leaning against the parapet. Darkness spread ahead of them under the moonless sky.

They had torn away from their embrace, settled their emotions and kept them in check. Accepting the turn of events, they stayed in comfortable silence before Nakshathra broke it. She turned to him, her hand on her cheek elbow resting on the parapet.

"How am I to say yes when I know my choice will put you in danger." He scratched his brow. "Come to think of it, if I say no, I'll be pushing you into a graver danger. How am I to be in peace knowing you will be somewhere in the same country as I am being tortured by someone whom I am supposed to have caught." He shook his head. "I can't let that happen. No matter what I'll keep you safe with me as long as I can." Dhruva reached for her hand.

Her skin tingled at the touch along with a rush of butterflies and goosebumps. Oh, the same sweet sensation she experienced a while ago hit her. Has she become sensitive to touches? She thought but let it go and focused on the man in front of her. His brilliant eyes shone as they look into hers.

"I have constantly tried to push this away. Always thought an alliance as such might bring disaster to both the countries but I guess I was wrong." A corner of his mouth curled up. "I realised and did the needful."

Nakshathra nodded; a smile crept up on her face. "I know and I was told you brought back some of my people this time too." Glancing up at the dark sky, her eyes glistened. "I never knew bringing happiness to those who put their faith on you can be so much joy. Just hearing about it gives me enough energy to fight for the rest." She rigorously shook her head in, concurring to herself. "For that, I'll forgive you," Nakshathra added after a thought.

Dhruva wiped off her tears and caressed the wound on her cheek. "You have got a scar," he said.

"I'll wear it with pride," she said, proudly. "Also, I think the healing dust in me is wearing out and before I use the remaining another time, we should move forward. The time Alli has given me is running out too." Nakshathra's demeanour changed; she switched her focus to their biggest mission.

With likeminded people around her, offering their support and strength, Nakshathra believe they would succeed without much of a trouble. However, she was also aware, a fight with a woman holding years long grudge won't be easy either, they will fall and they will get hurt. She prayed they accomplish it soon.

"What about the spy? Did you confront her?" He asked.

By the firm sound of his tone, Nakshathra knew he wanted her to stay away from the spy or better send the spy away but, she shook her head. "Not yet, I am keeping an eye on her. Most importantly, I think I found someone we can extract more detailed information."

"Who?"

She recalled spotting a lady sneaking behind the Shoolin army that day at the cliff. Immediately, Nakshathra assimilated her to be someone from Shoolin trying to enter Kavish as well. Quick on her feet, she caught the lady, knock her out and fortunately handed her over to one of her guards who came in search of her. Revanth had promised to keep the woman safe and hidden until Nakshathra asks about her.

"Not sure. Have not interrogated yet," she answered, her hands crossed across her chest. "I have a few things to do here before I check on the lady." Nakshathra checked the sky once again, black and spotless, her eyes growing heavy but soon it shot wide open.

She scratched her head and dived deep in thought. Dhruva watched her with curious stare. Nakshathra turned to him not long after. "There is one thing we should do before everything else."

"What is it?"

"We have to do a duel. I need to uphold the challenge I had thrown to Abhimanyu a month ago. As a prospect groom, you should win against me in the duel before I agree to marry you," she simpered.

Dhruva popped his eyes, "it includes me?" He placed a hand on his chest as if he got hurt.

She nodded. "I put on a big show to stop the alliance from Pareen. I have to be fair," she said between her yawn.

Dhruva heaved a sigh with a nod. "Alright, let's talk about it tomorrow. You should rest now. Come, I'll walk with you." He joined her for a walk back to her chamber with a smile etched on his face.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The next morning as the sun rose up the horizon and birds taking flight for the day, Nakshathra had gotten herself readied sooner than her usual. She dressed on her own as fine as she often does, not as how she carried herself as a physician but as a princess. The reason for her dressing up wasn't because Dhruva had finally come with a marriage proposal, it was because she was to meet the king whom had not come to visit her even after he had learnt she had regained conscious.

As she headed to the north wing, Nakshathra relieved her relationship with the king, her father. They were never in a bad term; it is only some recent events that promoted resistance and they grew distant with their clashing views. Today she wondered what made him so hard not want to even visit her.

The office chamber greeted her warmly, sunlight shone into the room, warm breeze swirled in through the open window. The king stood by the window, a cup of steaming drink in his hand with his back turned to her.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." She bowed. Her shaking hands clutched together.

"Hmm... What brought you here so early in the morning?" The king asked, his gaze fixated to the garden outside.

"You didn't come to see me." Nakshathra did not demand an answer but stated as a matter of fact.

Silence lingered in the room as Bavaneswaran continued to gaze out the window. He heaved a sigh of resignation. "I am sorry," he said at last. "I am sorry, I should have come see you sooner but all of the things began to resurface that made me rethink some of my actions." A quiet moment past and he spoke again. "I am sorry for the way I have treated you. I now realise even more why I shouldn't have stopped you from doing what you liked.

"Truthfully, I despised royal children pursuing medicine or other skills that aren't related to administration and I ordered no woman to learn swordsmanship. But it had been for the two skills you have acquired that had kept both my children alive today. I'd give it to you for pursuing it regardless of the aftermath of getting caught." His shoulder hunched and it was the first time she witnessed her father displayed such a posture.

"Don't be sorry. Although I don't accept that behaviour of yours, I am happy you get to see the outcome of letting us be what we like. You should be proud of us, appa."

He laughed and turned to face her. "It's beginning to sound foreign to hear you call me that."

Her father appeared to have aged more than his actual.

"It's been way too long since you stopped addressing me that way." Bavaneswaran fetched an empty cup and filled it with the hot drink from a pot. "I still remember, when you told me you'd want to be a physician and I said no. You got so angry and I thought you will be fine after sometime. You then sent your mother to persuade me and you were still mad at me that you hardly strike any conversation. After that you slowly stopped addressing me and my continuous restriction had only drawn you away. Now when I think of it, I feel stupid. I realised I did not give my role as a father any justice." A sad smile stretched on his lips as he handed her the cup.

Nakshathra decided to put all their differences aside and let the new phase bring them to a bright side. She allowed herself to talk the resentments she held on him and tried to understand her father. If they could come in terms with each other then they together could set things straight. The father-daughter duo spent half of their day conversing everything from her venture as a physician, Alli's devious plan, knowing Dhruva and it was liberating for her.

When she stepped out of her father's office, she felt lighter as if she had dropped a part of the weight, she had been carrying all along. Nakshathra had also gotten a chance to speak about Ranganathan whom at first her father declined to hear about but after a valid persuasion, he allowed her to speak. Now that her father learnt the doing of his father to Ranganathan, Nakshathra believed he would see his cousin in a different light.

*-*-*-*-*-*

The way to the prison was quiet. Nakul and Parthiban leaded the way as she followed them to meet Ranganathan. Nathan had woken up earlier that day and she met him; he was all tears. They had an emotional reunion, crying out aloud as the memories belonged to only the two of them rekindled and pushed her back into a wave of anxiety. Nakshathra had however overcome with a smile and left Nathan to rest and headed to meet the lady she caught two days ago.

It was only after a thorough investigation, Nakshathra found out the lady named Chitramala had sneaked into the Shoolin's boat to find Ranganathan and be with him as he wins the battle. Which did not turn out to be the way she wanted. Chitramala now locked in a prison cell in the palace. While Nakshathra interrogated her, she learnt so much about Ranganathan and Chitramala. How they met each other and their little scheme that lasted over sixteen-years.

The way to Ranganathan's cell was cold, damp and musty. Illuminated by the torches, the prison gave an eerie atmosphere. At the end of the prison, in the square cell behind iron bars, sat on the chair with hands and legs ties was Ranganathan. Heavily built, greying hair with fresh scars all over his body, his head hung to the side on his shoulder, Ranganathan resembled so much like his late mother whom she had the chance to grown up with.

"Perriappa," she called him, addressing by the relationship they share; her father's older cousin brother. The Parthiban jiggled the keys into the keyhole and swung the iron gate open with a creak.

He fluttered his eyes open, he took a look at his visitors and smiled weakly. "For what do I own a visit from my nephews and niece?" Ranganathan spoke in a rasped tone.

"I was told you were alone here so I found a prison mate you will be happy to meet," Nakshathra said, her eyes danced in mirth.

"Who? Your father?" Sarcasm rolled out his tongue.

Although the brothers got infuriated, they didn't know exactly who Nakshathra had with her that would shut his mouth in an instant. She minced closer, leaned in to him and whispered, "your lover, Chitramala." A haunting smile spread across her face; Ranganathan stared at her in horror.

"What do you mean? She can't be here, she is in Shoolin." Ranganathan aggravated. He rattled his bounded hands attempting to reach Nakshathra.

She stepped back into line with her brothers. They were as shocked as Ranganathan however, chose to remain quiet in front of their prisoner.

"Tell me, how can she be here with you?" he hissed.

"I'll tell you all but before that you will need to answer a few questions."

Ranganathan resigned struggling and slumped onto the chair. "How can I believe you?"

"You met her in Theavanam after you ran away from Kavish. Chitramala, the sole breadwinner for a family of six gave you shelter and treated you and then so on. Is this enough or you need more?"

Ranganathan glared at her, looking defeated. "What do you want to know?" he asked.

"What happened on that day sixteen years ago in Mount Gaja? How Nagendran Heramba ended being blamed to kill a Royal Advisor of Durja?"

He stirred uncomfortably in his chair. "So, this is it, the end of me? Once I tell you everything you will kill me?"

"That depends. I might have already drawn an end for you but will it turn bitter or sour, it's on you."

Huffed in frustration, Ranganathan battelled with himself. "Chitramala and I planned it together to bring Nagendran to shame," he began, reluctantly. "It was her idea to avenge for the betrayal the kingdom had inflicted on me and I seconded her thought. I found it more satisfying to simply imagine Nagendran's doom. We spent less than a month to scheme a plan. Nagendran's blade was purposely made faulty. We found out about who his opponent for the day and made quick investigation with people around. The bloody event happened and we took his daughter's grieving moment an opportunity to spike the hatred. We fuelled her anger and learnt her deepest secrets." He stopped and swept his gaze from one sibling to another.

Parthiban pushed himself from the wall and circled Ranganathan. "So, you made the queen of Durja to take revenge against Kavish? You used her as your shield." Parthiban let out a dry laugh. "What do I call you? A coward?"

The man tied in chain and shackles lowered his gaze in humiliation.

"What did you do next?" Nakshathra prompted.

"I gave her a light push but she went on full force. Dispatching armies to attack villages in Kavish and using them as a bait for Nagendran to come out of hiding. Then some incident took place and she lost her focus on attacking Kavish."

"What about Alli? Who is she then?"

Ranganathan smirked. "What if I don't tell you?" he challenged.

"I'll have to break my promise to you. The next time I step in here I'll bring one of her fingers with me so you know how serious I am," she countered and stared into his eyes before heading to the door ready to execute her threat.

"No, wait!" As expected, Ranganathan fell for her words. His eyes flickered with anger and dismay, staring at his niece. "I'll tell you, just don't harm Chitra."

Helpless, powerless, worthless and defenceless, Ranganathan blurted everything he knew. His connection with Alli, how he earned her confidant, what's her deepest secret, how she helped him gain a seat in the ministry of Durja, what they did with the people she abducted and how he got the help of Shoolin. All of it was laid before them like a detailed map of their plans.

Without another word or a promise to have him see Chitramala, Nakshathra sprinted out of the prison. Ranganathan's faint words followed her.

"Don't let her know you found out about her. Not until the end."

*-*-*-*-*-*

As the vast garden met the peach sky, Bavaneswaran sat in the garden with a cup of tea in his hand. It was only four days ago when he and his family were discussing on Nakshathra's wedding and what followed next was a history will be remembered for decades.

The city was still recovering from the attack and Bavaneswaran dwelled in a dilemma. He had a promise to fulfil, a promise that will bring people of Kavish back to their families. But with families mourning the loss of their own, how was he to conduct a marriage ceremony for his daughter?

And then there was Ranganathan locked behind bars. The treachery Ranganathan perpetrated was beyond what the late king had committed on him. Though the comparison does not justify the action of the late king, he hasn't come to a settlement with himself to converse with his runaway brother just yet.

At the moment, he only had the marriage alliance in mind for he wished not to put his children's effort to retrieve his people without a bloodshed to waste. With the thought in mind, he devised a plan.

*-*-*-*-*-*