Mahina, capital city of Durja

The guards at the palace were taken by surprise to see their princes together for the first time ever. A month of only hearing the news of having seen the two princes mingle, the palace residence stared with an astounding gaze as the brothers trot their horses to the main palace.

The crowd grew quick enough as the wind carried the news of their return, Prithvi seemed overwrought with the sudden attention given. He brought his horse next to Dhruva. "Do you get this much of focus from everyone every time you return from a travel?"

"Focus?" Dhruva snapped out of his thoughts and swept his gaze through their surroundings. All eyes of the commoners, workers, nobles and ministers in the palace were on them. It took Dhruva a while to assimilate the reason for the curious and the corners of his mouth turned up as he leaned towards Prithvi. "I don't get them always but I sure know why there are more today." He winked and straighten himself back.

"You do?"

It was clear to Dhruva that his brother hasn't got the slightest idea of the sudden phenomena. Then again, Dhruva too had not known people had so much interest in the changes in their life. Although the scene was a never seen before they should not have to made it look obvious. His eyes fell of Prithvi's wounded fingers fidgeting on the reins. All those extra attentions must be too much to handle and they still have a long way till they reach the main palace, he thought.

"Hey, I have always done this with my Yujyagana," Dhruva exclaimed. "Today, it's a bet between the two of us. The one who gets to the main palace last will give the winner a treat. You in?"

"A treat? In the palace?" Prithvi asked.

"Outside. We will go to the central market."

Prithvi's eyes sparkled at the mention of leaving the palace and the wide smile on his face was enough to tell Dhruva his attempt to divert his brother's anxiousness away, succeeded.

"I'm in!"

And then they had audiences cheering for them both as they raced to their finishing point with hearty laughs and lighter hearts.

*-*--*-*-*

Had someone asked him which was his best day in his life, Prithvi without doubt would say it begins from the day he broke the promise he made to his mother and opened up to his brother. The action did not only get him closer to Dhruva but also had him open up to everyone without judgement. Every day since then had been nothing but joy. Their little race earlier was an unexpected event and it made him the happiest, it was something he had longed. Despite the wide gap in their relationship, Dhruva had given up his victory for him signified how much his brother treasure their new bond. It was a big deal for Prithvi when Dhruva had slowed down his horse at the last minute because no one had ever done that for him.

No one had given up anything for him not even his sisters. They have all lived a distinct life compared to most of the families in Durja, at least from what he had seen from his few travels out of the city. His sisters had always been busy with themselves, neither did they invite him to play when they were kids nor do they call him out for discussion of any sorts. Perhaps their mother's attention had been elsewhere that she missed the chances to see their disorientated bond and bring the siblings together.

Come to think of it, Prithvi realised he was not the only one who was neglected but not the worst too. His half-brother, Dhruva had gone through a far lonelier childhood without his real mother.

"A loner knows the pain of another. Like calls to like," Prithvi said softly. "You have me now, brother."

*-*-*-*-*

Somewhere in the air between Kavish and Durja

The sun setting in the horizon cast an orange glow in the cabin as the flight descended at Garang, a village in Arhat by the border close to Durja. A land covered in greens with streams running through a large curve, a perfect time to enjoy the view said the locals. However, none in the flight could take a glimpse out not when they have caused a stir in their initial plan.

"So, you are telling me that I have made a haste decision?" Nakshathra questioned her companions with burning rage.

Not long after their departure from Pareen, reasons to why their plan might not work thrown her way like that of a large snowball rolled over her. Her enthusiasm dropped from hundred to zero as each one alternatively spoke to her in private. They all turned out to speak of the same thought with different possibilities and each one broke her down.

"What if Alli wasn't from Durja at all?" One of her four guards asked while another said, "Who knew if anyone would recognise her as Alli maybe she is known by another name. How are we going to find her?"

Arunya who had come to her in the pretext of boredom and spewed her thought of the entire plan might not even work citing its impossible to locate their people in such a big country. Ramani on the other hand blurted the chances of Alli tricking Nakshathra into her captive and in return refuse to send the kidnapped men with them.

It took her so much not to burst out when another guard, Revanth, walked to her with Janardan in tow. "Maybe we should stop somewhere and get a proper plan worked out, Your Highness," said Janardan who had supported her decision on their way back from Gupagam forest and even in the palace.

"Cut it off now!" Nakshathra exploded as she breathed heavily with her glazy eyes staring at her guards. "Leave me alone," she murmured after a short pause.

"But Your Highness—"

"Leave. Me."

She slumped down on her seat and brought her knees close to her chest; a sense of failure swamped her. Overwhelmed with her companions' unfavourable opinions regarding their travel, she found herself in a state of embarrassment for not listening or thinking wisely before deciding. Doubt crept in her mind while her heart beat hard against her chest in fear.

It irked her to know those who had volunteered to go with her wasn't with her because they supported her decision but to eventually change her mind and bring her back to the palace. How will they even get close to their people if every one of them fear for something life threatening to happen? Of course, she too shared the same fright yet she had to put her strongest face to deal with the choice she made but her companions wished otherwise. Eventually making her feel bad for the decision. Nakshathra dwelled in a regretful state almost agreeing to her travel mates.

Hours passed by in silence. What did they count her for, someone who doesn't have a solid plan? Maybe she hadn't had one in the beginning but she had one in her hand. A spy planted by her brother in Durja many years ago might help her get the vital information she needs if she can get hold of him at the location her brother had shared.

Pushing everything aside, Nakshathra ordered to continue the journey to Indrud, a village in the west of Durja with shallow confidence and hope. With more than one negative possibility been fed into her mind, Nakshathra was not hoping for any of their plan to move smoothly.

*-*-*-*-*

Indrud, west of Durja

Nakshathra had made up her mind not to stay with her companions till they reach Durja. Now, she stood next to the captain behind the wheel overlooking the village from above, Indrud, as the day turned dusk. Ahead of them was a long stretched dry mud road with lights half way lit, houses far from the road scattered in an unplanned order, beyond low-rise hills, a narrow blue river, the last of the sun's ray glinting off its surface.

The captain skilled fully navigated and safely landed the flight at the small ramp built ready for ratha vimanas. As the flight cruised to its designated spot reserved for ratha vimanas, Nakshathra asked Suyathi, the grey-haired captain of his thoughts on their endeavour.

"I honestly believe it's an act of courage." Wrinkles at the edge of his eyes deepened as he smiled at her. "Despite the ice thin possibilities of success, you have put your foot down to see what happens next, is commendable. Don't worry, Your Highness. They sure trust you; it must have been their concern over you than have taken shape into doubts and fear." Suyathi tapped his feet against the wooden floor, he announced, "Time to disembark fellow passengers!"

"You will be resting here for the night, Your Highness?" he asked, rubbing his hands together in attempt to warm them up as the night breeze carried the cold air from the coast. "Why because the head guard initially told we will be landing at Erorrie, a town further north but you reroute it to Indrud," he added.

Wrapping herself with the loose end of her saree, Nakshathra nodded in response to his former question and let the other half of it unanswered. However, she realised the captain might not have caught her gesture owing to the growing darkness. "Yes, captain. We will be here for the night," she responded.

"How lovely?" Suyathi chirped. "We should have dinner together. All of us. There is an amazing restaurant in the centre of the village. I heard they serve delicious mushroom stew and fluffy breads," he pointed somewhere to the other side of the checkpoint.

Nakshathra turned to the direction he showed, the checkpoint stood in a reasonable size comparable to the port. A maximum of five vimanas could fit in the port ramp at once. Her eyes darted to the brightly lit checkpoint, nagarapalas filled half of the office with more on the outside of the office and around the port. Her hand went to her waist, feeling her newly fond dagger safely tucked. Nakshathra had chosen not to carry more than one blade afraid the number might attract attention on them however, her guards carried more.

First, we need to pass through the checkpoint without a trouble.

"Rajakumari?" Suyathi called.

Nakshathra pulled herself out of her thoughts, bringing her back to the captain's dinner invite. She had a place to go and it was not a place she knew where to locate. Spending for dinner could eat up most of the time and she had no luxury of time at the moment, she had to decline. "Thank you but I might grab something to-go. I need to find of someone and get information so we could set to leave the first thing in the morning," she explained.

The captain's smile shrunk; lines of worry replaced his happy wrinkles. "Rajakumari, it isn't safe to move about in a place you are not familiar. Are you sure to move about at this hour?"

Nakshathra offered a reassuring smile. "First, call me Nakshathra. You can't call me that here. Second, I'll take one of the guards with me."

Suyathi nodded and excused himself to do his final check on the vimana before they leave.

Nakshathra turned around to find the rest gathered a little further with their luggage next to them—ready. Behind the group were the nagarapalas waiting for their only visitor at the hour. Though she could only catch their silhouettes from where she stood, Nakshathra felt their doubtful eyes burning her skin.

"Let's get out of this damn checkpoint first."

*-*-*-*

The security check went unexpectedly smooth. Grateful for their performance as the Pareenians, the guards at the checkpoint passed their documents with an entry seal and let them into the town. When they last checked with the guards, it was half past the seventh bell in the evening which meant, they had no time but to find for the nearest stall for dinner.

However, before they head to the town market, Nakshathra briefed the team of her plan of scouting the town for a man. Now all her four guards insisted to go with her. Nakshathra made no eye contact with any of them, she was still upset from the event that took place the previous day. Out of all, she wasn't happy with the head guard, Janardan.

"I'll like you all to know that I am not over with how you have been doubting and discouraging me yesterday when it was you who had all agreed to go with me. Especially you." Nakshathra pointed at Janardan; anger flashed in her eyes.

Janardan dropped his head, ashamed. "I am sorry, Your Highness. I shouldn't have said those words after agreeing to join you." He joined his hands together and fell on his knees—a formal way of apologising used in only extreme situation.

"Rise, Janardan," Nakshathra fumed, she wasn't loud but the two words had the rest of them flinch. "There is no reason to behave this way. Yes, I am angry but that doesn't mean I need an apology like this."

"I'll take Revanth with me today. The rest try to settle in by the tenth bell," she said after a short pause.

Nakshathra and Revanth made their way to the south of Indrud where outcasts were told to live. Outcast was what refugee from other countries were called, despite their skills and ability to help Indrud develop to what it stood today, locals call them outcasts. Nakshathra found it hard to believe when an old man told them that nothing from the staples to produces goes to the south of Indrud from central market.

The small patches of farm land here and there as they entered through the ruined gateway was a proof to the old man's words. "Why do they have to treat them like a plague?" Nakshathra muttered under her breath. The town bell rolled the eighth bell for the evening. She glanced back at the direction of the bell tower. Lightning flashed in a distant. "We should get back to the inn by the tenth bell," she said to Revanth and march into the southern residency of Indrud.

The outcast residency had small alleys enough for two to walk side by side with houses stuck close to each other. By the distance of each door of the houses, Nakshathra mentally made out the size of their dwelling to be smaller than her study room back in the palace.

"Your Highness." Her guard called.

"Revanth, try to not call me that here. You can call me using my name."

"I'll address you as devi, if that's fine," he said after a thought.

"Of course." Nakshathra took the loose end of her faded red saree and covered her head as an attempt to shield herself from the light drizzle.

Revanth followed his princess in silent. Guilt gnawed him for being one of the reasons for Janardan to get on the bad book of Nakshathra. Had he not pestered Janardan to convince the princess to consider her decision, he wouldn't have disappointed her. "Devi, I'd like to say something," he began.

She hummed in acknowledgement as they followed the trail the alley led them.

"Please forgive Janardan. It was because of us, he had spoken to you about aborting the plan. We had compelled him to do so," Revanth confessed.

Nakshathra continued to march through the alley until they came to a junction. "That's a relief but if you aren't sure than you shouldn't have joined. All of your talks made me think I have done something wrong and that I have put your lives in danger," Nakshathra said, indignant.

"I am sorry, devi. On behalf of every one of us, I am sorry." He hung his head low. "I have another question, if none of us wanted to join you, will you still continue?" he asked.

The drizzled had stopped, Nakshathra gazed up the sky. Heavy clouds floated up the sky threatening to release all of its stored rain water at once. She turned back to Revanth. "I would. There is no other way," she replied. "The lady behind the disappearance of the men in our country wanted me here in Durja, somehow. While we are here, all I can think of is either give myself to her as she had asked or hunt for our men."

Revanth froze, fear of Nakshathra's choice, he asked. "What are you doing to do, devi? Are you going to offer yourself in exchange of our men?"

Revanth's concern eyes caught hers. "Don't worry, I intend to do the latter first. Parthiban had given an intel of a man once lived in Kavish, now living here. A forgotten spy. He might help us, hopefully." A smiled at the corner of her lips, evading her own doubts on Parthiban's spy.

For a long while Nakshathra and Revanth stood at the intersection, unsure which to take especially with the short time left. They should leave by the tenth bell or they will have to face the nagarapalas on duty. Nakshathra turned to Revanth, "How many houses did we passed by?"

He looked back at the alley they came from. "Around fifteen houses."

"I'm going to knock one of the houses in that alley and ask if they know anyone called Ashutosh." She pointed at the same alley while she marched ahead to the next row to do the same.

The time left was short and if they were to find the spy's house in the dark, Nakshathra was sure they will not make it on time. Given the residence in the southern part of Indrud were considered outcast, it was no much risk in asking someone directly and so they continued until two of the dwellers pointed to a particular house after making several rounds in the colony.

Under a large neem tree stood a small house made of timber barely enough of one person. From the tiny opening, the inside of the house glowed a dim orange. Someone was present.

"I hope this is the one," Nakshathra muttered and sent Revanth to knock the door.

The door to the small timber house tore open and out came a man with a prominent scar across his face and grey hair. He growled for the unwanted the disturbance as he swept glares between Revanth and Nakshathra. She stepped forward.

"Ashutosh from Murat?" She asked, mentioning the village he hailed from in Kavish.

The man's eye widened at the mention of the name. His senses woke alert as he scanned for danger behind them. The gravels crunch beneath his shuffling feet before he pushed Nakshathra off his way and sped towards a threshold.

The course of action knocked her off to the other side of the alley, a stake buried into the ground hammered at her lower back. She shrieked as she experienced an excruciating pain shot up to her brain, blurring her vision.

Hurried footsteps approached her. "Rajakumari," Revanth's concerned whisper pulled her away from falling into the urge to rest.

Cracking of pots in a distance echoed. "He is still reasonably nearby. Go get him," she said in laboured breath. "I'll catch up in a bit."

"Please, if you can't move just stay here. I'll come get you once I catch him," Revanth pleaded with delayed steps away before sprinting to the threshold Ashutosh headed.

Something trickled down her forehead, this better be sweat, she thought despite knowing it wasn't for the stinging pain emitting from the spot. "What a vibrant start...," sneered at the bright red stain on her fingers.

Nakshathra laid still for a moment. She was confident Revanth would catch him but she had to hurry. They have no much time to left, they needed to get Ashutosh before the nagarapalas starts their duty. Using the help of the wall, she struggled to get on her feet, the sharp pain on her back was slowing her down. Nevertheless, Nakshathra looked pass the pain and went in pursuit of the spy.

Ashutosh was sure to attempt to get out of the place away from their reach, thus she calculated him to use the main lane and out of the residency. Nakshathra cut the chase and took a diversion to the now familiar alleys as she reached the end of the path, she heard grunts of a man.

Nakshathra took a peek, four men stood around one man who was on his knees. She gasped. The boys, her guards managed to get hold of him. She took her first breath of relief since the time Ashutosh had run away. How did the three of them found their way here and managed catch the spy at once? Saving the question for later, Nakshathra hobbled her way to the spy.

Certainly, when the ones who didn't know, she got hurt caught her staggering, they ran to her. Nakshathra held her hand up, shushing them. "I am fine." Repeating it again when the rest alarmed at the sight of her bloody forehead and awkward body composure. "Save the concern for later."

Nakshathra and the guards' minimal conversation triggered the spy to open up before they attempted a try. "You are from...," he scanned at the empty lane and whispered, "Kavish?"

"Is it that obvious?" Nakshathra asked. "I am pretty sure I tried the western dialect." Despite the throbbing agony on her back, she maintained her poise.

"Not much in the beginning but now, yes."

"Great guess." Nakshathra extended her hand to help him up. "Ashutosh, we need some information from you." There was no point in beating around the bush, the ninth bell had rolled even before they found his house. They needed him to go with them at the soonest.

"I see..." He scratched his stubble free chin, contemplating her request. "But before I offer any of the information... Who are you?"

"Parthiban Heramba's sister," she announced in full grace while keeping her tone loud enough for him to catch.

"Rajakumari," he gasped. Dropping on his knees, Ashutosh joined his palms together and whispered prayers. He looked up at her with teary eyes and a smile filled with assurance. "You have finally come to save us all. Our prayers have been answered," he cried as tears cascaded down his cheeks.

*-*-*-*-*