Father is our first hero.

****

The letter was sent. Hamal was informed about the arrival of the Rajan.

Rajan Rudra's army was training more vigorously than ever. More meat and fish were being cooked in the kitchen for the warriors. They began their day at dawn and ended at dusk. When the moon came up, they sat around to discuss important formations to implement in the battlefield.

Indumala's day was no different. Her training, as she knew now, was being done exclusively by werewolves. Her routine wasn't as harsh as those of the other men, but it strived to toughen the muscles and strengthen the core. The werewolves made it clear to her that she wouldn't be able to use magic everywhere, unlike in the wizarding contest where she ousted the other supernatural werewolves from the competition using her otherworldly skills. Indumala found it a little strange that these creatures who were themselves fantastical refused to acknowledge the versatility of magic. However, she did understand with due course of time that building a strong body was important.

Because, as the rules were, one wasn't allowed to use magic in war, even if it was Werewolves versus Vampires.

At present, she was busy doing squats under the supervision of a grey-haired werewolf. He was a man of few words and rarely praised her, but neither rebuked. His instructions were clear and precise.

"Widen your feet. They should have a gap more than your hips. Tighten your stomach."

Indumala found this exercise hard. It looked simple but wasn't. Keeping the balance was the tricky thing. Nevertheless, she did complete two rounds.

"Stop. The spear."

Indumala was given a rest of a few minutes, and then handed the spear. It was the weapon of every bodyguard and had come to be a symbol of the position. Thus, she had to ace it.

The spear moved in a swirling circle in her hands. To a spectator it would have looked appeared as an illusion of a flower whose metallic petals moved round and round. Sometimes she lost control and the spear fell out of her hands. The longest she lasted was five minutes.

The session was put at a pause when the werewolf noticed Aryamna at the door of the hall. He nodded, smiling amicably at the Senapati, who came and greeted the werewolf with a warm hug. Aryamna then turned to his daughter. "I saw you practising. I think you are doing well. Master Kirti, is she improving?"

"Gradually. We must understand the delicate nature of a woman's body. With what she has been bestowed by the gods, she is doing pretty well."

"That's true. She needs to become a good bodyguard. May I talk with her a little?"

"You can take her with you. It's been an hour, so she can have her rest for today."

Indumala's face, gleaming with sweat, brightened like the sun. Her ears were red from exhaustion. "Thank you, Master Kirti."

Indumala washed and wiped her face, then went out the hall with her father. She was going to take him to her room, but he insisted otherwise.

"I think we can go somewhere else. Follow me."

So Indumala walked behind her father, wondering where he was leading her. At first, the twists and turns they took didn't seem obvious, but after a certain change in the ambience of the palace, she realised where they were going.

Towards the forbidden room.

Maybe her father was allowed to go there, being the blood-brother of the Rajan. But why was he taking her there?

Perhaps she knew why, but wasn't ready to confront.

They stood in front of the room, its door bolted. Cobwebs hung from the wooden frames and house lizards crawled on the walls.

"Your nightmares have returned, and they returned from here."

Indumala's intuition was right. Her father was of course aware of what had happened. It was foolish of her to think he would let it slide. He was just waiting for the appropriate moment to talk.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was scared, Baba. I thought pushing the truth away would eliminate it. I thought the nightmares will leave."

"Have you seen them recently?"

"Not really."

"So they haven't left. No, since they have returned, they are here to torment. To torture." Aryamna's knuckles turned white as he clenched the spear in his hand. "To enlighten."

"Will Master Makba seal them again?"

"It can't be done twice to the same person, Indu. It was destined for them to come back some day. We could only delay them."

Indumala wrapped her arms around Aryamna. He ran his hand through her locks, pulling her closer in a fiercely protective embrace. "My child, you will have to face it. I don't know... I don't know why you will have to," maybe I do, "but you must."

"Was I a bad person to die by fire?"

"The border between good and bad is often smudged. We cross it and go to each side several times in our life. It goes on. What I can say is, irrespective of what your past life was, the reason of your remembrance is not your sins. You are recalling them for a greater purpose."

"What could it be?"

"That you will have to solve."

"Will you help me in the path, Baba?"

Aryamna felt a pang in his heart. Once upon a time, she used to see him as an older brother, and now, see the play of fate, he was her father– a greater responsibility than before. Now they were, even if the world didn't know it yet, connected by blood.

One day, Indumala would have to know that she wasn't adopted, but of his own seed, and that for the good of them all, the truth was buried in the sands.

One day.

"I will stand by you through tempests, Indu. I am here for you."

"Then I feel better." She hugged him tighter. "Baba, I have told Rudra about my nightmares."

"Alright."

"And I also told Rudra about how I feel I was a very bad person."

"Wait, you call him Rudra?"

"Yes." Indumala gulped. "He asked me to call him by name."

Aryamna didn't let her feel the hardness of his heart. The cold wouldn't seep into her soul. "What did he say?"

"He was overly confident as usual, and stupid. But I like how he says I could never be bad, although I know he says it because he thinks me weak."

"Whatever he may think, I know he doesn't perceive you as weak."

"Well, he was a nagging pain initially."

Maybe it always starts out like this. "He is harsh at first, but then melts and flows like honey. I am glad you have befriended him."

Indumala heaved a sigh. She was relaxed.

"Is there something that I should know, Indu?"

"Wha-what?"

Her Baba didn't speak. She left the embrace and looked up at him. There, the softness of his gaze was masked by a frown, a raised brow hinting at pent up, unsaid emotions. He was upset and in a mood for no nonsense. Curiosity flickered in his eyes; he already knew what was happening and had even been wary of it becoming true, but he wanted to hear it from Indu's lips.

His words scythed her like the spear. "You may have grown up a lot, Indu, but you still are unaware of the imperfections of a man. Rather, a man as a lover."

Indumala's eyes widened. She hung her head, clutching his robe between her fingers. "I am listening."

"Rudra is not an ideal man. He is a monster, as you already know, and cursed. He is hated by many. He is prone to anger. He is–"

"He is unhealed, Baba." With red-rimmed eyes, she stared defiantly at Aryamna. "He is lonely."

"It is a kiddish thought to think you will be able to change him. A man doesn't change in love but in his own will."

"I am not here to change him, Baba." Indumala scoffed. "If I was to change him, what use is this bond? I know I advice him to pull the reigns when it gets too wrathful, but no way am I expecting him to miraculously transform into a sage. I am not trying to rid him of the beast that he is. I am trying to understand it." 

"Are you sure it isn't an insignificant interest that would fly away in a few months?"

"I have learnt to treat each bond with devotion, Baba. If it's written that it will perish, I will accept. But I cannot just sit idly and give no effort thinking that it's not going to work. If you see like that, every sort of equation has an end."

"That's what I am thinking, Indu. If yours is meant to end. If yours–" if yours is just here to heal Rudra and nothing more, your destinies separate thereafter. Or if truly you are to be bound till eternity? "Nevermind. We will see."

"Do you have someone better in your mind, for me?"

"Raksa is a nice man. You know, rumours go around that he is the son of a god." Which indeed he is.

Indumala rolled her eyes. "That's just because he is handsome. Yes, he is good at heart too, but he is just my friend. It will creep me out to think of him as a husband."

"You two do flirt a lot. I know he is very vulnerable with you too."

"Baba, you are saying this because he is a man. It doesn't really make any difference."

"Well, then how about some other boy from the guild?"

"What's wrong with Rudra?"

"I just can't understand how you two fell for each other. You two...are opposites. One is a grumpy and old angry man, and another is sunshine. You two could not stand each other!"

"We might look like opposites, but our emotions connect very well. He respects me, and I respect him. He appreciates my magic, and I am willing to look beyond his werewolf persona. It will work out."

"I hope so."

"Well, I think I can say the same about you and Maa. You were not even ready to get married but forgot everything when you saw her in all glory."

Aryamna wheezed. "Uh..." She isn't wrong. "Fine."

"See, in case he hurts me or does something revolting, which you suspect he can, you are there to beat him up."

"I think the whole guild will make sure he is squeezed to pulp."

"And, what if he turns out to be a good son-in-law?"

"I will manage, I guess." Aryamna shrugged. "It won't be bad to be the father-in-law to the Rajan of Aryavarta. Oh, that means, you will be Maharani?"

Indumala was on her toes. Her eyes sparkled. "I didn't think about this." She gasped. "I won't be a bodyguard anymore?"

"Rudra should not hear our conversation. Don't tell him we talked about this in any way."

"Alright. It's just us, father and daughter."

They did a fist bump.

"Maharani or not, you are going to be great either way." Aryamna patted her back.

"Yes. The fact that Ishgar loves me more than the Rajan is proof."

Laughter simmering in the warmth of the corridors, they sauntered towards the main palace. The forbidden room, after a long time, heard the chime of joy.