Part 21 Subway

"Prince Aparajith, don't you know me?" Khushi asked in a base voice and caressed her mustache with the backside of her finger.

Arnav looked at her and burst out laughing.

"Prince Aparajith, how could you laugh in the critical situation...? Be serious..." She said keeping her hands on her hip in a warning manner.

"Khushi, how can I be serious if you are with me? you are a stressbuster you know" Arnav laughed more.

Khushi smiled.

"You make me forget all the tension no matter how hard the situation is..." Arnav added with a mild smile.

"Let's go... or else, you may forget how crucial the situation is" She walked towards the door.

"Won't you make me remember if I forget?" he asked.

"That's what I'm doing... let's go..."

She stopped at the doorstep.

"Guide me... I'm inexperienced in disguise matters. I may mess things" she said.

Arnav went to her smiling.

"Don't you stick the beard?" Khushi asked.

"I will do it afterward"

"Why not now?"

"Who else other than Prince Aparajith has influence in the Palace?"

"So?"

"The guards will question me if I wear a disguise. It will become difficult for us to reach the destination. Now, no one will dare"

"Where are we going?"

"You will get to know that. Come"

They came outside.

Arnav handed a small fardel to Khushi.

"Keep it with you. People will doubt us if I carry this when I have someone with me"

"Yeah... after all, the prince won't carry anything even if it is not heavy," She said taking it.

"I give it to you only because it is not heavy" Arnav smiled.

They saw the king taking a walk in the garden. Arnav wanted to hide from him but before he did that, King Chaithanya saw them.

"Arnav..." he called him frowning.

"Namaste, father..." Arnav smiled at him not showing his awkwardness.

"Haven't you slept yet? Who is he?" he asked looking at Khushi.

Khushi looked behind as the king addressed her as *HE*

"HE (he stressed) is my friend, Bheem" Arnav pulled her towards him.

Khushi composed herself and nodded yes grinning.

"Bheem? Like really? He should be named as Tiny Bheem because he looks like a doll" The king laughed.

Khushi's facial expression changed for a few seconds. She grinned awkwardly composing herself. Arnav controlled his laughter.

"By the way, where are you from Bheem?"

Arnav wanted to say, 'He was DUMB' because they would get caught if Khushi spoke. The king would find out the truth if he heard her famine voice. But before he did that, Khushi answered him in a base voice like how she talked to Arnav a few minutes ago.

"I'm coming from Pataliputra, Maharaj..."

Arnav looked elsewhere controlling his smile.

"Pataliputra?"

"Yes, Maharaj... I heard a lot about Prince Aparajith as he fought with Ashoka shoulder-to-shoulder in his previous wars. That's why I came to meet him"

"That's nice to hear"

"Where are you taking him?" The King asked Arnav.

"He wants to see our Palace in the Night... that's why..."

"It seems you are getting many friends these days..." The king said. Arnav knew he was hinting about Khushi. Khushi also understood that.

"Go to bed soon... take rest"

"Sure Father"

"Won't you ask me to take a rest?" The king asked Arnav with a smile.

Arnav got stuck. He didn't think of asking him to go to bed because his concentration was on just leaving the place with Khushi. He didn't know what to say, but Khushi did.

"He doesn't need to say anything to you, Maharaj because he knew you know better than him. You are beyond the silly bits of advice, am I right Prince Aparrajith?" Khushi asked and Arnav nodded yes and folded his lip not to smile.

King Chaithanya smiled proudly.

"But, Maharaj... for the betterment of the people of this Kingdom... for their happiness, you should take care of yourself... It's my humble request" Khushi said.

"I like this guy very much," the king said, tapping her back and Khushi stumbled to stand as his TAP was so strong.

"Yeah, everyone likes him" Arnav smiled holding her hand from falling.

"Ok, Bheem, take care," The king said.

"As you say, Maharaj" Khushi bowed.

The king walked to his palace and Arnav left the place with Khushi. When they came to the garden like a place, Arnav pulled Khushi behind a bushy plant. Khushi looked at him widening her eyes.

"Shh... don't make noise," Arnav said.

"Mmmm"

He raised a weird sound. it didn't sound like a bird or human. The very next second they heard the same sound from a little aloof. Khushi was surprised.

"Come..."

Khushi followed him without question. They started moving in hiding behind the plant one by one. They came to the middle of the garden. There was a statue.

"Let me guess, you are going to move this statue. The subway is under the statue... right?" Khushi said.

Arnav smiled and twisted the toe of the statue. Khushi saw nothing was opening.

"I think the way got stuck..." Khushi said.

"Come..."

She went with him. She saw a big rock-like stone behind a bushy plant at the corner of the garden. Khushi was about to move, but Arnav clutched her hand as there were stairs running down next to the rock stone. Khushi raised her brows and blinked her eyes.

"Is that toe the switch to this way?"

Arnav nodded yes and descended the stairs.

"Don't you want to close the way?"

"Yeah, we have to..."

Khushi followed him. At the end of the stairs, Arnav pressed a particular stone, and the way got closed. Taking the fardel from Khushi's hand, he stuck the beard and changed the dress.

He pulled the torch from the wall stand.

"Let's go..."

Khushi wondered as the subway was neat and clean. After all, it was used by only Royal authorities... she thought.

"By the way, Arnav, what was the sound we got in the garden in return?"

"I got confirmed that we are not watched"

"Oh... so we were watched by your men?"

"Always..."

"But, visiting the priest's place is our sudden plan. Then how did your men know we were coming?"

"I instructed my men when you went to change"

Khushi looked at him tilting her head, widening her eyes.

"You are so smart... and a little dangerous too..." she said.

"Not more than you I suppose" Arnav chuckled.

Khushi dropped her jaw.

"Then what? You are making Hemadri trust you... The king likes your pleasant talks... you attract girls with interesting stories..."

"How do you know about my stories?"

"The whole Palace got to know..." he smiled.

"My God... these girls are faster than BBC it seems" she murmured.

"By the way, why didn't you tell me those stories?"

"Stories? Arnav, those are for kids..."

"But NEW and interesting... with morals"

"Mmm"

They came to a particular place. Arnav scratched the wall with his nail three times. The wall slowly opened. Actually, it was a door. They saw Satyam peeping slowly.

"May we?" Arnav asked.

"Yes, Prince Aparajith," Said Sathyam.

Arnav and Khushi entered a small storeroom-like place.

"You can be safe here"

Arnav nodded yes. Satyam brought them to the wall where there were TWO apertures.

"You can watch them from here..." Sathyam pointed at the apertures.

"Ok, you can go... we will take care," Arnav said.

Sathyam bowed and left the place.

Khushi waited for him to leave.

"Is he reliable?" She asked.

"Yes" Came from Arnav confidently.

"How do you say?"

"It's not easy to be a spy. They were subjected to many more tests... knowingly and unknowingly. Every spy of mine is still being watched by another spy"

"Really?" She asked secretly but shockingly.

"Mmm..."

"It's very hard to be a Prince..." Khushi sighed.

"It's because it's a matter of our kingdom and its people's security"

"Mmm"

"Shhhh" Arnav said sharpening his ears.

He looked through the aperture and saw the Priest welcoming Hemadri. Arnav gritted his teeth.

"Partners in crime met" Said Khushi looking at them from another aperture.

Khushi slowly removed her phone and started recording.

"What I heard is true?" The Priest asked.

"What did you hear, Maharaj?" Hemadri asked.

"Are you going to marry the foreigner?"

"Yes, Maharaj... I liked her very much."

Arnav tightened his jaws.

"Just because you liked her, is it necessary to marry her?"

"What else can I do if she is a Royal guest?"

"You have already put an allegation on her and Aparajith is ready to relinquish his post. What else do we want? We have been waiting for this for long. Then why are you messing now? Just leave it. I will make the king expatriate her. When she is out of the kingdom, you can easily abduct her"

Hemadri became thoughtful.

"Just because the girl looks beautiful, are you going to miss the great chance of becoming a king? Aparajith himself will relinquish his post if he doesn't prove her not a spy. And he could not prove it. We knew that. Then you will become a King of the heirless Kingdom... I will make it possible. Can't I?"

"You are right Maharaj. You can make it for sure..."

"That's all... once she expatriated, abduct her...she will be all yours," The Priest said.

Arnav saw Hemadri's face overflew with lust.

Khushi stopped the recording. She thought that was more than enough. She kept the phone in her hip belt and looked at Arnav who looked like a God of anger.

She touched his shoulder. Arnav's face became calm and he looked at her.

"Let's go..." Khushi said.

Arnav thought she became upset hearing their plan. Khushi walked out of the room and came to the subway. Arnav followed her as he thought consoling her was important.

To be continued...