King Dhruv's (Sahil's )POV

"Brother I am feeling restless. Why are we brainstorming here alone when we both can employ the best minds of our kingdom to find the solution?" Complained Vansh.

"Because I want to keep it between us brother. Something is wrong but I can't put my finger on it." I Said.

"Okay. Let's start from the beginning. Tell me your thoughts again. Maybe this time I can figure out something." He tried to appear interested but I knew he had given up but wanted to try for the sake of my satisfaction.

"Okay. There is a princess who comes from nowhere. She has all sorts of power and resources yet she wants to have a war in a non violent way. She is interested in winning our kingdom whereas she could have challenged other weaker kingdoms too and won easily."

Vansh spoke this time. Very patiently. "Brother it's possible that her parents wanted to train her before she would enter into the politics. She is the sole heir so maybe they wanted to provide her the best training. Even our parents sent us to Gurukul! "

"Yeah but that was for boys only. I don't think there are many Gurukul's that are meant only for girls. Besides if she would have not gone out of her kingdom, we would have known it. She was sent somewhere outside her kingdom, beyond the knowledge of the general public." I pointed out.

"Brother. Some parents do send girls to Gurukul. Remember Diya? She was the only girl in Gurukul but maybe her parents wanted her to get the best of the education. Maybe education was scarce in her kingdom. Or maybe they believed in providing her with the best of the education" Said Vansh.

"Our spies say that many times she was spotted sneaking out of her kingdom with a turban and scarf covering her face (except her eyes Ofcourse) but what shocked them was that she always wore very simple clothes and a blue coloured necklace. " I informed Vansh.

"How did our spies know that it was Princess? Could be someone else too." Asked Vansh.

"Because Princess uses her favourite black horse only. No one else is allowed to use it. And our spies are ready to swear that the horse is hers." I informed.

"What strikes me brother is that why does she have to wear an ordinary necklace? I mean she can aim for the most expensive pearls and gems!" Said Vansh.

"Even I thought so. Look at this!" I showed him the blue bead that I had found near the water tank when the princess had seized our arms and ammunition.

"I think I have seen it somewhere! Yes! Diya wore it last night remember?" Exclaimed Vansh.

"But these kinds of beads must be common. Many people possess it!" I tried to reason. My Diya can't be that fierce Princess Adiya!

"Well, she was the only female student in our Gurukul! She graduated with me! That is a year before! And she has been active since the previous year!" Said Vansh!

But how could this have been possible! I mean yes, Diya was genius in playing chess. She was one of the few persons who could easily interpret my moves! And here Princess Adiya was almost reading my mind! As if... as if...

"Brother! I am going to the library to find out the meaning of the word "Adiya!" Said Vansh as he rushed out of my room.

I was frozen! Which was new to me because usually I don't react to anything. I had always maintained that calm exterior.

I went to my drawer and fetched out her letters. I compared the handwriting of the letters of Princess Adiya and my Diya! The similarity was uncanny. Besides the name Adiya and Diya too sounded familiar.

"Brother! Here is the book that contains the meanings of various words! Look! Adiya means God's ornament!" Shouted excited Vansh!

But how can that be possible?

"Brother, why would any normal girl join a Gurukul of boys? So that she can learn the art of war and politics! Else every parents would want their daughter to learn the traditional art of cooking, scripture reading, medicine making and stuff related to household! I used to think that Diya's parents are way too broad minded for this generation. But now things are making sense!" Said Vansh.

"I agree. Our Guruji is the best guru that is available as a teacher at present. Definitely her parents would want her to get the best!" I agreed.

"But brother, did you see the portrait that was made as per the description given by Anandji? The lady in the portrait doesn't even look like Adiya." Said Vansh.

"Well He is Anandji! Adiya's Minister. No wonder they both are together into this! They both deceived us the whole time! " I smiled this time! If Adiya was Diya, I was proud of her. She was truly my match.

"Brother I know you love Diya but don't forget that she is our enemy!" Warned Vansh but he too was smiling.

"Remember the poem she said for herself?" I asked him.

"I am close to the God, know my worth,
His own ornament rare..
My home is where,
The sky meets with the Earth."

We both looked at each other understandingly.

God's ornament meant her name "Adiya" and  home where sky meets the Earth meant "Kshitij" Kingdom!

I also remembered that she always came to meet me with a black horse and a turban (she had once said that the turban helped her to be disguised as a male citizen at night so that no one would doubt her identity)

And then the realisation hit  me! The day  I found the blue bead near the water tank in the army's fort. And the next day when I met Diya, she had talked about the missing bead of her necklace and how she managed to repair it.

Things were making sense now! My lover was my enemy. I wondered if she would have yet figured out about my identity. I was sure of one thing though. She would definitely find out! It won't take her long. I had to think of something. That too quickly.