"I am shravan. ..a first grade infantry soldier in a distant minor dynasty. .."

   Guruji sighed with gratitude. ..
 
   " Oh. ..that's nice to meet you. ..by the way. ..how did you get wounded. .? "

Suman shooted the enquiry. ..her pride on  princess retrieved. ..she maintained her head up exactly like an empress. ..However, she didn't want to showcase her inner feel in front of everyone. ..

" I was returning after attending a village function. ..I was surrounded by thieves. I fought back ....moreover, .I had nothing to give them. ..one of them stabbed me behind. ..I fell down unconscious. .."

    shravan fabricated a well sketched story. ..

" so sad. ..you were striken at our place. ..I will tell my father to check with it. ..by the way, we had left your horse there itself since we had some problems in bringing it with you .."

" it's ok my lady. ..she will manage herself. ..no need to worry. .."

"  good then, I must say that  your horse was intelligent. ."

" yes my lady. .I knew it. .."

  They conversed with each other as like they were the only two present in the room. ..

Guruji was actually surprised to see suman 's attitude towards a stranger. ..He believed that she was focusing on shravan more...

" ikkkummm. .."

He had to clear his throat unnecessarily to bring them here and now. ..

  " suman. ..let him take rest. ..He had to leave tonight. .Make some arrangements to dine in. .."

  With  those words,  suman fathomed what her guruji was trying to do. ..she nodded slightly and left with krithika. ..

Little while later, guruji sat beside shravan. ..

" shiv. ..again I mistook your character. ..I scared that you will be revealing your true identity. ..but, you didn't. ..thank you for that. .."

Shravan smiled. ..

" guruji. ..I was partially conscious while you were discussing. ..I came to know that I landed in chola dynasty mistakenly ...that too, near to the princess fort. ..I was about to deny your help. ..but, I was too feeble even to talk .."

" don't worry. ..I won't jeopardise the  princess 's reputation. ..you helped me by saving my life. ..i leave by tonight as you said. ..you could ask anything from me which I can do to you as a gratitude for your help. .."

Guruji appreciated his honesty. ..though, his brows arched doubtfully. ..

" shiv. ..were you awake when I brought you through the secret tunnel. .?"

He mean to ask whether shiv was aware of the secret tunnel. ..because, in those days the secret tunnels were meant as military secrets. ..

Shravan laughed a bit louder. ..

" of course I was. ..I knew the secret path. ..but, I promise you guruji. . . I won't reveal the secret to anyone in my life. ..I promise that I won't use it unless you permit. .."

   Guruji 's guess was right. ..shravan was more intelligent than he think. ..He determined himself that he had to keep an eye on shravan until he leave the fort. ..He had faith on his promise. .

" shiv. ..shall I ask you one thing. .."

" Sure. .."

" can you tell me. ..how did you get the stab. .?"

  Shravan  avoided his eyes. ..

" I have told it to the princess just now. .."

" shiv. .. I knew you and your courage. ..tell me the truth now. ..where is Ranjith Singh. .?"

Shravan  was taken aback with his minute intelligence. ..guruji must have understood his mind. ..

" shiv. ..there is nothing to wonder. ..whoever knew shiv Pandav Vikramadhitya would be knowing your companion Ranjith and the horse neela as well. ..I knew that they both are your shadow. .."

Guruji left back Shravan's surprise and continued to speak. ..

" I recognised neela before I could recognize you. ..the way she protected you. ..I must say, you are lucky to have such a companion. .."

"  I understood that Ranjith would be around somewhere in seek of help for you. ..deliberately I don't want to help you as the political situations are out of control. .."

"  But, because of suman I had to help you. ..i left neela there itself to clue Ranjith. ..i expect his message sooner or later. .."

" amidst all, I wasn't sure how you got injured. ..tell me shiv. ."

  Shravan really appreciated the old man's precautious movements. ..He had nothing to hide with him. ..

 
" guruji. ..I and Ranjith were roaming around disguised as commoners ...we were striken by group of men unexpectedly. ..With their masked features I couldn't identify them. ..we just fought back. ..later, with a soldier's grade emblem I identified them as w. Chalukians. .."

" I don't know what they had with me to kill. ..I was stabbed behind. ..neela brought me safe .."

Guruji shaked his head in thought. ..

" shiv. ..your father wishes to expand his dynasty by declaring wars. ..Whereas, jaya simhan focus on marital proposals ...He considered you as his competitor. .that's why, he tries to remove you. ..I guess so. ..moreover, your reputation rose day by day beyond the countries. ..He might be irritated with it. .."

  They both laughed together. ..

Krithika intruded them  anouncing that the food is ready. .

Guruji stressed shravan to eat less since the medication  may affect the digestion. ...so, he finished his breakfast by taking  some fruits and milk. ...

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  Shravan felt bored by simply lying. ..He stood and stepped towards the arched window. ..He glimpsed outside. ..

The fort was built at the rocky hillside along the river thungabathra. .the eastern side was surrounded with dense forest where he was found wounded. ..the northern side had the natural protection by the river. ..

     The outer wall of the fort stood as massive stone structure that rose minimum twenty feet in height , that circled the fort around. .

     .the main entrance door was an immense wooden one embedded with sharpened spikes. ..it was the only means of way to get in or out except the secret way. ..

Shravan noted that the height of the wall was recently hiked up. ..He noted some archery machine and vigilant towers then and there around the outer wall. ..

  These arrangements were highly unusual for a princess fort. .

"Did they  expect any war in the near future. .?" 
 
He asked himself. ...

   At first level ,there were around hundred soldiers including the guards. ..shravan sighed uncertain about  suman ' s  safety. ..

" What is the need to strengthen the princess fort. .? What's running in chola King's  mind. .? Even in this unusual political situation, why he had sent his daughter without worrying about her safety. .?"

   There were a lot of queries in his mind. ..He had nothing to do with it. ..

Amidst all his questions, suman ' s  beautiful face  roamed his thoughts. ..He came across her beauty and intelligence through travellers. ..

But, he lost himself to her unbounded beauty and kindness. ..He was clueless whether she will feel the same for him. ..though, he read it via her eyes already. ..

Being a princess, will she had a look on him as  he introduced himself as a simple soldier. ..?

We have to wait ....

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So, friends. ..you got some clear picture I hope. ..thank you for your lovely support. ..please notify me if you find any trouble with the words I use. ..do have a happy read. ..if possible comment too. ..

Love ,

Arulpirai. ..