Across the kingdom of Shiladhika, another kingdom stood, mighty and strong. The kingdom celebrated. From the horizon, the kingdom looked golden. Though the streets were of pale brass colour the sun made it gleam golden and the light reflected on the streets and dappled the sky too in a golden glow. The people of the strong standing kingdom had smiles on their faces as they celebrated their Queen, Maharani Sadhana, stepping into the final stages of her pregnancy.
. . . .
Apart from the entirely shining kingdom one that caught the eyes of everyone was the Royal Palace. Every inch showing sheer opulence and grandeur. Gold and silver studded tombs and pillars.
In the beautifully luxurious palace, Maharani Sadhana lay, yet crestfallen, not having her husband by her side when she needed him. Though she didn't see him as her husband but a friend, their relationship was what the people would look to as a marital relationship. She wanted her closest friend to be with her.
"Don't be sad, Sadhana. He'll be back as soon as the war is over. It's just a matter of days." A sharp voice cut through as Nandini walked in. Draped in bright yellows and studded with eye-catching ornaments, cedar eyes gleaming as she walks, the Rajkumari of Ashokdhar smiled.
"I hope so," Sadhana replies warily as she graces her hand on her swollen gut. Nandini smiles and plops down next to Sadhana. Nandini leaned back on the frame of the bed resting a hand on Sadhana's head.
. . . .
Overlooking the kingdom of his enemy, Vihaan stood with his hands behind his back. Mind running with strategies and his hand holding the hilt of his undrawn sword. His piercing eyes of teak gleamed in the sun.
"Vihaan," Rihit, the Senapati of Ashokdhar, called out to his lost friend. Vihaan snapped back into reality and launched a look at Rihit standing below. Rihit held a letter in his hands. Vihaan turned around again.
"Read it yourself and tell me," Vihaan spoke in a raspy voice as he went back to skimming the perimeter of his opponent kingdom. Rihit sighed at his king's foolishness and raced up to the cliff where Vihaan stood.
"Maharani Sadhana is in the final stage of her pregnancy." Rihit saw a speck of light in Vihaan's eyes. His mind seemed to be away from the war for a moment.
"Acharya Chitrabhanu has written to you to come back as soon as possible. He has also said that it isn't really necessary to wage this war." Rihit suggested trying to pull Vihaan back from the war but Vihaan glanced at Rihit, shutting him up.
"We'll go after winning this war."
"Think, Vihaan. Your wife needs you to be with her at this stage of pregnancy and you are really out here thinking of war?"
"I've said it once. We'll leave after."
"It seems like you don't even care. Like she's going to birth the heir to the throne of Ashokdhar and yet you aren't concerned."
"You know how much I care and you know how much I don't," Vihaan replied, a bit annoyed at Rihit and his helplessness. He looked around a final time and descended from the cliff into his camp.
Rihit stood there pondering over Vihaan's words and sighed. He was right. He did know what Sadhana meant to him. Inseparable from as before as they can remember. Going to the same Gurukul for Royalty. Growing up together and being with each other through the hard times is what made Vihaan and Sadhana's bond special. Though their marriage was for political reasons, the two still were the other's mates. Rihit being the witness to their every moment knew more than to make such a statement.
Vihaan lay down on his cot for a while thinking about winning the war while his mind kept pulling him to the scene of his wife being a mother holding onto a little life in her hands and cooing to it. He shot up instantly and hit his palm against his head.
"Get your head straight, Vihaan. Don't get distracted." He blabbered to himself and picked up his sword. He heard Rihit shout to the fellow army, "March!" and the soldiers' footsteps took off towards the border.
Vihaan drew in a deep breath and pulled his deathly mask on as he headed out where his steed waited.
. . . .
"This..." Rihit trailed off as his nervousness took its place. An army almost thrice the size of what Vihaan had brought stood with cutlasses and shields.
"We won't be able to face them. Let's call retreat." Rihit stated and almost immediately had a glare thrown at him by Vihaan. Though Vihaan knew he won't be able to win, it wasn't a war worth losing. To Vihaan, no war was worth losing. He looked around and devised new plays in his head while still holding the enemy at a halt.
Among the restlessness, a great sum of army walked out of the mountains and stood, mixed in with the army of Ashokdhar. An army in brown. Vihaan's lips curled up in a smirk. He shot a look at the man beside him who led the army.
"Rajkumar Amar."
"You can thank me later." Amar pulled the reins of his steed.
"I don't think so, we've already won." Rihit stars his eyes fixed on a retreat flag waving at the opponent kingdom's fort.
.  .  .  .
"So how's everything in your kingdom? All fine?" Rihit asked as he took a sip out of his chalice while guiding the soldiers to pack up the weapons.
"It was fine the day I left," Amar continued, "I don't know about now. I haven't been in my kingdom. I have been in Shiladhika these...past... a couple of days" Amar stalled at the end of his words as Vihaan's stern eyes met him with so much hate.
"Why?" Vihaan asked setting down his chalice and standing up from the stone seat he sat on. Amar and Rihit followed. Rihit scanned Vihaan's face. His face showed his feelings very evidently. Though not in every situation it sure did when he heard the name of that kingdom.
Vihaan's blood was running cold. Images of the ruthless scene played at the back of his head. Blood flowing through the courtroom, his mother wailing over the still form of his father. His arms cradled Nandini while she sobbed in his hands while a shadowed figure took a seat on the throne of the empire. The empire was his father's. The empire of Shiladhika.
"Vihaan..." Rihit tried to calm him down but Vihaan though stern looked like he wouldn't do anything reckless.
"My father has picked the princess from Shiladhika to be my bride and I'd like to invite you." Amar completed and saw Vihaan's face drop. He was calm now, to look too.
"Well, then I won't be attending your wedding Rajkumar. I'm grateful for your help and I think you should leave now."
Amar started,"But don't worry. I don't really love the princess. I'm just marrying her for power. She happens to be the one Aagneya cares about the most."
Vihaan raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, I lured her into thinking that I like her and she happening to not know anything about the world believed it," Amar said, a sly smirk forming on his face. For some unknown reason, Vihaan was uncomfortable. He didn't like his words.
"So, she's just a pawn in you taking over Shiladhika too." Rihit sighed, disappointment in his tone.
"I'd like to think of her as leverage." Amar completed, which made Vihaan more uneasy.
Without waiting for a single moment Vihaan strode up to his horse and flashed through.
"Well then, I guess I'll have to follow my king," Rihit said, "And I wish you the best for your marriage."
Amar nodded and pulled Rihit into a one-sided hug. Reluctant but necessary. The two turned on their ways, one turning to Ashokdhar and one to Shiladhika.
.  .  .  .
The wind cut through his hair while he rode swiftly through the passage of forest. Vihaan paid no mind to his route, he just kept going on and on. Partly hating Amar for marrying his enemy's daughter and then realising that he isn't that close to Amar and then sheerly hating him for how he planned on treating the princess of the kingdom, though his enemy.
His mind gave sight to him just in time as he pulled the reins of his steed about to jump off a cliff and revealed the sight of his kingdom. Up to its glory and praise. His kingdom stood with such might that he, the king himself was a tad bit intimidated by it.
He sighed putting out all his thoughts, his mind wandered around the fact that the aura of his kingdom was optimistic. He waited to meet his wife. His friend.
.  .  .  .
Taking her hand in his Vihaan pecked her on the forehead while she still lay in her bed. Sadhana smiled, almost evilly. She rolled her eyes at him and snatched her hand back.
"That is the most spouse thing you've done in your entire life." She said hitting him on his arm. Vihaan cackled a bit and lay a hand on Sadhana's swollen gut.
"I'm just happy. It's just a matter of a few weeks. I'll hold the heir of the kingdom in my hands." He smiled as Sadhana looked every attentively at him. He seemed content. He seemed happy for once in a blue moon. His brows were calm and his cedar eyes were gleaming as he spoke with his eyes to the moon. He took her hands in his again while he blabbered on about him and his child.
"You do know that there's a chance that you can only have one of us in the end right?" She asked while Vihaan's grip loosened from her hands. He was stoic. He almost glared at her.
"Why do you say that?" He uttered.
"Well, that is the truth."
"I won't let that happen."
"You can't do anything about the fact that I have a weak womb and it is a big thing that I have taken care of this life for so long."
"Whatever may happen, I'm not going to lose either of you."
"Can you guys stop?" Nandini's voice cut through their words. She strode in with a face of disbelief. Vihaan sighed in dismay knowing his sister was good at eavesdropping.
"Firstly, I wasn't eavesdropping, I heard you guys while I was walking in." She spoke and found Vihaan trying to talk back, "and before you say it's the same, brother, I never intended on hearing the conversation."
That shut Vihaan up for good. Nandini yanked him off the bed with surreal strength. She looked mad.
"The thing is that...you two should stop with this doom and gloom. The doctor said it's just a chance, we don't know for sure yet." The couple, sensing fact in her words gave in without trying to answer back to her.
"And you," Nandini pointed at Vihaan, "Acharya needs to meet you so get lost." She said as she huddled closer to Sadhana. Vihaan scowled at her and aimed a blow at her head as he headed out of the room.
He heard Nandini slightly mumble, "jerk" under her breath. He smirked and hurried along the hallways.
.  .  .  .
"It's good that you've won, Amar, but I think you should stop now. We don't need to conquer the whole of Bharat. You're going to be a father now." Acharya Chitrabhanu laid a hand on Vihaan's shoulder as Vihaan stared at his feet.
"But Acharya, becoming a father won't affect my skills. It won't make me weak. You've taught me not to feel something too much, I'll still be an able king." Vihaan uttered, his voice shook and uneasy.
"No, son. I'm not saying it because I believe you'll become weak. You've done everything I've asked for in these past six years. It's time," Chitrabhanu turned, "that I listen to my king. I won't be your Guru anymore, I'll be forever your loyal Mahamatya."
.  .  .  .
The night was at its peak but Vihaan was awake. Though his head was in his mother's lap, he was not able to sleep. Something troubled him. Something disturbing.
"Is it right, Ma? Treating someone naïve like leverage?" Vihaan asked. Rajmata Bhadra ruffled Vihaan's hair.
"It isn't. It's fair game when you know the other person is as cunning as you are but to a naïve person? No. They are gullible and yet they are humans too. They can get hurt." Rajmata cupped Vihaan's face.
"And when you know that it's happening, what should you do?"
"Try your best to save the person from the pain."
.  .  .  .
The new morning in the kingdom brought sudden doom to the kingdom. Eleven small villages of the outskirts of the mighty kingdom stood burnt to the ground. The kingdom was in shivers.
Knowing what Vihaan knew, he set out. No mind to his Acharya's words. He paid no mind to Sadhana's womb. At this stage, he just craved revenge. He wanted to end Shiladhika.
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