The palace walls felt tighter than ever, suffocating under the weight of scandal.
Shubman had spoken his truth before the court, defying his title, his marriage, his dutyâall for Yashasvi. But words alone would not be enough to keep them safe.
They had to leave.
That very night, Shubman slipped through the corridors in silence, his heart pounding. The guards were more alert than usual, the air heavy with tension.
He had always known that loyalty within the palace was fickleâtonight, it could mean life or death.
He found Yashasvi waiting in the shadows near the servantâs quarters, a small satchel clutched tightly in his hands.
His eyes, always sharp, held an emotion Shubman had never seen beforeâfear? yes, but also hope.
âAre you sure?â Yashasvi whispered, his voice trembling.
Shubman reached for him without hesitation. âI have never been more sure of anything.â
No more stolen glances.
No more hushed whispers in dark hallways.
No more hiding.
Together, they moved like ghosts through the palace, past the grand halls and towering pillars that had once dictated their fates.
A single mistake, a single sound, and it would all be over. But luck, or perhaps fate, was on their side.
The stables were empty when they arrived. Shubman mounted a horse with ease before pulling Yashasvi up behind him, the warmth of his body pressed against his back.
Yashasvi exhaled shakily. âWhere will we go?â
âSomewhere they will never find us,â Shubman promised, gripping the reins.
With a sharp kick, the horse bolted forward, carrying them away from the only life they had ever known.
The wind howled around them, the night stretching endlessly ahead. And as the palace faded into the distance, neither of them looked back.
Days turned into weeks.
They traveled through quiet villages and dense forests, away from prying eyes and whispered court gossip.
Shubman had once been a prince, a man draped in gold and silk, but here, he was simply a man who loved another with reckless abandon.
And Yashasviâo nce a servant, now freeâlearned what it meant to live without fear.
One evening, as they sat beneath the open sky, Yashasvi turned to Shubman with a small, disbelieving smile. âDo you ever regret it?â
Shubman tilted his head. âRegret what?â
âLeaving,â Yashasvi murmured. âEverything you had. Everything you were.â
Shubman reached out, tucking a stray strand of hair behind Yashasviâs ear. âI never left anything that mattered.â
Yashasviâs breath hitched, his heart pounding as Shubmanâs fingers lingered against his skin. The warmth of his touch, the quiet certainty in his voiceâit was overwhelming.
And then, Shubman leaned in, his lips brushing against Yashasviâs in a kiss that was soft yet certain, gentle yet filled with all the love they had fought so hard for.
Yashasvi melted into it, his hands finding their way to Shubmanâs chest, feeling the steady heartbeat beneath his fingertips. Thisâthis was real. This was theirs.
When they finally pulled apart, Shubman pressed their foreheads together, a smile tugging at his lips. âI would do it all over again,â he whispered.
Yashasvi let out a breathless laugh, his fingers curling into Shubmanâs tunic as he whispered back, âSo would I.â
And so, under the vast expanse of the night sky, far from the world that had once tried to keep them apart, they sealed their loveânot with words, but with a kiss that spoke of forever.
The End.