Mahina, capital city of Durja

It had been a long time since he had gone out with any of his family members for an evening stroll. Like most of the people who love to simply spend their leisure time walking through the night market and talk unrelated stuffs, Dhruva was fond of it too. Today he was doing it with his brother.

They walked through the mildly crowded market in disguise and stopped at every stall that sparked Prithvi's interest. In their first day out together, Dhruva found out it was Prithvi's very first visit to the city's central market. It was like an explosion of emotion, Prithvi was excited, curious and grateful for Dhruva to bring him out. The crown prince realised how much the queen have kept her son under her thumb and have deprived him of the simple joy, if only she had let Prithvi be as how he should be.

"Dhruva! Look at these," Prithvi pulled out a sack of blocks made of woods and dangled it in mid-air. "Why didn't they have this kind of toys there?" He asked while inspecting each perfectly finished wood cubes in the sack.

Then it crossed his mind, the palace never brought in any toys for his siblings nor did they give his to them. Why did the queen restrict the simplest joy of a child? The thought whooshed past as quick as it came when Prithvi called him from another stall nearby.

After an exciting visit at every stall, they finally navigated themselves to a street food stall at the other side of the market. The stall was sheltered under a wide canopy of dried palm leaves with small short tables arranged orderly and a mat underneath. Prithvi took his first scoop of stir-fried rice, a dish originated from a country called Shin, far on the east.

"Hmm... this is good," gabbled Prithvi with his mouth full.

"Tasty, isn't it?"

"I didn't know we have foods from other countries here."

"These are people who travelled to explore other part of the world and choose to settle in a place they could call their new home," explained Dhruva as he scooped a spoon of mushroom stew from his bowl.

"That makes our Durja home to more than our own people too," Prithvi scanned the small stall while Dhruva observed his brother.

A quick inspection later, Prithvi turned his attention back to Dhruva. "Although the stall is kept clean, it needs a better place to operate. The ground isn't flat enough to have stable table," he said as he demonstrated the light wobbliness of the table. "We should talk to the City Management Minister to have a proper place built for food stalls."

Prithvi's suggestion was a reminder to Dhruva that his brother has a better developing plan for the city than the so-called minister the royal household has at the moment. Dhruva took note to keep it in mind.

"Oh, I actually had something else to ask you." Prithvi set the spoon on the plate and linked his fingers together. "If you don't mind, it's about something I saw in your room," he added.

"In my room?" Dhruva scratched his chin and thought for a second before giving Prithvi the go-ahead nod.

The young prince leaned across the table, he whispered, "It's a pair of anklets. I saw you keeping it in a box earlier." He leaned back with an impish smile plastered on his face.

Dhruva felt caught in a mid of a theft. Puzzled either to share the truth or to hid the truth to his new found bond, his brother. Exposing his secret venture to Kavish might not turn too well if it falls on the ears of the palace and his people especially if they learn about the owner of the anklets. He feared things might go wrong even before he could explain. Yet hiding it from his brother meant he did not trust him enough. Is this right? He debated before Prithvi's voice snapped him out.

"Is it your deepest secret?" The smile still attached on his face as he relaxed and unlinked his fingers. "It's alright if you don't want to share it."

The sizzle of water on the wok from the back of the stall filled their silence. Dhruva was contemplating yet again, he wanted to trust his brother yet he didn't know if it was the right choice. What can go wrong if the king and queen learns about it? Will they finally charge an attack on Kavish and get their thirst for revenge quenched? Dhruva shook his head; it wasn't an acceptable reason to wage a war. How stupid. But what will the affected people of Durja do if they learn about his venture to Kavish and liking someone from there? He left the question without giving it an answer; he certainly knew nothing of how people would react and so he made his choice.

A reasonable choice to share and wait for whatever his choice might bring to him, to his country and to her country.

*-*-*-*-*-*

The general ground in Mahina was vacant, devoid of people after the tenth bell. Under the dark sky studded with stars, the two brothers sat in the centre of the ground. A vast space with an advantage to avoid eavesdroppers. Dhruva had brought Prithvi into the field and disclose his venture to the east, his encounter with a lady he had grown to like and his fear that might follow because of his interest over her.

"So, what if you fall in love and marry someone from Kavish? Why do you think the people will oppose if the two kingdoms decide to unite?" asked Prithvi, his eyebrows drew together and he continued without an answer from Dhruva.

"I am aware that some of our people have lost their loved ones in the riot years ago but they should also understand because of that one event, men in Kavish, even today are paying the price for it," said Prithvi with his breath turning heavy, remembering the blood stains and shackles he saw in Yalin. "Only if people knew how to control themselves, they wouldn't have lost their lives. If the matter was between the two kings, then it should have been only them involved to dispute but people took it in their hands." He drew circles and crosses on the sandy ground. "Like a fool." He added, softly.

Dhruva watched his brother in awe, absorbing Prithvi's opinions and noticing the same emotion run through him. For a moment, he stayed baffled to have found someone who thinks alike. At last, he wasn't alone in the family to feel the way he does.

"Dhruva," he called. "Was Dilipan a man loved by all? Was he a king without a crown?" He asked of the man who was said to be killed by the former king of Kavish in Mount Gaja sixteen years ago.

"I don't think he was anyone but an advisor to the king."

"Well, that said, if anyone should have a problem then it should be the queen. Even she had given up on vengeance than why do people need to react otherwise," Prithvi said and laid a hand on Dhruva's shoulder. "Dhruva, forget it. You need to think of yourself too. If she is the one, you should find the right time to talk to the king and queen. I'll gladly back you up." He plucked a spikelet from a patch of grass nearby and handed to his brother.

With an escape of laughter, he took the spikelet and twist it in between his thumb and index finger. "You are seventeen but speak like that of an old man," Dhruva remarked with a relieve to finally have a ray of hope falling on him.

Prithvi rose to his feet and dusted his pants. "Right, I may be young but I am well aware of worldly matters." Prithvi dramatically spread his arms wide before extending a hand to Dhruva.

"By the way," he spoke as they rounded a corner leading to the main road. "Who is this girl and how much do you like her?" Mirth glinting in his eyes as his brows danced.

The older one gave a thought to Prithvi's second half of his question. "I like her enough to have her in my thoughts every day, especially for her well-being." The smile he had on his face was a rather sad smile. "I still worry for her at times and I don't know why."

Dhruva kept a hand on his chest to calm his heartbeat, he had a glimpse of her in his mind. "The princess of Kavish, a beauty inside out."

Too immerse in Dhruva's little insight of the lady, Prithvi almost missed out the last phrase but he caught it. "What?" His eyes widen at the revelation. He shook his head for a long while drawing his lower lip between his teeth, a hand combing through the back of his hair. Prithvi was doing his own calculation.

Dhruva observed his brother with added curiosity in attempt to read through his brother's mind. His verbal expression was an understandable one but Prithvi's following action worried him. Like the younger mind was doing its own assessment, Dhruva dived in as well but only to realise how bad of an idea it was to even thinking of merging the two kingdoms.

While they can certainly control the people's reaction to the news, how will they be able to pull the troublemaker out of Durja? When the said troublemaker's sole intention had been to put the ruler and people of Kavish in a devastated position, how will bringing a daughter of the Heramba to the same place where the threat lives be a call for peace?

"Dhruva," Prithvi called, pulling Dhruva to face him. "I think a union will surely bring both the countries to a brighter side. It will be a good opportunity to bring the lost connection back, revive a small part of the economies and harmonise the relationship between the people and the kingdoms," he exclaimed.

"No, I ... How Prithvi?" Dhruva couldn't disagree, for Prithvi's point of view was partly possible if not fully.

"Come to think of it, if the union happens, we could hire expertise on architecture and sculptors which only belongs in Kavish to get our own kingdom a new look. Now if you just look around, our city is dead with nothing extraordinary to see. Likewise, we can offer them our ironsmiths in a reasonable rate. Think of development Dhruva, both will be benefited."

Dhruva was left dumbfounded with Prithvi's bright foresight of the future.

But at what cost?

*-*-*-*-*-*

Yalin, Durja

They have travelled for the last eight days through jungles and hills in search for the underground prison and cave chambers Ashutosh knew about. It was all a futile effort when they only discovered an abandoned prisons with scraps of metals, traces of blood and smell of human excreta. Every stop had been dreadful, only strengthening her choice to give herself up to Alli in return for her captured people. All doors seem to lead to an end of a tunnel with no hope. Nakshathra, her three guards along with Ashutosh found nothing to track the people who were once tied in there.

Nakshathra sat outside a hut they had come across on their way to another prison Ashutosh was leading them. In a hill surrounded with trees and wild plants, an old lady lived in a relatively large timber house. The sun had long set and the darkness took over for the rest of the night bringing in bright shining stars. She gazed up the star-studded sky seeking for some kind of plausible turn of event where she could reach her people and bring them back. As the night turned in, her mind too blanketed in darkness.

Too engrossed in glooming over her circumstances, the presence of another person next to her was almost unnoticed until she heard a light cough. The owner of the house, a hunched lady with thick black hair bunched at the nape of her neck sat next to her. "What a young lady like you sitting at the doorway with a face like that?" The lady asked, scrunching her own face to show how Nakshathra looked at the moment.

Nakshathra bit back a laugh, the lady although exaggerated with the expression, she looked adorable. The young princess read the lady's serene face. Living in a hill away from the people and without any kind of communication, she resembled of peace yet people with everything with them couldn't find happiness. The lady who attacked her in Gupagam forest crossed her mind, what was her reason to react the way she has been for all these years?

A touch on her arm hauled her out of the Gupagam forest memory. "You are lost, again." The lady's forehead marred with lines of worry. She headed back inside and returned with a cup of water. "Drink this slowly," she said as she caressed Nakshathra's back gently.

"I heard it from the men back there." The lady started after a while pointing to the inside of the house where Nakshathra's guards and Ashutosh were staying for the night. "You are looking for prisoners?"

Nakshathra contemplated for a moment then nodded. "Yes. They are captives caught from another country. I'm here to take them back to their families." As she said, Nakshathra realised how long the abduction has been going on and it pained her to think how much they have taken their time. "This has to come to an end and I am all in for it..." She breathed in, gulping the lump growing in her throat. "No matter what it takes."

The lady tittered and tapped her back. "I am sure you will succeed. You might meet people who will help you along the way because I have met them already."

Nakshathra turned attentive, her back straight, completely focused on the lady. "Who? Are they here? Where can I meet them?"

"Take it easy, young lady," she said in a firm tone. "They were three men whom I knew not about their identity but when I told them about the cave that used to hold prisoners, they grew concern. I believe they share the same intention as you," answered the lady.

Nakshathra fell into another round of pondering, who were they and where I can find them? Will they be of any help and will I able to pull this off without throwing myself to Alli's mercy?

"Kavish Rajakumari?" The lady called, catching her off guard. The lady's mouth curved into a smile as Nakshathra stared in horror at her. "You are doing a great job and your people whom you will meet if you succeed and those who have left the earth will be grateful to you."

"How—" Nakshathra said, barely audible.

"I am old enough to differentiate accents. You did well but slipped here and there." The lady took Nakshathra's hand between hers. "Your strong eastern accent in a few words, your mannerism and the emotion you displayed with your pretty eyes told me as much."

Overwhelmed at being too at ease before the lady, Nakshathra hung her head low. She had given away her identity even without mentioning it, if she continued the way she did, many will know about her soon. What will that bring her to? And before she could mull over the thought, the lady called her again.

"I have a suggestion," she begin, tapping the back of Nakshathra's hand. "Maybe the crown prince of this country will help you. I heard he is a man of golden heart," postulated the lady in hope to be of help.

A wave of tense passed through her veins. Sweat broke out her palms as her body begin to warm up at the mention of seeking the help of the... Crown Prince? It's coming back to where this entire thing begun.

*-*-*-*--*