Royals

24 - The Lost Princess

(A/n : please check out my new book Broken Shards. It's a modern day romance. I'd love your feedback and support. Thank you.
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Aditya touched Anandani's feet as a mark of respect as the servants hushed out on her dismissive wave.

"What brought you here in the middle of night?" She said, in a voice both vexed and tired.

"I comprehend that you do not approve of the announcement I made but I have come to discuss another subject altogether."

"You have my attention, my boy." She seated herself in a huge armchair by the balcony.

"Who is Sitaara?" The sudden change in her posture and the glimpse of nervousness didn't go unnoticed by him but he decided to hold his ground.

"Why do you ask?" She said in a rather dull tone.

"Is she my sister?" He ignored the previous question.

"Was."

"How come I don't remember her?"

"Because you were too young."

"I know when you're lying massi sa. I need to know the truth." His voice softened as she sighed admitting defeat all too easily. She patted her lap just like she used to when he was a little boy and he rested his head on her lap, kneeling beside her like the old days as Anandani Devi began the saga of 'The Lost Princess.'

" Sitaara was your sister, many years older than you, a great warrior, better than you even today. But she wasn't a royal. She was the illegitimate daughter of your mother, my sister. A child born out of love affair." She sighed not knowing how much to go back in time to explain all the nasty affair.

"Start from the beginning," Aditya said lazily as his mind kept making round trips to Maisha, his insecurities and the possible heartbreak.

"How do I put this...," she paused before gathering up enough courage to spill the dirty secrets to his innocent and ignorant son. He was a son to her. " Being the elder sister, I was supposed to wed your father. But Sulekha got knocked up and one day, I caught her from committing suicide. She told me about her lover and the child. She was so scared, that bastard blackmailed her as soon as she found out and told him. He said he'd tell everyone if she didn't ask Dad, you grandpa, to give him a position in the Royal Court. She was so regretful, I knew she'd never repeat that mistake. I took her with me to the borders where new military bases were set up."

"You were the Chief Commander of Grandpa's Army afterall," he smiled.

"And I used my power. We lived there for almost a year and when we came back, Sitaara was born. My daughter, not hers."

"Grandpa must've been mad." He wondered.

"Would've killed me if not my father," she laughed. " Almost banished me to exile after I won't open my mouth about the father. Mother saved me. Put me to a house arrest."

"Then mother married father?" He asked.

"Well, your father wouldn't marry a woman with a fatherless, bastard child? I never would have, had I been in his shoes. I was a taint to our small kingdom from then on. Anyways, then I met your mausaji," she smiled remiscently.

"He was the Senapati of the Chaulakyas. Prithviraj was a man of honour and a heart full of love. I wasn't supposed to make my existence known till Sulekha was successfully betrothed. I don't know what excuse my parents used for handing her hand in marriage instead of mine and explaining my absence from the wedding but whatever it was, it worked. I met Prithviraj while singing Sitaara to sleep one day. I laughed at him from the window to the garden, where he bragged about his war feats to our cousins." She smiled at the fond memory.