✓ Fearless - Book 1 of The Rajkumari Trilogy

Chapter 4

Chapter 4
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Suruchi guided the crying woman in her arms to her chambers.

"Please Suruchi, go away, I want to be alone," Revati said, refusing to meet her gaze. Suruchi nodded and silently went away.

For several days, Revati did not leave her room. Suruchi brought meals up to her chambers where she ate alone. She started bringing her friends with her to see Revati once in a while and she adjusted better. She went out to the garden more often and she even came down for meals.

One day, Revati decided to open up to her friend about her guilt. She was lying in bed when Suruchi had come up to wish her good night and to blow off the lamps.

Revati called out to her before she left. "I had jus-just gone outside for some air that day, a-and," she managed before she took a deep shuddering breath. "It's all my fault, Suruchi... all mine. Now because of me, our kingdoms will get into a feud. I'm sure he must be plotting something against father!"

"No, no, princess. It was fate, what has to happen has to happen," her friend whispered soothingly as she sat beside Revati's sleeping figure.

"The self-defense that you taught me was all forgotten at the time. All of it was gone in the blink of an eye," she said, sitting up, her confidence more firm this time. "I know a few moves, but I want perfection. Complete perfection. Suruchi train me."

Suruchi smiled at the word 'train'. A year ago, the princess was taught some moves for her self-protection but never brushed the concept of fighting or attacking.

She stood up. "Tomorrow, the restricted garden, at 4 in the morning. Your training clothes are in the left-hand compartment in the hidden panel below."

"How..."

She shrugged. "I thought you might need them someday. Looks like I was right. Remember tomorrow's timings." She told before walking out of her chambers leaving Revati to gape in shock.

"4 in the morning...!" she said to herself as she covered herself with the thick duvet and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Revati rose early the next morning.

She bathed, got dressed, and snuck into the kitchen to snag some rotis and some fruits. Her hair was a flailing river of ebony behind her as she ran quickly towards the gardens. Once she came to the restricted garden gate, she carefully pushed it open and stepped in. She parted the thorny bushes and ventured inwards.

I'm finally in the restricted gardens! she thought gleefully, as a childhood memory resurfaced. Her friends talked about ghosts in a haunted cave behind the gate. But her father had told her the real reason back then, after she had woken up in the middle of the night and clutched her father's leg, complaining about her nightmare.

He had smiled and caressed her head lovingly as he held her. He had told her that's there used to be another small garden. But because rocks from the rock hill attached to it used to tumble down occasionally, it was declared unsafe and closed for all. After that, little Revati had never been frightened by the ghost tales of the garden.

The king's words rang true. Revati saw a huge, steep, rock hill right in front of her. But luckily there was a tiny crack on the side just wide enough for her to squeeze through. Does father know of this?

As she came to the other side, she stepped into a caving about the size of a tiny room. The rocky walls blocked any hint of sunlight but fire torches were lit up. A staircase cut from rock was attached to the opposite side, leading up. She felt a jolt of excitement as she took in the scene before her, feeling like she was some secret spy in a secret hideout.