Dhruva Nakshathra - The Game of Alliance ✔

T E N

Sikva, capital city of Kavish

The view from the Aker tower offered a perspective only distance could provide. Carts and carriages moved about carrying people and goods to their destinations, indicating a smooth transportation system in the city. Markets and stalls were crowded as always showing remarkable progress of economic just as their ministers reported in the meeting.

Everything in the city that falls under his control had been ceaseless with no interruption yet something troubled him. Something to do with his sister, her silence and the story she told him. The story. It disturbed him the most, the story did not seem to be a story written by their Achi rather a made up one. Connecting the dots, he could only come up with one thing and that did not sound good to him in any way.

A light slap on the back of his shoulders broke his train of thoughts. Parthiban turns to find his younger brother standing with a big grin and two glasses of sherbet in each of his hands.

"What's troubling my brother?" Nathan asked, handing a glass to Parthiban as the younger one leaned against the sill.

"A matter that might trouble you too," he winked and continued. "It's about Nakshathra." Parthiban took a sip of the sherbet. He looked around, this could be the best place and time to share with his brother on what was going on in his head. Sharing with either Nathan or Nakul would help him ease a little.

"Is this how you call someone to have a talk, Nathan?" a third voice boomed from the staircase and Nakul walked in unusually with a similar glass. "Leaving a glass of sherbet outside of my chamber with a note, 'meet me in Aker tower?" asked the eldest brother as he playfully threw a crunched note at Nathan.

"Trying to make things livelier, anna. See, the note got you curious and brought you here in no time." Nathan gave a lopsided grin and added, "Well, the reason I called you here is Parthi."

"Me?"

"Yes, look at you. You are a growing to be the second version of Nakshathra now. Quiet and lost," answered Nathan as he dramatically moved his hand in the air and turned to Nakul. "You noticed this too, right?"

The older brother nodded in agreement. "Yes, I did. Tell us Parthi. What is disturbing you?"

Parthiban looked around once again, making sure no guards stay close to them. Satisfied, he shared what was troubling him for past few days. "I have been thinking about Nakshathra. Remember when we were in Mount Gaja and she spoke about how the people were sad for their losses?" her asked.

The brothers nodded. "What about it?" Nakul's brows narrowed.

"I think that had to be the starting point."

"Starting point of what?" Interrupted Nathan.

"I am coming to the that, Nathu. From the moment we left Mount Gaja till we returned to palace and a few days after, she was quiet and confined in her room. Everyone noticed her change, even father grew concern of her. So, I spoke to her and she kind of covered up with some made up story. I don't think such story exist in Achi's library, though," Parthiban explained as they observed the city's activity from the tower.

"What was the story about?" asked Nakul, pulling his falling shawl over his shoulder.

Parthiban disclosed about the story Nakshathra had narrated to him and he raised his concern of it possibly not being just a story. "She asked me, what I think about it and when I talked about the marriage alliance might have hidden agenda. Her face turned pale."

"I don't get it. Why should she worry about a story Achi written long back?" asked Nathan as he emptied the glass of sherbet.

"I'll help you clear the doubt," said Parthiban and elaborated, "Let's replace the two families with two kingdoms." He paused and let it sink in them. "Now, say if the story is actually taking place in real time. One of the two kingdoms would be us and the other, Durja. It's obvious because the entire Lambodara knows we are the only kingdoms that don't go along. So, there might be someone or a group of people who wants to genuinely put off the enmity or have some other intention behind it and could have put the thought to Nakshathra. I think you both could have guessed it and I don't think I like what is going on in Nakshathra's head."