Dhruva Nakshathra - The Game of Alliance ✔

E L E V E N

Sikva, capital city of Kavish

"This isn't helping." Nakshathra slammed a manuscript she had been reading for the last three days on her desk in frustration.

All of her attempt to distract her mind had only proved her to be a failure. None of it helped. Neither her all-time favourite reading aided her nor her self-confinement did the trick. Nakshathra knew she was exhausting herself but she wasn't finding a way to get herself rid of all the things running in her head. Three things in particular, Agathiyan's proposition, her brother's assumption of the marriage alliance and the missing people, all of these were messing up with her mind. The fact all of it connects to one irked her more, Durja and the crown prince.

She sank to the floor and laid on her back, vacantly stared at the ceiling. Why must I bear the weight to bring the people's misery to an end? Nakshathra loved her people but she loved herself more. She often prioritises herself to be always cheerful, to avoid going into an argument—sometimes she couldn't help but to start it herself, her happiness tops the list along with maintaining healthy relationships with her people but sacrifice wasn't one of them. That isn't self-centred, it's self-care. I need to keep myself happy at all times.

Nakshathra had trained herself to see the positivity around her but the last few days had shown her that she was yet to master the ability to stay positive and calm at all times. The ceiling blurred; a tear spilled from the corner of her eyes. Too much overthinking had drained her energy, she felt a large lump in her throat.

Something her elder sister-in-law, Kaamini shared some time ago resurfaced. Going out helps.

"That's right. I should run away as far as I can," she told herself as she dragged her weak body to the mirror. She startled at her reflection, her round eyes sagged with tiredness and bagged with dark circles. Nakshathra looked awful. "Should I take a dip and groom myself?" The longer she stared the louder she could hear her inner self screaming to do so.

Stepping out of her chambers did not seem hard after the third step. She welcomed the warm breeze brushing pass her carrying the fragrant of lily from the pond in the garden. The bells in her anklet announced her presence and garner her a series of amused look from each working member she walked pass. Has it been that long or have I changed too much? Nevertheless, she kept her ever charming smile playing on her lips as she strode out of the palace without the guards tailing her from a distance.

While her mind decided to sit by the river Smiti and perhaps catch up with some of the people she often speaks to, her legs had some other plan. With a mind on its own, her route was diverted to the direction heading her to a secret spot known to the siblings alone. Their little hideout, a cottage built by the brothers was a place where they talk about everything and anything forbidden in the palace. A place hidden in the forest close to the mountains.

When Nakshathra reached to a small path at the border of the woods, she made sure no one followed behind her. Thirty minutes of hike later, she found the hideout well hidden behind the wild creepers and trees. As she neared the cottage, she realised she wasn't alone. What could be a better time and place than their hideout to be with them. She stepped in and her presence in the cottage brought surprise to the brothers who were already in there, in a good way. They welcomed her with a big smile and hugs as if she had just returned from a long trip away from them.

"It's good to see you out of the palace finally," said Nakul as they settled at the small table at the end of the cottage.

She simply smiled and let the brothers talk but her silence wasn't making any of them feel better. They rather have her talk all day than watch her have inner battle with whatever that was bothering her within.