Dhruva Nakshathra - The Game of Alliance ✔

FORTY

Kingdom of Durja

Tall boundary wall covered in moss welcomed them with a warmth of a mother. A sense of familiarity hit their nerves like an old friend. Each one cheered and hooted as they galloped pass the gigantic iron gate handled by a small troop of soldiers. They were few hours away from their home and the excitement to get back home had reached its peak. Twenty-four Yujyagana and a prince were riding back to Durja after almost five months of being away. Although they relish the long travels around Lambodara, they loved their home more than anything.

It had to be, wasn't it? But prince of Durja remained unperturbed on returning to his land after so long. The palace had always been a distant bond to him. Despite holding the crown prince title, he had been the less favoured child by the family and the royal court. Perhaps the queen's favour to her own children and her influence on courtier had turned the court's loyalty on them instead of remaining with him.

Dhruva let the emotion run pass him as they together raced towards the golden city gates as it slowly tore open to welcome its crown prince and his Yujyagana. Durja's proud crest of a war elephant trumpeting with its two legs raised up standing on its hind welded to the gate greeted him with bravery and strength as it would all the time.

How irony? Someone from a kingdom known for its bravery were attacking another kingdom in a hush and in such a dishonourable manner. It was an act of cowardice, he called and on the hunt for the coward, he was.

Dhruva took no more than an hour to get himself freshen and readied himself to meet the king and the queen who demanded his presence in the former's office room. The walk from his chamber to the king's wing had been a tedious one, especially for his little brain, trying to come up with plausible answers for the predictable questions his father would ask him. Nevertheless, as he reached the large iron double door guarded by four well trained guards, the chatter in his mind vanished.

Gush of cold breeze brushed him as the doors opened, the front most of the office was the waiting room, bronze-coloured velvet curtain embroidered with silver motifs hung behind the exquisite chairs parting the chamber into two. His gaze fell on the scattered papers and loose petals of duke jasmine laid on the floor in the waiting room. The presences of his step-sisters were clearly on display for only they had the privilege for such flower. The sound of giggles and muffled voices told him they were still in office room.

Dhruva parted the curtain, his father, the king of Durja was seated behind the desk. The last time Dhruva met his father, his hair had more black than grey but five months later grey had taken over. The king appeared older than his age but nonetheless happier with his daughters and wife, the widen smile and deepen lines at the corner of his eyes said so much.

The room came to a pin drop silence. The crown prince always had the effect of silencing the room by his presence not because of he was a crown prince but simply because he was him. The son of the late queen Brinda, the legitimate heir of the throne, the most looked upon royal child and the most favoured prince in the army yet not liked by the queen and her children.

It was expected of them to shun him since the queen and her children might have received second class treatment many years ago by almost everyone but his father displaying the similar cold shoulder showed him how unimportant he was to the king. Things had been different before his mother passed and before the current queen had her first child. Back then, his father loved and adored him for the equal love and kindness he showed everyone.

Now, in front of him seated was the king who only sees him as a crown prince whom he most likely wasn't happy to have him hold the title, or so he thought. Sometimes, his father's action would have him wonder if his father was persuadable by the queen. Nonetheless, Dhruva put on a smile and marched forward. He greeted the king and the queen with a curtsy bow and a formal nod to his sisters who had averted their gaze away from him. He wished they would return his gesture with at least a small smile.