Dhruva Nakshathra - The Game of Alliance ✔

FORTY-FIVE

Mahina, capital city of Durja

It had been a long time since he had gone out with any of his family members for an evening stroll. Like most of the people who love to simply spend their leisure time walking through the night market and talk unrelated stuffs, Dhruva was fond of it too. Today he was doing it with his brother.

They walked through the mildly crowded market in disguise and stopped at every stall that sparked Prithvi's interest. In their first day out together, Dhruva found out it was Prithvi's very first visit to the city's central market. It was like an explosion of emotion, Prithvi was excited, curious and grateful for Dhruva to bring him out. The crown prince realised how much the queen have kept her son under her thumb and have deprived him of the simple joy, if only she had let Prithvi be as how he should be.

"Dhruva! Look at these," Prithvi pulled out a sack of blocks made of woods and dangled it in mid-air. "Why didn't they have this kind of toys there?" He asked while inspecting each perfectly finished wood cubes in the sack.

Then it crossed his mind, the palace never brought in any toys for his siblings nor did they give his to them. Why did the queen restrict the simplest joy of a child? The thought whooshed past as quick as it came when Prithvi called him from another stall nearby.

After an exciting visit at every stall, they finally navigated themselves to a street food stall at the other side of the market. The stall was sheltered under a wide canopy of dried palm leaves with small short tables arranged orderly and a mat underneath. Prithvi took his first scoop of stir-fried rice, a dish originated from a country called Shin, far on the east.

"Hmm... this is good," gabbled Prithvi with his mouth full.

"Tasty, isn't it?"

"I didn't know we have foods from other countries here."

"These are people who travelled to explore other part of the world and choose to settle in a place they could call their new home," explained Dhruva as he scooped a spoon of mushroom stew from his bowl.

"That makes our Durja home to more than our own people too," Prithvi scanned the small stall while Dhruva observed his brother.

A quick inspection later, Prithvi turned his attention back to Dhruva. "Although the stall is kept clean, it needs a better place to operate. The ground isn't flat enough to have stable table," he said as he demonstrated the light wobbliness of the table. "We should talk to the City Management Minister to have a proper place built for food stalls."

Prithvi's suggestion was a reminder to Dhruva that his brother has a better developing plan for the city than the so-called minister the royal household has at the moment. Dhruva took note to keep it in mind.

"Oh, I actually had something else to ask you." Prithvi set the spoon on the plate and linked his fingers together. "If you don't mind, it's about something I saw in your room," he added.

"In my room?" Dhruva scratched his chin and thought for a second before giving Prithvi the go-ahead nod.

The young prince leaned across the table, he whispered, "It's a pair of anklets. I saw you keeping it in a box earlier." He leaned back with an impish smile plastered on his face.

Dhruva felt caught in a mid of a theft. Puzzled either to share the truth or to hid the truth to his new found bond, his brother. Exposing his secret venture to Kavish might not turn too well if it falls on the ears of the palace and his people especially if they learn about the owner of the anklets. He feared things might go wrong even before he could explain. Yet hiding it from his brother meant he did not trust him enough. Is this right? He debated before Prithvi's voice snapped him out.