TRIAL-END OF AN ERA

Chapter-58

It's early in the morning. The servants were busier than usual. They were all engaged in packing Alok's stuff as he will leave today to the imperial school. Alok was walking to and fro in the corridor lost in thoughts. As soon as he saw his di, he rushed and hugged her tightly, he didn't even pay attention to his brother in law standing beside him to bid farewell.

"Alok, I won't be coming to the school. Charan and Abhik will be with you." He looked at her, who was waiting for his explanation. So he went to her and whispered, "since I am a trusted guard of the crowned prince, some scholars may recognize me and blow off the cover. Then it will be troublesome."

"Ok then, but I also want to join them." She looked at him with blinking eyes and slowly pulled his hands for approval. He sighed and nodded.

They left in the chariot and he rode to the court with Ashok.

"Lord, why did you send Charan with sister in law? You know he still doesn't like and trust her but chooses to be silent just because of your orders. Won't this step be dangerous?" Ashok worried and asked him in the court during their break.

"Yes I know and that's why I sent him. Ashoka, Charan is my best soldier and the one I can trust completely and the one I believe to protect her in my absence. So if he doesn't trust her, then leaving her with him in critical situations would be like drawing in sand; shallow.

This journey will change his misunderstanding towards her and I am sure she will succeed in this task."

By evening, they reached the school. All the way Alok was holding her hands tightly as if he couldn't live without his di. It sounds a little bit unreal as they are only acquainted for months but they both treat each other as real siblings, something not seen easily. On reaching the gates of school, Alok and she went to the school while they both stayed back. Alok was welcomed by the scholars in the school. She hugged him and bid farewell. A mixture of relief and anxiety overwhelmed her. Her eyes had tears rolling waiting to drip.

Since it would take almost half a day to reach Dashur back, they decided to stay in at a tavern in the night. Finally Charan and Amanya were sitting face to face, here there is no Yuvan to hold him back. Seeing the situation becoming tense and remembering his brother's orders to let them talk freely, Abhik arbitrarily started a conversation.

"Di.. can you tell us something about the devil."

"Devil??"

"I mean your serpent queen."

"Hey Abhik, I have noticed many times that you are really curious about our commander."

"Who is not curious about her. Di.. tell me .." He started to act cute and pleaded, which was rather funny that even Charan started laughing."

"Ok.. ok, what do you want to know?"

"Anything is fine whether it is about her or her army but it must be new for us."

"Hmm.. In Hiranga, if you are arrested by Hawks then the smallest penalty is fine and it ranges to jail and highest is death. But for Serpents, the lightest penalty is death."

"Huh??"

"I have heard from her that in the recently arranged Decade conference, she was really rude even to the ministers and showed no respect to the prince or majesty."

"She don't have to", she replied to Charan who asked this question.