Cittaja || Indian Historical Romance

52.

The 20-year-old boy had the brilliance of his fresh training. He had grown a little stubble. He gracefully got off the horse and smiled at the sight of his parents. He quickly walked up to Amritakumari and touched her feet.

Amritakumari smiled and quickly engulfed him in a hug. "You seem to have grown up so much. I feel like just yesterday you came back complaining that Shakra and Abhijit didn't let you play with them in the field."

He laughed at her comment. "I am sure that Annaiyya still enjoys troubling us all."

"Ohhoo, Chinna, you've just come back. What's the hurry to get bullied by Anna just yet?" Ameya commented, making all his siblings laugh with him.

"Ameya, do you realize that I know every single place you've been to in the last 18 months? If I were such a bully, Amma would be stringing your guts out."

"See. This is what we deal with. You would be happier back in Machlipatnam."

"Shhh, my child has just returned, and you're asking him to go away?" Amritakumari turned to glare at the boys. Ameya instantly hid behind Abhijit.

"Sorry, Amma!!! I'm just a little child."He tried to play an innocent little boy, only to be pushed aside by his elder brother.

"Don't hide behind me. I'm not saving you." Abhijit commented.

Abhinav then touched his father's feet. Shatrujit smiled and patted his son's back. "I am happy to see you, Abhinav. I am sure that you will soon show your prowess in battle and bring great fame to our family."

"Yes, Nanna. I definitely will. Now that I am here amongst your brilliant soldiers, I will strive to achieve what is good for our kingdom."Abhinav smiled with ripe enthusiasm. An enthusiasm that was fresh out of boyhood and entering manhood. Shatrujit smiled at that.

Abhinav then met with Anvesha, Sukanya, Soundarya, and Rudrani. All of them received him with the depth of their motherhood.

"I hope you didn't trouble my parents much, Abhinav." Sukanya teased her son. He laughed at that.

"Of course I did, Amma. After all, it isn't me if I don't do some sort of mischief." That made all his mothers laugh.

"Well, that sounds brilliant. Now, I have a partner to do mischief with!!! Hurray!!!" Rudrajit exclaimed loudly.

"Excuse me, what did you say?"

"Ummm... I said that I have someone who can teach me how to be a good boy."

"Come here..." Abhinav opened his arms. Rudrajit instantly jumped up and hugged his brother. He hadn't seen much of his older brother. The only time Rudrajit met Abhinav was when Rudrani would travel with Sukanya to Machlipatnam. Rudrani and Sukanya were tightly bonded to each other.

Rudrajit hugged his brother and then whispered in his ears, "Do you know that Annaiyya married Vadina? She is like Payasam. I like her more than Annaiyya."

Abhinav smiled at his brother. Then he finally reached the stairs where Shakra and Mayurakshi stood. Abhinav didn't hear much about the wedding except for its chaos. The sudden change of bride and the whole mess. He hadn't heard a lot about Mayurakshi either, except for the fact that rumors said that Shakrajit was highly interested in the Princess of Krishneri. At that point, it was known to the whole of the Bharata continent that Shakrajit had some special interest in the younger Princess of Krishneri.

Abhinav saw Abhijit, and his expression seemed clear to them. All his siblings were largely not friendly with their new sister-in-law. Abhinav saw Shakra. Abhinav could tell that Shakra had already assessed what was happening in his mind. Abhinav walked over to them and touched Mayurakshi's feet.