✔️Rise to Eminence (Ugly Duckling Princess III) (completed )

Chapter 31:- But...

King Dhruv's (Sahil's) POV

"But brother!" Argued Vansh..

"No. I am still determined to fight in the most non violent way possible!" I turned down his requests in the calm manner yet I was firm. I didn't want any other arguments.

Vansh wanted to fight the war in the most old fashioned way while I was trying to understand the puzzle called Princess Adiya. It was my second year of ruling as a King and she was nowhere in the picture except since a last few months. She was now an active member of the court! But where was she before all these years?

Queen Adina had joined politics at a very young age so I wouldn't suspect that she would keep her daughter from the politics till now. Maybe she was sent for some sort of training. Somewhere out of their kingdom.

The reason why I was so curious about her was her mind. It was because as if she was reading my mind. She was correctly interpreting my moves. As if she was sitting opposite to me, anticipating my moves, playing chess with me.

There was so much of familiarity about her. As if I knew her. And yet, she was an enigma. I needed to know more about her. I asked my messengers to send a message to all my spies in order to collect maximum information about her.

The combined power of Harsha Kingdom and Kshitij Kingdom was overrated. Surya Kingdom had not fought a battle since a decade and had only focused on generating wealth. We were wealthy and prosperous. We had the caliber to import as many arms and ammunition as required. They had experienced soldiers but we could always pay the other kingdoms to lend their experienced soldiers to us.

While I was calmly sitting in my room and meditating (something I had learnt in Gurukul), Vansh entered into my chambers. He was called Suryansh in Gurukul and knew almost everything about me. Almost.

"Brother, why are you smiling?" He asked as he sat next to me.

"I am remembering our days in Gurukul! Those simple days!" I told him.

"Well you spent more time with that Diya than me" he frowned and then winked. As if teasing me.

"Well" I tried to stop myself from blushing.

"She was very brainy brother. Someone who could be of your match. Remember how she saved the cows from the bandits? I always felt that you both had some sort of connection. Shame that you both are now no longer in touch." He sighed. And I felt guilty of not telling him about Diya. Maybe after the war would finish, I would declare.

" Know What? Even Princess Adiya sounds brainy and feisty. You could have said yes to parents and got married. She would have been a great Ruler of this Kingdom" Said Vansh.

"Brother I..." I tried to reason with him.

"I understand brother. You would rather fight like a warrior and be a martyr than give up like a coward." He whispered.

"So when are you planning to sneak away from the palace tonight?" He asked suddenly.

"What are you saying?" I was shocked. How did he know?

"Yes, sometimes you get out of the palace like a thief. I have seen you climbing down the palace walls. Not once. Not twice but many times." He stated the obvious fact.

"Well.. I am sorry brother for hiding it from you! Actually I go to meet someone." I realised I was grinning like a mad man, tapping my legs and fingers nervously.

"And May I know who is she?" He asked but I felt that he knew the answe.

"It's.. Diya." I Said very slowly. Trying to gauge his reaction.

"I knew it! It was a matter involving a women! And that too our Diya!!" He seemed to be very happy.

"Yes, she is the most positive force of my life. The sweetest thing ever!" I confessed.

"Sweetest? After you left, I studied with her for a year. She once threatened to break my nose if I ever teased her about the weird blue beaded necklace that she wore. We all were terrified of her. I had altogether stopped bullying her." He grumbled.

I almost laughed. Yes she had turned out to be more deadly after I left.

"I am going to meet her today. Want to come?" I asked him.

"Meeting an old classmate? Why not. I would love to come. Besides it's fun to sneak out a palace once in a while." He winked.

However there was one small thing that still lingered my mind. I went to my library and fished out a box. In it was a blue bead that I had discovered post the episode of getting our arms looted by the group of women. I had found it beside the letter of the Princess Adiya. It looked familiar. Same as the one I had made for the necklace of Diya.