Royals

18 - Figured It Out

Maisha rolled over, now facing Aditya who had a tired smile and a goofy satisfied look. She ran her hand through his curly mop seemingly trying to straighten them but ended up messing them even more and chuckling at him in mockery at the same time. "Are you trying to provoke me again, woman?" He smirked, grabbing her hand and pulling her closer so that her head rested on his chest with her arm lazily splayed across his abdomen while his hand drew the pattern of 'infinity' on her bare back.

"I possibly wouldn't dare," she mumbled teasingly only to remain silent and enjoy his embrace. It was astoundingly peaceful. She had never felt this giddy in the entire twenty six years of her existence. She was becoming increasingly aware of her emotions for him and the possibility of eventually returning to the future and never see him again, pained her to the core. She knew she was completely head over heels for him and no other man could possibly entice her the way he did. Her heart belonged to him and she had no control over it. Unknowingly, her grip around him tightened as negative thoughts started invading her mind destroying the quaintness that had finally started settling in.

"Is everything alright, love?" He pressed his lips on her forehead and breathed in the sandalwood and honey scent her hair gave off, as if getting lost. "I guess. Anyways, you have a lot to tell me," she turned to face him, changing the topic.

"Ahh, yes! Let's start with Sindhiya, hmm?" He stroke her hair.

"I am listening," she replied trying to contain her curiousity.

"The kingdom of Vatakas was one of our neighbors who attacked us when I was young. They were mighty and powerful, not as much as the Chaulakyas of today, but way more stronger than us back then. When I finally got my revenge, I made sure to sweep off these three kingdoms from the name of the history. The Vatakas, The Pradyota and The Haryanka , all were my mortal enemies. Although all the rulers were killed in war, their children were not. It was a choice I made since I was also a survivor of one similar battle where I lost my family so I intended to give back just the same. "

"You were pretty balanced for a fifteen year old," Maisha muttered unknowingly earning a chuckle in return.

"All the royal kids were adopted by my subjects and raised to serve me."

"I take my words back. You are a cunning man! This could be a torture for them," Maisha exclaimed glaring at Aditya amusedly who just looked a bit ashamed as a wry and sarcastic laugh etched his face in scrutiny of his past actions and the regrets he had carried for the past fifteen years.

"Hey, look at me." She grabbed his face and made him look at her. " We all have done things we regret. You just need to let it go, let the burden go. If you can't amend it then don't mourn over it. Admit your mistakes like a courageous man I know you are and learn from them and I know you have!" She leaned in kissing his cheek as his embrace tightened around her letting her wise words sink in. Admit your mistakes. She had said. Maybe he was living in a denial after all.

"Dharamchand Sindhiya had managed to escape it all. Very courageous for a ten year old boy. We didn't try to find the notorious prince assuming that he'd either live on as a commoner or die of hunger. But what I didn't know, or in fact anybody, was that he was right here, training with our army, gaining Dev's trust and becoming his right hand man, a capable spy and assassin."

"So how did you come to know?"

"I have my own resources. The ones who also told me of your fued with my massiji ( maternal aunt), the Queen Mother and helped me set up the little stunt we pulled in the court, not to mention the odd secret message that confirmed our suspicions so conveniently and your kidnapping of course."

He could feel Maisha shift uncomfortablely on the mention of the kidnapping. She was in a fix now. Should she just come clean and get the painful part over with or should she break it down to him slowly, step by step? It was either ripping the bandaid off a raw wound or giving another wound. " I did want to ask the significant of that giant locket with moving needles though," Aditya had given her one last chance of coming clean. Although he already had a vague idea about the truth, all thanks to his underground spy network he still wanted to hear the real truth from her. He secretly hoped she trusted him enough, that she wasn't scared of him. He wouldn't forgive himself if she was scared of him. His eyes almost pleaded to break the tensed silence as Maisha stared into space her head battling as she tried comprehending the infinite possible outcomes of her decision.