The river was the narrowest at this point, so voices from the other bank carried easily.
“Are you sure about this, Princess?”
“Quiet, Kalpana. You’ll bring the guards’ notice,” said a voice that haunted his dreams.What is Princess Chandrasena doing here?
“That’s unavoidable once you start chopping the wood here,” replied Kalpana, who Veer assumed was her companion or maid.
“I just need to weaken some joints here and the river will do the rest.” The air filled with the sounds of chopping. Someone seemed to be using an axe to hew the wood.
Veer was astonished. Not that someone had the same idea as him, but that it was her. What were the odds of running into her when he was just thinking about her? The ennui and restlessness that plagued him earlier disappeared completely to be replaced by interest.
Veer heard a long yawn.
“Had a long night, huh, Kalpana?” The princess sounded amused. “When are you going to tell me who he is?”
“He? What are you talking about, Princess?” Mild panic flared in the maid’s voice.
“Don’t think I haven’t noticed you disappear in the evenings. Were you meeting someone outside the city?”
“Umm…”
“It’s all right if you don’t want to tell me,” said the princess, panting slightly.
“It’s not that I want to keep it a secret. But I don’t know how you will take this—”
“Why do you say that?” said the princess, her words interspersed with the chopping sounds. “Is he someone unsuitable?”chop“Already married with two kids?”chop“A criminal?”chop“Or is he—”
“He is from Rajgarh,” interrupted Kalpana.
There was a pause as the sounds stopped.“From Rajgarh?”Veer waited to hear the censure in the princess’s tone but could detect nothing but curiosity. “Huh! How did that come about?”
“I thought you’d be angry, Princess,” said Kalpana.
“Why would I be angry?” she said.
“Well…they are Amaravathi’s enemies and…”
“They are…also people,” she said, resuming her chopping, grunting with exertion. “You didn’t tell me…how you met? And what…does he do?”
“His name is Hyadrik. He is a soldier in the army, but back home he is a farmer. He saved me from a snakebite. Remember when I came back from visiting a fair a few months back? I’d stayed too late, and it was dark by the time I was returning. Didn’t see where I was going and stepped on a snake by mistake.
“Well, Hyadrik was passing through and helped me leech the venom out. I was a little scared when he told me who he was, but he assured me that he would never harm a woman and, for some reason, I believed him. And even though it was risky for him, he accompanied me all the way to the city gates that night.”
“That was nice of him.”
“Yes, and he waited for me every day just past the city gates to see when I’d visit the fair again. We have met several times since and…he is kind and gentle and I think I really like him.”
Chandra didn’t speak immediately, and Veer wondered what she was thinking.
“I’m glad you found someone you like, Kalpana. And I’m glad it’s someone who’s nice to you.”
There was a touch of wistfulness in her voice, enough to rouse his curiosity.
“Are you really not upset, Princess? I thought after the prince of Rajgarh kept you captive with him for a day, you would hate everything that has to do with those foreigners.”
“Oh…that. Father told me never to speak of it.” A short silence fell. Then she continued. “I admit I’m still angry with the prince for his actions. But your Hyadrik isn’t like him. He sounds like a good man, and if you like him, I’ve no objection to your union.”
“Thank you, Chandra. It means a lot to me that you’re all right with this. I wasn’t sure how you’d respond.”
