Something inside me broke beyond repair. The final ounce of hope lay shattered.
The last hope of having someone to hold on to had gone.
I returned to my chamber, completed my war plans, and left the following day; I had informed Rudra Bhai-sa.
She didn’t come to see me off, and I didn’t want her to either.
I didn’t feel it anymore. I could force her into a relationship, but I couldn’t ensure her happiness against her will.
She wanted to be happy, but it seemed like she only wanted to hate someone.
After she stopped hating and I stopped loving, we couldn’t be anything to each other anymore.
And now it was my choice.
Fuck love.
I arrived in Pratapgarh early in the morning and met the head commander of Mahabaleshgarh with his troop.
“Commander Ashwin,” I acknowledged, dismounting my horse.
He stood, joining his hands,“Welcome to Pratapgarh, Kunwar Agastya.” I clasped his hands, accepting his greetings, before stepping ahead for a tight hug.
We were all friends from the Gurukul—Ashwin, Eklavya, and many others.
“How are you?” I asked, shaking his shoulders with pride. He was one of the brightest stars among us.
“I can’t be any better,” he smiled.
Pratapgarh had undergone a complete transformation since my last visit. Significant reconstruction had altered the landscape, and the trees and greenery appeared vibrant. The flooring, scenery, and everything else were mesmerising.
“It’s beautiful. King Abhinandan has done a phenomenal job here.” I couldn’t help but admire, unlike those who failed to appreciate someone’s effort and dedication.
“Indeed, he has. After all, he has great taste in architecture and a fine knowledge of colours,” Ashwin added, earning a gentle nod from me.
“Alright, what’s the situation here?” I asked. He stepped back to place the map on the concrete slab adorned with small stone-carved soldier idols in their respective positions.
“If the situation escalates at Mehrangarh, I will meet the Army with King Abhinandan twenty miles before Pratapgarh. We’ll deploy the troops in three divisions. The first will be the competent front-line soldiers on elephants and horses, waiting for the army twenty miles from here. We will assign hidden troops to eliminate the army’s smaller contingents, which are lying in ambush along the route. They will hide among the trees; they’re known for their marksmanship. The third group will comprise soldiers stationed at Pratapgarh castle, equipped with the remaining elephants, horses, and weapons,” he explained as I focused on the map to understand his words.
“Alright. That looks like a solid plan. Attacking them in phases would weaken them,” I patted him on his shoulder.“And remember, Ashwin, we won’t give them an inch of our land, much less a kingdom,” I added.
He nodded, staring firmly into my eyes before replying,“We will not, Kunwar Agastya.”
Next, I asked him to show me the weapons stock, provisional goods, and emergency travel supplies. I also encouraged him to bring in some physicians, cooks, and male attendants for the kingdom. This enabled the soldiers to concentrate solely on the war.
After a lengthy discussion, I took my leave, but he stopped me, insisting that I at least spend the night there and leave in the morning, as it was already dark.
I agreed and spent the night on the terrace, staring at the starry sky.
The image of her face haunted my heartbeats against my will. I didn’t want to cause her pain, but it hurt me.
I knew what I had done in my past was wrong, but I confided in her because I trusted her, or at least I believed she would understand me, as she promised to stand by my side through everything. However, she changed overnight.
In that moment, I realised it wasn’t just hurt or resentment; it was mostly about her not trusting me. And under no circumstances, no matter how deeply you love someone, nothing will ever make sense if there is no trust.
My efforts were in vain because she didn’t trust me. I asked her if she could trust me regarding my words, but she declined. Nothing hurt me more than that.
Still, I understood it was all because of her past. She had a painful history, and she was simply a wounded soul.
