“Jai!”the crowd responded, and I felt a shiver run through me as Ranaji took the sword from his hands, placed a hand on his shoulder to help him on his feet, and enveloped him in a tight hug.
“I’m so proud of you, Agastya,” Ranaji said, and the crowd cheered again before he pulled back and hugged Prince Ranvijay as well.
“How dare you?” Suddenly, all eyes were on Princess Rashmika as she rushed toward him, yanked his collar, and slapped him hard.
Blood leaked through his lips.
“How could you, Agastya? I trusted you,” She slapped him a few more times, and tears filled my eyes.
He stood silently as she hit his chest with her fists, crying and breaking down, until he grasped her wrists and pulled her into a tight hug.
He placed his hand on her head as she broke into sobs.
My heart broke as I noticed tears in his eyes. They loved each other.
“I hate you; I hate you so much. Why? They’re my family,” she cried louder.
“They’re alive, Rashmika,” he spoke slowly.“I didn’t harm them.”
She pulled back and looked at him.
He cupped her cheek with his wounded hand, saying,“They’re safe.” He kissed her forehead, consoling and calming her.
She cried even more, and Princess Rudraja wept.
Princess Aishwarya stepped forward to him. He bent down and touched her feet.“At least hold her in your arms for once. I’m sure you two share some connection,” she said, and he chuckled as he looked at the princess in her hands.
She began crying even louder, and he nodded.
I chuckled when he rubbed his hand clean on his clothes before carefully holding her in his arms, bringing her closer to his chest.
She cried momentarily, and when he kissed her head, she stopped.
I swallowed hard, standing completely immobile.
Nandani stepped forward, and he smiled at her before bending down to touch her feet, too.
She encircled her hands on either side of his head before pressing them to the sides of her forehead, shielding him from evil eyes.
“Ishwar kare jeewan ke har yuddh mein aapki vijay ho, Devar-sa,”“May you win every battle in your life, Devar-sa.” she said, and I broke into quiet sobs, watching him nod and move forward.
And his eyes met mine.
When our eyes met, my heartbeat slowed. My body froze, and my lashes stilled as he stared deeply into my eyes. For a moment, everything disappeared except his tired, hazy, dark green orbs. But my heart sank into a darker pit as his smile faltered, and he looked away.
Painful waves coursed through my heart as if I had smashed into a mountain.
He silently walked away, his feet trembling. I lost myself in him, and an ache built in my knees, freezing me to the ground and swallowing me whole.
Everyone followed him, and I couldn’t stop either.
Everyone was busy celebrating his arrival, but I returned to the kitchen, thinking he must’ve been hungry.
My mind had stopped functioning.
What if something had happened to him? What if he didn’t come back?
I shook my head, trying to dispel the dark thoughts, and prepared his lunch.
