“I don’t have to pay attention to her. She’s always around. She’s close to Bhabhi-sa. I’ve seen her for the past four years, standing next to her. They’re good friends,” I added, and she rested her head on my shoulder.
“You need to look after her,” she said, and I shook my head.
“I can’t. Everything will go wrong. I can’t ruin us,” I said, and she smiled at me.
“You know we can’t be ruined,”
I chuckled and nodded.
“Yes, I know that,”
When the door opened, I saw the attendants walking in with huge platters. They set the lunch before us, and I turned to her.
“I’m starving,” I said, and she looked at me, furrowing her brows.
“So, what's her name?”
A subtle smile that I didn’t understand stretched my lips at the question.
“I wouldn’t know.” I tried to explain,“I never asked,” but she looked at me in disbelief.
“Didn’t you hear anyone call her name?” She asked, and I frowned.
“Where’s the jealousy?” I teased.“Act like you’re going to be my wife.”
She chuckled, nudging me.“You wish.”
I laughed lightly, focusing on my lunch.
?????
After meeting Rashmika, I left the Mehrangarh fort with Eklavya. We climbed the mountain to see what was happening on the other side.
“I don’t understand how we will get the black stone for the same powder?” Eklavya asked as I pushed aside the tall, wild grass to take another step forward.
“The soil of Mehrangarh has black stones underneath, and they have been exporting that for many years without anyone’s knowledge,” I explained.“How did a small princely state become so wealthy under the same king’s rule in five decades, especially without support?”
The forest was dense, and we both wanted to get through it before sunset; otherwise, we wouldn’t make it back.
“I believe they’re hiding something important,” Eklavya said, and I looked at him.
“Not just one thing, but many. They are exploiting the mountain ranges, and Mehrangarh is the kingdom from where people hear that something is wrong with the borders and that someone is trying to attack us,” I said.
He lowered his gaze for a moment before saying,“That could mean two things: either they are completely right, or they are using this to distract attention from themselves,” he said, and I nodded.
“Yes, I believe there may also be a third possibility.”
“What?” he asked.
I took a deep breath, moved the grass aside and climbed higher up the mountain.“Mehrangarh has allied with them and is reinforcing their position. If an attack occurs, it’ll probably be closest to the enemy. This could endanger all the northern Indira. They haven’t always been this friendly toward us,” I said.
“We should inform Ranaji about this,” he immediately replied.
I quickly whiffed.“No, we can’t. Rani-sa is pregnant, and we’re still recovering from our year-old debts and destruction. He would want to handle the situation through war, which would put everything at stake. Once there’s a slight rift between us, Mehrangarh will become alert. They should think we’re unaware of everything,” I explained.
“But how can we, just the two of us, stop it?” he asked, and I smiled at him.
“Just wait and see.”
