The Strange Street to the Wrinkled Memories

The Prince

The man yelled at the top of his voice, "Our crowned prince Shravan Arjun Adwait Viratan Aahan Natya Mitrapura Rajyan has come." Everyone locked their eyes at the top of the peak to see a young lad walking in to the clear moon light. Shravanya was just shocked by the name and the next moment, they prince was seen. Flower petals were showered by the villagers, applauses were heard loud and they were celebrating his arrival. He, a very young handsome lad who threw off his long cloak only to see his hidden outfit. He was wearing the costume with designs specialized for the prince. He was dressed up in a hand woven dress that had the flag of the kingdom weaved on his chest and a corset stiffened with hard metals covered him. Behind him was a shield of Natya Rajya. Above the camo pants came a belt that tightened with the royal dagger. He wore strong boots and he smiled as the villagers kneeled along with others in the village. Shravanya and Jeeta bowed her head when she still couldn't believe her eyes. The scholar, Adwait Arjun, the army trained personnel with Jeeta Kisa was the prince. The long disappeared prince of Natya Rajya. The queen's eyes wept the motherly tears and the royal mother's filmy eyes were then seen by the prince.

He called out, "Don't consider me as I got back, I have not went anywhere at the first place. I have been in my land amongst my people and I will always be here." He then stepped down and walked towards the palace entrance. He then got into the royal prayer room and after his prayers, he walked to the main door of the palace where he was awaited by many. The queen and the royal mother stood right at the entrance with Shravanya and Jeeta behind them. Then stood the commander, guards and maidens lined up. The mad prince and Jyoti Rithala stood at a side, staring at him. The royal mother had brought the Diya in the golden plate with many other things along it. She circled it round his head with immense happiness and the queen took one of his favourite sweets from the plate and handed it into his mouth. As he ate it, he took another one and made his mother eat it. The queen suddenly wrapped him in a tight hug as she ended up in the tears of happiness. He then kissed her in the forehead and whispered, "Did you miss me?"
She patted him and then asked, "Tell me, what have you done all these years alone?"
The royal mother Gyanavi handed the plate to a maiden and hugged him, "Being a part of the history, naughty?"
He denied, "Creating one of my own, granma." He took her blessings and then his mother's. He walked to the big statue sculptured of the king and took his blessings too. Then came in the royal sister Pournami Ravi out of nowhere and welcomed him with a rain of fresh royal flowers petals. He took her blessings and she suddenly fell on to his legs, he brought her up, "I had never liked you. I have been a bad aunt to you because I always wanted the best only for me and my son, but my habit influenced him too. He will be even ready to kill me to get the best for him. I have been wrong and you were the best. Your mother is the best, I had separated this family, this village. It's not a forgivable sin, I want you, my son, the crowned prince to punish me."
He stopped her, "For me you have always been my good aunt. The one who understands the mistakes and is ready to accept it, that person is the mightiest. Now you can decide, will you like to live with your son?"
She smiled as her true tears were flowing down her cheeks, "I... I will live with you, my son." She caressed and blessed him. Jeeta secretly said, "Didn't he accompany you to the suite, princess?"
Shravanya nodded. Then her eyes widened as if a tube light did strike on. She turned to Jeeta and whispered, "You were talking with him. You both told you were trained people, together. Then what's all this? How do you know him?"
She marked, "Few minutes princess. The prince is looking for someone, I suppose it's you."
Shravanya denied going to the front but suddenly Jeeta pushed her and she came flying to a bit front, standing right beside the queen. She looked at the prince Shravan's eyes. But he was looking at the mad prince Yadhu. His mother asked, "Will you stand here itself? Wouldn't you come in?"
He smiled and the queen took him to the balcony and announced, "He has kept his promise and he is back. Tomorrow, we shall have our other family members from Ahaan Mitrapura in here and my son will be crowned as the king that auspicious day, when our king and royal father layed down for this land. Tomorrow, we shall find a new home, an innovated one, the Ahaan Natya Mitrapura Rajya."
The big birthday cake was brought into the balcony as the queen and the prince blew the candle together and did it cut a slice and feed each other, wishing each other. Cakes were shared among the villagers and the queen and prince did cut other pieces to hand it over to other members. The queen gave it to the royal mother who fed her a small piece in return. The queen was followed by her son. She then gave slices to Pournami Ravi, Jeeta Kisa, Adi Reshamaya, Jyothi Rithala, then the queen went to mad prince and gave him. Shravan walked to Yadhu and handed him the cake slice and said, "You still have time to make changes, brother." By that time, the queen did feed Shravanya, who was standing at the corner and hugged her as she took the queen's blessings, wishing her. The queen then went to the balcony and announced for distribution of royal dinner for the whole village. On the other hand, Shravan came to Shravanya with the last cake slice and made her eat it and she did give him a small piece from it in return. She then wished without looking at him. He then stood by her as the queen was having an interactive session with villagers. He told to her in a low voice, "I had said, the time will prove the person and it did."
She nodded looking at the villagers, "And I have gained belief in time."
He smiled and looked at her.
She turned to him too, "You had written this script and you did make me a puppet. It was your need to lead me to this family more than my aspirations."
He blushed innocently, "I keep my words. I did say you, I will help you out of all the troubles coming in your way."
She nodded, smiling, "I have asked you, will you do that?"
"Always! If you believe me?"
"I do, I guess."
"Just a guess wouldn't be sufficient. Make your words firm."
"Don't teach me that. I have strong roots of Natya Rajya too."
He smiled, "Then?"
"I do believe except for this, who are you?"
Suddenly someone in a cloak, interrupted, "The prince is a great scholar by experience, he is a helping hand for all. A well trained army head. The master of masters."
She looked back only to see Eashan Darshan. "You are? That day, you came to meet him saying that you are his friend, right, didn't you know he was the prince?"
He smiled, "I know, princess. I am the specially trained one by the prince to keep an eye on this palace and Jeeta is in our team. She is also trained by him but was appointed in the Ahaan Mitrapura palace."
Shravanya looked at Shravan, "You wicked wizard!"
He innocently blinked his eyes as the royal mother interfered, "What's it children?"
The prince and the princess turned to her, shaking their head to a denial.
The royal mother looked at Shravanya's necklace, "You still have it, sweet heart?"
She nodded as the royal mother turned to check on mad prince and she murmured, "He too has it as a chain." She then looked on Shravan, "You lost it?"
Shravan stared at the floor and the royal mother concluded, "No worries, my child."
He suddenly rolled up his sleeve only to show the bracelet of the royal leaf as a locket. The royal mother hugged him, "My prince!"
The queen walked to them as everyone dispersed into their own works. Jeeta went into check on Shravanya's room while Eashan had gone to check on Shravan's chamber.

The queen came in midst of the royal mother's conversation with the princess and prince in her chamber. The queen marked, "Shakti! Get to sleep, we can have the rest of the talk tomorrow. Next day, we have to crown you." Shravanya looked at the prince.
"Many proposals for you are to be checked," Shravanya stared at him.
"The mad prince will be given a province and his engagement with Jyothi Rithala will be happening tomorrow," the royal mother smiled.
"And if my sister... If they come tomorrow, we will announce the beginning of Ahaan Natya Mitrapura Rajya and so much more to be done. I want to have a day with you too. So go to bed."

All nodded as they separated into their rooms.

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Surya_SK