✓ Fearless - Book 1 of The Rajkumari Trilogy

Chapter 19 (part one - bonus chapter)

Chapter 19 (part one - bonus chapter)

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Dipankar exhaled.

He collapsed onto the floor soon after shutting the doors. He lay there unmoving, except for the rising and falling upper body with each relieved breath. 

"She let me stay," the overjoyed whisper came with a silent flow of tears and a hoard of flashbacks.

He raised himself from the rough, dusty floor which his attention failed to land on and looked around. The room was not even the size of his bathing chamber, the bed was short and the mattress was slim, the table petite, the walls were dull, floors not tiled... but Dipankar simply did not mind. He smiled, in fact. He had food, shelter, and clothes in his motherland, and that was plenty for the new Dipankar.

He strode over to the window and looked outside. "I better stay within the palace premises for a few days, let the news of my arrival spread, and then... they might get used to my presence. And possibly some might even accept me."

"She has changed. So much, stronger, more regal, powerful..." The prince's eye sparkled. "My sister might not accept me now or ever, but she has the confidence that her elder brother is with her from now on. And forever."

* * *

Hushed murmurs rose up, criticizing glances were thrown, and the people parted away from him as if he were the plague. His face burned, but he knew it was far less than what he deserved.

He swallowed as he made his way to the town square, searing drops of perspiration running down his face. He cleared his throat awkwardly and several heads peeked out of windows, more stopped and turned, from afar, of course.

His breaths shivered like a terrified lamb under those accusing looks. But he willed his voice to venture out from his throat, pushing it out.

"I-I, Dipankar, son of the late king Raja Ram Verma, would like to make an apology. I have betrayed all of you, my father, mother, sister, and my motherland. As a Kshatriya, I have-"

"Mother, who is that?" the chirpy voice of a toddler sailed over the silent crowd and interrupted the prince. He turned to the side and saw a child standing at the door of a house with a slingshot in hand.

A woman, his mother perhaps, came out of the house, lowered the child's pointing finger, and shushed him. She took him by the hand led him inside.

Shaken by the boy's innocent question, Dipankar wet his lips, facing the crowd again. "As a Kshatriya, I have brought s-shame upon my kind for my unforgivable crimes, and I deeply regret it all. I was- I was blind, naive, foolish, ignorant... the list goes on. I ask- no, beg - you all to show your forgiveness if you can upon this man who does not deserve it.

I want to make up for what I have done and I will do until my final breath, if, you can accept my apology and my p-presence."

He stared at them anxiously, anticipating their response and they stared back at him. After what seemed like eons, they turned away and resumed their work as if they had not even seen him.

Although confused, he stood there, awkwardly rubbing his thumb. An old woman approached him, her eyes glaring at him. Dipankar was quite intimidated by the way she held her walking cane as though she were about to smack him with it.

"We do not loathe your presence." She snapped her declaration and hobbled off before he could thank her.

* * *

She looked away from the window, walking towards a settee. Her fingers went to brush her bangles into the right order as she spoke, "It does not seem like an act... although it very well could be one."

"Your affection out ruled your judgment." Another woman stated, a disapproving undertone to her voice.

"I know," the queen sighed, sitting as she pressed the bridge of her nose, elbow resting on a cushion. "At that moment it was as if my voice had a mind of its own. I panicked, I..." she shook her head, eyes pinching close, "I fear I have erred in my judgment."

Suruchi's eyes softened. "You might've, but I understand what happened then. You had-"

"-never expected him to commit such a heinous crime. Never thought there would a day I looked down upon him. I had such blind faith in him." Her voice cracked at the end, warm liquid threatening to spill down her cheeks.

Neither she nor her sister spoke for a while, both basking in the silence.

"Is it- is it too late to banish him? To take back my foolish words said in the spur of the moment and imprison him? Maybe I can reverse my actions by-"

"Don't," she said softly. "What has happened has happened, and for a reason that only the universe knows. Let him stay for a few more days, let us test his character, and then... see what to do."

Revati nodded, hesitantly, reluctantly, but surely. "Yes, we will see what the Paramaatmaa bestows upon us."

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