The Royal Explorer (Completed)

Chapter 18

(A/N: Before I begin, this is a huge huge thanks to all of you guys who have been an amazing part of this journey. I thank you especially since this story has completed milestone of  1K reads. Thank you guys. I love you'll really.)

 I was accompanied by Aarini on some random floor, kilometers away from the dining room

Ofcourse no one would want to come out of their room to eat if it meant walking so much around.

A pitch black, pin drop silent room welcomed me. Although it was not in voluntary control, I was trying my best to make attempts to dilate my pupil so it could accommodate any light if present.

All I knew was that I have to look for a man. I had judged he must be around his late fifties. Nothing apart from this information was available.

The man could be anywhere in the giant room. Lying on the bed, sitting on some chair at a corner, standing by a window, or worst hanging from the ceiling.

Ah! I should shut up with my dark thoughts.

Aarini had stopped in her tracks outside the room, leaving me alone in the lion's den.

I walked a couple of steps in the room, when I heard a husky voice fill the room.

"Leave" it said. I turned to my right trying to locate the source of the sound. I could figure out, or hallucinate an old man's silhouette, sitting by the edge of a bed, far at the corner of the room.

I tried to muster up some courage, for the sake of my pride and self respect, and started walking ahead towards my hallucination.

"Leave Aarini, I said. I don't want to have dinner. I just had my lunch." The voice from the same corner came out again. 'I am not hallucinating' I told myself. 'there has to be someone there.'

Aarini had informed me, that he last had his meal yesterday, and those were just two spoons of rice.

I cleared my throat, stopping in my tracks and spoke "yes, you did have your lunch, but that was yesterday. It's time for your dinner today."

Silence.

There was nothing, not a word from his end.

I stayed quiet as well. Not because I wanted him to say something. But because I was scared. I knew Neel. And I, for a reason, believed that Neel takes after his father. I didn't want to be dismissed by him.

"Who are you?" he finally uttered words. words that were able to sound how he had his guards up high at the moment.

"You're not Aarini" he said again.

"I am glad you can recognize her voice." I hope I am not sounding mean and rude.

"Of course. Darkness interferes with light, not with sound, you fool."

This made me chuckle a bit.

"But that leaves my question unanswered. Who are you?" he sounded more serious, alert, and guarded.

"I am Your Majesty's guest." I spoke. This was the best way I had learnt to introduce myself.

"Are you talking about Neel?"

"Is there any other emperor you are aware of?" I shut my mouth tight as I said this but I guess it was too late.

"No one has dared to speak to me like that." He scoffed as he remarked.

" That is when you were the emperor." I commented again. One thing I knew for sure was that, the only way to get these royal people do your demands, was to hurt their ego.