PEREGRINATE

CHAPTER 22

Point Of View of Inder:

The rest of my company was still resting at the border of the village. We had been riding at a stretch for three days and had chosen to cover the remainder of the journey in the morning. But I could not wait for so long.

The extent to which I had missed Maitri in the past few days even surprised me. It had been longer than two weeks since we had walked back from the meadow. Something major had changed that day. If you asked me, it was of a cosmic level considering the impact it had on me.

I had always been fond of her. However, since my return from Gurukul, her presence soothed me and yet lit me up at the same time. Her serene smile emboldened me to believe that I had the power to conquer the world yet I would give it all up at just one word from her.

My calm, wise, and yet firecracker of a childhood friend had grown up to be such a beauty that made it difficult for me to breathe. She was beautiful no doubt and yet what had me was the fire in her eyes and soul. She tried to turn it off but hers was the one that could not be dimmed. She never hesitated to put me in my place. In her eyes, I was Inder, rather than Prince Inder.

The innocent harmless feelings of childhood had turned into a flaming desire to consume her in the way she consumed me. Though, in the early days, I had suspected she was unaware of the effects she had on me. However, the kiss we shared that day confirmed, much to my delight, that my feelings were not one-sided.

She loved to keep me at an arm's distance, sometimes physically and sometimes with her words. But I noticed the looks of adoration she shot my way whenever I pleased her. The smile she tried to suppress, yet broke into peals of laughter at the jokes that I cracked. Her quiet but heartfelt words of gratitude when I help her out. The gentle way she caressed my hair and traced my face as I rested on her lap cemented that she was taken with me as I was with her.

With all these thoughts swirling in my mind, I could barely help my dear friend out. He had just inherited his kingdom from his departed father and called upon me to look into fortifying his borders. He was the kind of friend for whom I could fight wars but he had called for me at a very inopportune time. I hated to leave Maitri behind. I had even entertained the possibility of taking her with me but dismissed it as it would have been detrimental. 

Spending time with her in our home in the presence of known people was different than whisking her away to an unknown land. I did not doubt my ability to keep her safe from getting harmed physically, but the damage to her reputation could have been irreversible. 

As I raced on my horse back to the castle in the moonlight I let my thoughts go awry on how she would be the first one I would lay my sights on and if she allowed I was going to taste those lips again. If not, then having her in my arms or the least in my sight would provide great relief to my restless soul.

I reached the gates just before dawn broke. After tying my horse in the stables and providing it with enough water, hay, and apologies I set out to find my mani (diamond).

I had never taken myself to be the one who would use words of endearment for my loved one. In fact, I had not given it much thought till now. It has been the norm since the dawn of the time that marriages were a union of kingdoms rather than the union of two lives. It was a strategy to secure yourself allies and strengthen political relationships.

My parents had been an exception, though. My mother had been the daughter of the merchant, my grandfather, who had been traveling from the far west region. She looked different than the other people here with her fair skin and light eyes. Though my father was advised against the marriage, he was already the king by then and she had made him feel like the king of the world.