LEGACY ||Indian Historical Fiction||

07-I|| A NEW WORLD

The crown was placed on Darsh's head as his eyes closed involuntarily. Chitrabhanu's coarse hand gripped his shoulder as a form of reassurance. He was handed his sword, when he opened his eyes.

"All hail Maharaj Darsh." The subjects erupted with joy at their favourite prince taking on the throne. A smile creeped onto Darsh's face. He stood up and bowed to everyone in the room. He saw Abhik's face a little disturbed and perplexed.

He took note that something was wrong. He had gone to get Chavi but had returned alone with a face like that. It could not be a good sign.

On cue of "not good" signs, Darsh saw little black figures floating in the air, getting closer by the second, right into the palace. He descended down the stairs in haste when the dacoits, entered the room. Everyone was surprised and the subjects screamed.

Everyone fell into action, reaching for their swords and escorting the people out of the room. Darsh felt his left eye twitch. What could it be that everything on his coronation day was a bad omen? He lunged at a dacoit with his sword held high.

•••

Chavi and Tara rode through, already past the Vindhya range. The hooves of their steed set feet into a clearing past the mountains, and their face fell suddenly.

A whole population of people looked at them with scowls. The aura of the place seemed dark and eerie. Some men sat below trees with ailment spreading through their mouths to their faces. Some were malnourished and some just waiting for death to take them.

Chavi's face showed concern. Nevertheless she rode through the hundereds of people.

"This isn't at all how I remember this place." Tara slowly spoke.

Out of the blue, a man lunged at the women, aiming a knife at them, with jealous eyes. Chavi protectively covered Tara, waiting for some effect on herself but when she looked, the man bled from his mouth and fell to the ground a knife in the back of his throat.

A young man walked towards them, his face masked. He glanced at the women, checking if they were hurt somewhere. He held the reins of their horses, guiding them out of the dark part of the dwelling.

Chavi hopped down from her horse and stood before the man. The man sighed and pulled off his mask with his turban. His shoulder length hair fell out as he ran his hand through them. His bronze complexion shone in the young sun. His deep black eyes held Chavi's gaze and a smile spread on his lips.

"I see you've come across the wrong part of this kingdom." He spoke, wiping the sweat off his forehead, "People don't usually come from the north."

"Who says we are from the north?" Chavi questioned.

"For one, you understood the Vayavya  language. Second, you are too pale to be from the south." The man shrugged. He put forth his hand, "Adarsh."

Chavi's breath hitched. What were the chances? Why was it as though the world wanted to remind her of her love?

Adarsh waited, "Well, you see in situations like this, you usually shake the persons hand and introduce yourself."

Chavi broke out of her trance and shook his hand, "...Maya."

Adarsh turned to Tara, "And you, miss?"

"Tara. Thank you for saving us." She replied in Dakshini.  Adarsh looked at her with an impressed smile. He bowed to her curtly. Meanwhile, Chavi glared at Tara for revealing her real name.

"Are you perhaps offended because your friend here knew how to greet people." Adarsh addressed Chavi.

Chavi rolled her eyes, "Now that you are here, we are looking for a place to stay. Could you help us find one?"