The King's Shield

Chapter 7- The Time Spent

Until now he had never felt the need of a companion. Someone that he could talk to, someone he could trust. He felt unusually calm when she was around. The tangles of her hair that rested on her neck, her hand when it moved away from his, the smell of wildflowers on her skin, the way the sunlight brightened her eyes.

Why is it that how much I talk to you, it's never enough? You are right in front of me but you are so far away. This isn't fair. "You haven't said anything to me," Adhiveer said.

"I don't have anything to say." she lowered her eyes.

"Very well, you just stand there silently and let me look at you till my heart's content." He smirked.

Blood rushed to her face." My king, I think we should get going. You said you have a busy day." she said.

"I said, WE, have a busy day." They mounted the horse and started back to the palace. He couldn't let go of the feeling he had when she was so close to him. He put one arm around her waist, pulled her closer, and said, "Hold on tight." Before she could react, he prompted Indra to go faster; it complied and ran fast through the woods back towards the city. One of her hands held the saddle in front of her, the other held his hand, which was around her waist. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "The time spent with you is the best part of my day."

When they reached the palace, an entire troop of his soldiers and guards were standing at the gate and staring at them as if they were waiting for an amusing sight. Shiva put her head down as they entered. Adhiveer then realised what he had done. He had never let anyone else near his horse let alone ride it. But more than that a woman was sitting on it with him.

Bhairava was standing near the palace entrance. He first looked at Adhiveer and then looked at Shiva with a hint of a smile on his face.

" You left very early today," Bhairava said as they got down from the horse.

Shiva bowed down to both and asked to be excused from them.

" Meet me at the courtyard afterwards, there are a few more people you have to meet," Adhiveer said. She nodded and left.

" Indra must very much like her, to let her ride," Bhairava said with a smirk.
The king looked at him amused.

Bhairava cleared his throat and said,
" I have prepared everything for my departure, and I have also taken the jewellery and gifts that you selected for her."

" I cannot believe my little niece is getting married, she used to run around the palace with a wooden sword in her hand pretending to be me," Adhiveer said.

" If you try, soon enough, we might have a little girl wielding a sword pretending to be you or her-" Bhairava taunted.

"Her?" Adhiveer asked.

" You cannot fool me; these old eyes can see everything," Bhairava said, lifting his eyebrows.

" We should get going, we do have a lot of work." He dodged the further discussion.

Later Adhiveer, Sidhraj and Reva were in the courtyard, where the soldiers were sparring. When Shiva entered he introduced her to Sidhraj and his wife.

" You have already met Sidhraj, he is the commander-in-chief of the army. His competency is incomparable." Then, gesturing at Reva, he said," She is the head of trade; she knows the trading landscape of Merujaya like the back of her hand. We have a merchant's council which has thirty merchants directly under her supervision, and this is Shiva, she is..."

" The king's guard " Sidhraj continued.
" She is responsible for the security of the king, I told you about this the other day." Reva nodded and smiled shyly.