𝑰𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 (previously Vaidehi) ✎

[21]

This chapter is dedicated to
disha7722 ❤️

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Vaidehi's pov 

That morning I wake up to Raghavendra sitting at the edge of our bed. He is dressed in clean clothes looking freshly showered. For a second I thought maybe I overslept but when I looked out of the window it was still slightly dark. The cobwebs of sleep wiped away as I rose up, rubbing my eyes.

"Good morning....how come you are up so early?" I asked him. Raghavendra didn't say anything, a somber expression on his face and he offered me a glass of water. I took it from him and sipped on the warm water slowly.

"I have news..." he started, "Remember how we had got the news of Talya facing unexpected attack by the Delhi Sultan's youngest son, one week ago.
Well, the situation hasn't calmed out at all and the King of Talya wrote to Pitaji asking for help. The letter described the dire condition of Talya army and they required urgent help." He sighs, his eyes closing for a brief moment, "As you know, Mewar has quite friendly ties with Talya, so Pitaji wants me to attend to them at once. I am to leave today."

My heart grew heavier with every word he said. Raghav has to go to war?

"But why do you have to go. We can just send our army general and a sufficient amount of troops to help them out." I have thrown the blanket aside and I am filled with an odd fear as I watch him pace the area.

"Talya is a close ally, Vaidehi. We can not treat them as we would treat any other kingdom asking for help."

His words though reasonable still don't sit right with me. Despite being wedded to the Yuvraj for four months and knowing about my princess heritage for slightly longer, war is a new tragedy for me, I hadn't always had to worry about it firsthand.

But I knew one thing from my conversations with my mother in law. That this was the time for me to act like a pillar of strength and faith.
So even with the hoplessness of dread in the pit of my stomach and alarm bells in my head I hugged Raghav. He put his arms around me in an instant. I could feel my heart thudding with fear, I wondered if he could feel it too.

"I never thought it would come so soon." I mumbled into his chest.

I felt his fingers through my hair.

"Neither did I."

We didn't say anything for the next few minutes. Until Raghavendra pushes me a few steps back, keeping me at arms length. His eyes don't have the same twinkle in them that they usually do. That scares me more than anything. There must be some reason if Raghav is scared too right?

"Pitaji is expecting us in his office chambers." He tells me. I nod in understanding, telling him that I will freshen up and join him.

"It will be fine." He assures me before leaving the quarters. The sound of his footsteps retreating is the last I hear before being bombarded with the presence of Aditi and my other
ladies-in-waiting.

It doesn't take Aditi more than a second to decipher from my expression that something is wrong.
She orders the maids to start my bath before taking a seat beside me on the bed.

"What is wrong?" Her concerned voice asks me. Her hands are clasping my shoulder worriedly. 

"Raghav has to go to war." I answer monotonously. When I realise my voice sounds hoarse, that's when the tears stinging my eyes register in my head.

"What war?" Aditi asks in disbelief. "Mewar is not at any war."

I shake my head. "Its not Mewar. Its Talya. They have been at war with the delhi Sultanate for over a week and the King has written to Raghavendra's Pitaji asking for assistance. And apparently they are a close ally, so Raghavendra's father expects him to attend to their request at once. He will be leaving today."

"Oh my god. Oh my god!" Her hands immediately push me closer to her, holding me in an embrace. I finally let the tears fall.

"Delhi Sultanate is brutal, Aditi. Whatever am I supposed if something, god forbid, goes south?" I cry into her embrace. She pats my head, cooing into my ear that everything will be a hundred per cent okay amd that I shouldn't worry. I wish I could believe her but my fear knows no bounds.

"Your bath is ready. Come on." Aditi lets me know, helping me up and dragging me to the bath chamber.

When my body is submerged in the lukewarm water, its only then that ghe thudding of heart relaxes a little bit. I push my head in as well for a few seconds before emerging out, breathless, a rose petal stuck to my cheek.

"What are you thinking?" Aditi asks, as she lathers some sandalwood paste onto my arms.

"Trying to pep talk myself into being the strong ironlady everyone expects a queen to be at times like this." I sigh.

She rewards me with a smile. "You are a strong ironlady. Just because you were slightly overwhelmed with the news doesn't make you any less. You are taking it much better than anybody else in your place would, Vaidehi. You have afterall been a royal for barely five months."

"I wouldn't give myself so much credit." I mutter under my breath. She manages to hear it and swats my head.
"I wasn't asking you. I was telling you. So stop downplaying yourself and listen to me. Yes?"

"Yes." I reply because arguing with Aditi is futile.

"And you are going to send off your husband with a smile. You need to know by now, that you are his strength. If you have faith in him, he will have faith too."
Aditi has always been one of the people who knew exactly what to say. Back in our village, growing up, there were some friends we had who had to go through losses. Losses of family or fortune. And Aditi was always the one saying the right things to reassure them while I just sat next to her agreeing with her. I never knew how to handle a person crying next to me. But Aditi's empathy allows her to be their hero.
So as reassuring as it is to hear her words, its even better to know that I have her here with me.
Atleast I have one thing to be thankful for today.

******

I pass on the aarti thali to my mother in law after applying the tilak on Raghavendra's forehead, concluding the last of the prerequisite before he starts his journey to Talya.
Raghavendra takes his mother in a quick embrace, whispering in her ear to not worry. He then moves to his father, bowing down to seek his blessings.

"Vijay Bhavā." His father says, patting his back. Raghavendra's eyes finally hold mine. Something passes in them and without a single word I know what he means. I nod toward him, he nods back and just like that he steps out. Followed by the army general of Mewar, Bhaskar ji, everyone follows him out further. But I stay rooted to my spot.
Aditi immediately grabs my elbow, keeping me standing in my place. I am positive I would have managed to stay upright but I am still glad for the assistance because what if.

"He will be back very soon, bete. Apne Ganpati pe vishwas rakho." Hearing Raghavendra's father surprises me. I realise he didn't follow the others out either. Before I can respond to him, he pats my head in a comforting gesture and starts walking toward his office chambers. His mouth set in a grim line.
I am left wondering if his words were meant to reassure me or himself.

...........

A/n: He is off to the war.
The heart of Raghav and Vaidehi's story has finally began!!!