LEGACY ||Indian Historical Fiction||

33||CORRECTION

Rajat knocked on the room and entered with a little bowl of ointment. Aloki who was at the dresser turned to him immediately and stood up. Without giving him any time to comprehend anything, she strode up to him and slapped him across his jaw.

"What are you doing?!" Rajat winced.

"Knocking some sense into your thick head." Aloki grabbed the bowl from him and shoved his sword at him, "Leave."

Rajat though surprised, took his sword with a feeling of gratitude. Somehow feeling that she understood his plight as well. That the most important place for him to be at then, was Ashokdhar and nowhere else, helping Darsh.

"If I find you standing here another moment, you won't be alive the next." Aloki warned. Rajat nodded.

He turned to leave but stopped. He turned back to her again his eyes lingering on her's.

"I know we don't see eye to eye..." He brushed the back of his fingers against the cut on her cheekbone, "but I would love to begin again."

"Then promise me you'll come back alive. I have much to talk to you." Aloki said averting his gaze.

Rajat smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear before hurrying out towards Ashokdhar.

...

Aja barged into the camps set up by the tribes, becoming a target immediately. Almost a dozen bows were aimed right at him and those were maybe the tiniest speck of the whole army. The sarpanch raised his brow taking in the appearance of the royal cautiously.

"Hold!" He said and the bows lowered. Aja bowed in respect.

"I come from Ashokdhar's side."

The sarpanch scoffed, "Is the king too proud to meet us or too afraid?"

"He's too wounded." Aja said and a sliver of concern passed the sarpanch's eyes.

"What does he want us to do with that?"

"Sarpanch-ji. These are grave times. The enemies we are facing right now...they have Darsh captured. It's only a matter of time until they get here."

"It is none of our concerns. Anyway, the gold on royals are all the same."

"Would you rather trust the gold forged in love or the one forged in revenge?"

The sarpanch thought for a moment, "And how would I know which was forged in what?"

In the complete stillness of the settlements, another pair of hooves resounded. Aja sighed in disappointment but also found a silver lining. He turned to the head.

"A while from now...you'll know. Gold forged in love and revenge." He said and ran into a settlement hiding from the gaze of Suyodhan and Nishumbh who just entered the camps.

...

"What made you believe we might side with you, Raja Ansh?" Bhargavadeva said but there was uncertainty in his voice.

"Well, I, for one, will not betray you. And I say so because we have a common problem now. Destruction of Ashokdhar is for both our benefit."

Chavi scoffed internally listening to his words. How wrong he was. Destruction of Ashokdhar might be for his benefit but that would inevitably break down the entire silk route of trade. As a result the entire world trade would collapse. She wasn't surprised however. How would the selfish understand?

"And for another, my army is out there with all the gifts given after the alliance. The moment you agree to the alliance, they'll be at your doorstep. No delay, no rejecting the sailors." Ansh said.