Pradanya : His Sole Destination

Chapter 1

"Yuvraj, hume chalna chahiye" The personal guard of the young prince whispered looking at the sky but the prince ignored him. "Yuvraj" He called again making the prince turn around in annoyance "Kya hai?"
(Prince, we should go) (Prince) (What is it?)

"Yuvraj we've been outside the whole night, the sun will rise in sometime, we should return before that"

Prince nodded and then continued walking further not paying heed to what the guard said. The guard shook his head at his stubborness , nevertheless followed him quietly.

After walking for minutes they finally stopped infront of a small stall selling fresh sweets. "Yuvraj, aapko mithai khani thi? To yahan kyun aaye ? Ye to humare rajya mei bhi milti hai, aur agar yahin ki chahiye thi to mujhe hi bhej diya hota , aapko aane ki kya aavashakta thi?"
(Yuvraj , you wanted to have sweets? Then why did you come here? It is available in our kingdom also, and if you wanted the one from here only then you should have sent me , why did you come here yourself)

The prince looked at his guard with a bored expression which made him shut his mouth. The prince turned around but he spoke again "Yuvraj?"

"Ab kya hai Dhruv ?" He turned around frustrated. "Wo mai kah raha tha, mai jaa kar le aau aapke liye mithai?" The guard exclaimed.
( What now Dhruv?) (I was saying that, shall I go and bring the sweets for you?)

"Thank you Dhruv but I will buy it myself, you just keep an eye on the surroundings." Dhruv nodded "Aur haan" The prince forwarded his hand fixing the shawl over his shoulder "khud ko dhand se dhako"
(And yes....cover yourself properly)

Dhruv nodded looking around to see if someone noticed him as the prince went near the shopkeeper to buy sweets. Though it was around mid-night, the market was still busy. This market in the kingdom is open 24/7 and heavily crowded the whole time. In festive season it is difficult to find a place to stand in there, people are always pushing each other to move forward, everybody remains in rush to buy things before someone else does.

Dhruv looked at prince coming towards him with a packet in his hand that he hid under the lower end of the shawl wrapped around his shoulder and face. "Let's go" The price said moving in the direction of their horse.

They both sat on their horses that were tied away from the market. Dhruv looked at the packet in the hand of his prince, he kept it in his hand instead of placing it in the bag hung on the horse. He was controlling the horse with one hand and holding the packet with the other.

"Yuvraj" Dhruv called out, moving his horse in the same pace as the prince's. The yuvraj looked at him as he spoke "Is your bag filled ? I can keep it in mine" he said referring to the packet.

The prince shook his head "No, I have space in my bag but my leg might strike against the bag while riding, it would spoil the sweets, they'll be smashed." Dhruv nodded in acknowledgement.

After a few minutes of silently riding he spoke again "Yuvraj?" The prince hummed, looking forward. "Konsi mithai li?"
(Which sweet did you buy?)

The prince looked at him with a raised eyebrow that made him bite his lips in nervousness "Wo..khushbu acchi aa rahi hai na"
(Actually...the smell of it is quite good)

The prince chuckled and shook his head, pulling the rein to move faster as Dhruv did the same hurriedly, following him. They rode further until Dhruv noticed that the way they are going is not the way to their kingdom. "Yuvraj, we're on the wrong path." He said loudly

"No we aren't" The prince said, pacing in the same direction. "Yuvraj this is not the way to our kingdom" Dhruv exclaimed.

"We are not going to our kingdom" The prince said making the other one shocked. He looked at the direction they were moving and then back at his prince in horror. "Yuvraj , Dakshpur ke mahal ki ore ja rahe ham. Kisi ne dekh liya to mushkil ho jayegi aur to aur agar abhi nhi laute to samay par Sahasragarh nhi pahunch payenge"
(Yuvraj, we are going towards the royal palace of Dakshpur. It will be a problem for us if anybody saw us moreover if we don't return now we won't be able to reach Sahasragarh on time)