HIS FIRST QUEEN

Chapter 16 [Anshuman]

The room was still, the quiet hum of the night settling in like a shroud over the palace. I sat in the darkness, the only light a flickering oil lamp casting shadows on the walls. My thoughts were a tempest, swirling with a fury I couldn't quite contain.

Tara was gone.

The words echoed in my mind, a bitter reminder of my failure to keep her close, to protect her from the world—and, perhaps, from myself. I had underestimated her resolve, her strength. The woman who had once looked at me with love and trust now saw me as a jailer, a tyrant. I clenched my fists, the sting of her departure cutting deeper than any physical wound.

How could she leave like this? After everything, after all the promises and vows, how could she walk away?

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I knew who it was before I even called for them to enter.

Vedant stepped inside, his expression unreadable. His armor was dusty from the road, the faint scent of horse and sweat clinging to him. He stood before me, his head bowed slightly in deference.

"Maharaj," he began, his voice steady, but there was a tension beneath it that I immediately picked up on. "I have returned as you commanded."

I stared at him, searching his face for any sign of betrayal. Vedant was loyal and one of my most trusted men. If anyone could have brought Tara back, it would have been him. But as I looked into his eyes, I saw the truth before he even spoke.

"You failed," I said, my voice flat.

He swallowed, meeting my gaze directly. "Maharaj, I... I did as you asked. But Maharani—she was determined to leave. The Yuvraj's men were with her. They were ready to fight to protect her."

I rose from my seat, the rage I had been holding back boiling to the surface. "You let them go," I hissed, my voice low and dangerous.

Vedant didn't flinch, though his jaw tightened. "Maharaj, I could have forced her back, yes. But it would have cost lives—your wife's safety would have been compromised, and there is the child to consider."

I froze, my anger momentarily eclipsed by the mention of our child. Our child. My mind flashed to the image of Tara, her hand resting protectively on her stomach. I had been so consumed by my need to control, to keep her safe within these walls, that I had driven her away.

Vedant continued, his tone careful. "I allowed them to leave, but I told her that I would report that they overpowered us. This will buy you time to decide your next move, Maharaj. The Maharani is on her way to Indravathi. You know where she will be."

Indravathi. Her father's kingdom. A place she believed she would find safety, far from my reach. But she was wrong if she thought I would just let her go.

"Prepare the men," I ordered, my voice cold as I turned away from Vedant. "We march to Indravathi within the week. I need to speak to my wife's family."

Vedant hesitated, his eyes flicking to mine as if searching for something. "Maharaj, if I may speak freely..."

I raised an eyebrow, signaling for him to continue.

"Is this truly the path you wish to take? The Maharani is not an enemy, and Indravathi is a powerful ally. Marching there with an army could lead to war, and your child—"

"My child will be born in Aranyapura," I interrupted sharply. "Tara belongs here, with me. And if she thinks she can defy me, defy my will, she will learn otherwise. Indravathi may be an ally, but no one takes what is mine. Not even the Yuvraj."

Vedant's eyes darkened, but he nodded. "As you command, Maharaj."

He turned to leave, but I called him back, my voice softer now, though no less firm. "Vedant."