Veil of The Sun

Chapter I : Bandan

After a long day of training with the knights, Kavya, after refreshing herself, decided to pay the fourth prince, otherwise known as Bandan, a visit. She was one of the few people who that inept man had as a friend, and of course, Kavya was a good one. Even if he was very irritating, Kavya was immensely loyal which was somewhat rare in the Pandhara Kingdom.

Kavya knocked at his door thrice.

"Your Highness, it's Kavya," she called out, her voice carrying a note of both familiarity and formality. She waited patiently, knowing that her visit, though perhaps unexpected, would be welcomed by the prince.

"Yes, yes!! Let yourself in," Prince Bandan called back, "I'm a little busy right now if you couldn't tell already."

"Alright, your–" When Kavya let herself into his royal highness' room, she was quite surprised to find the large– once sparkling room... covered in a mess of clothing. It littered the place like a garbage dump. Kavya coughed a few times as she closed the door behind her and began to take a few steps in, avoiding any loose clothing items.

"Prince..." Kavya began, "What exactly do you think you're doing...?"

Prince Bandan sighed dramatically as if Kavya just asked a question with a very obvious answer. He seemed rather annoyed by her as he turned his head back to look at her, pale golden eyes looking at her with fire.

Bandan yelled back, crossing his arms, "What's with your tone?! I'm packing, Kavya, to go to Neela! Haven't I told you how much I've been wanting to go there? Neela is the land of-"

Oh and here he starts all over again... The prince was quite known for his ongoing rants regarding how much he loved Neela. Prince Bandan could care less about his royal duties but as soon as frivolous pleasures were involved, suddenly he's an expert.

"-Music, beautiful women, and the famous Navaratnas otherwise known as the nine jewels of Prithvi Mata. Yes. You have told me. Countless times," Kavya responded curtly while also interrupting him, "However... Why now? And were you planning on going on your own?"

The prince rolled his eyes at Kavya's reasonable questions. Again he didn't quite seem to understand the reason Kavya spoke so much about all of this. He simply sighed before angrily replying, "Tsk... All these questions. This is why you don't have a lover Kavya."

He continued like a snake spitting venom, "You're so uptight. Even a womanizer like me doesn't want you. And yes, I plan on going alone. Why not? Do you think I can't take care of myself?"

The prince scoffed before shrugging away and focusing his attention back on packing all his clothes. He seemed more interested in what he was going to wear in Neela than any of Kavya's worries. Kavya could only sigh seeing the fourth prince act like this. This was an everyday affair after all. The royal family of Pandhara lived a life unlike any other in the kingdom and thereby were allowed certain privileges unreachable by the public. Of course, even in comparison to other kingdoms, Pandhara was considered the most elitist. Pandhara was a kingdom that prided itself on its moral superiority... and such, traditions of the past were like irrefutable law. One such tradition is perhaps what the Prince displayed.

And yet, Pandhara was the most unkind perhaps to her. A female knight in Pandhara was like a phenomenon after all. Most women were married at her age dedicating their lives to serving their husbands... but she instead became a knight because of her incredible talent and because of other reasons. One of those reasons being the little 'brat' of a prince, Bandan, whom she knew since childhood. Perhaps, that is why she could not help but be loyal to him as his knight.