Shadow and Light

57

The Shadow

I didn't know how to tell him, this last piece of information. A knowledge I was better off without knowing.

"I...I went to Kanva" I said, he already knew, he nodded at me, crossing his hands in front of his chest, he was waiting for me to say it. His eyes covered by a serious expression.

"Its hilarious how the man who left me and my mother only wanted an heir to his kingdom" I said, and his eyes widened. Ranvijay wasn't stupid, he knew exactly who I was talking about.

"He didn't know about me. That I am his daughter, he didn't know who or what I am. But he knew about me as the Queen of Vardhana. He knew you killed my mother." I said, looking at the dirt on the path, the sun was rising. I could see him properly, his face, his lips, his eyes. The scar on his eyebrows.

"I have a request. Let me kill him in this battle. Let me kill my father. I want Devasya's blood on my sword." I gritted my teeth; my knuckles were white with how tightly I had gripped my hands in a fist.

"I wasn't expecting that. But you have my word Little Killer. The man is yours to kill" he patted my head, like I am a child, making me smile. I pushed the recent instances and revelation about my mother in the back of my head, forgetting about everything that has happened, forgetting about everything that he did. Because I wasn't lying when I said, I forgave him. Because I did.

He is the love of my life. And I love him enough to forgive him. I don't know if my mother would have wanted that or not. But I know I want this. I want him-no-I need him.

"I told him, I am the Shadow" I said, "I knew that. You threatened him too?" he smiled looking at me, a shine in his eyes which was lost when he had come last night when he looked all broken and tired.

"I did. Told him to retreat back or I will kill his whole clan, his son actually. One he worked so hard for." I scoffed, thinking about my deranged father, one I despised, one I will kill to give my mother peace.

"Lets get back to the palace shall we?" he extended his hand, and I nodded. I wanted to go home, home.

He picked me up and put me in front of him on the horse, "Haiyaa!" he said and we galloped out of the place to get back home. As we had a war to win.

***

I stood in front of the council, every one of them held their breathes as they saw me walk in, I knew they thought I had shaken hands with the enemy. Men.

"Kanva has been marching forward with exceptional speed" The new general said, I hadn't asked for his name yet.

"Devasya is stupid. Really, really stupid." I laughed. Everyone in the room looked at me as if I had a chicken on top of my head.

"I have studied his attack patterns in the past. He likes to show his power. One of the many reasons why he has tried so hard to get so many allies. He's trying to win this battle mentally. Trying to discourage our soldiers by showing them that they are outnumbered." Ranvijay said, placing his hands on the table in front of the map of the two kingdoms.

"Does he think he is the only one with allies?" I smirked, I had changed my attire, I was in a dark green suit and matching salwar, my hair braided and my vermillion glistened on top of my head. My sword strapped on my waist; the daggers hidden all over my body.

"What...does that mean?" Ranvijay asked confused, "I am not saying we are not capable of winning this war on our own, we are more powerful than Devasya will ever be. But just to keep our soldiers' spirit up, I sent out letters." I mused, I had written and given out the letters to the concerned people the moment I had stepped inside the palace. And one I had sent long before that.