𝑰𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅 ✎

[27]

This chapter is dedicated to Dodododo__ ❤️

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Maneka

My letter went unanswered for longer than twenty four hours, my anxiety was shot up. I was barely able to eat anything. And most of all, rest.

Every waking moment seemed to be clouded with the thoughts of Raghavendra's wellbeing and here and there my husband's. I had probably annoyed Neelam to her level extent by asking her if any response letter had shown up yet every twenty minutes since I had woken up.

It was past noon. Much later than any decent lunchtime, but I was not in the mindspace to stomach any meal and avoided food until Devika, my sister in law, forced me into it. She decided to join me for lunch because she felt lonely with her brother gone and her father still recovering. She had made it a point to have dinner with me last night as well blaming herself for my kidnapping and though I had assured her that it was ofcourse none of her fault, she still didn't seem much better. I felt bad for the poor girl, she had to be experiencing this tumultuous time at such a young age.

As soon as the maids finished serving us lunch, Devika animatedly started chattering. Being a useful distraction from my clouded mind.
"I just recieved a letter from my friend, Princess Aganya of Ramarpura. She had heard about the situation in Talya and wrote to express her sympathies. And she also wrote that apparently her alliance had been fixed. Her father didn't even bother to ask her apparently! And has fixed her alliance with the King of Deshur."

"Isn't that King like 50 years old?" I deadpan. Devika nods.

"He is! That is what is so sad. Her Kingdom was in desperate need of help and since Deshur is famous for being a close ally with the Delhi Sultanate. So her father jumped at the chance."

That is awful. Atleast I have to give it to my father that he had the decency to protect me from Kings like that.

By the time Devika finished catching me up on other gossip and our endless conversation flowed we were done with our meal and now comfortably seated on my bed. It was well past afternoon and now almost sunset. Our heads were thrown back laughing when Neelam came rushing inside my quarters, interrupting us.

"He is awake!" She announced. Devika immediately jumped from the bed.

"Pitaji is awake?" She gasped. Neelam nodded. That was all the confirmation Devika needed as she rushed out of my quarters. I followed behind her.

Upon reaching the royal medical quarters, I see the King resting on the bed.

Devika immediately kneels next to him and starts sobbing. Her father pats her head reassuring that he is awake and perfectly healthy now. But I learn that its not true the second I look up to meet the tired and sad eyes of the Royal doctor. Vaidh ji gestures to meet him outside and I oblige.

"His left leg has been paralysed." He whispers. My eyes widen in shock.

"I tried everything possible to reverse the effect of the poison the dagger left but it worked only partially. You see, the dagger he was attacked with was posioned with a rare one which is hard to detect. Hence I was not fast enough to administer the antidote to him. My deepest apologies, Rajkumari ji."

I sigh sadly. The man looks so guilty and disappointed that I don't even have the heart to reprimand him even remotely. He must have tried his best.

"Is his situation stable though? Anymore danger of any other health issue arising?" I ask. Vaidh ji promptly shakes his head.