The King's Shield

Chapter 41 - The Attempt to sway

I shouldn't have let him escape.

I shouldn't have let him go. He was the only means to get to her.

Anger and frustration crushed him. All he had tried so far was a waste, boiled down to zero. Each of his thoughts reprimanded him.

She is gone ... Bal's words confused him. What did he mean by that? Gone where? Did he imprison her somewhere? What if he killed her?

No

No

No

No

It can't be. He cannot kill her.

Adhiveer's breathing quickened and he started to sweat profusely.

If he had taken her somewhere, where would it be? It couldn't be far; it would be foolish to move her far; they would be spotted easily. If not then he was able to covertly take her away without anyone noticing. Adhiveer needed manpower to carry out the search on a large scale and he got the help of King Vishwa. For some reason, he didn't trust the king. The circumstances were tangled... Something beyond the usual. Too many coincidences for things to fall into place, just like that.

The steps he had to take now, would be crucial to their future, for the future of his kingdom. He couldn't afford to be reckless.

Adhiveer had fallen into the dichotomy of the situation; if he chased after Bal and tried to find Shiva, he would risk his kingdom and fail to be a capable king. If he abandoned the idea of rescuing Shiva and concentrated on getting his kingdom back, he would fail to be a good partner and fail in love. Either of those was unacceptable.

There was a knock at the door, Adhiveer had returned to King Vishwa's palace. His mind was still buzzing from the events that had occurred. Bal had escaped, and two of his men were killed; Varah and Bhumi suggested that he return. They requested him to start afresh. They had also promised to do whatever was in their power to find her.

He had to calm himself and stabilise his intellect.

A disturbed mind can never think straight, Uncle Bhairava's words rang in his ears.

"Come in", he said when he heard the knock again.

" My king, the physician is here, he will take care of your injuries," Bhagya said as she entered, trailed by a man and a few other maids.

" I don't want to see anyone right now."

Bhagya stopped abruptly. " But my king-

" I am not going to say it twice," he shot her a look.

" As... As you wish my king," she bowed down and left his chambers along with everyone else.

He didn't want anyone around, he wanted to put everything together, gather his thoughts and put forth a plan that would actually work.

He heard a knock again. Frustrated, he walked to the door and yanked it open. Princess Ambika stood outside, flanked by the physician and by maids who had followed Bhagya earlier.

" My king, I am here to help you with the healing of your injuries and tend to your wounds." There was an undertone of something sinister in her words and the way she said them. Adhiveer felt a pang of caution.

" Princess, with all the respect, I am not inclined to anyone's company right now; I wish to be alone," he said in a firm voice.

" Very well my king, as you wish," she said, turned and gave the people around a nod. Everyone left but she stayed.

He was perplexed and was about to tell her to leave but she walked past him and entered his chamber. This act shocked him, he stood stunned at her imposition.