Acceptance Is Treachery

Chapter 31

Once the war was over, Emperor Gaurav's last rites were over as well. Arnav returned back to his Palace with a small army that remained. Unhappiness, plastered his face.

He had lost.

Empress Sheila, who was now clad in white glared at her son from her throne. "What have you done!?" Sheila shrieked as she sized her son down.

Arnav remained silent as he stared at his mother refusing to mumble even a single word.

"Nazia Begum won the war! How could Faizabad win their first ever war!? Those scums would never harm even the smallest bug because 'it's against their beliefs'. Today they have killed almost our entire army?! How is that possible, Arnav!?" Empress Sheila boomed, her voice echoing the entire Palace.

"I don't know how to fight. I only know how to rule." Arnav replied with his head facing down.

"Mother, Arnav?" A familiar voice spoke. The mother-son duo turned around.

There stood a man, who was clad in an orange and red robe. His hair was tied in a bun and he now had a beard. He looked haggard however, he looked very familiar.

A thirunaam sat parched between his thick, bushy eyebrows.

Arnav ran towards the man, wrapping him in a hug, as tears fell down his face.

"Brother, you're back." Arnav smiled as tears stained the back of Ram's robe.

Ram smiled back, happiness overtook him as he looked around the palace. Finally, his sentenced exile was over. The Palace of Uttarakhand looked as ravishing as ever. However, something seemed to be amiss.

Ram walked over to Empress Sheila, as he bowed down touching her feet to ask for her blessings.

Empress Sheila, reluctantly blessed Ram, before she proceeded to ask for him to stand up.

Ram knew what was amiss.

His beloved wife was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Nazia, mother?" Ram asked looking around expectantly for his lady.

"She left." Sheila replied.

Ram looked at the two of them quizzically, unable to comprehend the words he just heard.

"Sister-in-law left Uttarakhand after you were sent for exile. She did not want to have anything to do with Uttarakhand and you." Arnav continued as he looked at Ram.

"What?" Ram choked out.

"Princess blamed you for her father's death. She said she hated you and that she never wanted to see you." Arnav looked at Ram as he articulated those words.

"That was the main reason why she waged a war with us and why she killed your father during war." Sheila replied as she rubbed her eyes, sniffing slightly.

"No, Nazia couldn't have done that. She knew that I didn't kill Sultan Azman." Ram brought his palms to his mouth as he walked away from the two of them. He needed to sort out the words that he had just heard.

"She hates me." Ram mumbled as he backed away.

"Brother." Arnav called running after him.