Warrior Hearts

Unconventional Enemies

A/N: Someone once told me that double updates excite her, and make her happy. So cheers to this double update! I hope it makes ya'll smile. Happy reading xx 

"I don't believe you," I blatantly voice out loud. Shrugging my shoulders, I purse my lips. Truth be told, before my words have had the chance to fully escape my lips, Singhania's expectant expression morphs into that of disappointment. I watch as his orbs cloud over momentarily with...hurt, is it? Lord, was the man actually expecting for me to break out into a round of applause for his so called efforts? What a joke! 

"Of course you don't, Princess," Singhania murmurs. Sighing, he glances down at his bare feet, almost as if he's accepting his defeat at being unable to convince me into believing an outright lie. As I follow his line of sight, however, my brows furrow in confusion. Is that dried blood on the toe of Singhania's right foot? 

"Did you hurt yourself?" I question, nodding my head in the direction of what I'm assuming is a wound. 

"Huh?" Singhania asks, as he looks up at me. 

"Your right foot," I explain, pointing my index finger in its direction. "Is that dried blood, or just some dirt?" Knitting his brows together, Singhania stares down at his foot, as if he's also noticing the patch of crimson for the first time. 

"Um...this," Singhania murmurs, his tone nonchalant. Scoffing, I shake my head. 

"Of course, the inflated manly ego that you possess won't allow for you to cry over a silly wound because that's what women do, right? At least I'm sure this how you think," I spit out bitterly. Rolling my eyes, I glance away from Singhania, disappointed once again at the man.

"No, Princess, that's not it," he says. "It's just that, if I began counting the number of wounds I've encountered in the past two days - while building this greenhouse - then you'll have to write down a list of apologies for me." Releasing a nervous chuckle, Singhania lifts up his arm. "See what I mean." Smiling, my enemy points at his elbow, where he's managed to peal off a round patch of his skin. Wincing, I stare at the open wound. By now I'm sure that Singhania's managed to infect it, that is, if it's real. 

"You put on a good show, Singhania." I say, offering him a quick round of applause for all that he's done. "I mean, you've even gone the extra mile to fake a few wounds. Good job." Plastering a fake smile on my face, I nod my head in acknowledgement at Singhania's efforts. Once again, I watch as my words cast the spell of disappointment across his face; the smile immediately getting wiped off my enemy's lips. 

"Princess, you know what?" Singhania asks, as he clenches his jaw. "You don't believe me and I don't blame you for it. But I do know whose words you'll have full faith in - Dadi's." Confused, I stare at Singhania. Now what in the world is he cooking in that rotten mind of his? "You know who this side of the gardens belongs to?" A ghost of a smile begins to dance across Singhania's lips as he glances around at the greenery that surrounds us. However, without him uttering another word, I can already gauge from his tone that he's about to bring a member of his family into the conversation. "My mother." My lips part as I inhale a sharp breath. Truth be told, those two words rolled off Singhania's tongue like a rose petal glides against the breeze in thin air, landing without a sound against the surface of a bowl of milk. In fact, the fondness in his tone is tangible, almost as if I could reach out with my fingers and glide them across this very emotion.

"After Father's death, once she left to completely devote herself to a higher power, Dadi locked this side of the grounds," Singhania continues. "No one's come in here for years, until the other day when I took permission from Dadi to access this side of the gardens, and make it yours." A knowing grin spreads itself across Singhania's face. "Of course she gave me permission to do so at once. I'd say you can go now and gain reassurance from Dadi - that what I'm telling you is nothing other than the raw truth - but frankly it's quite late, Princess. Maybe you can drop by Dadi's chambers tomorrow, and get your answer." Splaying out his palms in front of him, Singhania shrugs his shoulders. "Then you can come back here whenever, and get yourself acquainted with your greenhouse. I mean to say, at the end of the day, this side of the gardens is all for you now." 

"Alright," I reply curtly. Truth be told, I shall do so. After all, I know for a fact that Dadi wouldn't ever fool me the way Singhania so easily does. 

"You know, Princess, I'd begun woodwork classes," Singhania says. Smiling, he passes his fingers over the edge of the wooden sign that bears my name. "And my teacher first taught me how to carve the wood, and so I made a wooden sign for Mother." 

"Is it the one that's stationed near the gate?" I question, jerking my thumb over my shoulder. Refusing to look away from the wooden sign, Singhania nods his head.

"Absolutely," he confirms. "But I still had to learn how to carve letters and designs into wood, so I promised Mother that once my woodwork classes were over and done with, I'd make another special sign for her. Until then, though, she and I just imprinted our handprints on the sign near the gate," Singhania explains. Oh, so those handprints belong to him and his mother. Clicking his tongue, Singhania releases a sigh. "Unfortunately, Father passed away before I could complete my woodwork course. And of course, I had to discontinue all leisure activities that didn't benefit the kingdom. So I couldn't make the sign for Mother, as I'd once promised her." Finally, Singhania meets my gaze, only for me to find his orbs gleaming with tears. 

"A lot of promises went unfulfilled, Princess." Singhania adds, his voice breaking. Clearing his throat, he glances up at the sky, perhaps in an attempt to push back his tears. "And so, Princess, fortunately or unfortunately, the first woodwork that I've successfully completed is in your name." Smiling, Singhania presses the heel of his palm against the top of the wooden sign. Mirroring Singhania's gaze, I cast mine onto the sign as well.

"I'd say, unfortunately," I comment. Truth be told, even Shivam would've done a better job at writing my name across the wooden panel. 

"Did you just crack a joke, Princess?" Singhania asks, raising his eyebrows in disbelief at me. Clearing my throat, I shake my head. 

"Jokes are for friends, and may I remind you, Singhania, we are sworn enemies," I say. However, the grin on Singhania's face tells me that he isn't quite convinced with my words.