Twists Twirls Perils & Pearls

73. Love and ego

Abhedya picked up his phone after five back to back calls and shouted, "what?"
"Training time... please come out." Swarnima requested him.
Abhedya came out of his room.
"Please change we are going for a jog," Swarnima told him and he did as told. Swarnima was surprised how did the grumpy bull agree at once? Something is up with him... alert mode on.

Swarnima and Abhedya were on the jogging track behind the safe house. It was dusk and the sky had an orange hue. The breeze was pleasant and Swarnima's company was not that grumpy. Matching their jogging steps in silence Swarnima and Abhedya completed two rounds of 750meter track.
"Break. Two minutes please." Swarnima was huffing. Abhedya kept jogging in his place.

"Swarnima start now!!!" A voice boomed and Swarnima started jogging.

"Who is it?" Abhedya asked her.

"Eklavya. Guess he can see us." Swarnima informed him.

After two more rounds, Swarnima sat on the track and her breathing was heavy.
"Are you okay?" Abhedya was concerned.
She nodded.

Eklavya came on the field. He bow before Abhedya then screamed at Swarnima, "is this your stamina? What happened to you? how you will protect the king. Three rounds... now!!"

"Eklavya, just two minutes... please." Swarnima requested.

"Now!" Eklavya dismissed her request.

Swarnima gulped her saliva and started jogging. Her pace was slow. "Faster" Eklavya shouted and her pace increased.
When she reached where Abhedya was standing he caught her and stopped her.

"Enough! You will get an Asthama attack. Stop! Ignore him." Abhedya told her.

Eklavya caught her hand to separate her from Abhedya and she screamed "ahhhhh" and withdrew her hand from his grip.
Eklavya pulled her hand back and pushed her sleeve up. Blue and purple bruises graced on her wrist.

"How did this happen? Who did this?" Eklavya questioned.

"It was an accident. My hand came between the door while closing it." Swarnima lied on his face.

"I did it," Abhedya answered. Swarnima pleaded with her eyes to Abhedya to not say anything further.

"Those are beautiful drawings Kunwar sa. I am sure this girl must have done something really bad to deserve it. Otherwise, the kind-hearted his highness would never choose himself for punishing someone. Don't worry Kunwar sa, I will take care of her punishment." Eklavya glared at Swarnima and said, "you know the drill."

Swarnima pulled her sleeve down and nodded her head.
"What punishment? I decide what has to be done and what not. You don't interfere with me and her." Abhedya's eyes spitfire. He could not let anyone harm Swarnima.

"Kunwar sa, my stature is like an ant in front of your magnitude. But, this girl here has broken rules many times and when the matter concerns the protectors to the throne, it is and will always be me who decides the punishment for the violation of rules, till you claim the throne. Then you may lay new rules." Eklavya was rude to Swarnima but had his politest tone with Abhedya.

"I know what to do Eklavya. I am sorry. It won't happen again. Kunwar sa will not have any complains, I assure you." Swarnima lowered her head.

"That won't happen because from tomorrow all the training he has to take shall be done by different experts in the field. You have failed miserably." Eklavya declared.