Page 178 of A King's Oath

“I do not want her. Or that life. This is it now, Hukum. I will not leave Sharan or Nawanagar. And I will not bring her to this kingdom.”

“At least talk to her. She has come all this way, hiding in your palace like a commoner. Listen to what she has to say.”

“Nothing she says will change my decision. It will only give her false hope.”

“A king must always listen.”

“Not this time.”

“You will regret this but not be able to repent it. Think carefully before deciding, Samarth.”

“No.”

Avantika waited. Like an unashamed, reprehensible, weak girl, she waited even after listening to all that he had said about her. She waited. And then when no sound was forthcoming, she felt the tick of each second in the wild beats of her heart. It was beating even harder. Beating like a reminder.

And that’s when Avantika finally regrew her spine. Her feet which had frozen on the spot tingled with heat. They moved of their own accord, turned and began to stride away from Samarth Sinh Solanki, like they once had a decade ago. This time they moved, on and on. And even as her hand reached down to touch her belly, holding it firm under the cotton of her kurta, her feet kept moving.

PART III: THE KING

— SAMARTH —

30. Sev On Poha

Samarth clawed his wet hair back and exited the bathroom. The sun was rising on the horizon outside his window, its rays piercing the glass and his eyes. He gazed at its light and at the shadows that the birds flying across the sun painted on his window, and him.

He had lost count of how many days it had been today. Yesterday he had done a back counting and reached a number. Today, he considered this a win and moved on to his vanity. A crisp white kurta and pyjama were set on the hanger. He left his towel and pulled on the pyjama. Then pushed his head into the kurta. He had never been one to favour these over his comfortable shirts and polos. Papa had worn these. After all these days of mourning, it had become his new uniform.

Samarth looked at himself in the mirror. If he had to bring the palace, Sharan and Maarani out of their mourning then he had to get out of it first. Samarth reached down and pulled the kurta off. He strode into his walk-in wardrobe and slid the door open to his shirts. He pulled out a blue shirt. He went to the line of his pants and selected a navy blue one. Belt. Watch. Shoes.

He got dressed and left his room, mobile in hand. He had meetings lined up in Papa’s…hisoffice before court.

“Rawal?” Hira ben’s voice sounded. It took him a second to realise that she was calling out to him. He turned — “Haan, Hira ben?”

“Rajmata would like to see you.”

He nodded and took an about turn. As he crossed her, Hira ben’s face softened, a smile blooming on her mouth while her eyes trailed him from head to toe. He tried to smile back.

“We have to come out, no?” He asked.

Her smile widened. “We have to,” she reached into the small potli of money she carried at her hip, fisted a few notes in her hand and circled it around his face.“Tamara shaurya ne koi ni najar naa laage.”[72]

“Shaurya aavo na hoye. Shaurya ranbhoomi ma hoye.”

[73]

“Aa aj ranbhoomi chhe, Rawal.”[74]

Samarth looked down.

“Tame tamari maadi na pet thi kasumbi no ghado peene aavya chho.”[75]

His hair stood on end.

“Pan tyaag karo, toh tyaag samajhta bi seekhjo.”[76]

Samarth swallowed the sound of those words, gave a nod and began to stride towards Rajmata’s chambers. Hira ben did not know what had happened in the palace that day. He had ensured that it got completely sealed. The handful of guards who had been witness to the confrontations in bits and pieces had also been sworn to secrecy by Harsh. So why did it feel like she knew it? Why did it feel like she could read it in his face?

Samarth reached the door and gave a knock. Two knocks followed by one.

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