Page 286 of A King's Oath

“Ready?”

“Yes!”

Samarth righted the wisps of hair around her face, tucked them behind her ears and grinned at her.

“Goodnight, Mama,” he told her.

“Goodnight,” Avantika leaned down and pressed a kiss to Brahmi’s cheek. “Don’t trouble Dada Sarkar and Dadi Sarkar. Behave yourself.”

She bobbed her head.

“Samarth, bring her back if she is unable to sleep there or troubling your parents.”

Samarth nodded, then glanced behind her — “I am going, Hira ben.”

“I am right behind you, Rawal.”

His laughter reverberated. He turned, hitched Brahmi higher on his hip and set off for his palace.

47. My Heart’s Deepest Desire

— SIDDHARTH —

Siddharth shut off the water in the shower and stepped out, grabbing the towel to dry himself. The day had been long and tiring and overwhelming in more ways than one. They had left France 24 hours ago and a whole lifetime had passed since.

He wrapped the towel around his waist, pushed his wet hair back and picked up his trimmer. As he cleaned the edges of his beard, his thoughts veered to the chronicle of this day. He had lived a long life in his short 56 years, long enough to acknowledge that years and decades passed without any change and one day tumbled into the next and everything had shifted. This particular day had resulted in good changes, great ones. Sharan was back at home and his arm showed signs of recovery. Ava’s parents had shown restraint in their reaction, a maturity he himself would not have maintained had their places been switched. Samarth’s wedding date had been finalised and he would finally start a life he had stupidly pushed away. Siddharth couldn’t bring himself to forgive Samarth’s stubborn stupidity all those years ago. Try as he might, he couldn’t come to terms with his anger over himself — how had he not seen his son pining for the only girl he had ever loved?

He had known about Ava since she had ventured into his life. And yet he had been unable to read the signs in these 20 years as his son had gone on sacrificing himself.

The hum of his trimmer was broken by Tara’s muffled shout.

“Yes?” He called out. “Tell me?”

“I said our granddaughter is here!” She hollered. Siddharth grinned — “Thanks for the information.”

“Wear your nightdress!” She hinted and it hit. He laughed. He would usually venture out in his towel or a pair of white pyjamas. The former if it was only Tara in their chambers, the latter if his boys were lazing around in his bed.

He walked into his bathroom wardrobe and pulled his white night pyjama as well as the worn white kurta he seldom used at night, got dressed in record time and pulled the bathroom door open.

“Where are my kisses?!” He bulldozed and Brahmi squealed, jumping up on their bed and running to Tara who was busy setting a third pillow between theirs. She caught her in her arms, got to her feet and ran. He gave chase, the loud, shrill giggles music to his ears. Tara ran into the balcony and he ran behind her, closing the door behind him — “Hand yourselves over now,” he prowled towards them, unable to look away from two broad grins on two of the prettiest faces he had ever seen in his life.

“Dadi Sarkar run from here,” Brahmi pointed. Tara stepped to the left and he lunged to the right to give her the opening. She went to take it and he grabbed her by the waist, tugging them both into his arms. “Hahaha!” He squeezed them in — “Where will you both go now?”

“Cheater!” Tara worked to break free. "Dada Sarkar is the biggest cheater,” she informed their granddaughter who wasnow laughing, her thrilled face the greatest light of this night. And every night he knew that was to come. Siddharth wound his arms around them and leaned down to kiss her temple, then pressed a similar one to Tara’s temple. Her neck bent forward, her nose hiding inside Brahmi’s hair.

“You’re promoted, stop blushing now at least,” he whispered in her ear.

Brahmi’s head popped up — “What?”

“I said I am the luckiest man there is on this planet.”

“My Papa is the luckiest man on this planet.”

“How so?”

“He knows the best polo and he gets to play all the time. No waiting for his lesson days.”

“In that case, I get to play cricket every day.”

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