Page 331 of A King's Oath

“Solanki Rajvansh Varso Bill[112] — Pass.”

And with a quiet sigh, the bill that had brought a storm to all of Gujarat 20 years ago, sailed smoothly through his court. He had borne the brunt of arguments on both sides in these last few months. He had been lauded for taking a step that no Gujarati kingdom had taken yet, even after two decades of going back and forth in the MahaRawal Parishad. He had also been ridiculed, accused of pursuing a bill only because he had a daughter who he wanted to inherit, taking the right out of his younger half-brother’s hands, even breaking his own oath.

Samarth had heard it all, with the voices of Giriraj Hukum and Rajmata louder in his ears. He knew now that right and wrong were not rigid. That taking an oath and fulfilling it were two ends of a deep river and by the time you crossed it, so much of the world would have changed. That a wise man, a forward-thinking man, a flexible man was one that knew how to manoeuvre himself to bring his best intentions to life, not rigid words that may lead to more harm than the good they had set out to do. Because —

Dharma matibhya udgritaha.

Dharma was that which was born out of mindfulness.

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Even before he reached the door of his parents’ chambers he could hear the loud giggles and louder laughs spilling from under the threshold. The guards stood back. He pushed the door handle down and opened the door for Ava to precede him.

“I am going to eat a Brahmi-apple…” Papa was pretending to take bites off his daughter’s cheek as she thrashed in giggles in his arms. Sharan lay opposite him, using his feet to have a foot-fight with her while Rajmata was on her phone.

“Rani saheb, one minute, I can’t hear you,” she whacked Papa’s arm. “Sid! Quiet.”

Samarth stepped inside behind Ava and closed the door. All eyes turned to them.

“He is here,” Rajmata said. ‘Rani saheb’ meant she was talking to Samriddhi bhabhi. “I’ll call you back.”

“It is passed,” Samarth announced. Sharan hooted with a loud applause and Brahmi joined him, without knowing what she was even applauding.

“8-3?” Papa asked.

“7-4. Rana saheb was on the edge anyway. But it doesn’t matter. He is retiring next year.”

“The news is already everywhere,” Rajmata informed him. “Rani saheb and Rawal saheb knew it, of course, but she just called. Their courtiers are also buzzing.”

“I just spoke to Maan bhai. He was very happy.”

“Did you call Giri?” Papa asked.

“It’s too late. I’ll call him tomorrow.”

“He is awake day and night. But anyway, call him tomorrow.”

“Why are you both standing there? Get in here,” Rajmata crossed her legs and made space on their bed. Samarth climbed in, settling opposite them where Sharan was half-splayed without a care in the world. Ava sat beside him just as Brahmi lunged out of Papa’s arms and began jumping in the little space left in the middle of the bed.

“Don’t jump on somebody’s feet!” Ava scolded. “Look down.”

“This bed is too small,” Papa observed.

“It’s better this way,” Rajmata caught Brahmi easily in the circle of one arm and pulled her down.

“Penguins are better than horses,” Sharan began to chant. “Penguins are better than horses…”

“No! They are not, Kaka!” Brahmi screamed.

“Penguins are so better than horses…” he made a song out of it and Brahmi jumped onto him, their wrestling and rolling half-pressing his lap down. Samarth just kept two hands under two crazy heads and laughed with the rest of them. He looked at Papa. Blinked. Saw the two of them, splayed across the bed and still unable to cover it from edge to edge. His lids rose and saw the state now.

“Don’t cry,” Ava teased in his ear. He nudged her shoulder with his. She nudged him back, making him topple over Sharan.

“Bhai!”

“Papaaa!”

“Kids!”

— THE END —

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