Page 48 of A King's Oath

“How are you? How was your Geography paper? We couldn’t talk last night. The WiFi has become very patchy.”

“I am good, Papa. Geography went ok. I’m not very good at it.”

“Your father is an environmentalist and wandering the deserts of Antarctica and you say you are not good at Geography!”

“It’s too much to rote… all the mineral mines and water currents and topography charts.”

“I’ll have to give you special tuitions when I come back.”

“Ava is giving me tuitions… I mean, she helps me if I need it…”

“Ava, is it?” Papa drawled. “Would her full name be Avantika by any chance?”

No point in hiding or lying now. And what would he lie about? Why would he lie about Ava?

“Umm… yes, Papa,” Samarth felt his heart beat faster.

“The cricketer Avantika?” His father pressed.

Samarth rolled his eyes. Rawal Siddharth Sinh Solanki was the biggest needler out there.

“Yes, Papa.”

“Are you treating her respectfully?”

Samarth sobered. He sat up — “Yes.”

A moment of silence passed, the crackle of static the only sound between them.

“Good.,” Papa’s authoritative tone echoed. “Now, I will be back on 7th January. How long are your vacations?”

“My vacations are all through January till February-end this time. They are renovating the west wing and the other wings are needed for 12th board exams.”

“What about polo?”

“The club has two tournaments before March but the final schedule is not out. And Coach says he will release the list only once he knows the venue and the dates.”

“Great, so you’ll be home.”

“Yes.”

“Alright. By the way, I’ve bought you the best gift from here.”

The needler. Right there.

“Is it another ‘Bad Boy’ mug?” Samarth grumbled. His father had gotten him a black bad-boy-mug from America with some gothic scary-looking man on it.

“No!” Papa protested. “That joke is stale.”

“Wait till I start getting you old man souvenirs, Papa.”

“I am 37 and not old at all.”

“Only when you don’t keep a beard.”

He laughed — “You tell me to keep it.”

“That’s because otherwise you don’t look authoritative enough.”

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