Page 163 of A King's Oath

Good morning! Or noon. Finished court?

Any fun cases today?

SAMARTH

Not really…

No wait

This cattle herder — his goats were

being seduced by his neighbour’s buck.

AVA

What did Kunwarji decree?

SAMARTH

I told them to separate the goats for a week.

Give them time to ‘cool off.’

And then conduct a supervised reunion

under the watch of the sarpanch.

AVA

Oh. My GAWWWWD!

I’ll die laughing

Please tell me this went into the royal records.

SAMARTH

Scribed. Sealed. Archived for posterity.

One day Sharan’s grandchildren will read about

the Great Goat Mediation of Nawanagar.

I have to go, Maan bhai is here, talk to you later

AVA

:*

Samarth pushed his mobile into his pocket and stepped inside Chandi Haveli to the sounds of Maarani’s laughter.

”Rawal saheb!”

Rawal Maan Sinh Devgadh, the King of Devgadh stood to his feet, his face turned away but his eyes focused sideways at him. He opened his arms in time for Samarth to embrace him.

“Where have you been?” He thumped his back. “I hear you are burning the candle on both ends?”

“Hardly,” he pulled back, folding his hands to his wife — Rani saheb Samriddhi Sinh Devgadh. “Where are the kids?”

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