Page 272 of A King's Oath

“Your father? Livid at him? He saved Brahmi’s life!”

“My father is livid atme. For putting Brahmi in the middle of a pen, among other things.”

“Your Rajmata was also angry at you… sorry, I overheard…”

“She was angry and then she found a solution for me. Papa is…” he huffed. “There is a lot going on.”

“I get it. You take your time. If you have to go back home with them, do that…” she declared with an open heart. She hated it but she knew he needed to deal with his father’s ire, rightly so, after the things he had done over the years.

“Actually, that’s why I called.”

“Oh. You are going back to Nawanagar?”

“Umm…”

“It’s alright. Go. I’ll speak to Brahmi, I’ll take care of her…”

How will I do it? What will I tell her? God, why did I let her heart open up to him?

“No,” Samarth’s voice boomed. “Not I. We.”

Goosebumps carpeted the back of her neck.

“We?”

“You, Brahmi and me. It is time I declare I have a daughter and accept you both publicly.”

“This can wait, Samarth…”

“I thought so too but Papa is a bull on a mission.”

“I can’t believe it. He was so sweet last night.”

“The moment you and Brahmi left, the sweet left too,” he chuckled, apparently not miffed with whatever had transpired between him and his father all night.

“I can’t come to Nawanagar like that! My parents don’t even know all this yet…”

“About that…”

‘Stop, Samarth. Don’t tell me they know!”

“No, no, they don’t but…”

The sound of a door opening and closing.

“Is it Ava?” His father’s terse words. “Hand it to me.”

“Ava, speak to Papa.”

“No, Sama…”

“Ava,” his father’s voice was soft, gentle. “Hello, beta.”

“Hello unc… umm, Bade Rawal. Samarth told me Sharan is awake and out of danger.”

“Yes, he is, thank god. We have arranged for him to be flown back to Nawanagar soon, provided his arm starts showing signs of improvement. I would like to officially extend an invitation to you and Brahmi to come home with us.”

“Oh… thank you for your invitation but we cannot come right away. Brahmi’s school starts in two weeks.”

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