Page 7 of A King's Oath

Samarth rose to his feet, and noticed for the first time how small she was. Or he had noticed it but now it was suddenly too visible. Her head came up to his chest and she had to crane her neck back to look at him. He could fold her into his arms and nobody would be able to figure out he was hiding her here.

“You did everything in summer except grow this,” he patted her head. She reached up and tried to bite his palm. He pulled it higher, dangling it close to her mouth. As expected, Ava jumped but he pulled it up in time. She snarled. Samarth wiggled his fingers again, knowing she couldn’t cower from a challenge. He was enjoying winning this too like he did everything else when she set her hands on his shoulders to leverage for a jump.

That’s when he moved away.

“Hey! Hello?!” She came sniping behind him. He snickered, holding her away by the top of her head as she tried to charge at him like an unhinged bull. Samarth glanced around. Coach was still not here and his mates were busy lounging around under the sun, getting their faces used to the heat before they were thrown into galloping in the sun and dust.

What would it be like to take Ava on a horse and go for a ride under this sun? That is, if she would allow him to bring her within a hundred metres of a horse.

An idea struck.

“Come with me,” he left her head.

Curiosity won over competition for Ava.

“Where?” She looked around.

“Just come,” he scooped his mallet bag and slung it over his shoulder.

“Don’t you have practise?”

“Come, Ava!” He bellowed, striding.

“If it’s…” she trailed to a stop. Samarth turned. Her face was white.

“What happened?”

“I’m not coming inside! Are you mad?” She stood outside the open doors of the stables.

“Why?”

“There are horses inside!”

“I know. It’s their home.”

“You know I am scared of horses!”

“That’s because you haven’t thought about befriending them yet.”

“Oh,” she gave a mock laugh. “Why didn’t I think about that before, Einstein?!”

“Come on, Ava, they are the best.”

“No, I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!”

He caught her wrist before she could make a beeline for the fields.

“Samarth! No,” she bodily tugged back. And shewasstrong enough for him to call upon his full force and tug her in the opposite direction. Luckily, between standard 7th and 9th, he had put on ample muscle mass and grown in size while she was still the same. It was hence possible for him to drag her kicking into the dark stables.

“Samarth! I’ll have you executed for this!” She raised her leg to kick him but he jumped, laughing.

“I am a prince too, Kumari. Why do I have the feeling that I will be welcomed with attar sprinkles in your Gwalior Palace?”

Fuming, she tried again and this time succeeded in giving his backside a kick.

“Hey! Don’t get my whites dirty!”

Another kick. “Leave me! I don’t want to come!”

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