39
CLINK CLINK CLINK
The never ending sounds our knocking swords has started to hurt my ears. It has been an hour since the battle began between me and the king. The lightening speed with which he is making the strikes has me constantly on my toes.
All the soldiers within and surrounding the practice grounds left out of pure fear leaving their general all alone to face the king's wrath. Something that happens all the time, but has gotten significantly less after his marriage....and now after a very long time, I have the honour again.
"Your highness," I said as I continued to defend his attacks, "I am afraid this is getting more...." I paused as I had to make a move once again, "...personal." "The queen made it clear that..." CLINK, "she does not" CLINK "want" CLINK, "your anger" CLINK, "to get diverted."
"This is no diverted anger, general," the king paused to make a statement.
I tried to use this opportunity to get into attack mode but wasn't quick enough.
"This is the anger I have on you," the king said as he pushed my sword back once again taking the attack stand. "For the cunning tactics you've been using to keep your sister and your lover safe," he continued.
Those words distracted me for a second and the king almost killed me but I was quick enough to stop his sword.
Sometimes I do wonder if it would result in an accidental death if I were somehow not strong enough to defend his deadly moves
"Retreat," I said outloud and we both pulled back our swords on the count of three.
"And the audacity to question why I am protecting them," I said as we both put back the swords in the sheath, "Imagine those poor women facing your wrath."
The king rolled his eyes but did not argue further. Meanwhile we heard a faint and hesitant knock on the door.
"Come in," the king ordered and one of the soldiers came in extremely scared.
"I asked you to get the crown. Where is it?" the king asked.
"Your highness...." the solider slightly hesitated before continuing, "I did visit the common chambers....but Miss. Sruthi stopped me outside...She requested you to....get the crown....yourself..."
My heart stopped beating the moment I heard that and the king's angry glare sent shivers down my spine and that is very concerning. Like my soldiers say, if the general gets scared, disaster is on its way.
"And the audacity to protect them," the king told me before storming out of the room.
Despite desperately not wanting to, I did what I had to...ran as fast as I could through a different route, found Sruthi and pulled her aside before the king could see her.
I looked at myself in the mirror and then at the dressing table glancing at the the holy veil from the temple....the one Adi is supossed to put on me today....the one that would ensure we stay together forever.
Will Adi do that? Does he even remember? Will he come for me?
He hasn't seen me since yesterday so I doubt....
My thoughts were interrupted when the door to our chambers suddenly opened.
Adi!
A ray of hope emerged in my heart. So he does remember....or so I thought until....
"I came for the crown," Adi blankly stated.
"Oh," I said a little disappointed and took a step back. Adi was about to go to his side of the room but paused as if something caught his attention.
"Why are you not ready yet?" he asked slightly annoyed.
"I...am ready," I said looking down.
What did I miss?
Adi slightly pushed my maang tika aside to confirm his suspicion.
"Where is your sindhoor?" he asked.
I hoped he would apply it like he always does but....looks like I lost the priviledge.
"I...don't have it with me," I said slightly hesitant, "It's on your side of the room."
"As if you've never been to my side of the room," Adi sarcastically commented before he went and got the sindhoor.
Yet he still did not apply it himself. Just gave it to me and went back to his dressing table to put on his crown.
I went to my dressing table and tried to apply it myself but was too distracted as the mirror also showed him on the other side putting on the crown and as fate would have it the kunkum fell in my eyes.
"Ouch," I said and started rubbing my eyes to make it go away and to my pleasant surprise I suddenly felt Adi holding onto my hand.
"Stop, that won't help," he said and gently pulled my hand down. I looked at him as he carefully blew some air near my eyes.
"Better?" he asked. I nodded.
"Is it really that complicated to apply sindhoor?" he asked as if he suddenly remembered that he is still angry at me.
"This is my first time trying," I replied, "...you never let me do it myself before."
Adi stared at me for a while before snatching the sindhoor from my hand and applying it himself. I looked at him hoping he would say something more...atleast scold some more....but he just turned to leave.
"Adi..." I called and he turned back, a little annoyed.
I wanted to remind him about the veil but hesitated.
"What?" he asked frustrated.
"The pooja...veil..." I struggled to explain and pointed to the dressing table. Adi understood what I meant but did not say anything.
Perhaps I am expecting too much.
"I will put it in the cupboard," I said and walked towards the dressing table but to my surprise Adi signed and walked right behind me and reached out for the veil before me.
As I stood infront of the mirror I could see our reflection and to my utter surprise he started putting the veil over my head. For a moment I felt like we were back to being a couple again, yet that wasn't the case.
"Do not look at me like that, I am still angry," Adi stated.
So he is still angry.
As per his wish I lowered my eyes.
Adi immediately lifted up my chin forcing back my view to our reflection.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked confused.
Wasn't he the one who asked me to not look at him?
"I don't know," Adi replied, "For the first time ever in my life, I don't know.
" "King of the Nine kingdoms, they said.
A man whose fury cannot be contained, they said.
God of hell, they said," he continued looking at me through the mirror, "and yet here I am contrary to all those titles, contrary to the beliefs people had of me and contrary to the beliefs I had of myself. "
"I hate this," he said looking away and shaking his head, "I hate that I cannot bear to see you in the slightest distress. I hate that I, who beheaded people with no remorse, feel penitent the moment I see your dejected eyes."
"Above all," he signed and looked back at me, "I hate that there is not a part of me that wishes to fight these feelings and my heart broke. "Perhaps that is what the curse of love does to people," he concluded and left as if he wants to just get away before he completely forgets what I've done.
My eyes teared up as my heart still tried to process what he just said. The amount of love Adi has for me is incomprehensible. He is, in true sense, a blessing, from the Goddess herself and there is nothing in the world I could do to repay this man....except for loving him back.