Princess Fighter: Search for the Throne

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Mriga looked at Yash with a mute apology.

His eyes darting from one to the other, Yash struggles to understand the similarities between Mriga and the man.

He desperately wanted to let go of the stranger's hand that was currently on his shoulder. But there was something in that person's attitude that stopped Yash from doing it.

"It seems you're busy. I'll come see you next time" Yash said firmly before leaving.

Mriga nodded enthusiastically and waved until she turned around and disappeared from her sight.

Removing her hand from her shoulder, Shaurya also moved to walk in the opposite direction.

"Oh Shit! He was angry at me for not being ready. He won't take me with him tonight," he grabbed Shaurya's arm hard, without thinking twice.

He turned around in surprise and saw his hand holding his hand, tightly.

"I'm really sorry for this delay. Please don't leave me out of the plans tonight" she said in tears.

"I came early to ask if you'd like to eat before we go because we might not have time for dinner after the err event tonight. Since you weren't ready yet, I thought I'd prepare something and we could eat on the way," he spoke, shrugged and slowly pulled his hand from his hand.

Mriga almost slumped into his body in relief.

"Ah.. sure, sounds like the perfect plan. I'll be ready when you get back" he said and ran into the store.

Shaurya left from there with deep thought. He is a rational man, not prone to emotional outbursts unlike most people.

Born to a single mother, she has experienced quite a lot of difficulties and disappointments that make her wary of human relationships.

He had never met his father and his mother did not like to talk about it.

She used to be a waitress at one of the bars. It was a tough and embarrassing job, and he only lived long enough to see Shaurya's sixth birthday.

The country's social services program for orphans has seen a radical restructuring since the current queen took over the government. Perhaps because he himself was an orphan, he knew what the void in the system was.

As a result, not only Shaurya but many others like him found a definite direction for their lives while living in an orphanage.

A group of women run an orphanage. The group is rigorously screened through a barrage of checks, regularly. Also, constant feedback was taken from the children in the orphanage about this 'supervisory mother.

The only qualification these women need is high emotional intelligence. They need to be strong in empathy and have the patience to deal with lonely and emotionally hurt children.

Food, shelter, and education are not the most important needs for these children. All they need is comfort and warmth.

The Queen has mandated that the day will begin with a human touch for everyone who is part of the orphanage.

Each morning, a different child would be assigned to stand outside the canteen. The child will greet his fellow residents with the option of holding hands or hugging.

Shaurya has found himself in a tough spot a few times since the beginning where he has to endure hugs from other kids. Her mother was nowhere near her in the early years of her formation and she has accepted loneliness as a constant companion.

The sudden onslaught of physical contact, that too with the stranger had frightened him early on. But the warmth of this embrace finally melted the ice around his grieving heart and prevented it from turning into a cold, heartless person.

He realized this when he finally started attending school in Gurukul at the age of nine. Every holiday when she returns to the orphanage, she finds herself hoping that she will be chosen to do the morning salutation duty.

As time passed, he grew into a confident man with a keen and dry sense of humor.

The girls find themselves drawn not only to her dark and brooding appearance, but also her calm wit and wit.

A tall man, he had a thin body and tangled hair fell into his eyes, constantly.

Although its face is angled with a sharp jawline, the curved eyelashes protect the jet's back eye, adding contrast and charm, making it almost irresistible.

And then, it happened. At the age of fourteen, she fell in love for the first and only time.

That girl, Tarangini, is so pretty. She is the daughter of the local judge. Gentle and kind-hearted, she was admired by most of the boys in her class and the seniors liked her as well. But his smile was only for Shaurya.

By the time they were fifteen and fourteen years old, they were officially dating.

...****************...

Four years ago

Ever since she grew up in an orphanage, she was more exposed to the outside world than any other children her age. He was one of the few rare students recruited by the Admin team rather than seeking admission there.

It seems that the Admin team always supervises prospective trainees in places like orphanages and brothels.

Passing the initial test, he was immediately given a task beyond the limits of Gurukul. The whole town is familiar enough for Shaurya to perform the tasks given by his mentor.

Due to his outstanding performance, he was officially inducted into the spy network team within two years, and given the task under the supervision of a senior.

He thrived in the world of Spy.

...****************...

As usual, Tarangini knew nothing about this side of his life.

Due to the need to maintain secrecy, she always stated that she worked in a store to earn money so when she finished her education, she, she will have a nest egg when she finds a stable job for herself.

Soon, it was Tarangini's fifteenth birthday and Shaurya hastily tried to balance between the schoolwork and the tasks given by the Administration team.

He reports directly to Prithvi at this stage. Moreover, he had been working for several hours in the market. All this to buy one gold bracelet that he wanted to give to Tarangini on his birthday.

As per Chandragarh tradition, a young girl wears only a silver bracelet, regardless of her economic status. Wearing a gold bracelet signifies that he is no longer bound.

When Tarangini told her about her birthday party hosted by her father, she thought of making a statement marrying him by buying a gold bracelet for his birthday.

Since then, he has been worried about raising enough money to be able to buy it on time.

Tarangini has been given special permission to celebrate his birthday with his family as they are locals in the capital. His father threw a big party for all his friends at his house and Shaurya is now on his way there.

He struggled to keep his heartbeat normal but his hands were drenched in sweat and there was a strange and nervous hum in his ears.

The celebration had already started the moment he entered the courtyard where the party was held.

She looked radiant in a bright red dress, almost like a bride. Thanking his stars for bringing him into his life, he moved towards him.

"Sorry, are you Shaurya?" ask a shy voice.

With a nod of his head, a young girl gave him the parchment and fled quickly.

A drop of cold sweat flowed down his tailbone, seeing his name on the scroll. A loud cheer from the direction where Tarangini was standing, made him stop opening the letter.

"Thank you all for coming tonight to bestow blessings on my daughter. This is a joyous opportunity for all of us. I want to use this opportunity to share the good news that happened just a moment ago. There will be a matrimonial alliance between our family and the minister of Western zilla. We welcome Ranvijay into our family starting today as my daughter's future husband, Tarangini," her father said.

Ranvijay was Shaurya's senior for two years in Gurukul.

Shaurya's body froze after hearing this and he looked at Tarangini for an affirmation. His low gaze told him a story he did not want to hear.

His hopeful heart waited for a moment should he misunderstand the situation. According to Chandragarh's law, no man can be forced to marry beyond his will.

If Tarangini wanted to, all he had to do was say it out loud. Was the letter in his hand a cry for help?

He opened the letter in a hurry.

...~~~...

Dear shaurya

*you may hate me after reading this letter. I know that we profess our love for each other and promise to stay together forever. But life in Gurukul is cocoon-like, warm and alienated from the surrounding reality. When my father mentioned the possibility of an alliance between the Ranvijay family and our family, he showed me the possibility of a bright future for my younger brother and an increase in prestige for my parents*.

*Please don't misunderstand me. I have not made this decision purely out of any filial obligation or martyrdom. It is my own choice to take the easy road to having a safe and prosperous household*.

*You and I may have been meant to walk together until this very moment. I thank the stars for bringing you into my life. The kind of pure love and devotion that you hold for me is something I did not expect I would receive in the future. I know your heart will only hold the best hope for me and my future. In return, my sincere wish is for you to find someone who is also worthy of your affection*.

^^^Totally yours^^^

^^^Tarangini^^

...~~~...

Raising her eyes from the letter, she saw the same embarrassed expression on Tarangini's face now that she was wearing when she had walked around with him several times in the past two years.

But this time, that expression was evoked by someone else.

Seeing her getting an ornate jeweled bracelet from her future husband, Shaurya held a thin plain bracelet in her hand and tore it apart.

...----------------...

Nowow.

Standing in the food stall, Shaurya forces himself to stop thinking about the past. Perhaps watching the closeness of Mriga and her lover trigger this memory after so long.

Regardless of the reason, he ruthlessly pushed those feelings into the black box in his head and channeled his thoughts toward the upcoming meeting that would be held at a market fair set up in the suburbs.

It is important that everything should happen secretly and without any interruption.

The one thing that was most important to him was the calculation of variables in whatever situation he entered into. He likes to plan and think about even the simplest of tasks.

"We're gonna have to take a walk tonight. The place we are going to is definitely crowded. Make sure you stay close and alert. Don't be fascinated by distractions. I don't have to worry about looking for you instead of concentrating on the task," she instructed Mriga, who was in the process of licking food scraps from her fingers.

Giving her one of her signature dazzling smiles, she simply nodded her head. He loved good food and it was visible on his face at all times.

Shaurya looked down quickly and emptied his food bowl.

"Umm... uh, I mean, guruji... Actually, can I call you brother? Guruji's title is not you. I don't mean to be disrespectful, just with your young appearance.I know I asked you this early as well, but we never solved this problem," he kept on babbling.

"Call me by my name. Can we go now?" he said impatiently.

What is his obsession with titles? he thought to himself, annoyed.

"Tidaaaak, I mean I was looking for a way to greet you because I wanted to ask you. It's okay, I want to ask you a lot of questions," he said with a single bold breath.

"We're short on time. Let's go for a walk and talk" he replied.

He might be able to be a good spy, but the endless chatter was extremely stressful and would be a hindrance to his career, if he chose to go down this path after finishing his education, he thought, in his mind, only half listened to what he said, then said, "So basically all these questions boils down to one basic but most important thing – what exactly is the purpose of the Admin department?" he finished, almost out of breath after talking nonstop for the past few minutes.

Since he had decided to risk his anger and ask a question, he might as well vent his entire curiosity.

Who knows when he could get such an opportunity again, especially with a 'one-word personality'. So he spewed it all out.

After capturing only the last question correctly, he turned to look at her, "If all the previous questions can be concisely one, why did you choose to ask so many? Do you like to listen to your own voice? Do you realize that your frenzy is attracting attention. Even if you don't know the actual operational details, you know that we shouldn't interfere. Or do I need to repeat the same instructions over and over again to you?"

Mriga looked at him in surprise. Until now, he had been cold but polite.

But tonight, his tone was piercing and it seemed like he was in a bad mood. He had never received such a sharp lash from her, even on the first day he had a fight with Abhirath at the shop.

Deciding that it was wise to remain silent, she simply lowered her gaze and walked beside him.

Shaurya was surprised by his own behavior. He never lost his composure, especially with the trainees. He was able to build a strong team of agents due to his ability to lead without reprimanding anyone.

His skill to not be aggravated even in extreme circumstances caused him to quickly climb onto the network. But he scolded an apprentice for talking too much. Maybe he needs a late break from work.

He stole a glance at her, trying to gauge her reaction to her verbal whip. But the dark surroundings and his bowed face made him not know what was in his head.

Scratching his head looking for a suitable way to reach him, he spoke after a while.

"If I ever had an important question in my head, I would try and find the answer myself rather than rely on others to provide it. The starting point was to check the facts I knew. From there, I will add clues and conclusions that I can draw from the situation. In most cases, the answer I will get, will be closest to the real truth. Alternatively, if you always try and find or rely on others to come up with a solution, how can you be sure that the answer given by someone will be accurate? Do not the biases and motives of these people color the answers they give you? I've realized that it's best to rely on yourself for a lot of things, especially for the questions that bother me the most" she said in her usual soft voice.

Forgetting the recent scolding, he looked at her in awe. He really is an amazing teacher.

In the past few days, he had subconsciously learned a lot from her. She was truly grateful that she had chosen him for the assignment tonight.