Princess Fighter: Search for the Throne

XXXIX

"You crazy? What's wrong with you? How dare you hit me?" saying so, Yash got up and threw a stab at Abhirath's face, only to be blocked.

"Ha... In this life or the next, you are not worthy to compete with me. So, don't try. And next, make sure you don't come near me or mine. Else.." without even bothering to finish his sentence, Abhirath walked away.

Nirbhay and Chiranjeev looked from one person to another in great shock before hurriedly running after Abhirath.

"What just happened? Why did you do it? Actually, fuck. You were really cool just now. It's about time you showed the guy that you're also in the race .. so what if he's dating him now. They were not engaged or anything," Chiranjeev grinned and said, patting Abhirath on the back on the way to the restaurant.

Listening to the unconditional support, Abhirath felt his anger subside. He had struggled to contain his anger when the man came in front of him. Part of him wanted to tear Yash apart for hurting Mriga.

"Why don't you guys go first? There's still a lot of work to be done here" Mriga persuaded Ishani who asked her to come to lunch.

"Mriga, by hiding yourself, the pain will not diminish. Everyone who comes here is your friend. You don't have to put your best foot in front of them. Just come as you are and eat. Conversations with friends and good food are the best combination to recover from a broken heart" Ishani said in an outspoken manner.

Mriga opened her mouth to protest, but Ishani was done trying to convince her.

"If you don't come in peace, I have to resort to violence" he said, threatening Mriga with his finger.

Not many people know that Mriga is very amused, especially in the abdominal area. Even someone who approached him with tickling intent would make him start giggling helplessly anticipating.

Retreating from the threatening fingers of his friend, he hurriedly got up and said, "Let's go."

Ishani smiles triumphantly and ties her hand to her best friend.

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

In the restaurant

"Can you stop tapping your fingers so hard on the table. I understand you can't wait to see it but do you have to show it openly in front of us" Nirbhay lamented.

After waiting for a while, the boy managed to find the table in a full place and waited for Vandit to come with the two girls.

Men's dormitory

Vindhya had been looking for an excuse to meet Yash this morning before leaving for home. He was really curious to know the situation after the last night's hick friend visit.

At first, he thought of playing as a foolish and innocent person in front of the girl, but then decided to clarify his intentions. He wants the whole world to know that Yash is his and his only possession.

Now he wants to know what Yash's reaction to the revelation was. On his way, he sees Mriga and two of his friends walking past him. They were busy talking amongst themselves about going to the nearest restaurant.

Apparently, they met their quiz team there. The girl looked down. Vindhya smiled as she was exposed to inspiration.

"Hey, I was just about to send a message up for you" she said as Yash descended the stairs from her dorm.

Yash is surprised to see Vindhya waiting for him and asks the reason for his visit.

"Uh, I actually wanted to talk to you about me staying at your place during the holidays. Can we talk for a second?" he asked formally.

He was in a bad mood and the last thing he wanted to do was be reminded of the reason for his problem with Mriga. But it's not Vindhya's fault. He shook his head and told him to go ahead.

"No, not here. I don't want you to be misunderstood if we're seen by, err. The last time we met, I think he was a little upset by my presence. So, why don't I treat you to lunch at a restaurant close to Gurukul. Following strict rules, I almost never got a chance to eat anything other than what my parents determined. As a result, I never went there. So, it would be a pleasant change for me as well," he said in a soft and persuasive tone.

Yash's jaw was still sore after being hit by the arrogant man. He's not too hungry either. But the first sentence that came out of Vindhya's mouth, made her agree to his offer.

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

Twenty minutes later

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait for fifteen to twenty minutes before the table is empty" the maid told Yash, apologizing.

He turned to look at Vindhya to ask if they should wait or leave but was surprised by her expression.

Following his gaze, he looked at the tableau in front of him, making it freeze.

"Uh, let's go somewhere else. I don't want to wait," said Vindhya hurriedly, trying to pull Yash from there.

"No, I'll wait. I want to eat here only this afternoon," he said in a cold tone as he stared at the table in front of them.

"Mriga, you're so mean. Just because you are sad now, how much profit will you take from this situation? How dare you spend all the chicken pieces from the curry? What should I eat now?" nirbhay said with a feigned frown.

Abhirath banged his leg against the man's shin because of his insensitive speech, making him howl in pain.

But Mriga laughed out loud. The boy's antics in the past half hour have reduced his pain and made it easier to breathe. His appetite had returned after so many days and he ate his favorite dishes without hesitation.

Without sounding the slightest bit guilty, Mriga said, "Well, what a pity. You should have stopped me earlier. Now, settle for a vegetarian meal."

Nirbhay grimaced at her words but Abhirath accepted her smiling expression and grinned widely.

"Since we can't let anyone go home hungry, I'll order some more chicken" he said generously.

At the end of the semester, most students have little or no money to spend and hence the dishes have been ordered keeping the budget in mind, especially since Abhirath is paying the bills.

Hearing Abhirath's announcement, the group cheered loudly.

Before the arrival of Vandit and the girls, the two boys had made sure that they were seated in such a way that Mriga was placed next to Abhirath at lunch.

Seeing the merry-go-lucky party, Yash's blood began to boil. Was he not affected by the events this morning that he had already celebrated?

Right at that moment, Abhirath's gaze met with Yash's gaze across the room. Surprised to see her standing there, her instinctive reaction was to protect Mriga.

She did not want him to ruin her mood due to the presence of the man there. But then he thought of something better.

Sitting in a cramped room, with his shoulders touching, Abhirath deliberately leaned to the side to whisper in Mriga's ear.

Much to Yash's concern, she doesn't push him away. Instead, he moved and whispered back something to her. He only asked about Shaurya but he could imagine that it might look like an intimate moment for the audience.

"Yash, I'm sorry but I have to go back to college. I didn't think this would take long. Do you mind taking me back?" ask Vindhya.

The goal of coming here has been doubled, following Yash's reaction. So, he did not want to waste his time anymore by standing in this lowly stall anymore.

Yash gritted his teeth in frustration but nodded his head. Staring at Mriga for the last time, he walked out from there.

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

Outside the princess dormitory

"Uh, so now that I know you are and have always been part of the Admin team, I wonder if, erhm, if by any chance I was in the East zilla during the holidays, maybe we could catch up," abhirath said to Mriga.

He could feel his ears warm. Vandit and Ishani fall while returning to campus from a restaurant. So, just the two of them here.

"Sure, is that a question? But weren't you stationed in the Western zilla for your duty?" he asked confusedly.

"No, no, I. I'm just saying if there's a trip involved during my duty to your zill, I'll come looking for you" she said, growing increasingly embarrassed at the time.

This business of love is much more difficult than drawing a battle plan against enemy attacks!

She says a clumsy but warm goodbye to him and walks away, cursing herself for not being able to express her feelings better.

Mriga returned to the dormitory and handed him a message. Reading it quickly, he frowned in worry and ran back, this time towards the Admin building.

"Ah, you made it at the right time" Saraswati said as Mriga entered the reception area.

"Is something wrong?" he asked with a worried look.

"Well, it depends on how you look at it" Saraswati said faintly.

Mriga wanted to roll her eyes at the woman's statement but held back her impatience and waited.

"Guruji has asked Shaurya to be stationed in North Zilla until further notice. He'll be traveling with you today on the ship. I'll send you the details of the living arrangements with him, but until the moment you're there, can you help him settle in?" Saraswati asked in an indifferent tone.

Mriga is surprised but happy to learn that Shaurya is coming to North Zilla. But he bit his lip the next minute.

"Is he well enough to travel? Wouldn't it be better if he rested longer here?" she asked.

"Why am I surrounded by people who know nothing?" Saraswati wanted to slap her head in annoyance.

"I didn't question Guruji's orders," he replied firmly, pointing out that Mriga should also stop questioning him further.

Immediately regretting, Mriga lowered her head and asked,

"What can I help you with now?"

"Help Shaurya pack whatever he needs for the trip. Bring your luggage and deposit it to the transportation team. Coming to pick her up when it was time to leave for the port," Saraswati relayed instructions.

Nodding in agreement, Mriga went inside and ran down the stairs towards Shaurya's room.

His face wrinkled in pain as Shaurya took out the bag from the closet.

"What are you doing?" Mriga's shrill voice made her drop him and look at him in wonder.

Achieving it at a quick pace, he raised his arm and placed his shoulder under it to support it.

"You should sit quietly and tell me what to pack. I've been sent with strict instructions to do all the work on your behalf" he said with a smirk, as he helped her sit on the bed chair.

Before he could speak, he stretched out his palm, stopping him.

"No need to talk. Just point out the things you want me to put in" he said.

Shaurya raised his eyebrows at his commanding tone and looked at him.

Seeing his stern expression, he hurriedly clarified and said, "I mean, you need to rest your throat. Do I know how much blood was lost that night? I was so scared just by looking at it. Funny thing is, when I found you, you didn't bleed at all. It gets this bad when Vaidya takes care of you."

Shaurya was confused by his words for a moment. Although she knew the reason for her condition being 'bad' after the treatment, she did not give any explanation to him.

The less he knows, the better. The image of him supporting her and taking care of her flashed before his eyes, warming his heart.

Without further ado, he began to point out the things he wanted to pack. After fifteen minutes, Mriga lifted the now-full bag on his shoulder and told him he would come back to pick him up when it was time for them to leave.

After she left, she leaned onto the bed and let a small grin form on her lips. The entire time he ran back and forth in his room, he kept commenting on the Northern zilla and its magic.

Suddenly the room felt so quiet.

Mriga bowed to Saraswati at the reception and left in a hurry. There's still a lot to do.

Saraswati sighed to herself, though,

"I've done everything I can to help you, Shaurya. Now it's up to you!"

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

That afternoon

Mriga saw many curious eyes staring at the old man sitting next to her in the boat but no one said anything.

There are three boats that go to the North zilla and he holds Shaurya in the first boat, with him. All the children present were younger than him and he did not owe them any explanation.

He turned around to see her sitting with his eyes closed. His body was bent and he carried a thick shawl over his clothes. When he went to pick her up early, he was already wearing the clothes of an old man.

They did not speak much on the way and even now, he was just concentrating to see how pale he was and whether he was feeling any discomfort or pain.

"Just a few more hours, we're halfway through" he whispered after a while.

He did not give an outward reaction to her words, but he knew that he had heard them.

Mriga handed out food packages to the children on his boat and leaned against the wooden board. He had been so busy for the past few hours before leaving Gurukul that there was no time to say goodbye to his friends.

Thankfully, it also meant he had no time to reflect on his heartbreak.

Now, in the middle of the river and under the dark sky, he could not escape his thoughts anymore. He recalled his hesitation while standing outside the dean's office with his full form.

In the end, he turned around without sending it. The contest for the Queen's throne should not be a personal tool for revenge and regardless of how angry she is with Yash and the girl, she cannot force herself to do so.

Contrary to his assumption, Shaurya's eyes were not closed but half-mast. He covered his petals with enough eyelid paint that it was difficult for a person to know whether he was looking at it or not, in the dark.

He tilted his head slightly to look at Mriga from the corner of his eyes. His aloof expression was very far from the cheerful face he showed all day.

He wanted to gather her closer and ask about her problem but he knew he could not. Even if there was no one around him, his relationship with him demanded that he keep a fair distance from him.

Especially now, when his own future as a spy was uncertain.

******* escaped from his lips involuntarily, making Mriga wary and looking at him with concern.

"Are you uncomfortable? Is anyone sick?" he asked with an urgent whisper.

He shook his head in denial and admonished her gently, "Stop worrying too much. It's not my body that's in pain."

He sat back, looking relaxed, losing the meaning behind his words.

Shaurya looked at the girl who knew nothing beside him and wanted to strangle herself. Is his luck so bad?

After being single for so long, her heart has decided to chase after a girl, who not only belongs to others but is also completely desperate when it comes to understanding the ins and outs. She is surprised by her boyfriend who manages to communicate his feelings to her, accurately.

'The man must have been really outspoken for him to understand his feelings, ' he thought darkly, recalling Yash's battered face.

"How did that happen? I knew from the first day I met him that his interest was elsewhere. Why do I still let my heart follow it? Fucking idiot!" he scolded himself harshly.

Ever since he regained consciousness, his mind had done nothing but think about his gloomy future and Mriga's. Under normal circumstances, he had sufficient control over his mind but under the influence of medicines, it seemed that his legendary skills had become weak.

Stars began to appear in the sky, reflecting reflections in the rippling water.

Most of the children around them are sleepy probably due to the gentle movement of the boat. He directed his critical gaze around the river, looking at the two boats that were following them.

Everything seems fine. Surveying the surroundings has become second nature now.

Suddenly, a loud object landed on his shoulder with a thud.