Princess Fighter: Search for the Throne

LXII

Himprayag

Squinting his eyes, Gayatri got up and started pacing around the room. He did not like to be deceived, no matter the intention of the person.

"So, you participated in the competition to get an audience with the princess?" the question is rhetoric.

Gayatri pondered about it for a while before calling the guards inside.

"Make sure this guy doesn't leave the room until I don't come back," he didn't bother looking at Bela and walked out of the room.

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

Some time later

Bela stood in an upright position while Ahilya leaned against the soft seat and looked at it leisurely, from top to bottom.

"So, who do you represent?" Ahilya finally asked.

Bela gave a small smile at the young woman's outspoken approach. He already likes it!

He took out a roll of cloth from his long-sleeved kurta and approached the table where Gayatri was standing next to Ahilya's chair. He had a watchful expression on his face and Bela agreed to his cautious approach.

"May I approach and show you something," Bela asked for his permission when she was a few meters away.

In response to the princess' nod, she sat down crouching and spread the cloth on the table. The eyes of Ahilya and Gayatri widened into plates.

"Do you want me to explain this in detail?" Bela asked Ahilya very seriously.

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

East Zilla

“Tonight is the last night of your training here. We continue this in Gurukul next week,” Ramanujam greet the five of them.

Ever since Mriga's legs healed, Ramanujam began training them in a new form of exercise. Their goal is to move from point A to point B across the forest as quickly as possible, using the most efficient movements to overcome obstacles.

During this time, they were taught how to run, jump, roll, climb, and jump with great accuracy and control. This will help their muscles, bones, core strength, and stamina to withstand difficult and unpredictable terrain.

Mriga managed to do better than most people all along as she had done similar programs with her mother and Shaurya before coming to this place.

Still, at the end of each session, everything felt like it was squeezed out like water from a wet cloth.

Nirbhay who was deeply affected by this was like Vandit, panting and asking anxiously, "Guruji, are you planning to make a forest for us in Gurukul as well?"

Ramanujam shook his head and showed off his teeth with his version of a smile.

"Why do you think this movement is limited to trees and bodies of water? You'll jump off the roofs of various structures, climb the terraces of boys' dorms, run into the dining room and various departments. Imagine how long it would take you to save by taking this route versus the usual path of walking to these places" he said with a flat face.

Vandit groaned loudly as the shadow of himself hanging on the edge of the roof floated in his mind. Abhirath embraces the shorter man's shoulder as a warning, lest he let his emotions flow freely and say something ridiculous, which might attract punishment to all of them.

"Have you all returned to Gurukul from here?"

Thankfully, Ramanujam ignored the Vandit explosion.

Chiranjeev spoke up and said, "No, we'll go straight to each other's houses as instructed."

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

Capital city, Chandragarh

Prithvi and Rani Samyulta stood at their usual meeting place. The room was almost dark, as usual and seemed to be waiting for Prithvi's next words excitedly, like a queen.

"We have experienced small unexpected delays in our plans, but otherwise, everything seems to go according to plan. It turned out that we managed to be in the right place at the right time and that helped make it easier for us" he said cryptically.

The queen looks relaxed in this regard. Over the past few months, things have not gone their way and this is the first time since they started their plan, Prithvi's voice harbors hope.

"Gurukul opens next week and beyond and I will be very busy with preparations for the upcoming contest. I won't hold you back again, tonight. Let me know as soon as you have a new update for me," with that, he fired her.

Prithvi lowered his head and left from there with a spring in his step after a very long time. But as soon as he got out of the back lane of the brothel, he leaned over and leaned on the stick in his hand.

He must stay in character!

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

Northern Zilla

"What??? Why didn't anyone tell me earlier? This is awesome!" Mriga stood in the kitchen with a surprised look on her face.

His father had just told him about his mother's absence from home and why.

“You mean of all the horsemen in North Zilla, Mama who was chosen to represent us in that contest? many exercises. He wanted to train himself and bring him and me just to be tortured. But why are you two keeping it a secret?" he asked with passion.

Raghu looked at his daughter's smiling face and remembered his wife at that moment.

"Ah, that's.he wants to surprise you by winning it. Apparently, he had been awarded a large sum of money and the opportunity to work as a coach for their trainees, if he chose to do so," Raghu told him the version that Bela had asked him for.

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

Northern Zilla

Mriga's face had pride and wonder at the same time. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind!

"Wait a minute! Did dad say that if he accepted their offer, he would have to stay there for some time? In Himprayag?" he asked Raghu.

She nodded but said to comfort him, "Even if he did, it wouldn't be more than a month or so. We'll know the details once he gets back. For now, he has left strict instructions for you to make sure that you pack your bags carefully and make sure that you do well in the coming semester."

"Dad, actually, even I have something to share with you and Mama," she started out in a doubtful voice.

"What's? Nah! Aren't you too young for that?"

Raghu exploded, looking at his guilty body language.

Mriga looked at him confused and then replied when she noticed, "Ah! They changed the rules recently to include my age group as well. But, how did you know that I was going to say this? I didn't mention it to anyone, instead I haven't made a decision about it until now."

Raghu held his head between his hands and muttered, "What's wrong with the two girls in my life? Why do they insist on reducing my life span by making me flutter?"

Although he expected some sort of reaction from his father, Mriga was not ready for such a strong reaction. He was always very supportive in whatever effort he made. Did he believe otherwise this time?

In a small voice, she asked him, "Do you think I don't have the qualifications to participate in the competition?"

Raghu raised his worried eyes and looked at him, "I don't doubt your abilities but the danger...wait, what did father say? The competition?"

He nodded and said, "Yes, the contest for the new future Queen begins next week. What are you talking about?"

Raghu scolded himself silently but loudly for jumping over his weapon. His wife's absence and his concern for his well-being have driven him completely insane.

Looking at his daughter's downcast face, he leaned over to reach the level of his eyes and said, "Sorry. My mind is elsewhere and I'm making the wrong assumptions about what you're going to tell me. Now, as far as the Queen's contest is concerned, I'm so glad you've decided to participate in it. I know that your mother is very interested in participating in it. So, I'm sure he agrees. And dad, I thought you'd sleep well tonight thinking that now the country has at least one viable candidate for the throne."

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

Saptindhu

Shaurya had spent some quality time with the tribal elders while his injuries healed. Although there was no verbal communication between them, he began to understand some of their basic phrases and sounds. He paid special attention to their hands and eyes which also proved to be a good way to communicate.

He realized that these people seemed to know more about Saptsindhu and its surroundings than the source had.

There are rough pictures on various walls depicting places within the region that had never been seen by a prostitute who also lived here for thirty years of her life, living in Sapsindhu.

Shaurya is trying hard to try and learn as much from them as possible. The days passed quickly for him, but the night always presented a pair of bright eyes and a smiling mischievous mouth, tormenting him in a dream. He was grateful for the hot, impulsive kiss he stole from Mrignayani on a hilltop under the stars a few weeks ago.

If he closed his eyes, he could still remember the taste of his mouth clearly. He has loved wild berries ever since. It was an extremely delicious torment every time he put one of those into his mouth.

It was something akin to pulling his plump lower lip to his lips and sucking nectar from it. But he did so many times just to make sure that he would not forget it until he actually came back and dug his lips into the real deal.

Her stiff male organ reminded her that she needed to calm herself down before dying of a frustrating chastity. A cold shower was not possible for him in his current state due to his injuries. So, he had to stop thinking about that hot, fleeting moment.

"You better prepare yourself, Mrignayani. If I make her come back to life, I won't let you out of my arms in this life" she growled.

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

Gurukull, Chandragarh

"Yes God! Look at those squiggles. You go home as a girl and come back as a girl!!!" Ishani's shrill voice echoed in the spacious bathing area, making Mriga and the other girls shudder in horror at them.

Pulling her into one of the cubicles, Mriga clamped her hand to her friend's mouth with a grip-like grip.

"What's wrong with you? How can you say something like this and that is also above your voice?" hiss Mriga.

But Ishani doesn't care about her friend's polite reaction. He reached out to touch Mriga's breasts which stood out well from under the translucent muslin slip that was usually worn under the uniform. Then he looked at his own flat plain and shook his head!

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

Gurukull, Chandragarh

Mriga retreated in horror but Ishani was unshakable. He was completely fascinated by the changes in his friend's body. On the other hand, Mriga has been too busy over the past two months to take note of his development.

Surrounding her eyes along the side of her chest to her small waist, Ishani clapped her sign in agreement.

"I can't wait for Yash to see you look like this. Let the bastard fully understand what was missing from him," he said with a sinister gleam in his eyes.

Mriga shook her head helplessly at the words of her friend. This was one of the topics he had avoided, until now.

"He wrote me many letters." he began.

"He also wrote me a letter," Ishani snorted in reply.

At the shocked look of his best friend, he explains, "His cup, you didn't reply to his letters and he became impatient. Although why should he be surprised by your lack of response beat me. Does he think of you as a fool? that you'll be ready and call whenever he wants? You guys have broken up and that's the end of the problem. If he's stupid enough to let you go, he's not qualified to be your girlfriend!"

"He rebelled against his mother and broke off relations with Vindhya" Mriga said.

When he returned home from the Eastern zilla, Raghu had handed him a bundle of letters, telling him that his mother had asked him to give them to her. Yash had written to him from the early days of the holiday until the end of those two months.

Most of them have not been opened except for one. He read everything and although he was swayed by the emotion of a moment, he chose to be rational the next minute. He has moved away from the man and his relationship. There's no turning back now.

"So what if he did? You didn't ask for it, it's none of your business. Coincidentally, is your old uniform still here?" Ishani asked mischievously.

Mriga frowned at his strange question but still replied, "I think so. Why do you need it?"

"I think you should wear that uniform today rather than a new one. The fitting clothes will suit your current form better than the loose new ones" he replied with a grin.

"Are you sure you didn't lose your mind? is this the effect after staying away from Vandit for so long? Why else would you say all this nonsense?" Mriga.

Ishani blushed red but glared at Mriga, "Don't change the subject. I want you to show off to that con man and his girlfriend, pretend or real, who cares!"

Mriga tapped his knuckles on Ishani's forehead and said, "If someone doesn't want to miss out on eating together with his girlfriend, that person should get ready immediately. A little bird told me that the poor man who had been miserable without his girlfriend for so long, would wait outside the foodhall entrance as soon as it opened for breakfast."

"What's? She said that? When did you meet her?" Ishani asked in surprise, the others were forgotten.

"Does the details matter now? Aren't you going to dress up?" Mriga.

With a screech, Ishani runs to start wearing her uniform.

"Whoops! Good friends can be very few!" Mriga grinned at himself before standing in front of the shiny brass sheet hanging on the wall.

She could not see much difference in her figure except that her once fitting clothes were now different, as Ishani pointed out.

"It's okay, I don't have time for this shit. Calm your mind, Mrignayani. Competing for the crown is no joke!" he scolded himself.

Yash came and stood beside Vandit at the foodhall, nervously.

"Are you, err.... waiting for Ishani here, coincidence?" She asked.

Vandit wanted to ignore it but could not be rude at the last moment and hence, nodded.

"Do you mind if I wait here with you?" Yash asked politely.

Before Vandit could reply, a voice interrupted violently, "I object. You're not welcome here."

A frown appeared on Yash's face which was similar to Abhirath's mouth.

"Haiii everything! Long time. How's your vacation going? My vacation was going too slow. So torturous. Everyone in the house made me do a lot of things, eh.." Ishani who started throwing her mouth suddenly interrupted the strange atmosphere.

His eyes were fixed on Yash's face and he asked unhappily, "What are you doing here? Why don't you hang out with your girlfriend?"

Yash gave him a wounded look,

"Didn't I mention in my letter that she's not my boyfriend. Where is Mriga?"

"What's? You wrote a letter to Ishani? Why would you do that?" Vandit suddenly jumped in, furious.

"Nobody wants to know about your current love situation. Stay away from Mriga. Do you understand?" Abhirath warns Yash, approaches him.

"Don't misunderstand me. She just wrote me asking about Mriga," Ishani tried to explain to Vandit, who was looking at her with a wounded look.

"Argh... Can you all stop talking? How noisy this place is in the morning!" Chiranjeev's annoyed voice interrupted.

"Southern Zilla, as you can see, Mriga is not here. So please leave. Ishani and Vandit, solve your unsafe love problem elsewhere. Abhirath, did you come for breakfast or go find your girlfriend? Nirbhay, let's go" Chiranjeev issued instructions and then left.

Yash is angry at the man's harsh words, especially when he calls Mriga his girlfriend. What does he mean by that?

......................

* parkour*an activity or sport moves quickly through an area, bypassing obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing.