Warrior Princess; Her Quest to the throne

While Abhirath and Yash were talking, Mriga strolled back to them. Her mood was a bit better after the warm beverage reached her internal organs.     

"What's next?" she asked, her eyes moving between the two of them.     

Abhirath spoke up in his now familiar manner, "I am walking you back to the dorm. Go to sleep immediately when you go up. DO NOT have a nonsensical long conversation session with Ishani. You can't afford it tonight."     

Mriga gritted her teeth in frustration and spat out, "You guys… what is wrong with all of you? Speaking to me like this. Just you wait. Irrespective of the result, once this damn thing is over, I will make you guys roam around like my slaves."     

Abhirath crossed his arms across his chest, letting his milk glass dangle on the side and asked in an amused voice, "And what makes you think that we will let you do so? You should be grateful for our help right now and not make it sound as if you are the one doing us a favour. In fact, looking at your current attitude, I am wondering about your suitability as the QIT if miraculously you happen to reach there."     

She stamped her feet in frustration and walked off from there, without bothering about whether he was following her or not.     

Yash took in the indulgent expression on the other guy's face and for a second, it was déjà vu for him. He could recall himself with the exact same emotion on his face countless times. How did he let it slip away from him? Why did he take it for granted? He was no longer fighting the fact that it was his fault that this guy could slip in between him and his girl. With bleeding eyes, he saw Abhirath walking closely behind Mriga, and then bending down to mutter something in her ear because of which she pushed him back and he let out a throaty laughter. Yash wanted to shove the guy away so badly and reclaim his spot – to tease her, to indulge her, to fight with her, to love her!     

Himprayag     

"Bela asked me about your response to her proposal again today. I think she is getting a bit impatient," Gayatri reported dutifully to Ahilya.     

For the past few days, their relation had been amiable on the surface but strained undercurrents were running deep below.     

"I will be seeking an appointment with father soon," said Ahilya.     

"Any movement from the other camp?" she further asked.     

"Strategic minister, Rudradev was summoned by the king tonight to his private chambers. None of the servers were allowed to stay in for that meeting, so I don't have the details to their conversation yet and I am still waiting to hear back from the minister's residence if there was any unusual movement post that. But apparently, he didn't go back to his chambers post this late night meeting," she informed her, maintaining the facade of politeness.     

Had it been like the normal times, by now, they would have been speculating about the various reasons for this late-night visit. But the princess made no move to bother sharing her thoughts. Gayatri waited a beat but then when she saw no attempt by the princess to hold her back, she hid her disappointment and bowed down, excusing herself. As her steps receded, she hoped in the inside of her heart that Ahilya would call out to her to stay the night. But by the time her feet reached the door, there was still no noise behind her.     

Ahilya was aware that Gayatri was expecting things to go back to where they were. But even though she knew, she didn't really understand the impact of the fact that Ahilya had grown up in an extremely fractured environment where not even her mother sought her without a reason behind it. When she got to know that Gayatri had made sacrifices and changed the entire course of her life just to follow her, her initial thought had been - WHY?     

Gayatri didn't even know her well enough at the time. Then why would she make such a severe modification to her life without any purpose? To top it, in the many years that they were together for, not once did she bring it up. Had it been Ahilya who did something so big, she would have definitely wanted her partner to know about it.     

With all these thoughts churning in her head, she found it difficult to fall back into her comfort zone with Gayatri.     

And then there was that burning attraction towards that guy, Veer!     

When Ahilya had turned sixteen, she was already in a relationship with Gayatri. During that summer, a cute guy from one of the prosperous states of Himprayag had accompanied his father to the capital. He had taken one look at Ahilya and fallen in love, or so he claimed at the time. For the next two months, he had pursued her with all his might and Ahilya who believed herself to be immune to the charm of guys, found herself getting pulled towards him. At that time, it was Gayatri's tear-stricken face which made her feel guilty and restrain herself. But in that moment, both the girls realised the true orientation of Ahilya, her ability to feel attraction to both genders.     

The topic was never raised between the two ever since till Gayatri made a mention of it when Ahilya's mother had proposed a marriage alliance.     

In Veer's case, it was Ahilya who found herself swaying towards him from the very first moment that she laid her eyes upon his delicious body. The guy's rude demeanor made her want to dominate him. The more he was indifferent towards her, the more she wanted to enslave him!     

"The king has asked for your presence, Princess Ahilya," her attendant came and informed her, jostling out of the slightly indecent thoughts.