"You're late!"

The very two words Senapathi was able to emit out of his mouth were these. Is he angry? Dhruv thought. Half of him dared to ask, while the other half actually never cared. But still, face inflated like a ballon, combined with red hot cheeks and grinding of teeth, Senapathi looked no less than a pumpkin. In short, he was angry. Why? Two words Prince Dhruv.

There is always a reason behind everything happening in his life. Or atleast he thought so. The whole palace knew both the Prince Dhruv and Princess Vaani loathed Senapathi. The same was mirrored a k to them from his side. Imagine kerosene in contact with fire, you'll get that image. 

Dhruv knew Sanapathi was waiting for him. Still Dhruv made him wait for another hour or so. Guess why? Grudges, and that too personal ones. 

Till he was tweleve, he used to like Senapathi. He was his idol. He remembered himself playing horseriding when he was little. But after his dad's death, the scenario changed. The boy who used to play with him, now was irritating the Senapathi. Senapathi engulfed himself in politics and military power. After Choti Maa's departure, he never even came to see them. He never comforted them. Whatever he and Vaani planned, he used to object and take out flaws in the plans. 

Thanks to MahaMantri, he took their care as if his own children. Count it from making them eat food from his own hands to changing Dhruv's clothes, he did it all. 

It was a little after he turned Twelve that MahaMantri told them the truth behind Senapathi's changed mindset. 

The day, on which this all happened, the day their life was changed, he betrayed them, Senapathi. That day, his father would have come back alive, if only Senapathi would have fought the war. 

The world in which the Saptasiddhis and other all creatures were living was separated from the rest of the world by a narrow shield of energy. Of course it had leaks too, but none of them opened in the seven realms. 

When the world was divided along Devas (Gods) and Asuras (Demons), Devas were given the upper realm, above the sky, while Asuras were given the realm below the ground. This lower realm were divided in seven further realms. Between the realms of Asuras and Devas is situated what is known as mortal realm. 

So because of the protection given to their world, it was impossible for a demon to directly enter in the ETKing. But that day something unusual happened. From what seemed, at the southern border, the boundary between the world had weakened that it was highly permeable. 

Senapathi was one of the first courtiers who got this news. But he ignored the subject. When his dad got the news, at midnight, he immediately sent the army to look into the matter. Dhruv never knew this until MahaMantri told him it himself. 

That night, the war fought was fearsome. Both the sides suffered casualties in thousands. 

At night demons are far more powerful, especially if it is new moon. That night was a new moon. 

Still, Saptasiddhis shed river of blood of the Asuras. They would have won the war at that very check point, but all of a sudden, Senapathi refused to fight the war. 

In army of Saptasiddhis, Senapathi had a really nice and sophisticated image. He was highly respected. He ordered his fellow soldiers to back off. The soldiers, out of whom many were his blind supporters, did as asked. Neither he fought the war, neither a large section of the army left alive. The ones who refused to give up, became martyrs, the ones who submitted flourished. 

The next day, after the funeral of all martyrs and the King himself, the remaining courtiers held an emergency in the nation. Senapathi was accused of many charges: thinking about the decline of the kingdom, attempt to sweap away the people, formation of conspiracy. It was quite sur to Dhruv that he he either would have been imprisoned till death or was to be hanged. 

But none of this happened. Even MahaMantri didn't know what had he told to the courtiers in his absence. 

From what MahaMantri answered, he was in a well respected position and power. The army left was literally of his own. In this way, if they would take action against him, it would result in rebellious misconducts and mascares, something they could no longer afford. ETKing had a very few army men left in terms of number, and a a fact of national security, they couldn't tend to loose more. They needed Senapathi. 

His main motive for all this was getting his hands on the throne. These were MahaMantri's last words on this topic as he revealed this secret. 

As MahaMantri finished his words, Dhruv knew something in his heart had gone. The good, loyal, Senapathi was never there. At first Dhruv didn't believe any of it nor did he want to. But a time passed, the picture seemed to clear. Slowly, he and Vaani accepted the truth and hence, started to loath him. And from what Dhruv could see, this hate was everlasting! 

"Are you even listening?" Senapathi asked in a rather irritated tone, bringing him back to reality. He was still standing in front of Senapathi, in the King's Court. It loed like Senapathi had made every other courtier quite busy, because they were there alone. 

"So, what am I called here for?" Dhruv asked as he broke the silence between them. He took special care not to show any expressions on his face, just the regular arrogant Prince one. 

"It's about that friend of yours… "

"He is not only a friend of ours, he is a citizen of this Kingdom too." 

"His family is, His parents and sister are." 

"That's kinda the samething." he said as he took his seat. 

"Children…" he whispered, "... Our soldiers looked for him in the Northern Forest too. Failure." 

"Did you look for him in the forest?" 

"Outskirts." Senapathi replied. 

"Why? I ordered you'll to look inside didn't I?" Dhruv questioned back. He remembered ordering a group of soldiers to look for him in the northern forest. This was one of the first things he did after coming back to the palace. 

"Sorry Prince, but that can't happen. No one enters the forest of lies." 

"But that was my order!" 

"I would like to ask the reasons behind these sudden search." 

"What?" 

"I would like to ask what sources you are dwelling upon for such information?" 

"What do you mean? Do you doubt me?" 

"I am not doubting you my Prince, but going to meet the people with Ash and Bone…" 

"Say it, you were spying on me." 

"I was keeping supervision. Besides, we are not investigating any more in this topic." 

"You're not the one who can pass this decision-" 

"Absolutely my child, that's the decision of the council, the courtiers." 

"What? We weren't informed of any meeting!" 

"Now that's the place where I play my role your Highness, while you people were out, I planned this emergency meeting." 

"We can't stop -" 

"Of course we can. He is presumed dead-" 

"If that's all what you're going to say, I'm not listening!" Dhruv replied to him as he tended to end the conversation. He promised Vaani Neel would be back, he had to. 

"You have to listen boy!" 

"It's solely my decision if to listen or to not." Dhruv replied in a harsh tone. 

"Why? Why is he so important to us all of a sudden? Why is he so important to her?" Senapathi commented, partially moving the topic towards Vaani. 

Dhruv didn't answer. He kept quiet. He couldn't disclose their secret just then. 

"Don't you dare give me that damn attitude." Senapathi said as he failed to get a reply. 

"Who the hell are you to stop me?" 

"Don't you dare ask about my reputation Dhruv. You might be the Prince, but boy the military power is mine." 

"How many mens you have never counts, what counts is the will." 

"Looks like you think you're the King. Bringing you back to reality, you still aren't." 

"Talking about the king, you're right that I am not. But you aren't too. Now that's another fact that I will become and you won't." 

"We will see." 

"Wrong! Only you will see, 'cause that's only what you'll be able to do then." Dhruv said as he left the room. 

¤¤¤¤¤

Dhruv came back to his room only to realize that he had left his sword in Vaani's room. 

"Oh Shit!" 

The words escaped from Dhruv's lips as he tend to remember what his sister had said. Don't let anyone enter the room. If he was here, Vaani was in the library, then who was there looking after the room? 

Dhruv raced back to Vaani's room in a hurry. 

She will sue me, for sure. Dhruv thought on his way. 

As he opened the door door of her room, everything seemed fine. His sword was reacting along the mirror; Ki, his sister's pet was asleep on the cushion, it's food lying near the bed, Vaani's books were still there, piled one over another, there were no marks of footsteps which meant all was great. 

Thank God! He thought. 

Dhruv moved forward to take his sword back. He got the hold of it's handle as he picked it up from the right side of the mirror. 

Wait! 

When the servant came in to ask, I rested the sword near the wall didn't I? 

Someone came in here. 

Dhruv heard tiny footsteps as someone tried to get past him. His Reflexes replied in a split of seconds as he turned around to find Anshu standing hear him, leaned behind as she grazed at the sword in horror which was on her neckpoint. 

"WHAT. THE. HELL." She managed to whispered out as Dhruv looked in her eyes in suspicion. What was she doing here? 

"Don't stare like that," Anshu said as she pushed herself away, "... You look no less than a monkey." 

"See who's saying, the one who hops in other's room like a kangaroo." Dhruv replied as he lowered his sword behind his back. 

"That's my business, none of yours." She said as she tried to make her move out of the room. She thought Vaani would be here. Vaani just wanted to have a small chit-chat with her. Anshu anticipated it that she was going to get caught. Chitrakshi and Shoubdha helped here enter the castle. But they were limited till there. She had seen Vaani's room just once when Neel showed her the whole castle on the Dhruv's birthday. Great that she was memorized it. Or else she would have been wandering here and there in the castle, hiding from people, trying not to get caught. She knew that wouldn't have been a serious affair. She wouldn't have been jailed and all. But still, precautions. 

Dhruv caught her arm and pushed her back, stopping her from making an exit. "Well said Anshu. But are you nor forgetting who you're standing in front of?" he asked as he waved his hairs with his other hand. 

How cute he looked back then! A man with a decent body, along with great looks and money, completed with pack of abs and not to forget he was a prince. In short, every girl's dream. That was for other girls. Anshu, well, she punched him in the gut. 

"Of course I know, Sir. A self centered prince who thinks that he is all the way perfect man, but looks no less than a frog. Dhruv, I have stuff to do. I don't have servants and guards around me twenty four seven. So, with due respect mister Frog Prince, can I leave?" She said the last line with a sarcastic smile on her face as she jerked her hand off the Prince's grip. 

"Oh no no. It isn't so easy to walk past me, Miss Smarty Pants. Would you like to stop yourself or guards-" Dhruv threatened her as he whispered the last word. The thing worked. She turned around. 

"What do you want?" She asked. What the hell was this boy made of? He's already a pain in my ape. And see how he talks, that damn attitude! Anshu thought. She knew how to treat the people with such attitude, one can find tons like these in high school. But she didn't want to do that just now. She had more important things waiting to be focused on. 

"I haven't thought of. Let's start with why you're here." 

"See boy, I know you don't like me. I too don't. Either of you siblings, I don't like both of you." 

"Carry on." Dhruv said as he turned his back towards her. Man! I have lot more topics to discuss! He thought. I don't have time for mere lectures. 

I should have punched on his face! Anshu thought. Arrogant teenager. 

"I have been searching for him for hours now and I have suspicion, but I just want confirmation so-" She glanced at Dhruv, he still wasn't showing any attention. 

"Aagh! Just tell me where your sister is. I just wanna ask her some questions related to Neel. If you people don't wanna help, fine! I will find him myself!" She said in an irritated tone. What does he think he is? He is just a prince, whom I didn't even have heard of before. He thinks he can do anything. Well, nearly all men are same!

"What do you think we have been doing here Anshu? You think you know everything? Well, sadly you don't know many. One, you don't know how much we all too have been doing! Two, you think that only you care about him? Well, Vaani blames herself for all this. Three, we have been banging our heads at every single wall we have found till now! And now you're accusing that we aren't helping? Hands off!"

"So you think you're helping? Sadly you aren't. And another thing, i didn't accuse you of anything. That's your damn attitude. You show that you are right just because of- what is it called? Royal status. My foot! Keep my word Dhruv and yes, Dhruv you people don't know anything about fear of losing your family. Do you? So stay away from my path, I need some answers from Vaani then I'll leave. Happy?"

The whole palace echoed as they heard a noise of something falling, something big! 

" Looks like your sister knows how to tell her location." Anshu said as she ran out of the room towards the sound. 

Dhruv ran after her the very next. But the only thing in his mind was: I do girl. I just do. 

¤¤¤¤¤

Anshu reached there right after Dhruv. There is a library over here? Anshu thought. She lifted her arms towards the door in an attempt to open them up, but an old man with servant clothes and turban stopped her right before. 

"The princess has asked no interruption while she's in. Means no one in and no one out." He said as he stood between Anshu and the door. 

"Come on! Can't you hear that noise as if something big had fallen? I have to look in!" She replied as she tried to give him a piece of her mind. 

"Sorry Miss, but no means no." 

She looked at Dhruv and looked back to the person who seemed as the librarian. Is everyone down here going nuts? 

"By the way, can I ask your good name mam? Haven't seen you here before." 

Shit! Anshu thought. 

"I-I am-" 

"She's with me." Dhruv answered as he gave her a ghostly smile. 

"Why didn't you tell me before? Your Highness please proceed." Ramlal kaka stood aside as he opened the door himself. 

"Thank me later." Dhruv whispered to her. 

"Boil your head in cow dung!" She whispered back as they together went inside the library. 

From what Anshu could see, the place lied in ruins. Piles of books, fallen upon one another, as if a mountain. Scrolls were spread on the ground as if red carpet and Vaani, well she was nowhere to be seen. 

Some books seemed to move and from between the pile emerged a hand. Slowly one by one a whole arm emerged and then emerged her face, Vaani. 

When Vaani opened her mouth, she said "What are you two doing standing there? Help me!" 

Anshu and Dhruv helped her come out of the books. As Vaani got out, she took a minute or two to breathe properly. 

"YOU TWO ARE THE WORST FRIENDS! WHAT WERE YOU TWO DOING STANDING THERE? COUNTING CHICKENS? I WOULD HAVE BEEN BURIED UNDER THOSE BOOKS IF NOT FOR MY OWN SELF!" Vaani shouted at them. 

Dhruv looked at Anshu. "Isn't she over reacting?" he asked her. 

"Hell of course!" She replied. But why am I agreeing with him? She thought. Whatever! 

"Look sis, I am glad that you're okay but, what were you doing there?" Dhruv asked. 

"Why were you stalking Neel?" Anshu questioned. 

"Did you find anything?" 

"How are you related to every single mess my life is in?" 

"Can we just move on to another room?" 

"Are you going to answer me?" 

"ANSWER ME!!" Anshu and Dhruv shoted at once. "Copycat!" they both replied, still in union. 

"Can you two just SHUT UP?" Vaani questioned, slightly irritated.

There was an awkward pause for a second, the perfect pin drop silence moment if you say. 

"Do they even know how much risk I had taken in getting that book down?" She asked as she moved her hand forward, revealing a thick old book in her hand, Sons of Diti. 

"I don't give a damn about that book!" Dhruv replied. 

"Well, I do and I think everyone must do." Vaani replied as she looked at Anshu in hope. Out of us three, she is the one ho respects books the most. She will understand. She thought. 

"Look Vaani, I don't really care if you rip that book in two. My brother is missing, along with my parents! I am at the edge of being an orphan! I don't know what brought you near us back in Mumbai, but I think that a little explanation combined with answers will do." Anshu replied the second she saw Vaani's face. 

"Look Anshu, I will tell you everything. But not here." Vaani sid as she grabbed another book from the pile. "We need a more secure place to talk." 

¤¤¤¤¤

"You remember the rules right?" Vaani asked to the soldier guarding outside her room. 

"I do princess. Not to let anyone in unless asked." he replied. 

"Great." Vaani reploed as she shut the door and locked it. Inside he room were four people, she herself, Dhruv, Anshu and Ki, her dog. While she and Dhruv sat on the either side of the bed, Anshu sat directly opposite to them, just for an eye to eye contact. She read it somewhere that eye to eye contact forces people to speak the truth. 

"So, how will you explain everything?" Anshu asked. 

"See what days have come, a little teen is sitting next to us and questioning us! Don't she dare forget whom she's talking to." Dhruv commented. 

"First of all, this girl has a name and I know that you do know it. My name isn't just for name sake. Secondly, I don't give a damn! Shut your big mouth up!" 

"Mind your language!" 

"Don't you dare give me that Princely attitude. You might be a prince here, but it never affected my past life, nor will it now." Anshu replied. Who the hell is he? Doesn't he know if two girls are talking then a guy is no one to interfere. 

"Please brother." Vaani whispered to him, too low for Anshu to hear. 

"But look how she's talking to you! -" 

"If I would have been long lost, you surely would have reacted even harsher." 

"Bu-" 

"Bhaiya, she needs to know." 

Dhruv hesitated a little but in no time gave a nod. Vaani turned her head towards Anshu. "Ask." 

"Let's go easy first, who are you?" 

"Ha! You're wasting our time." Dhruv commented in between. 

"Can you please shoo him out?" Anshu asked Vaani. 

"My name is Vaani Indrasen, daughter of King Chityaverma and Queen Rambha, sister of Prince Dhruv Indrasen, princess of the Eternal Kingdom and secondly, no you can't shoo him out." 

"Were you in the Mumbai High Senior Secondary School this summer?" 

"Yes I was." 

"Did you ever, intentionally tried to enter my brother's life?" 

"Not once but many times." 

"What happened in the garden?" Anshu asked her. Dhruv didn't understand what she was referring to. She was referring to the day Neel went missing. Vaani was the last to see him. 

"Look, I can explain." 

"Just give the answer. No ifs no buts" 

"Do you remember that day there was an attack?" 

"Yes I do. Dhruv killed him." 

"No he didn't. Neel killed him." 

"You're lying!" 

"I am not. I swear. When I reached the garden, I saw Neel holding hands with Shoubdha, his other hand still bleeding. She (Shoubdha) might didn't know that he was injured. 

I don't know why but I lost my mind there..." She said and explained her the latter, how Neel and she argued, the warning the demon gave him and the harsh words she spoke to him. At the last Vaani's voice choked. That moment was the only one in all that duration that all of them were quite. No one said a word. 

Breaking the silence, Anshu got up from where she was sitting and unlocked the door. 

"Where?" Dhruv asked her. 

"Prince of Fools, can't you see? I'm leaving! There's no way I am going to listen to her. Can you notice the level of anger in me? Multiply a hundred times, that maybe near to what my brother suffered from in that situation." 

"But -" Dhruv tend to give her a piece of his mind but stopped. He could tell she needed some time. 

"I am sorry!" Vaani tried to mutter out. 

"Say that to me when I find my brother!" Anshu said as she slammed the door shut.

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