Jai was still smiling while remembering the story. Madhu looked at him shyly thinking he was smiling at her.
'Muskurate hi rahenge rajkumar ki chalenge bhi?'
(Will you only smile or start walking too?)

This remark got him out his trance. That's when he realised he has been staring and smiling at her. At this point, he can't even deny that he was smiling.
So he tried to change the topic as it was the only way to escape.

'Zaroor rajku-' he was about to complete hi sentence when he received a glare from madhu. She has already requested him enough not to call her rajkumari but wouldn't it be too much? He had to obey her anyways now.
(Of course,prin-)

'Madh- madhu. Hum to yeh keh rahe the ki yaha ke pooja karna ka dhang kuch alag sa hai' he was actually genuinely curious about the style of Pooja. Since, the aryavarta and Dravida people have different styles of worship and he was well aware of it but the question arises is; why is it similar to the Dravida of rather than the aryavarta?
(Mad-madhu. I was wondering about the different style of worshipping the lord)

'Rajku-kshama kshama' she was about to complete when received a glare from jai. When he can call her madhu, she should also call him. Equality is for both, no matter what the gender, right?
(Prin- Oops sorry!)

'Yaha ke pandito ka chunav Dravid se hota hai isiliye yaha ki Puja mein uski jhalak hai'
(The priests here hail from the southern part of the country, this might be the reason for it)

'Dravid? Kintu kaunse rajy se rajkumari?'
(South? But from which kingdom princess?)

'Vah to humein bhi gyaat nahi. Humein to bas itna hi pata hai ki wo dravid se hai'
(Even I don't have an idea about that. The only thing I know about is they Hail from the south)

He hummed in response. He wasn't yet satisfied with her answer. Seeing he was lost somewhere, determined to help him she took his hand and started running.

After experiencing a sudden jolt, he looked around only to find himself being dragged by a giggling madhu who asked him to shut up and follow her.

After reaching a certain spot, they stopped in their tracks. It was just a plate of the names of pandit's, who had ever performed pooja in garbagriha was inscripted.

As he went through the name list, he found something common. They all had a common surname which was panda.
A sudden memory of his childhood striked through his mind.

'Panda,panda,panda!' screamed all the children while one child started sobbing harder.

That's when jai came to his rescue.
'Shant ho jao sab!' He warned everyone with his eyes as though dare to tease him again.
(Be quiet, everyone!)

He slowly went near mrityunjay, cupped his face.

'Shant hojao, mitr! Aise logo ke liye apne aansu nahi gavate' he tried to pacify him.
(Calm down, friend. Don't waste your precious tears for these people)

The addressed one hugged him. Even though it was quite unexpected for him, he returned the hug while providing him with warmth.

Mrityunjay sobs started getting low.
'Abhi mein Kalinga rajy se hu to ismein meri kya galti?'
(Now that I come from Kalinga, is that my fault?)

He started drawing soothing circles on his back while replying,
'Tumhari koi galti nahi hai, mitr. Koi nahi'
(You are not at fault, my friend. Never.)

That's when it clicked. They all are from Kalinga. No wonder the Puja is of Dravida style but why did they all belonged to the same clan? Utkal pandits had many different branches. Then why only the "panda's"?

Just when he was thinking of the possibilities, he heard the mantra and the sound the bell from the garbagriha. It was the closing time, he could surely get time to talk with the pandit ji, if he could make it there on time. The first instinct he got was to run. Run as fast he could ;leavinga shockednadhu behind.. How could a human be this inconsiderate of a human existence?
What was she? Air?

As jai reached the temple premises he noticed the pandit ji locking the garbagriha's doors.

'Aa gaye aap, rajkumar?'
(You are here, prince?)

Truth to be said, jai was quite surprised. How could he known this? As if he knew the inner turmoil of the prince. He turned to face him,

'Aapko to aana hi tha.' He said with an all-knowing look.
(You had to come.)

'Matlab pandit ji?' His voice rose with suspicion.
(What do you mean, pandit ji?)

'Rajkumar, mandir band hone wala tha to aap darshan karne aaye haina?' He casually shrugged it off as if he hadn't intimidated the other one with his words.
(Prince, the temple was about to be closed. So you had to come here to see the god,right?)

'Pandit ji, kya hum aapse kuch puch sakte hai?' His voice dread serious.
(Pandit ji, can i ask you something?)

'Ha kahiye, rajkumar.' He said as though he was waiting just for him to question him.
(Yes you may, prince.)

'Aap Kalinga se hai?'
(Do you hail from Kalinga?)

'Hey bholenath! Kya puchte hai ye rajkumar?' He cursed in his mind. How can a person be unserious at these times?
(Oh lord! What kind of questions does he even ask?)

'Ji, rajkumar. Yaha ke sabhi pandit Kalinga rajy se hai'
(Yes, prince. Each priest of the temple are the residents of kalinga)

'Kintu kyu?' He finally asked the right question.
(Why so?)

'Kyu, rajkumar? Ab hum kya apni naukri chod de?' He said with a humorous tone.
(What do you mean by 'why',prince? Should we leave our jobs?)

Jai slightly shrugged it off with a slight smile.

'Aap chahe bhi to bhi aap aisa nahi lar sakte' his voice became serious.
(Even if you want to, you can't.)

'Kyuki is mandir ko banvane wale raja ne yeh saugandh khayi thi ki yaha ke pujari sirf aur sirf Kalinga se honge. Ab yeh mat puchiyega kyu. Kyunki iska uttar humein svayam gyaat nahi'

(Because the king who built this temple had taken a vow that the worshippers here would only be from Kalinga. Now don't ask 'why'. Because we do not know its answer ourselves)

'To kisse gyaat hoga yeh uttar,pandit ji?'
(So who do you think might know, pandit ji?)

'Rajkumar, aksar aisa hota hai ki prashn ka uttar humein pata hota hai kintu hum usse nazarandaz kar dete hai. Yeh karvaan aapka hai. Aur bhagwan kare aap ismein safal bhi ho. Humara kartavy bas itna hi tha. Shubham bhuyat!' He left the place after blessing him.

(Rajkumar, it often happens that we know the answer to the question but we need ignore it. This is meant to be done by you and may god make you successful in your attmpts too. This marks the end of my role. May auspicious things happen to you!')
Jai's pov:

Do I really know the answer to this? Am I really aware of it? How? The only way out is going to Kalinga and finding it myself but the only who can give the answer be from panda family? Should I actually go visit it? Wait- Mrityunjay!!!!
Hum aarahe hai mitr! Dhanyavad pandit ji!

Somewhere is his meditation, a slight smile appeared on the lips of pandit ji.

♡------------------------
The royal chambers echoed with the calls for the prince.

'Jai kaha hai, aap?' Her voice now concerned for her safety.
(Jai, where are you)

Her voice now raised with concern and anguish raised with high intensity. As her calls got more loud, the dam she was holding broke. As the tears she heard a guard asking permission to enter, she composed herself and asked him to relay the message from there.

'Maharani, rajkumar ne sandesha bheja hai ki wo aaj hi Kalinga rajy apne mitr se milne jaa rahe hai aur kaha hai aap bilkul chintit na ho. Wo sakushal aapke paas laut aayenge'

(My queen, the prince has sent a message that he is going to meet his friend in Kalinga today and has told you not to worry at all and will return to you safe)
Her tension was palpable but somewhere deep down she was assured he will be alright.

'Hey mahakaal! Uski Raksha kijiyega'
(Oh lord! Please protect him)
♡-------------

Half way through his journey, he felt something strange. Still, he commanded the horse to race forward with great intensity. As it was racing the movement became quite easy to notice. He abruptly made the horse stop in it's tracks and took steps towards the lake nearby.

He suddenly turned back and twisted the ears of other one.

'Aah aah!! Chodiye humein!' She tried removing the hands from her ears.
(Aah aah! Leave me!)

'Aap pehle ye bataiye aap yaha kar kya rahi thi? Aree hum bhi kisse puch rahe hai! Sach Sach bataiye aap humara peecha kar rahi thi na?' He loosened his grip seeing her in pain.
(First, you tell me what are you doing here?Oh god! Whom I even asking? Tell me the truth! You were following me, right?)

'Are jab aapko pata to kuch kyu rahe hai?' She took the chance to remove his hands and tried convincing him by rubbing circles on his hands, which were pushed away by jai.
(Now that you already know, why try asking?)

She pouted and started bribing him by defending him infront of maharani.
Eventually he couldn't do anything but take her with him as it was way past Ujjain.

'Haye! Akhirkaar humara safar bhi shuru ho hi gaya' she smiled to herself.
(Haye! Atlast our journey has begin)
♡-----------------------
As they were quietly taking their steps into the hut, which he remembered was the house of mrityunjay.

'Aapko sharam nahi aati aise choro ke tarah ghuste hue?' She whisper yelled on the prince who was now literally wearing a black mask and was entering the house through the back door.
(Do you net feel any shame when entering like a theif?)

'Aap chup rehti hain ya hum Maa ko khat likhe ki aapko yaha se le jaye?' He shushed her by the only weak point she has got at the very moment. He knew that the princess was fond of adventures but she was restricted to the palace always.
(Will you stop or do you want me to send a letter to mother to take you away?)

As he saw there was some moment inside the hut, instinctively pointing towards the presence of a danger.

'Aap yahi rahiye hum dekhke aate hai' he asked maintaining a serious look to which she complied eventually.
(You stay here, I will go and check)

As he slowly entered the room, he found some lamps and maps scattered around. No one was present there as though he had some illusion.

That's when he sensed a rapid movement behind him but before he could do even do anything, the silhouette held his hand and waist with one hand and the other hand stopping his mouth from making any noise.

He struggled in his grip. He tried to move but the other one was way too strong. When he finally managed to look towards the later one, he found his intense gaze on him. He struggled to breath. His heart pounding in his rib so fast that it could burst out.

Even the later covered his face with mask but the things his eyes were doing to him were enough, hands are topic of any other time. The gaze had something so deep. It was intimidating. He could feel the loosened grip,he took the chance to twist his hands and kicked his one knee with his foot which made him stumble onto the ground.

The other one was way too skilled as he also pulled jai with him and pinned him down onto the ground, caging his hands above his hand with one hand. Their breathes mingled. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. He slowly removed the mask from jai's face.

As he was lost. Jai took the time to hover over him and pin him down, placed his khanjar on the latter's throat.

'Kaun ho tum?' He said with intensity and anger dropping with each word he uttered.
(Who are you?)

The other one rapidly pulled his mask down as he bowed to the prince and started explaining himself.

'Maaf kijiyega,rajkumar. Mein mahal ke sevak hu,Dhruv'
(Please forgive me, prince. I'm one the servants, dhruv.)

Instead of the attention deserving face, he was rather shocked with the revelation that he knew his identity.

'How do you know my identity?' He pressed his khanjar more down.

'You might not remember, prince. I visited your palace once as a doot' his eyes full of truth.

'How do you expect me to believe you?'
His suspicion cleat with his voice.

'Wait- I got this as reward from the king'

He said while pointing towards the locket in his neck and indeed it was the his father used to wore.

'Okay, get up now and leave this instant'
He couldn't risk his identity to be exposed.

'And don't dare reveal my identity!' His voice clear of his intentions.

'Jo hukum' he bowed and looked just to look into his eyes to utter,
'Huzoor!'

Taken aback by the sudden gesture, he remembered that some of the people here were also migrants from the mughal sultanate.

Dhruv got up to make himself representable, while leaving a bewildered jai. With a faint smile playing on his lips, he tied the mask on his face.

'Hum abhi chalte hai, huzoor. Khayal rakhiyega' the last line was just a mere whisper.
(I am leaving now, prince. Take care)
♡------------------------
Hey reader's! Thank you for your support and understanding. Most importantly for staying!I hope you enjoy the chapter. Love you all!!