A/n: Hardik and Natasa got separated, feeling sad for them. It will be tough time for both, hope things get better for them soon.

By the way, Hardik is single again! So we can simp all we want👍

P.S. I am a bad woman💀

***

"Keep milking my cock like a good boy, Shubman," Ishan moaned, his voice thick with desire. "Drink every drop... don’t miss a single bit of the milk I have for you."

He panted, his fingers gripping the sheets as his hips instinctively thrust forward. "Yes, that's it... suck it deeper, like a hungry cub... take all I have to offer."

Oh wait! Sorry.....this one is for later.

Back to the story.....

***

Prince Shubman and Abhishek were exhausted after a long day, and their inn was a long way. Shubman found a big tree and sat under it without thinking much, letting out a sigh. Abhishek said, "Shubman, you're sitting on mud.... it's all dusty!"

Shubman with an annoyed expression, said, "We're made of dust, silly. What does it even matter? Just sit."

"Oh, I am fine...very fine. I'll stand and protect you. It's almost dark," Abhishek gave excuses, not wanting to sit. Shubman replied, "We shall see about that." Abhishek rolled his eyes at that iconic response.

He soon realized that he was too tired to care about the dirt on his clothes. "Alright, I am sitting now. My legs hurt too much!" Shubman chuckled. Abhishek looked tensed for some reason. Shubman, turning towards his friend, asked, "What's with the face now?"

"Just a bit tired.... Actually, no. I was thinking what are even doing here, it's been two days and we've hardly found anything except the fact that the prince has been rejecting marriage proposals for some reason!"

Shubman lifted an eyebrow, "You really think we haven't found out anything at all?"

"Yeah, nothing at all," Abhishek said matter-of-factly.

"Let me enlighten you, Abhishek."

"Please do, Your Highness."

Shubman, sitting straight, rubbing his hands together, began, "About the market first. Did you notice the secret security guards?"

"The what?"

"They are all around the city. You met one yourself, just yesterday."

Abhishek's eyes widened, "No way....the toy vendor!? How is that....how did you know??"

Shubman said, "His shoes were metallic, but his clothes were clad. Good actor, though." Abhishek hummed in response. Shubman continued, "He also had a dagger hidden carefully, but well, it didn't quite escape my eye. Then again, there were a few people who looked like they had no purpose in the market, not talking to anyone, not even buying anything. Each one of those had a strong build, hence the deduction."

"That's very smart, Shubman. These guards must be those who will be needed in case of an emergency. Since these people are not fully armed, I think their leader has appointed some of the strongest men there, ones who don't even need to be properly armed to fight back," Abhishek chimed in his assumption.

"I agree. And let me now tell you about a very interesting thing I found at the place where we were bathing today. The local well, which we used this morning, is the spot of a hidden treasure," Shubman whispered as he talked about the treasure.

"What? Like, under the water?"

"Yes, I will show you when we go for the bath tomorrow....If you look carefully under the water, which is hard because it is too deep, you'll see a very tiny lock. These locks are special, very small but very strong too."

"I am not even going to ask how on earth were you able to see the lock.......But I am so sure they have a hidden treasure down there."

"Or perhaps, something even more valuable."

"Like the answer to the question whether the prince is impotent or not." Abhishek couldn't help but laugh as he said that.

Shubman stared at him, he paused for a while, but couldn't control his laugh too.

***

They got up soon and walked towards their inn. As they entered, Abhishek asked Shubman.

Abhishek asked, "What are your deductions about Prince Ishan Kishan, detective?"

Shubman smiled, a glint of amusement in his eyes. "He is anything... but impotent."

Abhishek blinked, taken aback by the certainty in Shubman's voice. "That's it?" he asked, watching as Shubman walked to his bed, shrugging off his upper outfit.

Shubman hummed in response, lying on his front and hiding his face in the firm bed. His voice came out muffled, "Make sure the ladies aren't watching us while we sleep. Looks like they haven't seen some handsome people in a while..."

Abhishek chuckled, shaking his head as he moved towards the window to draw the curtains. "Take it as a compliment, Prince."

Shubman replied, his voice yet muffled due to the pillow, "I don't like my body being watched for pleasure. Thank you."

(A/n: Sorry Shubman, but....)

Abhishek lied down on the other bed finally, after closing the door and the window. He said, "You know, you could have elaborated a bit more. How did you come to that conclusion about Prince Ishan?"

Shubman shifted slightly, lifting his head to speak more clearly. "His demeanor. The way he carries himself. He has a certain confidence, a presence that commands respect. It’s not something you'd expect from someone who's supposedly impotent."

***

The night was dark when Ishan sat by the riverbank, the gentle breeze playing with his hair as he watched the water flow. The memories of his teenage years often brought him here, to this spot where he and Arjun used to spend their afternoons. Arjun, with his bright smile and infectious laughter, had been Ishan's closest friend, and his first love.

It was during those early years that Ishan began to realize his attraction towards men. He was fifteen then. He remembered the fluttering in his chest every time Arjun laughed, the warmth that spread through him whenever Arjun touched his arm. But Ishan kept his feelings to himself, unsure and afraid of what they might mean.

One summer afternoon, as they lay in the grass, Arjun turned to him and asked, "Ishan, do you ever think about the future? About who will be the love of your life?"

Ishan's heart skipped a beat. "Sometimes. Why do you ask?"

Arjun shrugged, his eyes fixed on the sky. "I believe I'm just curious. You know, we are growing up, and soon we shall be expected to marry."

Ishan nodded, his throat tightening. "Yes, I suppose we will."

The conversation drifted to other topics, but Ishan's mind lingered on Arjun's question. He wondered if Arjun ever felt the same way, if he ever thought about them being together. But Ishan never found the courage to ask.

Years passed, and one day Arjun came to him with news. "Ishan, my family has arranged a marriage for me. Her name is Radha, and she's from a very good family."

Ishan felt a pang in his heart but managed a smile. "That's wonderful, Arjun. Congratulations."

Arjun looked at him closely, as if searching for something in Ishan's eyes. "Thanks, Ishan. It means a lot to me that you're happy for me."

The wedding day arrived, and Ishan watched from the crowd as Arjun married Radha. He smiled, feeling a mix of joy for his friend and a quiet sorrow for what could never be. As the years went by, Ishan got busy with his administrative duties, gradually distancing himself from Arjun, yet hoping to meet him as a friend one day.

It was his first love, and though it hurt a little, it was a gentle pain, a reminder of his journey of self-discovery, which also welcomed the many fears of society and expectations from the family.

***

Back at the inn, Abhishek woke up from his restless sleep, the firmness of the bed and the continuous humming of mosquitoes making it impossible to rest. On top of all that, the weather was hot, no sign of cool breeze like the previous day. He glanced over at Shubman, who was sound asleep, almost snoring. He was surprised at how easily his friend had adapted. Then he remembered their training days, when Shubman had insisted they live in the village to get accustomed to the habits and lifestyle. Shubman had taken to it effortlessly, while Abhishek had refused, confident in his ability to adapt when necessary. He could almost hear his own voice echoing, "Once I am thrown into the waters, I'll learn to swim too!"

With a sigh, he got up to drink some water. He slipped out of the room quietly, not wanting to disturb Shubman. As he made his way to the water jug, he noticed a dark figure hiding behind a pillar through his peripheral vision. His training kicked in, and he immediately suspected it was an enemy. Slowly, he reached for the silver dagger hidden in his clothes, his movements were silent.

With a swift motion, he grabbed the person from behind, holding their waist tightly, with his dagger hovering dangerously close to the throat. Just one touch and it would make a cut. "Who are you?" he demanded in a low, threatening voice.

The figure gasped in surprise. As Abhishek tightened his grip and shifted his hands up above the waist, his hand grabbed something unexpected.

Breasts.

Oh no.

He froze, realizing that he was holding a woman. He immediately released his hold slightly, though his dagger remained pointed at her.

The woman turned her face towards him. She was masked. She removed it immediately when Abhishek commanded her to.

"Who are you?" he repeated, his voice softer yet firm.

She fidgeted in her clothes, clearly frightened. "Please, don't hurt me," she whispered. "I'm just a thief. I wasn't trying to harm anyone."

Abhishek's mind raced as he processed her words. A thief? He glanced around, making sure they were alone. He lowered his dagger slightly but kept a firm grip on her hand. "A thief? What are you doing here?" he asked, his tone still cautious.

The woman took a deep breath, her voice trembling. "I was just trying to find something valuable to sell. Times are hard, and I need to survive."

Abhishek sighed, regretting his earlier aggression for some reason, even though he knew he was right. "You're lucky I didn't kill you. What’s your name?"

She hesitated for a moment before answering, "My name is Meera.

I thought I heard someone coming," she admitted, looking down. "I didn't want to get caught."

Abhishek released her hand completely, taking a step back and lowering his dagger. "You need to be more careful. If it had been someone else, you might not have been so lucky."

Meera nodded, her eyes wide with fear and gratitude. "Thank you for not hurting me."

Abhishek shook his head, feeling a mix of frustration and pity. "Just go. And stay out of trouble. If I catch you again, I won't be so lenient."

He watched her leave, waiting till she was far away. He had come to Patliputra to gather information, not play the role of judge. He walked back towards the room.

As he re-entered, Shubman stirred, his eyes opening groggily. "What happened?" he mumbled.

Abhishek shook his head, sitting down on his bed. "Just a thief. Nothing serious."

Shubman raised an eyebrow, fully awake now. "A thief? Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Abhishek replied, a slight smile playing on his lips. "She won't be causing any more trouble tonight."

Shubman chuckled softly. "You really are something, Abhishek. Always on alert."

As Abhishek lay back down, trying to find a comfortable position, he couldn't shake off the unease from his encounter with Meera. After a few moments of silence, he blurted out, "I accidentally held her breasts. Is that a sin? Should I talk to our priest, Acharya Shrikant?"

Shubman, who had just started to drift off, opened his eyes and turned towards Abhishek. "You what?" he asked, trying to stop himself from laughing.

Abhishek groaned, covering his face with his hands. "It was an accident! I thought she was an enemy, and when I grabbed her, I realized... well, you know."

Shubman chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Calm down, Abhishek. It was a mistake. You didn't intend to do anything inappropriate."

Abhishek sighed, still feeling embarrassed. "But what if it's a sin? Acharya always says that we should treat women with the utmost respect."

Shubman rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "You were acting in self-defense. It's not like you did it on purpose. Besides, if you go confessing this to Acharya, he'll probably just tell you to be more careful next time. Now please, get some sleep and let me sleep too!"

"Thanks, I needed to hear that."

A few minutes later, when Shubman was almost about to sleep again, Abhishek said, "You know, I can't stop thinking about the feeling though..."

Shubman, with his back turned towards him, held his finger up saying, "Now, that's a sin."

***

That is it for this chapter!

Do you think the story is getting boring and too slow? Please do tell me if you feel that way.... I really will appreciate all feedback and criticism.

I'll see you again in the next part!
Thanks for reading 💖