7 7. The Royal Siblings

That day Vinasaka came back on time yet when he entered the pavilion, he found his big brother Amir terribly worried. He couldn’t stop walking back and forth as if he had been waiting for someone. Vinasaka peeked at his brother from behind a pillar and he knew he had it. His escape from the premises was probably noticed by his big brother. As he kept watching, two guards walked towards Amir and informed about something. Amir’s face went through a considerable amount of change as he stormed forward with the two men behind him.

Vinasaka sighed as he was relieved that it wasn’t about him anymore. He followed Amir without letting him know and when he found that he was going towards the market, Vinasaka became excited. Going past the eyes of the guards was not a big deal for him anyway. He had to look out only for the second prince Mihas and his sister Zaharia. Looked like the way was clear, but Vinasaka remembered that he wasn’t supposed to go in crowded places, more like wasn’t allowed. But this was a chance one in a million and since his oldest brother was there what could have possibly happened.

As soon as they reached the market area, there was an unbelievable amount of clamour and yelling originating from a particular spot. It was serious enough to grab the attention of a crowd. When Amir approached the crowd, the people seemed to have recognised him, gasped and naturally made way for the crown prince, “It’s the crown prince! It’s the crown prince!” The women had already begun praises as well, “How elegant! He looks the best with his ‘Streak of Wisdom’, I wonder if he is carrying it with him.”

As he walked towards the origin of the chaos, Vinasaka climbed a tree in order to get the view. He couldn’t risk getting caught after all. By now Vinasaka had already thought all possible options that could happen like spies from the neighbouring kingdoms, thieves, bandits and even demons but to his surprise it was none of that- in fact far from that. The centre of attraction was none other than his own sister, dressed in very plain clothes holding a long slender stick and most important guarding another little figure, almost the size of Vinasaka, cowering in fear behind the princess. Upon closer look, Vinasaka’s eyes grew wider as he recognised that figure, “Mihas? Dumbo! What were you thinking?” Vinasaka was almost about to jump down from the tree when he saw Amir speaking up.

“May I know what’s going on? Zaharia what are you doing beating these kids up like this?”

“Brother, it’s them who beat up Mihas first!”

The entire crowd gasped at the addressal. Murmurs and whispers followed right after.

“Did you hear that?”

“Princess Zaharia? I never recognised her.”

“Who would’ve known!”

“I have heard her mastery is in time spell, isn’t that really rare?”

“Holy lord, it’s the royal siblings!”

“Even the second prince is here!”

The murmurs went on but Amir was still looking only at Zaharia and Mihas. Vinasaka decided not to go down and watch the entire show from the tree itself or else who knows if he is going to get dragged as well. He took a look at the kids who lay opposite to Zaharia. They looked like they had received quite a few blows yet when they learnt that it was the princess and the second prince, they instantly shut their mouths, only groaning in pain as quietly as possible. Just a minute ago, their arguments had brought together a whole group to spectators and now it was as if their mouths were tightly shut.

“Zaharia, Mihas, I think you should explain yourselves,” both of them as well as the group of mischievous kids were quite taken aback at his serious tone. Only the royal siblings knew what that tone is going to bring forth. Almost instantly, princess Zaharia began to speak, “Brother, Mihas was getting bored at the palace, so I thought of bringing him to the market for some time. As I turned around to look at a few things, Mihas was gone. He couldn’t have gone on his own, so I looked for him only to find these boys messing with him. I knew he is too good to fight back. I was trying to calm myself down but seeing Mihas lying at the ground being treated like that, I am sorry but I couldn’t control myself.”

“I am sorry brother, if only I hadn't asked...,”

“Mihas, it’s not your fault. Zaharia, what you did was wrong and you will be punished for that, but before that I want you to apologise to the kids.”

“But brother...”

The murmur in the crowd again amplified once they heard a royal was going to apologise to the common people.

“I said, do it.”

“It’s okay crown prince, no apology needed,” a boy spoke up in a terrified voice as if he would like it more if they just leave. Soon other boys joined him one after another. After all, nobody could afford an apology from the royals.

Amidst the chaos, one of the boys spoke out, “I beg to differ your highness, but an apology wouldn’t be bad!”

That was probably something nobody was expecting. Amir was flustered at the words and when he followed the voice, he found an older guy, almost the age of Zaharia or may be even older, who was helping the other boys stand up. Zaharia’s face was full of disbelief but Amir said, “Of course,” then he turned towards the princess, “Zaharia...”

“Alright fine, I am sorry. I have been wrong,” it might not have sounded too polite but it was not half-hearted as well. Amir knew his sister well and if he were to grade her sincerity, then she would have probably scored a four on five.

However, she eyed the boy sharply and asked him, “May I ask who you are? You clearly weren’t here before?”

“I am sorry for not having introduced myself before. I am Mohnish. I come from the same orphanage as them. I am also....extremely sorry about everything they did,” he apologised earnestly with a bow.

Amir lightly acknowledged it with a smile and turned to Zaharia and Mihas, “It’s time we should all get back.”

“Yes brother,” Zaharia and Mihas agreed but Amir didn’t move. Instead, he said again, “I said all of us,” and this time he threw his spear without looking back straight towards the tree where Vinasaka was sitting. It cut the branch and with a thud, fell Vinasaka on the street rubbing his hips in pain, “Owwww.”

“Who is it, sister?” Mihas asked very quietly so that only Zaharia could hear but on the contrary, she couldn’t hold herself and burst out in a fit of laughter instantly, “PPFT HAHAAHAA, OH GOD, VIN IS THAT YOU? WHAT WERE YOU DOING THERE MY GOODNESS??!”

“Vin? Why are you here?” Mihas looked like he was confused.

Meanwhile Vinasaka stood up and was brushing his outfit. The crowd looked at him carefully. The other three were pretty much known to the people, but it wasn’t a lot of times that the youngest would make an appearance. Vinasaka walked towards Mihas and put his hand on his shoulder, “I told you times and again not to get beaten up like you can’t fight back! So what if you don’t have vision? You are the best archer I have known!” Watching the youngest brother comforting the older one, somewhat filled Amir’s heart with warmth and both Zaharia and Amir couldn’t stop but smile at them.

Upon remembering that the boys were still there, Amir turned to look at them and said, “Please do not let the words get to you. He didn’t mean it that way.”

Mohnish said, “It’s okay, your highness crown prince, we understand.”

“Of course you do, they are the ones who started it in the first place,” Zaharia commented sarcastically right that instant and Mihas tried to stop her but Amir had already spoken up, “Zaharia!”

Mohnish was surprisingly calm and watched them leave. The entire crowd couldn’t stop their murmurs and surprise even then.

“What a set of siblings!”

“True!”

Back at the royal premises, Amir did keep his promise. He said, “Zaharia, the boys that you hurt today are no match for you. Do you understand what it means for a royal to injure a commoner? Do you understand the consequences?”

There was tension in the pavilion and neither Mihas nor Vinasaka uttered a word. Zaharia stood there quietly, her head bowed down, listening to her brother.

After a while, Amir only said, “You are not allowed to leave the royal premises for the next month and no supper for you today!” He left after that. Zaharia bit her lips at the harsh voice. She was raised to be strong along with her three brothers, so she didn’t cry easily. However naturally, due to her rare womanly gestures, she hardly had any friends as well. Therefore, she would either bottle up her feelings or would flood them altogether when she would visit the queen. However, she had been punished before, so what irritated her was not being able to have dinner or go out but that blue draped individual who dared to play with her pride.