I Will Find Them

It has been four or five days since Joshika cooked up the plan with Varun. She was sitting at the reading room in their mansion's library when a maidservant came in and said,

"My lady, Madam has summoned you to her chambers for tea."

Joshika who was looking into scripture about the art of wielding the chakram quickly lifted her head saying,

"You leave, I will be there soon."

The maidservant bowed and left. Joshika carefully folded the scripture and tucked it away hiding it within her regular books. She then fixed her dress and hair to look presentable before going to her mother's chambers. They live in a separate mansion within the Sunheri Mahal that is quite a grandeur like the Mahal itself. Uma Devi's chambers were on the first floor with an open terrace overlooking a huge pond full of lotuses with white swans flocking here and there. The tea is set out on the terrace as Uma Devi liked it. Joshika approached her mother and bowed,

"Maa, you called me?"

Uma Devi, "Ahhh yes beta, come."

Joshika sat down in the chair opposite her mother. The maids started to serve tea with snacks. Joshika took her cup and spoke,

"So what is it, mother? You called me to see you. Is it something urgent?"

Uma Devi smiled and said, "Why would I need to say something urgent to see my daughter? Can't I just hang out with you?"

Joshika, "Ohh no no Maa that's not what I meant. It's good to hang out like this."

Uma Devi, "So beta how are your studies going on?"

Joshika, "All good. I am preparing for my final exam next year for graduation."

Uma Devi, "Good to hear it. Be sincere in your studies. I know you are very talented and you will perform well."

Joshika, "Thank you Maa. It means a lot."

Uma Devi, "Lets visit you elder sister someday. It's been a while since we visited her. Although we stay within the same palace area still she must miss us a lot."

Listening to this Joshika became silent and didn't answer. They both sipped tea silently the light breeze and the cool weather of the autumn when suddenly Joshika remembered that she needs to find out about the previous royal family fifteen years ago. And this seemed like a perfect opportunity. She was scared that her mother might react and refuse to talk but she has to take this chance. So carefully she spoke,

"I am sure she misses us. What person would not miss her father, mother, and younger sister? Adara di too must miss her sister and parents like didi ?"

Joshika spoke those these words with a grave accusing undertone, making Uma Devi fall silent and flustered.

Joshika, "Irony, don't you think? How you can say this so easily when it's about your daughter yet seal your lips when your own sister lost her life, husband, and their precious children."

Uma Devi was shocked and tried to defend herself,

"What do you want me to do Joshika? Go against the vicious Ratan Raj who is backed by that evil General of Tianxia and Sangchon Dewang? They would have killed you."

Joshika, "So you just did nothing and let your only sister die. Horribly murdered along with uncle who was thrown to the demon dogs of the Dark Realm summoned by the General."

A pained and guilty expression appeared on Uma Devi's face. Her eyes became teary as Joshika accused her. Joshika ordered the servants to leave them alone and went ahead to speak,

"How can you live with yourself Maa? How does your conscience allow you to have a peaceful tea with one of your daughters who had a lavish childhood with all the love she got and the other one is the crown princess? Have you ever thought about how Adara di or Aditi are spending their lives? Do you even care if they are alive or not? They are your nieces and I thought you loved them. I thought you loved your sister. I thought you were righteous enough to try discovering them. But I think it is foolish of me to think so. You are as stone-hearted as Father. I am disappointed in you."

Uma Devi could not control the burst of tears anymore with Joshika raining down harsh words at her. She broke down with tears and spoke with frustration,

"How dare you say such things to me? What do you know about how much I loved my sister and my nieces? Do you even know what your father and I had to go through all these years to keep the secret?"

Uma Devi was startled by what she mindlessly blurted out. Joshika caught the last sentence and she pressured her mother to speak more.

Joshika, "Secret? What secret Maa? What are you hiding?"

Uma Devi, "Nothing. Stop asking questions. It's too dangerous for everyone. Us, Adara, and Aditi wherever they are."

Joshika became irritated and sternly asked her mother holding her down,

"Maaaa! Look at me. Would you have behaved this same way if it would have been me and Didi?"

Uma Devi knew she has to comply with her daughter. With tearful eyes, she begged Joshika,

"Beta please don't ask any more questions it's too dangerous. The king knew the risks were too much so he asked to keep our lips shut. That was his last order and last wish and so your father and I have to obey it not for our safety but for the love and respect we had for them."

Joshika, "Tell me something Maa if anything happens to Adara di or Aditi will uncle and aunt rest in peace? What if I tell you something bad is going to happen and if you don't speak up now it might be too late? So I beg of you please tell me. I cannot sit still and let things go haywire in front of my eyes. I know you have spent your entire life with a pang of guilt in your heart. Please help me do the right thing. I beg of you."

Uma Devi was helpless yet proud of her daughter. It is true that she shouldered a heavy burden of guilt on her shoulders irrespective of it being the order from Vikram Vedi himself. What more is that Queen Ujali Devi died totally unaware of this. She was kept in the dark through and through by the king himself and Manrti Shri and Uma Devi helped keep it that way. So when Joshika spoke like that she broke down in tears embracing her saying,

"I know beta! I know I could not do anything for my sister. I failed her and my nieces. But what could have we done? It was chaos back then and we were worried about you both as well. So we did what we ordered and also to make you girls safe. I wish I could have done something."

Joshika, comforting her, "You can Maa. You can now, There is still time and I promise you one thing if you tell me the truth I will tell you my truth as well. But please do not say a word to Baba. He will not understand. I know he wants us safe and does everything to make sure we have not been harmed in any way but honestly, I cannot live like this. I cannot side with the wrong just to be safe."

Uma Devi wiped her tears away and asked, "Fine beta. I will tell you everything. If this is the chance that I can make the wrong right then at least my sister will be at peace. But what are you up to with this?"

Joshika, "I am sorry Maa, I had kept this a secret for so many years. I guess I can trust you."

Uma Devi, "You can trust my beta. I will help you no matter what."

With that Joshika told about how secretly she had mastered the art of chakram and patta sword. How Varun has been with her all this time and what sinister plan his father is cooking up with the general and Sangcheon Dewang. Listening to this Uma Devi was shocked and alarmed. She realized what grave danger they were all in. With that, she spoke,

"If what you said is the truth then we are in grave danger and I will help you for sure. For far too long I have kept silent. No more."

She then told Joshika the truth behind what exactly they were ordered by the king and why. Hearing it made Joshika more and more baffled and bewildered. Then both the ladies made a pact. They will secretly carry out activities to expose the evil deeds of the king. Joshika complied and agreed to bring Varun to her to have another round of discussion. With that Uma Devi spoke,

"Joshika, courage is a rare trait beta. Thank you for bringing it back to the family."

She kissed her forehead and she left. Uma Devi then called a servant and ordered,

"Arrange for a trip to our ancestral place. I want to spend some time in peace away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. And inform the Mantri ji too."

The servant bowed and left. After that, she called her handmaiden and said,

"Kanchan, your brother is good at gathering information as I have heard."

Kanchan, "Yes Madam he is."

Uma Devi, "Good, bring him here after nightfall with you I have work for him."

Kanchan, "Yes Madam."

She then got up and left for her study chambers where she dug into old records. She ordered her maid to not let her get disturbed and inform her as soon as her husband arrives from the palace court.

Taking leave from her mother Joshika didn't waste a second and sent a fire message butterfly to Varun. She went into her room. Changed into her fighter outfit which she normally wears when she practices her spells. She then threw the hooded white cloak, her weapons, and a few essentials inside her backpack. She wrote a letter to her mother and instructed the maid to deliver it to her. The maid went to Uma Devi's chambers to find them empty when the guard told her that she is busy with some work so the maid can leave the letter on the table for her to come back and read it.

Joshika then went out of the palace gate towards the Adhayanalay where Varun was waiting for her. Seeing her approaching he said,

"Are you sure about this? You know this will throw the kingdom into chaos with your family being especially vulnerable"

Joshika, " I have never been more confident Varun. I am going to find them. For sure. And this is for everyone's safety"

Varun, "Alright then let's do this. I have already kept two horses at the temple for us."

With that, they went to the temple, rode their horses, and galloped through the forest speeding away from the capital towards the north. Once they cross the forest they will be out of the borders of Maharan into the province of Sivagarh.

Varun spoke while galloping side by side with Joshika, "So you didn't tell me where exactly we will be going?"

Joshika, "To the province of Phitang. A little northeast after crossing Sivagarh. From there we will find a way to the Shrughnan Mountain Sect."

Varun, "Whaaaat? That fabled 'Mountain sect'?"

Joshika, "Yes. I have information about people fleeing from the palace to that place."

They both ran their horses like the wind and within a few minutes, they were out of the forest, crossing the border into Sivagarh province. After crossing they stopped for a minute to look back. Varun asked,

"What is it? Are you nervous?"

Joshika, "I am. But I have to do this. I must find Adara di."

Varun, "The elder princess? But it's the younger one who is the chosen one right?"

Joshika turned towards Varun and said, "No she is not. She is not the chosen one. In fact, she is not an aura either."

Varun, extremely perplexed asked, "What are you saying? If she is not then who?"

Joshika, " Its Adara. She is an aura and the chosen one because she is not the firstborn of the king and queen."

Varun almost dropped dead at that information. Perplexed he exclaimed,

"Oh, my god…."

Joshika, "Let's go. There is no time."

The two horse galloped their way into the horizon.