Shadows [2]

The sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the sky in warm hues of orange as Prince Harsha and the old patriarch of the Nayakas made their way back to the mansion.

"Patriarch, this is the last day I agree to your whims. If you have some motive behind these invitations, it's better to cough it out right now," Harsha spoke sternly, his gaze sharp as he looked at the old man beside him.

The patriarch chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "Young Prince, you shouldn't be saying such things to an old man," he said with a playful smirk,.

Harsha crossed his arms and scoffed. "As if," he said. "I just want to know what you want from me specifically."

The patriarch's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the young prince. 'This child,' he thought, ' his gaze is very different from the other princes. It is as if I am being looked down! It's very similar to the emperor when he was young,'

"Take rest, Prince," the patriarch said, patting Harsha on the back. "We can discuss that later on. HAHAHA. This old man is tired from all the roaming."

"HAAA!" Harsha facepalmed, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "Don't run away from this next time, Patriarch," he said, shaking his head.

He watched the Patriarch retreat back to his chambers and thought,' Well, that girl was wearing a maid's dress. So she is working here now? She is definitely doing spy work.'

"Why else the disguise," he mumbled, furrowing his brow.

' Well, there is time. I will figure her mission out tomorrow,' he thought as he stretched his limbs, feeling the weariness of the day's events settle into his muscles. He made his way to his room, seeking the solace of rest.

The next morning, Harsha rose early, the golden light of dawn filtering through his window. He went to check on Viswa since he hadn't done that since the Patriarch kept dragging him around town for the past week. He made his way to the training field.

As he approached, he saw three figures moving in the distance. The morning air was cool, and the sounds of exertion carried through the field. Varun and Narayana, both in their training gear, were running with sandbags strapped to their shoulders. Their faces were set in concentration, sweat glistening on their foreheads as they pushed through the strenuous exercise.

Beside them, Viswa, though still young and less experienced, was also carrying a much smaller sandbag. His strides were determined, his considerably smaller frame straining under the weight. He was running with a focused intensity, his face set in a mixture of determination and fatigue.

They noticed Harsha approaching and promptly halted their training. Breathing heavily, Varun, Narayana, and Viswa jogged over to greet him.

"Your Highness, good morning," they said in unison, their voices carrying a hint of exhaustion.

Harsha gave them a nod of acknowledgment, his gaze shifting to Viswa, who was panting heavily, his head barely lifted. "I just came to check on you all and see the progress Viswa has made," he said, gesturing toward the young trainee.

Harsha's gaze shifted from Viswa to Varun, and he asked, "So how is he doing?"

Varun responded promptly, "His academics are very good. He has already learned to read and write, Your Highness."

"Ah, I see. That's great," Harsha said, nodding appreciatively. "What about his physical training?"

Varun continued taking a deep breath, "His malnutrition was a bit of a problem for the first three days, but he has adapted well. His physique is improving, and he can now keep up with parts of our training."

Harsha's eyes narrowed as he looked at Varun and Narayana. "Has he taken any rest?"

Varun hesitated before answering, "Um… No, Your Highness."

Harsha's frustration was evident as he ran his hand through his hair. "Haa! What are you doing? No matter how godly his physique may be, proper rest is essential to build muscle."

Turning to Viswa, he said firmly, "Viswa, take the day off and rest."

Harsha glanced at Varun and Narayana. "You two, also take rest for now. Use this time to teach him something useful. I'll assign a tutor later."

He leaned in closer, lowering his voice. "Start with the basics of sword techniques after his rest day. Take it one step at a time."

"Understood, Your Highness," Varun and Narayana replied in unison.

"I will take my leave then," Harsha left the training ground to find clues of the woman. He had seen at the Marketplace.

Harsha walked through the mansion with a determined look, his thoughts racing.

'She has to be somewhere in the mansion,' he thought, carefully scanning his surroundings.

Since their encounter in his room, Harsha had suspected Rukmini was no ordinary maid. Her toned muscles and movements hinted at a background beyond simple servitude. He figured she was likely sent by someone with intentions to either remove him or keep a close watch on him.

The fact that she had shown up at the Nayaka Mansion suggested that the Nayakas were also under surveillance. Harsha needed to find her to confirm his suspicions.

Meanwhile, in the back alley of the marketplace, the team leader met with a man cloaked in black. The man had a talwar sheathed at his waist and a bow slung over his back, his attire blending seamlessly with the dim surroundings.

The team leader's voice was cold as he spoke. "Eliminate Rukmini. She has fulfilled her purpose."

The man in black tilted his head slightly, considering the order. "But she might still be of use. Are you sure she needs to be eliminated so soon?"

The team leader's gaze was unyielding. "The prince has changed significantly. If he recognizes her—and I am certain he has—she could easily become a liability. He might overpower her and use her to trace back to us, which we cannot afford."

The man nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Without another word, he turned and melted into the shadows of the alleyway, his movements smooth. The darkness seemed to swallow him, and he vanished from sight.

Back at the mansion, Harsha navigated the sprawling corridors, avoiding the persistent summons of the patriarch. He had managed to elude the old man's attempts to drag him on yet another tour of the town. His focus was solely on finding the girl he had seen in the marketplace.

As he rounded a corner, he spotted Rukmini at the far end of a dimly lit hallway. She was on her knees, scrubbing the floor with a rag, looking all meek under her disguise. He walked towards her. Despite seeing him, she maintained her facade of being a maid.

'Why is the prince here? This is quite a secluded place in the mansion for the prince to be alone,' Rukmini thought as she saw the prince approaching.

She began sprinting as her instincts reminded her of the night the prince had almost killed her, lifting her by the neck. Those lifeless eyes of the prince frightened her. Her whole body was screaming to run as the Prince was approaching.

Seeing her sprint, Harsha quickly followed her through the hallways. She adeptly jumped around obstacles, trying to escape. Harsha, with his physical advantage, steadily caught up. Her movements were brisk and flexible, giving her some leeway to slip away.

As Rukmini dashed around a corner, she ran straight past the Patriarch, who was taking a leisurely walk in the hallway looking for Harsha. The Patriarch's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the commotion. "What is happening here?" he exclaimed.

Spotting Harsha, he added, "Prince, stop! Why are you running after the maid?" He tried to get in the way.

Harsha ducked and slid between the Patriarch's legs, continuing the chase. "Get out of the way, old man!"

"What? Follow him!" ordered the Patriarch to the guard standing beside him.

He almost caught up to Rukmini, grabbing her arm in an attempt to pull her back. She wriggled free, slipping past him once more. Harsha, determined not to lose her again, took a quick detour, breaking away from her as she dashed around the corner.

With a surge of adrenaline, Harsha pushed himself to his highest speed, accelerating rapidly. As he reached the intersection, he closed the distance. His fist connected with her face, propelling her forcefully out of the hallway onto the open garden. Rukmini crumpled to the cold earth, disoriented and breathless from the impact.

"Haa! Why were you running and making this difficult for me?" Harsha said, stretching his limbs as he approached her.

Rukmini, bleeding from the impact on her face and coughing weakly, lay sprawled on the ground. Harsha planted his foot on her back, pressing her into the cold earth.

"What are you doing here, and whose orders?" he demanded, removing his foot to let her lift her head and look up.

Rukmini sat up, bloodied and disoriented from the blow, and could barely say anything. Before Harsha could react, an arrow whistled through the air and struck her chest. Her eyes widened in shock as she fell back, the arrow embedded deep.

Harsha's gaze shifted to the source of the arrow. He saw a cloaked figure leaping from the mansion wall, disappearing into the shadows. The sudden attack left him momentarily stunned, his focus now torn between Rukmini and the fleeing assassin.

"Damn it!" Harsha shouted, his voice cold as he looked down at Rukmini, who was struggling and coughing up blood while clutching the protruding arrow.

"Hey, on whose orders are you here?" he demanded.

"Curse you, T-," she tried to reply, but her voice faltered. She collapsed lifelessly onto the ground, blood soaking into the mud as the light in her eyes dimmed.