The Village Girl

Chapter Sixteen - [Aaryan]

The entirety of my day was spent in training and then planning. A new group of soldiers were brought to the Western Fort for the sake of defence and all of those men were practically useless. It was going to take a lot more than simple training to make these men real warriors.

On top of that we had received news that there were small groups of rebels making their way towards us. Things were beginning to get busier. There was planning that needed to be done and warriors who needed to be prepared.

Once our meetings had come to a close, I returned to my room rather quickly. I had promised Seetha to come see her family tonight... and I wasn't going to break such a promise.

After dressing in my simplest of outfits, I got onto Bhumi and rode down towards the village. Most villagers didn't even turn in my direction, not knowing who I was. It was rather relaxing. I never liked being feared by people who had no need to fear me.

Like back at the palace.

No servant would dare to meet my eyes and they would never say anything to me unless it was completely necessary.

Then there were the nobles... constantly trying to stay on my good side. It was all an act, I knew, and I hated that too.

So it was nice being someone unknown. Someone who people wouldn't necessarily care about, but would smile at if we were to meet eyes.

When I reached the hill that led down to Seetha's small home, I got off of Bhumi and led him down the dirt path. The inside of her home was lit up with a dim, orangish light. There were also some young children running around outside, playing with sticks.

When I reached them, my presence attracted the attention of these children. Without any hesitation, the two boys and three girls came running towards me.

"Are you the warrior?" One of the extremely skinny boys asked. He, and the rest, had bodies that could be compared to the sticks they were holding. They looked nothing like the little children who ran around the palace grounds.

"I am," I said to him as he stared at me with wide eyes.

"Wow!"

"I want to be a warrior!" The little girl practically shouted.

I chuckled, amused. "Do you?"

She nodded eagerly, snatching the stick from the boy. She held it like a sword and began swinging it around. "I can fight!"

"And who taught you how to fight, little one?" I asked, messing her hair.

"I did!" She pointed at herself proudly

The little boys began to laugh. "Girls can't be warriors!" One of the boys said, making the girl frown.

"That's not necessarily true," I said. "Durga is our warrior goddess. A woman."

The boys fell silent and the little girl began to grin. "I'll be Durga!" She shouted. "Like Appapa says!"

I smiled, as appapa meant grandfather, I assumed Seetha's father treated his granddaughter the same way he treated his daughter.

"Aaryan?"

When I turned around I saw a nervous looking Seetha.

"You're early," she said.

"Am I?" I asked. In fact, I thought I was running late.

She hesitated, and just as she opened her mouth, I heard the voice of another woman. "Seetha! Have you not taken your cow out to eat yet? Why is she shouting at us like-"

When I turned my head I saw an older woman staring at me with wide eyes. She looked much like Seetha, except older, and I figured almost instantly that this was her mother.

"Is this..."

"This is Aaryan," Seetha said nervously to her mother.

The look on her face made me wonder if she really knew who I was already. Her shock seemed that extreme. Nonetheless, I tried to ignore it. I bowed low in respect for the mother of the woman I hoped to marry. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

When I lifted my head up, I saw her holding her hand over her mouth. "Oh my, oh my... one moment!" She picked up the skirt of her sari and rushed back into her home, shouting "my love!"

When I turned to Seetha, her tanned skin was red, maybe in embarrassment.

A moment later, Seetha's mother returned, followed by a tall, fit looking man... and for some reason, I was surprised. I recognized this man... I had seen him before in the village. He was tall and looked strong despite the greys in his hair and the now obvious years on his life.

I noticed him because of the look on his face. He had this look that demanded respect. There were some men who had a look of nobility... the kind of look you wished all nobles would have. And he had that look. I remembered wondering to myself if he was some form of village leader. Maybe a well respected village elder. To find out now that he was Seetha's father, a farmer, surprised me.

However, from what she had told me about him... he was a man who deserved respect.

"Pa, this is Aaryan... the man I was telling you about."

I bowed once more as the eyes of this man fell on me.

"You are the warrior that my daughter has been enchanted by."

He didn't ask it as a question, but I chose to answer him as I rose. "I think you are mistaken. I am the one who was enchanted by her. She is merely entertaining my advances out of pity."

Her father stared at me with a straight face for a moment, but a small smile broke out on his lips. "That sounds more like my Seetha."

Seetha laughed awkwardly, which was followed by her mothers more sincere laugh. "Oh, please come in. We have prepared a large meal for you," she said. "We can talk more about you while we have dinner."

I smiled as kindly as I could. "Thank you."

When we entered her small home, I was pleasantly surprised by the scent of incense, food and the presence of an extremely large family. All the children who were outside had run in after us, joining their parents who had their eyes on me. Many of these men and women were familiar, and I was certain it was because I had passed by them multiple times during my time in this village.

Seetha then proceeded to introduce me to her many brothers, sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews. And though I was pleased to meet them all, I was more focused on the thought of how such a large family fit into such a small home.

It wasn't that small. I was sure that there was space for everyone to live comfortable... but at the bare minimum. My bedroom back at the palace was nearly the size of this home, and that was shocking to me.

Once the introductions were done, we sat on the floor and the women began to serve us food.

"You must excuse my asking," her father suddenly said while one of his many daughter-in-laws served him a small portion of rice. "Your family... what is it they do? My daughter has shown me the gifts you have give her."

I looked at Seetha, who looked at me nervously.

I would have prefered to be honest. Lying always led to trouble.

So I decided not to lie... but to also not tell the complete truth.

"I come from an old warrior clan," I said. It was true.

"I see," he said as he mixed his food with his hand. "Your father is a warrior?"

"Yes."

"From Aathikara?"

"Yes," I said.

"And your mother? Is she also from Aathikara?"

"No," I said, still telling the truth. "She is of the North, Thangavoor."

"A city of wealthy nobles."

"She is from a family of wealthy nobles."

"Hmm," her father started to eat.

For some reason... I seemed to admire this man. He did not seem fazed by my speak of status. I mean, sure, I did not tell him that I was a prince... but to be the son of northerner and a man of an old warrior clan was a high enough status.

That alone would be enough for some fathers to beg me to marry their daughters.

That was definitely not something he found to be important.

"How did you meet my sister?" The older brother asked me. Shiyam, was his name.

"She was telling her stories in the market," I said. "I approached her after listening to quite a few of them."

"She tells wonderful stories, doesn't she?" His wife Mayu asked.

"She has a talent," I turned to look at Seetha, who was sitting next to Mayu, but was not eating. "And she dances and sings too. You have raised her well."

Her father smiled a small smile, which was filled with pride. "She does what she wants, and she may as well be the most intelligent person in this village. She can read and write, she can dance and sing, she knows all the stories of the land and can recite them to you without a single hesitation," he said. "She learns quickly, is strong hearted and caring and will be the perfect wife and mother, without a doubt."

I smiled. Seetha wasn't joking when she said her father adores her. But when I looked at her... she didn't seem particularly pleased.

"And what about you, son?" Her father suddenly asked. "What makes you so special? What makes you worthy if my daughter?"

I hesitated, surprised by the question. For a moment, I couldn't think of an answer.

I... fight.

"You may understand why... I want to make sure that my daughter gets the best. She must not ever suffer in her life, and I want her to marry a man who will make that a certainty."

"I..."

Silence.

I tried to think... something that wouldn't give away the fact that I was a prince.

But I couldn't think of anything... aside from fighting.

"I-"

"He's the prince!" Seetha suddenly blurted.

All eyes fell on me, though I looked at Seetha with surprise. I had not expected her to change her mind, so my mind was blank, not knowing how to react.

"I'm sorry," she said, lowering her head. "It was my idea to keep that a secret for now... but I can't lie to you, Pa."

Seetha's mother dropped the bowl of food that she was serving to one of her sons, and everyone else gawked. Even the little children seemed to know that this was a topic of seriousness.

The only person who kept a straight face was Seetha's father.

He watched his daughter for a moment before turning to face me again. "Well?" Her father questioned. "My question still stands?"

Seetha stared at her father in shock and her brother seemed to exchanged worried glances.

Almost instantly, I saw a spark of fear in the eyes of everyone in her family, the kind of fear I almost always saw in people back at home when I passed. Well... in everyone except her father.

"My love," her mother whispered. She refused to meet my eyes now.

Her father put a handful of food in his mouth, chewed and swallowed. "Did you think I didn't know?" He asked, his eyes falling on his daughter.

Seetha's eyes widened.

"I have seen the great king twice in my life... a noble warrior whose image was engraved into my head after his army saved this village years ago... and I can say with certainty that his son looks almost identical to him," the man said. "I knew from the day he first showed himself in the village that he was the son of the king... the fact that he was the Aaryan you spoke of... well, that I didn't realize until today."

"Then why..."

"I wanted to see how long you would keep this going."

"But..."

"And you have still not answered my question," he looked at me again. "Prince or not, a marriage is a marriage. It's a holy bond that is the same for everyone. And I am still the father of the girl you wish to marry. So how can I trust that you will take care of my daughter?"

Seetha's tanned skin was blushing. It seemed that she had a lot to be embarrassed about. This question, for starters, and then the fact that she was unable to fool her dad.

For me, however, not having to lie made things a little easier. "I will do everything that is required of me and more to keep your daughter happy. I have not met a girl as charming as her and I will not allow for her talents and skills to go to waste."

He did not seem convinced.

So I continued. "You know who I am... so you must know that I am trusted by our nation to lead an army of thousands of men. My job is to protect all the men and women of our country... and if I can do that, surely you can trust me with the happiness of your daughter."

Now he smirked. "You sound confident."

"That is because I am confident."

Her father nodded, putting another handful of food in his mouth. He was the only one eating.

"You do not fear me?" I asked, rather openly.

The room was already silent... but for somehow, my question made it worse. It was only after I asked it that I realized that maybe the question sounded threatening.

But her father let out a short laugh. "I am a father before I am your loyal subject," he said. "You must know the sacred teaching of the gods... Maatha, Pitha, Guru, Theivam."

I hesitated. Mother, father, teacher, god. The hierarchy of respect. The person who was meant to receive the highest of respect was the mother. Following that was the father. The mother and father both encompassed the idea of family. Then came the teachers of our world, and only after that was god.

The royal family wasn't even considered on that list.

"The royal family is not even on the list," he said, reading my mind. "I have no reason to fear you when discussing the matters of my family."

This man...

Was something else.

"Besides, my daughter would not fall for a man who would not respect her father," when his eyes met mine he finally smiled sincerely.

I smiled back. I did respect him.

"Now eat, son," he said, kindly. "Do not offend my wife by letting your food go cold."

When my eyes went to Seetha's mother, her fair skin was blushing profusely. She lowered her head, bowing, her forehead nearly touching the floor.

"There is no need," I said, quickly. "And, this food is delicious. Better than much of what I eat at the palace."

He head shot up, suddenly looking unbelievably thrilled. "Thank you, my Prince!"

I thought about what he said... Maatha, Pitha, Guru, Theivam. When Seetha and I were to marry... these people would become my family. I felt... I had a long way to go before they would think of me as a family before a Prince... but at least I was getting somewhere.

---

Once dinner was over, Seetha, along with the rest of her family, left me alone to speak with her father about more serious things... such as what my parents thought.

I was honest, explaining my father's open mindedness and my mothers... concern.

He did not seem to like the idea of my mother's disapproval, of course, he did not seem to be surprised by that. He simply told me that he expects me to sort that out before I take the hand of his daughter, and I agreed wholeheartedly.

Once he was finished, he let me out to see Seetha, who was supposed to give me a tour of their small farm.

She was leaning against the door of a small farmhouse, where inside, sat her cow. When I reached her, she smiled at me. "Well?"

"I will admit... I have never been interrogated like that before in my life."

She chuckled.

"Your father is... everything you made him out to be."

"I don't lie."

"Yes, clearly," I sighed. "I was still shocked with what had happened earlier.

She smiled nervously. "Sorry for not giving you any warning."

"It's fine," I said, honestly. "I would have been a little annoyed if I had actually started lying."

She laughed.

I looked into the barn, seeing her cow again after quite some time. "How is she doing?"

"I'm assuming well," she sighed. "She hasn't moved much recently, but I can't blame her."

"What are you planning on doing with the calf?"

"Keeping it, of course!" She said, "I would never separate a mother and a baby."

I smiled at her, for some strange reason, appreciating that. "Good," I said. "Good."