The Village Girl

Chapter Ten - [Aaryan]

The sun had began to set which, meant that it was time for us to leave. I had this uncomfortable feeling in my chest the entire evening and I could not shake it. I tried to pretend that it was not a problem at all but that did not help either. So I simply accepted it as I pulled on my riding gloves and walked to my horse.

The nights in Chandraba were rather chilly, though the days were often very hot. But for this reason, I was wearing a full-sleeved blue kurta with a long, thick scarf over my neck. It kept me perfectly warm, and it helped as I chose not to wear my chainmail and my warrior gear. It was going to be a long trip and I prefered to be comfortable rather than safe.

Though... having my sword on me was enough. I was a superb fighter and knew I had nothing to fear, even in my sleep, so long as I had my sword nearby.

As I approached my now decorated horse, a woman suddenly caught my eye.

She was walking in through the gates, where men were beginning to line up to see us out. She was old, with a head full of silver hair and a hunch as she slowly walked into the fort. She was holding an extremely large pot, which made her struggle more and I was surprised by the fact that no one offered to help her.

Though, most men, at the very least, nodded their head at her in respect, while others jeered.

At first, I too was going to ignore her. I put my hands on my horse, getting ready to get on, but then I saw her put down the large pot and struggle a little bit.

I sighed.

I stepped away from my horse and walked over to the woman. Without saying a word, I bowed my head before taking the pot from her. It was filled with some sort of porridge, how she managed to carry it all the way over here, I had no idea.

"Thank you, son," she said.

"Where are you taking this?"

"To the kitchen please."

I nodded, beginning to walk in the direction of the kitchen.

The woman smiled me. It was a toothless smile but a warm one. "I know you," she said to me.

"Do you?" I asked. People outside the Fort generally didn't know me... as seen with Seetha

"Yes," she said. "I have seen you listening to Seetha's stories. And I have seen you riding away with her."

At the mention of her name, there was a squeezing pain in my heart. It was an unforgiving pain, because it was something I could not control.

"Are you leaving now?"

"I am," I responded.

"The life of a warrior," she said before sighing. "I know it all too well."

"Do you have sons?"

"Yes... but my husband was the warrior. Not my sons," she smiled to herself, as if remembering something that made her happy. "Every time he left... that was the hardest part."

"He has passed?"

"Very many years ago," now her smile turned sad.

"He was a noble man," I said. "To fight and die for his country. All to protect the people he loves, of course." This was often what I said to the families of dead warriors that I had to see. I was all too used to it.

"He was," she said. "He loved us dearly."

I nodded.

"Did you say goodbye to Seetha?" She asked. "Now I understand why she was so sad today."

I looked at her, surprised by her words.

"Because you are leaving, and you must have become important to her," she said. "She is a very kind girl. Very soft hearted."

I looked away, not knowing what to say.

"She came to see me today," she said. "She comes a lot to see me, to tell me her stories. I have no family here, you see... and usually she is filled with happiness and joy but today... I knew something was wrong."

I did not like this.

I did not want to talk about her.

"Whenever my husband left for the wars and the battles... he would always say sweet words to me to make me happy," she said. "He would tell me that I was his reason to-"

"What are you doing here?" The loud bark of the commander filled the halls as we reached the kitchens.

I looked at the old, angry looking man with a frown. He was the commander of the Western Fort, Lord Veerastan and though he had made a remarkable reputation for himself, he was short and fat and old. He had a long, greying beard as well as a moustache with the tips curved upwards. His eyes were dark but his heart always seemed darker.

I did not like him

Though when I was a child, I was one of his greatest admirers. When he was younger, he was a force to reckon with, a handsome man with a fierce body and a drive that no enemy was able to knock down. Now... he was rather pitiful. It was obvious to me that the luxuries and the titles that he had won had gotten the best of him, and I remember being unbelievably disappointed by the sight of him.

"I thought I told you that we do not need your porridge!" He barked, you couldn't even see his mouth move under all that hair on his face. "How dare you, old woman! Putting the Prince to work like that?"

"I don't bring it for you," she said, rather fiercely. Then she looked at me. "I thank you, could you kindly put that in the kitchen?"

"Yes," I said. "Of course."

She bowed her head in respect, obviously completely disregarding the fact that I was the Prince when asking me for that favor.

Frankly, I did not care as much as Lord Veerastan did. In fact, all that flashed through my mind at that moment was why Seetha would not think like this woman.

As she walked away, Lord Veerastan mumbled something to himself before turning to me. "Look at her, walking away like that. No respect at all... just like all the fools of that village."

When I looked at him, he continued.

"That woman is the village crazy. Lalitha, I think her name is," he shook his head. "Not even her villagers like her, so she comes over here once a week with food... the old hag, I don't even know what she puts in that dirt."

"Her husband was a warrior," I said.

"So she says," he started laughing a laugh that shook his whole body.

I just stared, disappointed.

When he realized I was not pleased, he looked at me.

"Lord Veerastan," I said, beginning to walk off with the pot. "I believe you should treat the families of our fallen comrades with more respect."

I heard him fumble for some words, but by the time he said what he wanted to say, I was already gone.

...

When we left, the sun had just about finished setting. It was a lovely evening and it reminded me of the first evening I spent with Seetha. And immediately after that thought passed through my head, I was frowning again. We were riding east, towards the capital city, and accompanying my brother and I was the commander Lord Veerastan, a few other nobles, and nearly a dozen servants who handled all of our possessions on their donkeys and horses.

"You do not look well, my Prince," the nobleman who had come all the way from the palace to retrieve my brother and I said. He rode closer to me on his horse.

"I am perfectly fine," I responded.

I was. I was physically fine. I did not understand why people kept telling me I looked ill.

"Maybe that old lady frightened him," my brother said with a laugh.

The other noblemen began laughing too.

I ignored them, riding ahead of everyone.

The men had quieted down now, seeing that I was not interested in their jokes... and I was left alone.

I did not mind loneliness... I had spent most of my life alone. I was educated by myself, I was trained alone, I even often ate alone. I never seeked the company of others, mostly because I prefered to be left with my own thoughts.

Of course, tonight happened to be different. Leaving me to my own thoughts meant leaving me alone to think of what had happened over the last few weeks.

I hope you have a safe trip.

That was what she said to me.

Was that all she had to say to me? After I...

I shook my head, feeling like a complete fool.

How could I let her, and my emotions, get the best of me? I was the Warrior Prince of Chandraba. The youngest Prince to ever lead an army. I was feared by all of my enemies and sometimes even my own people. I was even the most intelligent Prince there had ever been, having finished all my mandatory education before my tenth birthday. And of course, I was to be the next in line to be the king of the greatest, richest and most powerful nation in our region.

The King.

The leader of not only millions of people, but the leader of the Chandraba army, a force that surpassed that of all other nations with our boundless power and uncountable victories.

And look at me now.

Mourning the loss of a girl. A peasant girl for that matter.

I spent the last two weeks in a state filled with unnecessary emotions.

My destiny was not to find a peasant girl to be my wife. My destiny was to be a good king. To take the throne and expand our territory. To add to the wealth of our nation. To keep my people happy and my military strong. To bear a son and train him to take my place and be just as good as I was, if not better.

Not to chase after Seetha, the daughter of a farmer who likes to tell stories and has a cow named Maadu.

I sighed.

Despite my mind trying to fight against my emotions... it didn't seem to work.

Suddenly, that old woman's words were in my head now... she told me that for her, her husband leaving was the hardest part.

I wondered now, how her warrior husband felt. It must have been hard for him too... to think that he was leaving the love of his life behind... going into a battle which he knew he may not come back from.

In all my years of being a warrior, I have never felt that way. I had never had anyone to "come home to."

I knew my parents loved me, as parents would love their children, but I was expendable. If I ever died in battle, I had four brothers who could take my place. No one sat at home, only praying for my safe return. That was why I would like to say I never feared death.

If I died, my story would be told for some time until another Prince who is better than me comes along. But there would be no one I'd be leaving behind... no one who needed me.

At least, I thought that until I had realized I wanted Seetha as my wife. My mind had jumped too far ahead. I had already imagined that if she were my wife, she'd need me. I'd have to do what I had to to stay alive... for her.

And now I was leaving her behind... maybe to never see her again.

I looked up when I realized something, feeling my heart beat a little bit faster.

What if this was what that old woman's husband felt. What if what I was feeling right now was exactly what he felt... a... fear?

A rush of emotion filled me as I turned my horse around towards the village.

"My Prince?" Lord Veerastan called.

I was already riding off.

"My Prince!"

"I will be right back," I said. "Just continue on your way."

"But we are already behind schedule!"

I ignored that, forcing my horse into a gallop.