4

"I believe you my princess."

"I have to go now to start preparing for Papa's funeral." Aishwarya said getting up from the bed.

"Can I come to his funeral?"

"Sure, I will ask Aunt Mehek to bring you once it's time." Aishwarya replied and left the room.

Few Hours Later, Aishwarya, Lady Meera, Mehek, Rohan, Prince Khan and the five kings with their wives were all present as they cremate the late King on the bamboo wood pyres.

On the late King's face were two deep lashes of sword cut.

Prince Khan who was standing next to Aishwarya, held her hand in support as she cried silently.

"It's okay my princess, story crying, your father has gone to a better place." Prince Khan said.

"I know Khan, I am only crying out the tears of those who had done this to my Papa. If I eventually catch one, I will make him a living example to the others." Aishwarya told him. "They won't go unpunished."

After the fire had died out, Lady Meera collected the small calabash filled with her late husband's ashes.

"I will throw his ashes in the river Aishwarya, you go and rest my dear." Lady Meera told her daughter.

"Thank you Mama." Aishwarya thanked and left Khan's side and went to meet Rohan, taking one of his hands into hers. "Let's go." She told him and they left.

Prince Khan was livid with anger as he watched them leave.

"She doesn't love me father, the way she looks at him isn't the way she looks at me. I can't take this." Prince Khan said to his father on their way back to their kingdom. They were in a different carriage.

"Just be patient son until the night of your engagement party. Once you are engaged to her, we will kill her and you shall be the King, so bear whatever she is doing now."

"I will kill him after I kill her. I will make him watch her dying."

King Sanjay smiled. "You surely took after me."

******

Two Weeks Later....

Finding her father's killers was very difficult. The police couldn't find a clue but Aishwarya couldn't give up on finding her late father's killers. But no matter how busy she is, she always has time for Rohan. A boy she had fallen in love with, even though she's young, she knows what love is.

Rohan was being treated like a Prince even though Lady Meera doesn't support it. He was living in the palace ever since that night he came with wounds.

His wounds were almost gone.

He has grown to love the Princess and was finding the right time and moment to confess his feelings to her, though he was still scared of her rejecting his love, but he has to try. Even if she rejects him, his love for her is everlasting.

A day before her engagement, she and Rohan were taking a walk around the palace garden.

"There is something I want to tell you Aishu." Rohan said, stopping prompting the Princess to stop also to face him.

"I know what you want to say Rohan but you can say it tomorrow night." She said.

"Why Aishu?"

"That's because I am getting engaged tomorrow night." Aishwarya responded and saw the crestfallen face of Rohan. "But not to Khan but to you."

"Me?" Rohan asked in surprise.

"Yes you Rohan. On my engagement night, I will be choosing you instead of Prince Khan and announce to the whole world that you are the one I will marry when I have come of age." She replied with a smile.

"But what if your mother doesn't support us? What if the other king doesn't support us? I am a poor orphan because my father wouldn't have used me as an exchange if he truly cared for me, a nameless person, you were the one who gave me my name princess. I am scared."

"Rohan, do I look like I care, I like you ever since the day I set my eyes on you. And I know my likeness will turn to love Rohan." Princess Aishwarya told him. "And once I am crowned the Queen of India, I will fulfill your very dream."

And that made Rohan smile a little and he said."You once told me that If you truly want to fly, you can surely fly. If you truly want to fly, dream high. As long as I have you by my side, I will always dream high." Rohan told her.

"Smile for me Rohan, I love it when you smile."

And he smiled prompting the Princess to smile along. "I know you are going through  a lot to find your father's killer but I also like seeing you laughing, Aishu. If you laugh you will win, if you cry you will make me sad, whether you stay close to me or not, you will always find me on your side."

"Is that a Promise Rohan."

"Is a Promise Aishu."

*****

On the Night of her Engagement Party.....

Lady Meera had managed to convince Aishwarya that the party should be held at the large pent house of her father and Aishwarya agreed to it. The pent house was where her father Normal took her too whenever he wanted to rest his head. It was surrounded by Forest and is far from the palace.

Aishwarya was sitting in between Rohan and Prince Khan.

The party was a small one as Aishwarya had requested. It consists of the King's, their wives were absent, Princess Aishwarya, Rohan, Prince Khan, Lady Meera, Mehek and guards, more than twenty, stationed to guard them.

They were seated at a round table. On the table were all sorts of foods and drinks.

Lady Meera passes a glass of wine to Aishwarya who gladly took it from her and drank all of it.

"Thanks Mama." Aishwarya said as she dropped the empty glass cup on the table. King Sanjay brought out a tiny box as Lady Meera also brought out hers. "Well, tonight, I have an announcement to make."

# I grieve with the pain that you went away#

"Okay and what can that be dear?" Lady Meera asked.

"I am no longer interested in getting engaged or setting down with Khan." Princess Aishwarya told them.

Prince Khan starts to laugh then stops. "Sorry." He said.

"Why? It's I and your father wish to make you marry Khan." Lady Meera said.

"And I also have a say to this marriage, Mama."

"So who do you want to marry?" King Sanjay chips in.

"Rohan, then tomorrow, I will tell the guards to spread the news to the whole country."

# The fear of sarcastic comments by people about our love also worries me #

"And you think you will still be alive to order the guards?" Prince Khan asked.

"Yes or are you planning to kill me?"

Prince Khan laughed once again.

"Don't you see that you are already dead." King Baabul said laughing alongside Khan.

"What are you sa-" Aishwarya paused as she felt something warm sliding down from her nostrils. Touching it with her index finger and stare at it, she saw blood. Rohan used his hand to clean the blood from her nose which refuse to stop

"The wine which you drank was poisoned." King Sanjay said. "By your Mama." He added with a lopsided smile.

# My eyes watch for your paths and long to see you come back by staying awake all night long. But there is no news of you. #

"I don't believe you." Aishwarya said and blood started coming out of her mouth.