Chapter 5: chapter 5

The sun had barely risen over the village when the sound of hooves echoed down the narrow streets, sharp and insistent. Sanmayi was in the midst of mending Vasudha’s shawl, the dull scratch of the needle against cloth providing a fragile sense of normalcy in a world that had long since lost its balance. But the rhythm of her task faltered as the unmistakable sound of Amaravati soldiers’ boots followed the horses, and she looked up, her heart already racing.Vasudha, lying beside her, stirred. "What is it?" she whispered, her voice thin with fatigue."They’ve come," Sanmayi said grimly, her eyes flicking toward the door. The hairs on her neck stood on end as the soldiers’ voices grew louder.A knock came at the door, quick and forceful, and Sanmayi’s pulse quickened. She had learned to fear such knocks. They were the harbingers of trouble."Open up," a voice called.Sanmayi rose to her feet, glancing nervously at Vasudha. "Stay still. Don’t make a sound."She moved to the door and opened it just enough to peek outside. A soldier stood before her, his helmet gleaming in the morning light, his sword hanging loosely at his side."What is it you want?" Sanmayi asked, keeping her voice steady despite the fear that gripped her insides."We’re looking for rebels," the soldier replied. His eyes lingered on her for a moment too long, his gaze narrowing. "You have any trouble with strangers here?"Sanmayi’s heart thudded. She knew they would be searching for those who had resisted Amaravati’s rule—those who had fought against Ranajay’s forces. The village, with its simple folk and their quiet ways, would be an unlikely place for rebels to hide, but that would not stop the soldiers from searching."We have only ourselves to worry about," she said carefully, hoping her voice did not betray the unease in her heart.The soldier grunted and moved past her, stepping into the room without invitation. He looked around with the suspicion of a man who had seen too much violence and too many lies. "We’ll see about that."Sanmayi’s throat went dry. Her mind raced. If they found Vasudha’s injury, or worse, if they found her—a woman who had once been of noble blood and could be recognized—it could mean death for both of them.As the soldier turned to inspect the room, his gaze fell upon the faint imprint of Vasudha’s shawl against the floor, where it had slipped from her side. He bent down to examine it, and Sanmayi’s breath caught in her throat. This was it. This was the moment she had been dreading.But just as he reached out to touch the cloth, a voice called from outside. "What is going on here?"Sanmayi’s heart froze. She knew that voice.Ranajay.The soldier looked up, startled, and stepped back hastily. "Nothing, my lord," he stammered, standing to attention. "Just making sure all is well."Ranajay appeared at the door, his presence as imposing as ever. He surveyed the room with a critical eye, his expression unreadable. His gaze flicked to Sanmayi, and for the briefest moment, she thought she saw something—recognition, perhaps?—before it was gone, replaced by the same impassive look he wore as a prince."Is there a problem here?" Ranajay asked again, his tone sharp.Sanmayi’s pulse was still hammering in her chest, but she forced herself to speak, keeping her voice level. "No problem, my lord. These soldiers were just passing through."Ranajay’s gaze shifted to the soldier who had been searching the room. "And yet, you seem to have found something?"The soldier hesitated, clearly unnerved by the prince’s scrutiny. "No, my lord. I was just... I was checking.""Checking?" Ranajay repeated. He stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "For what? Tell me."Sanmayi watched in stunned silence as the soldier stumbled over his words, unable to provide an answer that would satisfy."Enough," Ranajay said abruptly, his voice carrying authority that made the soldier snap to attention. "We’ll not waste time here. Move on."Without another word, the soldier bowed hastily and stepped out, his companions following behind him. Sanmayi stood frozen, her mind struggling to process what had just occurred.Once they were gone, Ranajay turned to her. "You," he said, his voice low, "why were they bothering you?"Sanmayi swallowed hard, her throat tight. "They suspect me, my lord. We are strangers here."He studied her for a long moment, his eyes flicking over her with a renewed intensity. Then, unexpectedly, he nodded. "You’re lucky I was here."His words felt like an insult, and yet, at the same time, they were the only thing that had kept her alive in that moment. Sanmayi couldn’t reconcile the two conflicting emotions that surged within her—the gratitude and the loathing."You were looking for rebels, weren’t you?" she said, her voice barely a whisper.Ranajay’s expression hardened, and for the first time, a flicker of something darker passed over his features. "Yes," he said curtly. "My men are hunting them. They will not escape."Sanmayi felt a surge of hatred rise within her, but she bit it back. "And if you found them?""If I found them," he said, his voice carrying a note of finality, "I would deal with them."There was no warmth in his words, no compassion. He was a prince, a conqueror, and he believed in the strength of his rule. But even so, there was something about the way he spoke that unsettled her. It wasn’t the cold detachment of a man accustomed to cruelty. It was something else—something she couldn’t place."You’ve saved me," Sanmayi said, her voice laced with the bitterness of her own confusion.Ranajay met her gaze without flinching. "I saved you because it was unnecessary to make a scene. You were no threat to me. But remember this, woman—this kindness is not because I care for you. It is because you are of no consequence to me."Sanmayi’s heart twisted in her chest. There it was again—his cold indifference, his distance. Yet, somehow, in the quiet of the moment, she could not shake the nagging feeling that there was more to him than the monster she had been taught to fear."Then why?" she asked, her voice soft with disbelief. "Why help me?"Ranajay paused, his gaze flicking to the door where his soldiers had exited. When he spoke again, his voice was quieter, almost contemplative. "Sometimes, I help because it is simply the right thing to do. And sometimes... I help because I do not like to see waste."Before she could respond, he turned and walked toward the door, pausing just long enough to say, "Consider yourself fortunate, woman. Not everyone would have been so merciful."The door closed behind him with a finality that echoed in Sanmayi’s chest. She stood there, rooted to the spot, her thoughts whirling in a thousand directions. The encounter had left her shaken, confused, and more conflicted than ever.She had just been spared by the very man who had destroyed her world. And as much as she loathed him, a part of her could not help but wonder: Was there more to this prince than she had imagined?