"Maharaj, she is losing a lot of blood. If that continues we might not be able to save either of them." The royal doctors informed Vihaan as he grew more furious and also scared. He sat with his head in his hands.
"You are the best doctors we have, how could you say that," Vihaan grumbled. Rajmata sat beside him and laid a gentle hand on his back.
"Don't lose hope, Vihaan. They are trying their best. Even Aradhya and Nandini are with them, helping."
Rihit too stood intensely beside his guru. Sadhana's screams echoed through the halls. With every scream, Vihaan grew more and more disgustingly worried. His nerve hadn't ever been tested that much before. His hands trembled.
Alternately inside the room, Aradhya and Nandini helped the doctors with whatever they wanted. Nandini stood by Sadhana calming her down. Sadhana winced and twisted as the pain kicked in harder with each push.
"We need more people. With the right medical experience. Our strength is hindering." One of the doctors said. Almost immediately Aradhya and Nandini met eyes.
"Can you hold this for a while? We have somewhere to be." Aradhya spoke ad the doctors merely nodded. They seemed confident as they focused on the matter and yet spoke.
"Normal labour must last only four to eight hours. Maharani had already been in labour for seven hours. But I believe we can hold the process down for another few hours. We need as much help we can get." One elderly lady doctor commented as she dipped a cloth in water.
Aradhya and Nandini barged out of the room. They stood gasping. They gathered all their thoughts and planned everything in their heads.
Vihaan stood terrified as he saw Aradhya's hands stained with blood. He looked defeated. Without a single look at anyone or even uttering a single word both of them took off.
"Where are you going?" Vihaan bellowed but still didn't receive a single word back.
He leaned over the balcony to know where they were going and in a fraction, all he saw were two horses stomping off with a speed he never could've imagined. He never knew Aradhya was that proficient in horse riding.
.  .  .  .
"Aradhya I won't ve able to do this. I've never ridden a horse so strongly before. I'm still learning now. I couldn't do it before how can u do it now" Nandini shouted. Having a hard time with her steed.
"You can do it now because it matters now. We need to get to the outcasts as soon as possible. We don't have much time. Pull the reins against your right arm and keep one hand wrapped in the right rein. Sit straight on the saddle." Aradhya advised as she pushed forward furthermore leaving Nandini behind. And a moment later Nandini rode alongside Aradhya with the same speed and power.
.  .  .  .
As they reached what seemed like a camp of the outcasts, they saw mud houses and many small scale settlements. A group of them huddled over around the fire pit. One person, who seemed almost the age of Vihaan. Maybe twenty-one years old. He was the first to notice them. It almost seemed like he smiled at them. Aradhya and Nandini took a couple of steps in and the group of ladies who sat by started to walk off.
"Please wait, we need your help." She begged. This time it was a group of women. The one from before leading them as usual. They all stopped to a halt.
"Maharani Sadhana is in labour. She is losing a lot is blood. The royal doctors are saying that the condition is complicated. Please, we need your help--"
"Maharaj threw us out of his kingdom then why should we help his family." One of the ladies asked. A scoff left Aradhya's lips.
"Revenge? Is that all there is to think about now? A woman is struggling back at the palace and you are here going over your doubts of why? You said the king cast you out then why are you still lurking around in the heart of the kingdom. You indirectly are still under his wings. And this isn't the time to debate, you all are women, understand what Maharani is going through. Please." Aradhya said not wasting her time even on her breath. She joined her hands before the women and dropped her head in a bow.
The women threw glances at each other assured of Aradhya's motives. Two ladies set their things down and took a step towards Aradhya and Nandini.
.  .  .  .
"They will make sure to heal Sadhana, just give them a chance," Aradhya argued with Vihaan who refused to let strangers in. He never could forget the faces he outcasted but the women had their faces masked.
"No, Aradhya, I won't let either of these people in. And I don't trust you with anything related to my close ones. The Royal doctors are in there doing their best."
"And yet, they are the ones telling you that they're unsure whether they could save hero not." One of the masked ladies spoke, her voice full of morale and her tone soft yet strong. She seemed to be defending Aradhya.
Nandini and Rajmata both came forth, knowing who the women were and asked Vihaan to let them in. While Nandini requested, Rajmata's tone seemed commanding. Aradhya stood aside, not wanting to try anymore.
"...I don't trust you..." Vihaan's words played in her head.
The screams in the room amplified, sending chills down Vihaan's spine while he debates over his options. Another wail was that which made him forfeit and show the way into those women. They stopped before entering and grabbed both Aradhya and Nandini in.
"We need all the hands we can get." They said. Nandini and Aradhya slipped into the room without questions but not before shooting Vihaan and Rihit a peek.
.  .  .  .
Vihaan thought the worst as the screams began to become quieter, almost reduced to just a distorted sound. Three hours passed and yet not a single piece of information. He grew restless, more nervous and scared. Rihit petted his back from time to time and gave his shoulders a little squeeze in an attempt to comfort him. Guru Chitrabhanu and Rajmata took their leave to address the subjects nearer to the palace who acutely heard Sadhana's wails.
One more hour passed and the commotion in the room subsided making Vihaan tenser. Neither Sadhana's sobs nor the baby's cry was heard. Did he lose both of them? Was he wrong about Aradhya? He collapsed onto the seat at the doors of the room waiting to hear what went on, when outcry of a tender voice, a little one hit his ears. His heart jumped up, ecstatic and overjoyed. He hurried and put his palms against the door waiting for it to open.
At last, the door stood agape revealing Aradhya holding the baby in her arms. The women and the royal doctors tend to Sadhana who was panting, sweaty and pale. Nandini stood by Aradhya looking tentatively at Vihaan and back at Aradhya. Her gaze met Rihit's and she gestured him to accompany her out.
Vihaan took wary steps towards Aradhya and the baby which was wrapped in a pale beige cloth. Vihaan reached for the baby, taking it into his arms. His eyes welled up again and he shot a genuinely happy smile to Aradhya and then returned to scan his baby. The gleam in his eyes, not wavering for a moment.
Aradhya watched Vihaan, intriguingly amused at this side of Vihaan. The gentleness in his touch when he took the baby in his arms. The euphoria in his eyes and the smile on his face seemed like the purest thing she had seen. She shot a look at the baby and found Vihaan's hand at its spine. She impatiently reached for his hand which were surprisingly cold but less cold than his rings that brushed her hands.
Vihaan's brows furrowed for a second shooting a doubtful glance at Aradhya. Aradhya moved his hand so that the back of the baby's neck rested against his palm.
"You shouldn't hold it like that. The baby's head shouldn't fall back." She said fixing the warm cloth that wrapped the baby.
"How is Sadhana?"
"She has lost a considerable amount of blood but she will be okay in a month or two. She is awfully weak right now. I'll tell you everything later."
Vihaan took a step closer, "Thank you."
Realising how close she stood to Vihaan she darted back and shot Vihaan a last look before heading back into the room to help with Sadhana's condition.
.  .  .  .
The very next day the entire kingdom was in celebration celebrating the arrival of their heir, their prince. Every corner of the kingdom was decorated and music and dance held their place.
Vihaan entered Aradhya's room where she stood smearing kohl in her eyes. She stopped and turned back at Vihaan who stood before her, trying to maintain his stoic mask. He took a step towards Aradhya leaving her only elbow room to move around, trapped between him and her dresser.
"Thank you and I apologise..." Vihaan said looking at Aradhya.
"I accept both. What are you here for?"
"I...I'm sorry for not trusting you. If it wasn't for you, I would've lost some of the most important people in life."
"I did what was right, Vihaan."
"Let me finish. I owe you everything. Sadhana and I have decided that you will name our son. Whatever you say is his name."
"Vihaan, no you're his parent--"
"You are too. You are his mother too. He will call you his mother. What should we name him?"
Aradhya stood flabbergasted by his words. A name rang around her mind. A name she never knew someone of. A name that she would encounter for the first time. It rang in her head as though someone whispered it in her ear. She looked at Vihaan for a good couple of moments and drew in a long breath.
"Darsh"
.  .  .  .
Maharani Chaya and Tamasvini sat dejectedly at the floor of the room in Shiladhika. Both of them never thought Vikram's death would mean something to them but it did.
Somewhere a side of a mother and a sister showed in them than just schemers. Though it did they were out for revenge now. Revenge for something that they did. They had forged alliances with the Dharini kingdom, with Amar.
"We need a plan. We need to weaken Vihaan. From within." Amar spoke as Chaya and Tamasvini whipped their heads towards him.
"From within? We don't have anyone in contact in Ashokdahr to weaken him from within." Chaya, matter-of-factly, uttered.
"You get it now," Amad smirked, "we need to have someone of ours at his side." His eyes slyly slicked towards Tamasvini.
"What are you implying?" Tamasvini scowled at him.
Amar stood up and walked a couple of steps over to mountain Tamasvini with his form.
"I saying that you should go to that as our little spy."
"Excuse me? What are you saying? There--"
"Listen to me, Rajkumari... I'm saying that you will be hitting two targets from one stone. You will be in a good kingdom. An opulent kingdom of your liking. Since you are so hellbent on having a powerful kingdom. And then you'll also be helping us take Vihaan down."
Now that didn't seem like one bad offer to her either. Chaya on the other hand spoke out.
"All that aside, how is she gonna get in? Aradhya already had a bad impression of her."
"Oh, God...Aradhya is not the one we need to impress or something. It's Vihaan. It's just the king himself." Amar groaned.
"Okay but I don't have a reason to be there." Tamasvini confidently stated.
"You absolutely do, Rajkumari..."
Amar strode away from her and looked out the window of the room. He held his hands behind his back.
"You are going to marry Vihaan."
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