Page 164 of A King's Oath

“Off with Sharan… but who are you nowadays, Samarth?” Rani saheb smiled conspiratorially. “Interim Rawal in Siddharth’s absence, international polo star or the swimming sensation of Gwalior?”

He stilled. All the videos from that night had been confiscated or deleted. Kresha and he had made sure of that. Had something leaked…? He would have to check. For now, he schooled his features and pasted his earlier smile back — “That was just some old school friends one night, Bhabhi.”

“Hmm mm… if you say so.”

Maarani got to her feet — “Lunch will be served in half an hour. Why don’t you get settled in your chambers and freshen up before that?”

Before Rani saheb could even get to her feet, Ajatshatru Kaka ran into the hall.

“Maarani, Kunwar.”

Samarth turned.

“There is news from Antarctica,” he panted, his eyes wide. “Rawal is gone.”

Gone? Gone where?

Samarth began to open his mouth but Maarani beat him to it. “Gone… Gone as in lost? Did they send search teams? Call the Ministry and…”

“Gone, Maarani,” Ajatshatru Kaka croaked. “Passed.”

“Passed?” Maan bhai stepped closer. Samarth felt his hand come to his shoulder, felt himself collapsing to the ground. He glanced down at his knees but they were rock hard. He was standing firm.

“Tara!”

His eyes whirled to Maarani and she was on the floor, half in Samriddhi bhabhi’s arms, eyes rolled back into her head. Samarth rushed to her, helping her up and to the sofa.

“Take her to her chambers…”

“Contact the embassy…”

“We are already in touch, the news has been in and out since this morning. Got confirmed now…”

“Where is Sharan? Call the kids in! Don’t let anything fall into their ears yet…”

“Get me the Foreign Affairs Minister!”

“Sid…”

Samarth focused on that one word out of Maarani’s mouth. Her eyes were half closed, her mouth muttering that word. His breath came out in a sharp gasp. He gathered her up in his arms and started to walk, through the alleys, down the maze, with heads bowing to them, concerned questions murmured, calls for the doctor, guards holding doors open. Harsh met him in the East Wing.

“Take Sharan and the kids and don’t let anything touch them,” he ordered. “No news, nobody else. As soon as the petitioners leave, bar the palace for any visits. Do it quietly.”

Harsh passed him in a blur as he continued with Maarani in his arms. Her chamber doors were thrown open and her mother, Meena Kaki, found them.

“What happened to Tara?!”

Samarth walked through the doors and lay her down on her bed, her body now gone slack.

“Kaki,” Samriddhi bhabhi pulled a sheet over Maarani and took her mother to one corner. Samarth turned on his heels and marched out to the sitting room, the men already gathered there.

“Rawal was travelling for a drilling mission to Coats Land. He and four other team leaders. Their boat capsized three days ago,” Ajatshatru Kaka relayed. “The search operation started 24 hours later when they did not return. It’s just been concluded and we got the call from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environment.”

“How are they confirming that Siddharth did not survive?” Maan bhai asked.

“Rawal’s DNA samples have been verified, they have found parts of two dead bodies already. They had to call off the search because a winter storm is blowing.”

A knock — “Bhogibhai Kothari saheb ane Nanubhai Mehta saheb padharya chhe,” the guard announced.

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