Page 290 of A King's Oath

Her answering smile looked like a mirror of his own. She pushed her hand over his and patted it — “Go to sleep.”

His phone buzzed. She stopped in the process of pushing down the pillow.

“Who is it?”

“Samarth.” Siddharth quietly slipped out of bed. “Sleep, I’ll take it outside.”

He pulled the duvet over them both and soaked in the sight of Brahmi’s head falling towards Tara’s as she lay beside her. Then he turned and pushed out of his room and into the balcony.

“Yes, beta.”

“Is Brahmi asleep?”

“Yes. Why?”

“I just thought that in case she is unable to sleep there I’ll come and take her… she also hogs the bed.”

“I’ll find out one way or another.”

Silence.

“Was there anything else, Samarth?”

“The DNA test.”

Siddharth sighed, walking the distance to the parapet and leaning his forearms on it, looking out at the palace grounds.

“This is not the time to be emotional about it, Samarth. You are a phenomenal Rawal, but you hold your sensitive side too close. That can be a strength when leveraged but it can also just as easily turn into your weakness. Your stubborn refusal right now looks like a weakness to me. Are you worried about Ava’s reaction?”

“No. She wants me to do it.”

“Then?”

“It just feels wrong to me. How will I look at Brahmi when she grows up and discovers that I needed a test to figure out that she was my daughter.”

“But you did not. You did it to clear her line of inheritance, put papers down so that she faces no impediment now or in the future.”

Samarth’s loud sigh was audible.

“I don’t need to lecture you on the value of practical decisions in life, Samarth. You have been taking them for the last decade as Rawal. You took them when you thought I was gone. Your refusal right now is not you but your guilt talking. Tide over it and do what’s right — for yourself, for the dynasty and most of all for Brahmi.”

“Hmm… alright.”

Siddharth smiled. “Alright, then. Go to sleep, the moon is waiting for you to sleep.”

He chuckled. “Rajmata and her moon are always waiting.”

“Brahmi is dreaming right now of the moon talking to her so be careful.”

“Yes, Bade Rawal.”

“Are you in your room? Check on Sharan.”

“I checked, he was asleep.”

“Alright. Go to sleep now. You have long days starting tomorrow.”

“Yes, Papa.”

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