Page 308 of A King's Oath

“Rajma…”

“Don’t go.”

“I cannot…”

“Don’t leave us.”

“It won’t be like that…”

“Don’t leave me.”

This time their gazes held. And she saw the melting of decades of conditioning in his eyes. Conditioning of time and circumstances that had shaped this boy way before her time.

“Samarth.”

He swallowed.

“I will not be making any arbitrary decisions. I planned this with Ava. I need to speak to her.”

“As you should,” Tara pressed. “But you tell me now, honestly — areyouready to stay?”

His eyelids fluttered. When they opened fully again, Tara saw something soothing, something fallen to peace there in those dark eyes. From the first moment she had seen him, labelled ‘mature’ and ‘wise beyond his years’ and ’14 going on 40,’ Tara had identified the child hiding behind those eyes. Maybe because a part of her innocence had also hidden behind the shield of adulthood for a long time. It had taken her 20 years to unearth him. But he had finally come. To her.

“Yes, Rajmata.”

Why did that word sound sweeter than Mummy?

“Forever?”

“Yes.”

“Are there any other promises from that day that I can’t recall that you will bring up twenty years later when your Papa’s ears won’t even be working right?”

“I am counting your indiscretions,” Siddharth interjected. “Both of yours.”

Samarth sighed — “I am sorry, for erupting on you like that, Rajmata…”

“It’s alright.” Tara patted his shoulder. “I pushed you to that point.”

“Samarth,” Siddharth’s kurta came into their view and she looked up, only for him to lower himself on the coffee table in front of them. His hands landed on Samarth’s biceps, his face solemn.

“Beta,” he swallowed. “See, I tried my best to raise you alone. I thought I was doing a good job. And with the man you became, I know I did a brilliant job. But the shadows that remained inside you, that I couldn’t even see…”

“Papa,” he began to push away but Siddharth pulled him back. “You are getting married, starting a life of your own. You have a daughter. You do not deserve to go into this new chapter of your life with those shadows lingering. Moreover, Ava and Brahmi do not deserve a man who is hell-bent on repaying debts he does not owe anybody.”

“You deserved happiness,” Samarth finally admitted, his voice small.

“I got it,” Siddharth’s chin pointed to her, his eyes on their son. “Your sacrifices have brought me a whole new life. If you hadn’ttaken that oath that day, Tara would not be in our lives, Sharan would not be here. I do not condone your actions but they happened and they led to this. And for that, I will be eternally grateful to you. But now, forgive yourself for a crime you never committed, Samarth. All your debts, if any, have been squared off. You do not owe me anything. Except for lifelong obedience for making me so sappy, because your Rajmata is going to taunt me for one whole month on all that I am saying to you.”

His face softened into a silent laugh.

“Make that three,” Tara corrected.

“See?”

“Alright.”

“Alright?” Tara held her hands up. “Full and final? No more oaths or promises or secret dossiers to leave?”

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