Page 79 of A King's Oath

“Come.”

He ventured inside, shutting the door behind him.

“How was your session?” Papa asked, shuffling his iPad away and pushing the untouched tray of his lunch to the side. Samarth eyed it but did not say anything. Bigger battles first.

“Very good, Rawal.”

“Sit.”

“My pants are dirty,” he turned to show him the muddy splotched seat of his tight whites.

“When has that stopped you from muddying up palace furniture?” Papa smirked. A real smirk. Samarth returned his smile — “I was a child then.”

“Sit. It will be cleaned.”

He gingerly lowered himself on one of the visitors’ chairs, right on the edge. Papa sat back, clasping his hands in front of his stomach. “When is your last term starting?”

“Next month.”

“And after that, you said you want to go to London?”

“To Maan bhai’s college.”

“Not to mine?”

Samarth shrugged. “They have better polo facilities. And also give sports credits.”

“Alright. But I want to make one thing very clear.”

He perked up.

“You are coming right back here after your graduation and working with me in kingdom administration. Giving up the throne does not mean you don’t serve the people of Nawanagar.”

Samarth didn’t let his shock tie his tongue.

“No, of course not, Rawal,” he smiled, relieved. “I will do whatever you need me to do. I will work wherever you want me to work for Nawanagar.”

“Good. You will have to learn everything and be ready…”

“Not to become…”

“Yes, Samarth, not to become Rawal but to teach the next Rawal if I am not around by that time.”

He sat back, not about to think about that scenario.

“Tara is expecting a child.”

“A brother or a sister?” His face split into a grin.A sibling?He had never dared imagine, let alone think about it in his life.

“We don’t know yet,” Papa shook his head, amused. “In India, we wouldn’t know until the baby’s arrival anyway.”

“Yes, I was just saying it like… I am getting a brother or a sister?”

“Either of those two for sure.”

A real sibling. A baby. A brother or a sister!

“Wow! When will it be born?”

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