Page 149 of A King's Oath
“Don’t worry. She and Gopi asked me if I was ok. Gopi wanted to invite all his school friends and you both were pretty close because of all the horse.”
Samarth snorted — “What did you say?”
“I said it’s all ancient history. Call whoever.”
“Whoever, huh? I am whoever now?”
“Think about it! It will be so much fun to have our sordid affair behind their backs, meeting in secret alleys and behind the bougainvillaea garden. Oh my gawwd! I have so many ideas! Sneaking off to…”
“They will hang me if I am caught violating their Kumari’s reputation.”
“That’s toh even better! They will then make you forcefully marry me. Bridgeton-style. Our problem solved!”
Silence. And then the howling sounds of his laughter.
“My father would go gaga over your skewed logic,” Samarth wheezed. “Thank god he doesn’t get all these mad ideas.”
“Want me to get in touch with him?”
“Don’t even think about it. Alright, listen, I won’t be able to come this weekend.”
“Why? You had planned to get away…”
“I know. I had lied that I had a friend’s birthday to attend. But… that didn’t seem too important in front of Sankranti havan. Like a fool I picked the 14th January weekend.”
She snickered, inwardly crying because he wasn’t going to be there.
“Go fly kites then, we’ll meet the weekend after at my palace. Come sneak into my room again,” she whisper-shouted.
“You are a nutcase. I am not sneaking into your room or anything. Do not speak to me there. Behave like I broke your heart ten years ago.”
“I told them all that I broke yours.”
“Fine, then I’ll stay away from you.”
“Give me those tough man looks also… the ones you have mastered now.”
“What tough man looks?”
“The ones you gave that opponent in Spain Open when he tried to swing his mallet too close to your pony's leg? That hot, angry, ‘I’ll bury you right here’ look.”
“I am doing none of that, and neither are you. Let’s just get the weekend over with and then I will come to Paris the week after. I have that meeting in Argentina, but I have booked my tickets for an extended weekend in Paris. Kresha’s actual wedding is in March, right?”
“Right.”
“Then are you going back to Paris after her bachelorette? Or are you staying in India to help with the prep?”
“No way! I haven’t had a full day with you in a month. I am going back to Paris if only for the weekend with you.”
“Good. Alright then, I’ll see you next weekend, Kumari.”
“Call me Avantika there, it’ll sound even more intense!”
“Bye, Ava.”
27. Raje
“Raje?” She turned to find Ananya running behind her. Kaki saheb’s chaperone and her childhood friend, the sweetest voice in all of Gwalior. “Your bracelet!”
