Kama: Liberation (Vol-I)

Chapter 42: Brother to Father

Father is our first hero.

****

The letter was sent. Hamal was informed about the arrival of the Rajan.

Rajan Rudra's army was training more vigorously than ever. More meat and fish were being cooked in the kitchen for the warriors. They began their day at dawn and ended at dusk. When the moon came up, they sat around to discuss important formations to implement in the battlefield.

Indumala's day was no different. Her training, as she knew now, was being done exclusively by werewolves. Her routine wasn't as harsh as those of the other men, but it strived to toughen the muscles and strengthen the core. The werewolves made it clear to her that she wouldn't be able to use magic everywhere, unlike in the wizarding contest where she ousted the other supernatural werewolves from the competition using her otherworldly skills. Indumala found it a little strange that these creatures who were themselves fantastical refused to acknowledge the versatility of magic. However, she did understand with due course of time that building a strong body was important.

Because, as the rules were, one wasn't allowed to use magic in war, even if it was one between Werewolves and Vampires.

At present, she was busy doing squats under the supervision of a grey-haired werewolf. He was a man of few words and rarely praised her, but neither did he rebuke her. His instructions were clear and precise.

"Widen your feet. They should have a gap more than your hips. Tighten your stomach."

Indumala found this exercise hard. It looked simple but wasn't. Keeping the balance was the tricky thing. Nevertheless, she did complete two rounds.

"Stop. The spear."

Indumala was given a rest of a few minutes, and then handed the spear. It was the weapon of every bodyguard and had come to be a symbol of the position. Thus, she had to ace it.

The spear moved in a swirling circle in her hands. To a spectator it would have looked like an illusion of a flower whose metallic petals moved round and round. Sometimes she lost control and the spear fell out of her hands. The longest she lasted was five minutes.

The session was put at a pause when the werewolf noticed Aryamna at the door of the hall. He nodded, smiling amicably at the Senapati, who came and greeted the werewolf with a warm hug. Aryamna then turned to his daughter. "I saw you practising. I think you are doing well. Master Kirti, is she improving?"

"Gradually. We must understand the delicate nature of a woman's body. With what she has been bestowed by the gods, she is doing pretty well."

"That's true. She needs to become a good bodyguard. May I talk with her a little?"

"You can take her with you. It's been an hour, so she can have her rest for today."

Indumala's face, gleaming with sweat, brightened like the sun. Her ears were red from exhaustion. "Thank you, Master Kirti."

Indumala washed and wiped her face, then went out the hall with her father. She was going to take him to her room, but he insisted otherwise.

"I think we can go somewhere else. Follow me."

So Indumala walked behind her father, wondering where he was leading her. At first, the twists and turns they took didn't seem obvious, but after a certain change in the ambience of the palace, she realised where they were going.

Towards the forbidden room.

Maybe her father was allowed to go there, being the blood-brother of the Rajan. But why was he taking her there?