(Book 2) Hayden Mackay and The Tears of the Maiden

19. King Aghasthya's Tale

"YOU KNEW!" shouted Pruthvi, completely enraged, "YOU KNEW YOU HAVE A SISTER?"

"Pruthvi, leave it," suggested Celina, trying to calm him down.

Only two hours ago Doctor had helped us use the Gates to safely enter into the Sharad's court. King Aghasthya made all the arrangements to send rest of the men to their respective homes.

Doctor then came back later in a while, and began mending all of us one by one. He tied a bandage on Pruthvi's head, he provided a hot eucalyptus oil to Celina asking her to apply on her soar shoulder. He provided me and Tyrell with a few medicinal herbs to chew that was extremely bitter and burned our throats, stating that it might relax our muscles. Unable to bare it's crappy taste Tyrell shoved it out right as soon as Doctor turned around to mend Leena. He applied a gel on her ankle that somehow reverted it back to it's normal shape within a few minutes and strictly ordered her to rest for atleast a day. He then walked away out of Lithika's room where we were resting to check up on his son.

When five of us were discussing about everything that had happened on Uilani hill, Leena suddenly dropped a bombshell that she always knew she had a sister, and that was when Pruthvi went ballistic on her.

"Sorry but I can't," he snapped at Celina, who was gently wiping Leena's ankle, "How many time have I asked her, if there was any sister her parents didn't tell her about. But every time she scolded me that I was stupid to even think of it."

"I am sorry," Leena said, with a suppressed cry, "But I didn't want to believe I have one."

"Why not?" Pruthvi asked, flinging his hands, "As soon as I came to know I have a sister, I was so excited that I decided to do anything to find her. How come you never felt anything like that?"

"Because if I feel anything like that, that means I have to accept the fact that my parents lied to me."

Pruthvi frowned. "What?"

Leena opened her mouth but before she said anything she was interrupted.

"I'll tell you what she meant."

King Aghasthya with Princess Lithika slowly walked inside the room, their eyes fixed on the person resting on the bed. Leena looked up as they walked nearer to her, she and Princess Lithika sharing an awkward stare. Watching them together in one room, was somehow making my stomach churn.

Tyrell and I were sitting quiet away from them, leaving them to deal with this sensitive topic alone. As Aghasthya stood beside the bed, Tyrell leaned towards me and said, "Something is going to blast."

I sniggered at his way of speech.

Silence surfaced between them for a few minutes, each of them thinking their own ways to bring up the topic. Finally it was Lithika who began showering her complaints.

"I didn't quite believe when Pruthvi and others told me there is a girl who looks exactly like me," she said, setting her bangles straight.

"Yeah me too," Leena said angrily, "May be you should ask your grandfather about it."

Aghasthya sighed when Leena snapped a look at him. Lithika turned around at her grandfather and began blaming him. "You told me my parents are dead. You told my parents that I was dead. Have you ever thought of telling me the truth? Or simply now that I was already dying, it didn't important to tell me at all?"

Tyrell and I exchanged nervous glances. Pruthvi and Celina walked away from them, finding seats at the other end of the room.

"Stop it, both of you," said Aghasthya, showing his palms, "Lithika, you have been living with me the whole life. How can you believe whatever I did was on purpose? And Leena, doctor has always been telling me that you are grown into a most positive and strong willed girl. How can you say something mean to me like that?"