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-: The Northern Side of Palace :-

Rajmata entered the king's chamber with heavy steps, the silence surrounding her carrying an unusual weight.

The moment her eyes fell upon her son, pain flickered across her face.

"Maharaaj... hum jaante hain aap Kunwarani Samiya se kitna prem karte hain. Woh toh aapki bahu kam... beti zyada hai," Rajmata spoke softly, her voice trembling with emotion as she looked at the king standing before her. She called him king deliberately for the act he did in the royal court.

"Your Majesty... we know how deeply you love Kunwarani Samiya. To you, she is less a daughter-in-law... and more a daughter."

She paused for a moment, taking a slow breath before continuing.

"Toh phir... aap unhe iss tarah akela kaise jaane de sakte hain?"

"Then how... how can you let her go alone like this?"

There was no accusation in her voice.

Only the helpless fear of a mother and grandmother watching someone she loved walk willingly toward danger.

Maharaj and Kshamta immediately stood up from their seats, exchanging tense glances.

"Parantu, Maasa—" Kshamta tried to speak, but Rajmata raised her hand, silently gesturing for her to stop.

"But Maasa—"

"I am talking to my son!"

The sharp authority in Rajmata's voice instantly silenced the chamber.

"Leave," Maharaj ordered quietly while looking at Kshamta.

Kshamta lowered her gaze and silently walked out of the chamber.

The moment she left, Maharaj fell to his knees before Rajmata and touched her feet, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I am sorry, Maasa... for what I did in the Rajsabha."

"I am not here to talk about that."

"No..." his voice broke painfully.

"You should have twisted my ears like you used to in childhood."

A bitter smile appeared on Rajmata's lips.

"Perhaps I have lost that right now. That is why you tried to arrest me in the royal court."

"N-No, Maasa..." Maharaj shook his head desperately. "I already knew Samiya was going to do something like this. That's why I decided to send both the princes, the princess... and you with her."

His words began breaking between quiet sobs.

"I only ordered your arrests so she would become worried about all of you and take everyone along with her. But she's stubborn as hell..." A helpless laugh escaped him through his tears. "She understood my plan from the very beginning... and played along with it."

His trembling hands gently massaged his mother's feet as tears continuously fell from his eyes.

Guilt. Fear. Helplessness.

Everything weighed heavily upon his heart.

He could not even lift his eyes to look at her face, like a child awaiting forgiveness after committing a grave mistake.

Rajmata looked at her son, who was crying uncontrollably before her.

The proud king who once stood fearless on battlefields now knelt at her feet like a shattered child terrified of losing everything he loved.

"I am afraid, Maasa..." he whispered brokenly. "I cannot lose another child."

His voice cracked completely.

"She will not listen to me... please talk to her."

"She has already taken an oath, Maharaaj," Rajmata replied softly. "And that girl... will never break it."

"Dadi-sa is right, Pitaji..."

Samiya's soft voice echoed through the chamber.

Everyone turned toward the entrance.

Her eyes were filled with determination, yet beneath them hid a pain so deep it threatened to break her entirely.

Slowly, she walked forward and bent down to touch their feet with trembling hands.

"Please... don't stop me," she whispered. "I have to go."

Her voice cracked for a moment before she forced herself to continue.

"Just bless me... so that I return with him."

The chamber fell silent.

Her father-in-law—no, the man who loved her like his own daughter—looked at her with tear-filled eyes.

His heart shattered at the sight of her standing before him like someone already prepared to walk into death itself for the one she loved.

With trembling hands, he cupped her face.

"Promise me..." he whispered painfully, tears escaping his eyes. "Promise me that I will not lose another child of mine... I cannot bear it anymore."

"I promise, Pitaji..." Samiya whispered softly, placing her hands over his trembling ones.

"I will return... and I will bring him back with me too."

A faint, broken smile appeared on her lips, but the storm inside her eyes betrayed the strength she was trying so hard to maintain.

She lowered her gaze briefly before looking at him again with unwavering determination.

"Until my last breath... I will not let this family lose anyone else."

Maharaj nodded silently, though fear still lingered within his tear-filled eyes.

But then his gaze fell upon her clothes.

His brows furrowed immediately.

No royal jewels.
No silks.
No sign of royalty.

Only plain commoner clothes.

Simple. Unrecognizable.

"Why... are you dressed like this?" he asked softly. "Where are your usual clothes?"

"I am leaving as a commoner, Pitaji," Samiya replied calmly. "If no one recognizes me, it will become easier to search for him... and safer too."

She gently clutched the edge of her plain dupatta.

"No royal identity. No jewels. No guards. Just a normal traveler."

Rajmata frowned deeply.

"But you cannot live like this, Samiya," she interrupted worriedly. "You have never lived the life of a common person. No comforts, no protection... hardships at every step."

Samiya slowly looked toward her grandmother.

"I can, Dadi-sa," she replied quietly. "And I will."

There was no arrogance in her voice.

Only determination.

"For his safety... and for mine... no one must know who I truly am."

Maharaj immediately stepped forward.

"You will take a troop of soldiers with you," he ordered firmly. "I will not allow you to wander into danger alone."

His voice grew heavier with emotion.

"Do you even realize where you are going? The roads beyond this kingdom are merciless. Enemies hide behind smiling faces, and danger waits in places we cannot even imagine."

He took a deep breath, trying desperately to control himself.

"You may hide your identity from the world..." his voice cracked painfully, "...but I am still your father."

His trembling hands clenched tightly behind his back.

"How can I send my daughter alone into uncertainty like this?"

For the first time, the king no longer sounded like a ruler.

Only a terrified father remained.

"At least allow a small troop to follow you from a distance," he pleaded. "If anything happens to you... how will I live with myself after that?"

Samiya's eyes softened at his trembling voice, but her determination did not waver.

"Pitaji..." she whispered painfully, gently holding his hands. "If soldiers come with me, people will recognize me immediately. Every step I take will be watched."

She lowered her gaze briefly before looking back at him with tear-filled yet determined eyes.

"And if my enemies discover who I am before I find him... it will put everyone in danger."

Maharaj tried to protest again, but Samiya softly shook her head.

"No, Pitaji... no one will come with me."

Tears slipped down her cheeks as she folded her hands before him.

"Pitaji... I beg you, please." Her voice trembled helplessly. "If you truly love your Samiya... then don't send anyone with me."

"Aapko hamari kasam, Pitaji..."

"You have my oath, Pitaji..."

The entire chamber fell silent.

Even Rajmata's eyes widened at the pain hidden within her voice.

Samiya took a shaky breath, her heart breaking at the thought of hurting her family, yet the determination in her eyes remained unshaken.

"This is a path I must walk alone."

For making the environment light, Mahiraj teased Samiya

"Kunwarani sa..."

Samiya blinked innocently.
"Yes, Pitaji?"

"Would you care," he spoke slowly, "to explain why there was a lion sitting beside you in the Rajsabha today?"

Samiya glanced away thoughtfully as if genuinely considering the question.

"Well... technically he was lying down most of the time."

Maharaj stared at her in disbelief.

"That is not the point!"

"Oh." She nodded seriously. "Then perhaps the issue is that he growled at Minister Vishrad?"

"He nearly fainted!"

Samiya sighed softly.

"In the lion's defense, Pitaji... the minister started trembling first. Sher bhi toh insaan ki bhavnaayein samajhta h."

A servant nearby immediately lowered his head to hide his laughter.

Maharaj rubbed his forehead tiredly.

"Rajsabha is meant for political discussions, not jungle gatherings!"

"Exactly," Samiya replied instantly. "That is why I only brought one wild animal. The rest were already present."

The entire chamber fell silent.

Even Rajmata coughed to hide her smile.

Maharaj pointed at her dramatically.

"One day, Kunwarani sa... one day you will be the reason my blood pressure rises."

Samiya smiled faintly.

"And one day, Pitaji... you will admit that Rajsabha meetings became much more disciplined after the lion arrived."

As if on cue, a loud roar echoed from outside the chamber.

Maharaj closed his eyes in defeat.

"He is outside too?!"

Samiya looked genuinely confused.

"You did not expect me to let him wander the palace alone, did you?"

He shook his head while looking at her and gently placed his hand over her head.

"Never lose your smile, mere bacche."

Author note:-

So my lovely reader party, lets finished this chapter here only. lets see what will happen when she left? 

And yes i know, i did not give any update from last two days as i was not well. But i will try to give the updates regularly from now onwards.