Pratiksha and Raghuveer reach the gate.
"Stop…" said a soldier. He was guarding the area.
He held a torch in his hand. The light from the torch fell on both their faces. It was midnight. They were standing near a massive wall. To go beyond that wall, there was a gate. The gate was closed. Soldiers were guarding from atop the wall. Seeing the light from their torches, it felt…
"Who are you?" the soldier asked.
"We are travelers…" Raghuveer said. His face showed no reaction.
"Alright… to go ahead, you'll need a silver coin," the soldier said. Beyond that gate began the Aryat kingdom. This was the entry gate to Aryat.
To enter any kingdom, some money must be paid. The bigger the kingdom, the higher the entry fee.
Raghuveer looked at Pratiksha.
"Do you have it?" Raghuveer asked.
Pratiksha quickly took out a silver coin from her pouch and handed it to Raghuveer. Raghuveer gave the silver coin to the soldier.
"Alright… you may go," the soldier said.
"Open the gate…" he told another soldier. Slowly, the gate opened. Raghuveer and Pratiksha now passed through the gate. As soon as they entered, the gate closed again.
Pratiksha looked around. Again, the same stone road. On either side of the stone road was forest. Big, tall trees.
Now they were on the land of the Aryat kingdom. Pratiksha placed her pouch back into her dress.
It was the darkness of midnight. They both started walking.
"Which kingdom are we in?" Pratiksha asked. But Raghuveer said nothing.
Pratiksha didn't know this was the Aryat kingdom. She was in her enemy's land.
Pratiksha walked behind Raghuveer. She looked at his back.
Why do I keep forgetting… I shouldn't talk too much… I should stay quiet, Pratiksha told herself.
She felt that if she talked too much, Raghuveer would leave her behind. A fear that came from speaking. Her wound was still hurting. If it wasn't treated soon, it could rot. No one likes a stain on a beautiful thing. They had been walking since morning.
Pratiksha wasn't used to walking this much. So she was exhausted. But she didn't stop. Because if she stopped, Raghuveer would leave her behind. Raghuveer doesn't stop for anyone.
Pratiksha was also hungry. But she didn't say anything. She had money, but where in the forest would she find a place to eat?
Raghuveer kept walking and then stopped. Pratiksha bumped into his back again. "Ouch…"
Where is my attention… she told herself. Raghuveer turned and looked at her. Pratiksha touched her hair. She thought her rose must have flown away again. That's why Raghuveer stopped.
The rose is still there… Pratiksha told herself.
"What happened?" Pratiksha asked. Raghuveer said nothing. He looked at her wounded hand.
"Wait here…" Raghuveer said.
Raghuveer saw a tulsi plant by the roadside. He went near the plant. He plucked some leaves from it. Using nearby stones, he crushed them. He made juice from the leaves. After preparing the juice, he gestured with his hand for Pratiksha to come closer.
Pratiksha quickly came to him and sat on her knees.
"What is this…?" she asked.
She knew nothing about medicinal herbs. Whenever she got hurt, her maids would treat her. Raghuveer knew a lot about medicinal plants.
Tulsi helps reduce pain and kills germs in wounds.
"Apply this juice to your wound…" Raghuveer said.
Pratiksha removed the cloth from her wound and applied the tulsi juice.
"This juice will prevent your wound from rotting…" Raghuveer said and started walking ahead.
Pratiksha looked at him.
He cares about me… she told herself.
She was very happy and quickly got up and started walking behind Raghuveer. Even in the darkness of night, her happiness was visible. She was so happy that her heart felt ticklish.
"When we reach the city… I'll feed you whatever you want," Pratiksha said.
Raghuveer was silent.
"I have plenty of money… we'll buy new clothes for you and me too…" she said.
With one small act of help, Raghuveer had awakened even more love in her heart. Sometimes, even small things bring great joy. Especially when the person giving joy is someone close… her exhaustion was now completely gone.
They kept walking and reached a city. Perhaps the capital of the Aryat kingdom