Silence had spread everywhere. The king entered the palace. Along with him were the queen and the commander. His soldiers waited outside the palace. The king was old. All his hair had turned white. His body no longer supported him. The queen was still young. Because she was the third wife of the king. That means Ruhi's own mother. The commander had a large scar on his cheek. The commander's age was forty.
Ruhi got up from the chair and went to the king.
"Father, you've come…" she said. She hugged the king.
"Why did you take so long today…" Ruhi said. The king smiled.
"Oh daughter… today in the court, there was a lot of work… so it got late… come now that I'm here… let's have our meal…" the king said. Ruhi was the king's only daughter. So he pampered her a lot.
"Hmm… hmm… father… father, today you'll have to stay hungry…" Ruhi's words were hesitant.
Because Raghuveer had eaten everything.
"Why?.. why should we stay hungry.." the queen shouted. The queen didn't like Ruhi. The queen hated Ruhi.
"Speak softly… everyone can hear…" the king told the queen. The king looked at Ruhi.
"Why? Ruhi…" the king asked gently. The commander was a good man. That means he stood quietly. He didn't interfere in their family matters. But the commander had earned great fame in war.
"Because… Raghuveer ate all the food." Ruhi said and pointed at Raghuveer. The king, queen, and commander looked at Raghuveer. Sagar and Priyanka stood silently. Sagar's anger had now reduced.
*Now the king will punish that beggar… Sagar told himself and laughed inside.
"He had the audacity… he sat on the king's chair." the queen said. The king looked at the queen angrily. The queen got scared and stood quietly. The king looked at Ruhi.
"Ruhi… who is he and why are there blood stains on his clothes..?" the king asked lovingly.
"Father, he is Raghuveer…" Ruhi said.
"Some people had kidnapped me… he saved me from them…" Ruhi explained.
"You weren't hurt, were you.. Ruhi.." the king asked immediately. Ruhi nodded. That meant no.
"Sagar–Priyanka, how did this happen while you were present..?" the king shouted and looked at both of them.
"Your Majesty… Your Majesty…" Sagar started to speak but stopped. Because Ruhi began to speak.
"Father, it's not their fault at all… I went outside the palace without telling them… that's why this happened…" Ruhi said. The king looked at Ruhi and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Ruhi… many girls have been disappearing for days… so be careful…" the king said. He was very worried about Ruhi.
"Yes… father… I won't go anywhere without informing…" Ruhi said.
"Hmm… alright… but you didn't tell me why he ate our food…" the king said.
"Father, he was very hungry… so I brought him to the palace…" Ruhi said.
*Because of me, they'll have to stay hungry… Ruhi told herself. She was sad that because of her, the king, queen, and commander would have to stay hungry. The king laughed.
"That's good… he ate all the food… because today there was a feast in the royal court… we've already eaten there…" the king said. The queen stood silently. She didn't say anything.
"What..?" Ruhi said. She didn't know that there was a feast in the royal court today.
"Yes princess…" a maid said.
*That means I'm the one who stayed hungry… Ruhi told herself. The king looked at Ruhi.
"You've eaten, right?" the king asked.
"Yes…" Ruhi replied immediately. But she hadn't eaten. Sagar knew that she hadn't eaten anything… but he didn't say anything… because Ruhi had told him not to. Sagar looked at Ruhi. Priyanka also looked at Ruhi. Raghuveer was asleep. The commander stood quietly. So the king looked at him. The commander was looking at Raghuveer. As if he recognized Raghuveer.
"What happened commander..? You're not saying anything.." the king asked.
"Your Majesty, I feel… I know that boy." the commander said.