章 25: Sister

As the first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, the young man stirred beneath the soft, cloud-like duvet. The large plush bed cradled his body, reluctant to release him from its comfortable embrace. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the remnants of sleep.

The room was bathed in a gentle golden glow, highlighting the dust motes that danced in the air. A light breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming flowers from the garden outside.

He stretched languidly, his muscles relaxing as he sank deeper into the mattress for a moment. The cool sheets rustled softly against his skin as he shifted, savouring the last moments of drowsiness before fully awakening.

Harsha finally sat up, the plush pillows falling away, and he ran a hand through his tousled hair. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fresh morning air, feeling invigorated.

"Haa... feels good to rest," he murmured to himself. He got up and began to warm up his body with some exercises in his spacious room. A few stretches, followed by bodyweight exercises, ensured that he stayed fit.

Harsha had decided to take a day off. Since he had been reborn into this body, he had yet to take a proper rest. He had always been working out, honing his body, and completing various tasks.

He wasn't tired in his mind, but it seemed like his body was moving very slowly compared to his mind. The body didn't seem to be able to keep up with his work ethics yet. So he decided to take a rest to refresh his body.

After his exercises, Harsha walked to the large window, pushing the curtains aside to let in more light. The view of the garden was breathtaking, with flowers in full bloom and the morning dew glistening on the leaves. He smiled, feeling a rare moment of peace.

"Today, no training, no meetings, just rest," he said aloud, as if convincing himself. He dressed in comfortable clothes and made his way to the small reading nook by the window, picking up a book he had been meaning to read.

Harsha picked up a book about a love story between a princess and a commoner boy. As he read. The princess, bound by the constraints of her royal lineage, fell deeply in love with a commoner. Their love, though pure and passionate, faced obstacles.

The story described their secret meetings and whispered promises. Despite the knowledge that their love was forbidden, they dreamed of a life together. Eventually, driven by their desire to be free from the chains of her birth, they ran away to a distant land, hoping to find happiness far from those who opposed their union.

But their escape was short-lived. The princess's father, the king, enraged by his daughter's defiance and her choice of a lowly commoner, dispatched his soldiers to find them. The boy was captured and executed for seducing the princess, a punishment meant to serve as a stern warning. The princess, heartbroken and grieving the loss of her beloved, was forced to return to the palace. Overwhelmed by sorrow and despair, she ultimately took her own life.

Harsha closed the book and clicked his tongue in irritation. "So dumb... Why didn't she just poison the king?" he muttered to himself, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. "Would've been so much easier. And the commoner should've known better. Of course, the king would send troops."

He tossed the book aside, shaking his head. Harsha could observe the emotions of others, but he never truly felt anything himself. Sympathy, empathy, love—these were foreign concepts. To him, people were either pawns or stepping stones, tools to achieve whatever amused him at the moment.

He got up and stretched, his muscles rippling beneath his skin. As he moved, he thought back to the research facility where he had learned to harness the power of anger. Every time he got angry, his body's performance would skyrocket. He had mastered the art of controlled rage, turning it on and off like a switch to enhance his combat abilities.

A knock on the door drew Harsha's attention from the window. He turned slightly, still gazing at the garden below. "Enter," he commanded.

Praveen stepped in, bowing slightly, a book as usual in his hands. "Your Highness, I have a message for you."

Harsha didn't turn around fully, his eyes still on the vibrant flowers. "What is it? I'm sure I've finished all the work related to the roads," he said, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"It's something else, Your Highness," Praveen muttered nervously, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

Harsha finally turned to face him, curiosity piqued. "Something else? Explain."

Praveen kept his head down, relaying the message. "Your Highness has been summoned by Her Highness Lakshmi Deva Raya."

Harsha's brow furrowed. "Who is that?"

"Your elder sister, Your Highness. She has invited you to tea and lunch," Praveen explained.

Harsha's expression softened with curiosity. "My elder sister, huh? And what does she want?"

Praveen glanced up briefly, then lowered his eyes again. "The message didn't specify, Your Highness. It simply mentioned the invitation."

Harsha smirked, with a tinge of amusement. "Tea and lunch, you say? This should be interesting."

He straightened his robes and gestured for Praveen to lead the way. "Very well. Let's not keep her waiting."

As they walked through the palace corridors, Harsha's mind gears were turning. He had not interacted much with his family, and this sudden invitation was intriguing. He wondered what Lakshmi wanted.

"Is there anything in particular I should know about this person?" questioned Harsha.

"She is the elder half-sister and the oldest among the siblings. I would describe Her Highness as a free-spirited individual."

"What do you mean by that," asked Harsha looking around.

"Well, She is not one to be bound by anyone. Despite being fairly talented she doesn't want to be bound by royal duties and does whatever she wants to," Praveen praised Lakshmi's attitude and added "Her highness also helps a lot of people,"

Harsha narrowed his eyes and said "I see,"

' Hmm, Something doesn't add up. I wonder what,' he thought as he walked to the courtyard.

Upon reaching the courtyard, Praveen bowed slightly and said "Your Highness, Only you are allowed from here on out, Just walk straight to reach the designated place,"

Harsha silently stepped into the courtyard, his gaze sharp looking at the freshly bloomed flowers and neatly trimmed hedges. In the distance, he saw a small pavilion, an individual sitting across a table in the quiet pavilion.

As he approached, the view became clearer, revealing a poised young woman draped in a black and red saree. Her silky hair cascaded over her shoulders like the darkness of night, and her bindi added an elegant touch to her look. Her eyes, like obsidian, held a sharp aura of authority.

She rose as soon as Harsha came into view and walked towards him with a welcoming smile.

"Harsha, thank you for coming," she said, her voice sweet and soothing like a melodious tune.

She gently grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the pavilion. "Come, since I haven't visited you in a long time, I have prepared some tea and snacks."

Harsha followed her lead. The table was adorned with delicate porcelain tea cups, a steaming pot of tea, and an array of tempting snacks. The Pavilion had a soothing air, cooling and calming him down as he sat.

As they settled down for tea, Lakshmi poured him a cup, her movements graceful and practiced. "I haven't talked to you for a while, so I thought I would catch up on some things," she began, handing him the cup.

Harsha took the cup, studying his sister's face. "I appreciate the gesture, Sister. What have you been up to?"

"Eh? Me, I have been roaming around a lot these days, It's so much fun," she said beaming with energy.

"Ah! That's great to hear I guess, Sister,"

Lakshmi, her eyes filled with concern, asked, "Is the injury healed? Do you remember your sister?" she caressed his forehead lightly with a worried expression.

"Yeah, it's healed. No, I don't remember you," he replied, his voice cold as he gazed down at Lakshmi.

"Ah, that's quite a pity," Lakshmi uttered in a low voice.

Then she continued."I hear you have been quite involved in the road projects. How is that going?" Lakshmi's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Lakshmi was like a ball of fresh energy. Her obsidian eyes sparkled with emotions enamoring everyone around her. She spoke delicately and her voice had a captivating tendency.

"It's progressing well. We are ahead of schedule, and the new routes should significantly improve trade," Harsha replied, his tone measured.

"That's good to hear," Lakshmi said with a smile. "Father will be pleased with your progress."

Harsha spent a few hours with Lakshmi, talking and catching up on different events. He studied her gestures and actions since he didn't know her character. In the few hours he spent with her, he learned about her free-spirited nature, and how she traveled to different parts of the empire covertly to experience various aspects of life. He concluded that she was just a unique person who didn't want to be bound by her tag of Royalty. But his intuition said something wasn't adding up, Harsha couldn't point it out.

The day had ended, and the night sky was filled with stars like diamond chunks in the jet-black space. He was now prepared to accept the invitation extended by the Patriarch of the Nayakas and visit their mansion in Thanjavur.