The Commoner Consort: The Country's Respected Empress

Maya thinks to herself seriously 'I should know everything about the Cold Prison. After all ignorance can be fatal...I can go to any extremes to attain what I want. ..'.

Xavier leads the way to Maya.

Bhommi claps her hands "Sister Maya! Why don't you ask him now?!".

Maya rolls her eyes 'He is a Prince, Bhommi! And he would not answer me so easily. What if he asks how do I know about this,firstly? I cannot let Sarah to suffer for telling this secret! She believes me and cares for me more than that. I cannot ask him now but I will. Soon".

Bhommi humps in displease "I wonder what that human girl did to you! You seem to like her more! I don't like her!".

Maya walks behind Xavier and mentally shakes her head 'Sarah is a good friend of mine'.

Bhommi snorts in disdain "Friend?! Human can't become your equal, Sister Maya! You are powerful than them!".

Maya smirks 'I know that I am powerful than them'.

But her smirk turned into a worried frown "At least, they have a peaceful life to live".

'I promise. After closing the Cold Prison.. I will find my peaceful life finally and no one can do anything. If they do something, then they will face the consequences once for all!'.

Xavier stops walking and creases his eyebrows.

Maya senses him stopped and bites her lips 'Did I speak that loud?!'.

Bhommi giggles "It looks like that! He He!!'.

Xavier asks tilting his head in doubt, without turning "Did you say something, My Lady?".

Maya blurts in hurry "Nothing... I was just thinking something ..".

Xavier's face had a knowing smile and starts walking ahead.

Maya lets out a relaxed breath 'I should be more careful when someone is around me'.

Bhommi asks "Why do you like that girl?".

Maya rolls her eyes 'You should stop dragging Sarah often into this. Poor girl, she is just doing her duty!'.

Bhommi too asks in ignorance "That's why I am asking! She is just doing her duty of a servant! Then why do you want to like her?!".

Maya is thinking about her loneliness after her father left her alone in this world.

'Though it was her duty, she cares for me and my wellbeing'.

Bhommi frowns "I don't understand. It's good if we have no one to care for us! You can go anywhere and do anything you want! There will be no one to look for you-".

Maya smiles faintly 'That is the thing... There will be no one to look for you. There will be no one to care you'.

Bhommi doubtful gaze softened at Maya's agonizing tone.

Maya sighs and lost in the train of her own thoughts 'There will be no one to teach you the right from wrong. Each time you have to touch the fire to realize it will cause you pain, if you do so. You have to get hurt to realize that falling down will cause you pain. It's even more hurtful to realize when you knew that there will be no one standing behind to lift you from the ground'.

Maya smiles hiding her loneliness 'At least someone is there with me to care for me. I am not normally used to being taken care of. Let me feel it for sometime...Who knows when these all will end?'.

Bhommi raises her eyebrows enlightened "I think we have an opposite opinion in this. But I don't like that girl even now!".

Maya frowns in wonder 'Why?!'.

Bhommi shrugs "I don't know. I just feel it. She is more loyal to her Emperor and Royal people. If she truly cares for you, she shouldn't have told anything to that Arrogant Prince! She pretends in front of you as if she truly cares for you and betrays you by telling everything to that man behind your back!".

Maya sighs 'It's her duty. Serving me is one of her Royal duties to do and being loyal to her Country's Ruler is not a crime!'.

Bhommi becomes silent and follows Maya, who is following Xavier.

As soon as they reached outside the Royal Palace, Maya is welcomed by a place which made her bad mood to instantly change into a bright one!.

Maya gasps looking at the numerous wooden boards hanging from the trees in front her. They are arranged in different trees of different heights and distances.

Maya gasps "This..".

Xavier smiles and turns to face Maya. He completes the sentence "-is where we learn the Art of Archery".

Maya is taken aback by his sudden announcement and gasps seeing Xavier already holding The Bow!.

'The same bow! It looks ..divine! This is how Arjuna's bow would have looked like in Epic Mahabharatam?! The curves and carvings completely speaks the Royalty! Totally!'.

Xavier smiles seeing Maya ogling at his favourite bow and forwards the bow towards Maya "Let me see whether you could at least hold this".

Maya looks at him an awe and stammers "A-are you gi-giving me this?!".

Xavier smirks "Firstly, let me see whether you are capable enough to tie its string. And the truth is I  am not giving my favourite bow to you, My Lady. Really".

Maya pouts disappointed at his serious warning and is about to hold the bow. A sudden thought arises in her mind subconsciously.

'What about the promise I made to my father? I promised that I will not hold any weapons!'.

She stops her hand in mid-air and frowns 'Everything was a lie...The lie ...costed many things of my life. No one can stop me from now on'.

Xavier scoffs "Back to Earth, My Lady".

Maya asks staring Xavier into his eyes "What are you trying to do? You told me that we will be going to the Southern Country".

Xavier smiles and grabs a belt quiver filled with arrows. He wears the quiver on his back and asks "Do you mind learning some basic lessons of archery before going there?".