THE hospital hallway and waiting room was filled to the brim with several people as they parambted about. Why not? They had heard the doctor himself; the CEO of Rana Hospitals came around.


    Raghav sat in his office as he busied himself writing on some files on hisrge desk, at intervals, he looked into hisptop whichid on the table, then he turned back to his writing.


    The office was arge one, a typical doctor’s office. There was arge desk at the middle, a swivel chair on the opposite side of it, two swivel chairs on the other side, for visitors and patients.


    Therge desk was filled with so many files and documents all piled up, twoptops and some several other medical stuffs.


    On the walls were medical rted calenders and pictures. A huge photo frame of the prince in a doctor apparel stood boldly on the wall behind his seat.


    The inte buzzed and he nced at it, then dropped his pen to answer it.


    “May?”, his cold voice spoke into the inte.


    “Good day sir”, May from the other end replied, she was his secretary.


    “Shoot ahead”, he ordered.


    “The elderly patient who had said wanted you to attend to her is still waiting”, she said.


    Raghav sighed, rxing into his swivel chair. What the heck?


    This patient was an old woman, and ording to her, she hade because she heard he came around and so, she wanted him to attend to her personally.


    “Alright, tell her to return tomorrow, if she doesn’t want any other doctor to attend to her, I’m seriously busy and filled with lots of work”, he exined.


    “Okay…”.


    “Give her an appointment by 9am, I’ll definitely attend to her tomorrow”, he interrupted.


    “Okay Sir, consider it done”, and the call went off.


    He sighed and turned back to his work. What difference does it makes if he attends to her? They are all qualified doctors and it’s the same thing, gosh! Heughed out.


    Minutester there was a knock on the door, and he subconsciously looked up.


    “Come in”, he said and turned back to his work.


    The door opened and Terry entered.


    “The man of the hour”, he hailed raising his fisted right hand.


    Raghav smiled and turned to him.


    “Bro”, he said.


    “Your grace”, he bowed then sat on the seat opposite him.


    “How is your day going?”, Raghav asked.


    Terry sighed.


    “Going fine. Mmmmm”, he chuckled.


    Raghav intently looked at him. Okay, what was going on now?


    “What?”, he asked.


    “Maharana, you have been working so hectic since you arrived New York, like what the hell? No little y at all, just work, work, work”, he said.


    “Oops”, he mouthed.


    “Of course I have to work, to keep the money flowing bro”.


    Heughed.


    “Come on, you are already a bastard multi billonaire. If anybody should work as this, it should be me, not you”, he said.


    He syed his right hand on his forehead, rxing morefortably into the swivel chair.


    “You are right though”, he replied.


    “Yeah, you need to hang out, cool off, rest, have fun, you know”, he winked.


    Raghav looked at him crankily and then shook his head.


    “Well I don’t get what you mean by having fun though, but you are right”, he said.


    Terry smiled.


    “Sure, you don’t need to overwork yourself too much else Rina gonna have a heart attack and I know you don’t want that”, he winked.


    His eyebrows furrowed.


    “You are an idiot”.


    Theyughed.


    “Besides you don’t call her Rina, she is my queen, add some respect”, he said.


    He chuckled.


    “Alright, alright, taken”, he raised his two hands up in surrender.


    “Well speaking of hanging out to cool off, where do you suggest?”, Raghav asked.


    “Our usual, or do you have another ce in mind?”.


    He shook his head in the negation.


    “Our usual please. I’ll be with you in few minutes”, he began clearing up his desk.


    Terry nodded, then got up.


    “Besides we have a lot of catching up to do”.


    Raghav giggled.


    “So we haven’t been catching up since?”, he asked.


    Heughed.


    “Not really. I’ll be waiting at the parking lot”.


    “Alright, will be with you shortly”.


    Terry slightly bowed, and walked out the office.


    ? Minutes Later ?


    Club Xhrine


    The duo arrived at the club few minutester, and they drove towards the parking lot. The usual urrence that follows their entrance took off, people shouting and cheering, all wanting to see, or touch the prince.


    The guards did their jobs well anyway, the people could only admire from a distance.


    “It’s barely bubbling herepared to the evenings”, Raghav said as they walked up to the entrance of the clubhouse.


    Terryughed.


    “Come on man, clubbings are meant for evenings, not during the day time, so what do you expect?”.


    He simply nodded.


    “You are right. Oh, let’s sit under the bush bar today, I don’t wanna get in”, he said.


    “Oh, alright”, and they changed directions, heading towards the back of the building.


    Soon they were settled under the bar, their table already set with different varieties of wines.


    “Cheers my prince”, Terry said as he proposed for a toast.


    “A toast to friendship, love and brotherhood”, Raghav replied and their ss tumblers nked against each other, then they drank.


    Raghav signalled to the guard closer to him.


    “Get me the today’s papers”, he ordered.


    The guard bowed and walked out.


    “My gee, what do you need that for?”, Terry asked pouring himself some wine.


    Raghav scoffed.


    “I need to be updated man”, he shortly replied.


    He noddedughing.


    “Seriously, you are getting me worried these days Maharana”, he said.


    Raghav looked befuddled.


    “How do you mean?”, he sipped some wine from his ss tumbler.


    “When did you start reading the news on papers? After you returned home? Or alright fine… yourdy”, he stretched his cup towards him.


    Raghav kept mute staring at him, then he sighed.


    “I don’t have an answer for you right now bro”.


    The guard returned at that instant with the newspapers in his hands, and he handed it to him.


    Raghav first dropped his drink on the table, then collected the papers and began going through it. He kept flipping as Terry watched him.


    “You remember Lionel?”, Terry suddenly asked.


    “What about him?”, he asked still looking into the papers.


    “He’s blown bro”.


    “Really?”, his eyebrows furrowed.


    “Yup. He’s actually travelled to Vietnam you know”.


    “Someone most people thought would never go anywhere”, Raghav said, his eyes were still fixed on the papers.


    Terry sighed.


    “This has really taught me a lesson, life is in stages. You so much believed in him, how did you know?”.


    Raghav smirked.


    “Never look down on people except you wanna admire their shoes”, he picked up his drink from the table.


    Terry kept mute for some seconds, thenughed out.


    “Real wisdom my prince, sounds funny though but real wisdom”.


    “What!”, Raghav suddenly eximed as he looked into the newspapers. Terry turned to him.


    “What’s that?”, he asked.


    “My gee, what’s this?”, he handed the paper to Terry and he nced at it, then bursted outughing.


    “Is it funny?”, Raghav asked taking the papers back.


    “I’m sorry my prince, this is one of the things I had wanted to tell you, it’s a good thing you saw it yourself though”, he sipped some wine.


    “When did this one start?”.


    “Barely two months ago”.


    “And she’s already blown? Already famous? Gosh! I doubt this”.


    Terryughed.


    “I knew you were not gonna believe. Be is a renowned and well known model now, her shows are top notch”, he exined.


    Raghav spat out. Be, a model? My gee, like when did this happen? It was never in her agenda, never.


    He looked at her picture again and his eyes twitched.


    “Did she do her body?”, he asked.


    “Oh yes she did. Models, they need to be slim you know”, he smirked.


    “Ew, this disgusts me, the surgery has made her look ugly”, he pulled up a disgust face.


    Terryughed.


    “Forget that part Raghav, she is a boss of her own now, the fame and money is now there. She normally visits the clubhouse and might even be here soon”, he shrugged.


    “Goodness, I’m more than surprised. Well, if that’s what it’s gonna take her mind off me, it’s good”, he finished off the wine in his cup and Terry offered to refill it.


    “Take her mind off you you say?”, he scoffed.


    “Then you are wrong my prince. If you don’t know, she actually went into the celebrity world to get your attention”.


    “What!”, his eyes were widened in surprise.


    “How do you know that?”.


    He sighed.


    “She told that to me. My prince, Be is so obsessed with you, she is so desperate, she can go miles just to make sure she have you”.


    Raghav scoffed, what a possessed desperate woman? He was speechless to utter a word as he just sipped in silence.


    Just then there was amotion emanating from the other side of the building, like the sirens of an ambnce.


    Terry sat up.


    “That’s her”, he said.


    What the hell is she doing here?


    *


    *


    *


    The throne room was once again filled with the pce guards and the pce maids, this time much more than before as everybody was summoned.


    They were all standing in a semi circle, their hands put behind them as usual.


    The queen was sitting on a couch few distance in front of them, her face straight and mean as usual. Her daughter, Princess Prisha sat close to her. She had returned from her extra murals few minutes after the Guru arrived the pce.


    On therge spacing on the down floor of the room, a mat was spread and the Guru sat on it, his working materials spread on the mat as well.


    Rina looked at him intently, studying him. The Guru was a well known and highly respected person of the kingdom, he was seen and known as their personal and spiritual teacher.


    Hidden secrets and the rich knowledge of the kingdom was transmitted orally from him to the people. He guides the king most especially, and ordains royal councilors and cabs.


    He was also known to prescribe spiritual disciplines to their devotees, who follow their dictates in a tradition of service and obedience.


    This was Guru Nanak, he’s been the guru of the kingdom from time immemorial, he was an old but strong white beard man and was only seen on rare asions. This was the second time Rina was seeing him, and she felt d to, he was indeed a man of wisdom to behold.


    There was great silence as everyone watched in fear as Nanak portray some items and yed some stunts right there on the mat.


    After some minutes, he looked up and gazed at everyone’s face.


    “A great tragedy has befallen Shi kingdom”, he began speaking.


    “We already know that Nanak, what have youe here to do?”, Queen Arya asked.


    Nanak smirked.


    “Hold it right there woman, the truth has to be told. The truth and nothing but the truth”, he said.


    “Yes we know the…”.


    “The children of yourte sister entered the pce this morning through the door, and they left through the window, like a thief”, he interrupted.


    Prisha flinched and turned to her mother. It seems she is still ignorant of what happened. Arya sighed and looked away, not wanting to meet her gaze.


    “They havemitted atrocity and had defiled the throne, where is the king; his royal majesty?”, he asked.


    A hush fell on everyone as they began ncing at themselves. Prisha turned to her mother.


    “Where is dad?”, she asked.


    Arya rolled her eyes then looked away.


    “He is fine Prisha. Look Nanak, focus on what you came here for, I’m still yet to know”.


    Prisha shook her head in negation.


    “No mummy, no. You can’t keep countering the Guru, where is dad? And what has your lovely nephew and niece done?”, she asked, shouting.


    “You don’t shout on your mother Prisha, I deserve respect”, she raged.


    Everyone flinched, almost freaking off. The arguments going on between the queen and the little princess was heated, jeez, the princess might look little, but she isn’t.


    Prisha instantly became weak as she felt something amiss, tears began welling up her eyes.


    The Guruughed making everyone turn to him.


    “Your beloved father, the king of this great kingdom is resting”, he said to Prisha.


    “Resting? What do you mean resting?”, she asked, her voice was low.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Nanak nodded.


    “As a matter of fact, he returned home with a little headache, and had to retire to his room. But your mother, the queen is not helping matters”.


    “I won’t let youe into my pce to insult me Nanak”, the queen stood up, “you better say what you have to say or I’ll let my guards take you back to your temple”, she said.


    Nanakughed out again.


    “You talk like a child woman. Why do you choose to cover up evil? You don’t know what dangers, what harms you are protecting, wait until it blows up and end up harming you more”, he said.


    Arya sighed.


    “It’s enough, say what you have to say and leave”, she sat down.


    “I was in my temple few hours ago when suddenly, my water pot exploded, signalling danger. What happened in the throne room today?”, he asked.


    A hush fell on them, they all kept mute and silent, nobody was speaking, nobody made attempt to speak.


    Prisha looked around, hoping to get some information from someone.


    “No one is talking, what happened?”, she bursted out crying.


    Oh, Rina felt sorry for her and wished she could talk, she looked at the queen, her mean face was fixed on the throne, she was mute as well.


    “No one speaks?”, Nanak asked looking from one person to another.


    All their faces were expressionless, especially the guards, mean and straight.


    Nanak smirked nodding slowly.


    “Everyone was present in the pce, yet no one knew what happened in the throne room”, he said.


    “This is ridiculous, impossible”, Prisha said, she was now whimpering.


    The Guru sighed.


    “Alright, I give three minutes, else, a great cmity would befall a very important member of the royal family”.


    “What!”, Prisha eximed.


    Rina almost passed out, a great cmity? On a very important member of the royal family? Oh my goodness, what if the person is gonna be the prince? Her prince? What if it’s Prisha? What if it’s the king? Or what if…


    She turned to the queen, she still sat emotionless staring at nothing in particr. Rina flinched, like what the hell? Wasn’t she scared it could be her, her husband or her children? Gosh! This woman was indeed heartless.


    She turned back to the Guru fighting with her conscience if she should speak out or not. This was a matter of life and death, the members of the royal family were important to her.


    Her prince could be involved, there’s every possibility and she doesn’t want that, he’s so dear to her and so, she made up her mind to speak.


    “Time psed, the cmity holds”, she heard the Guru announced and saw him packing up his materials.


    “No ooooo!”, Prisha shouted, and she turned to her.


    “Holy moly!”, Rina whispered.


    “Not that I don’t really know what happened”, Nanak suddenly said, “of course I know, but I just wanted to hear it from someone as the tradition demands”, he got up.


    Rina was now feeling uneasy and ufortable, the Guru was about to leave, though it’s alreadyte but she could still save someone.


    “The fly which refuses to listen to instructions would definitely end up in the belly of a bird”, he spoke as he began leaving.


    “To be forewarned is to be forearmed”, he stopped at the entrance, then turned to the people again.


    That was when Rina slowly shoot up her left hand, and the Guru sighted her.


    “You want to say something?”, he asked and everybody turned to her immediately, except for the queen, she was still staring into space, looking at no one in particr.


    Jeez, goosebumps. Rina felt weird.


    “Ugh… yes”, she stuttered.


    Nanak smiled, at least there was one who’s still brave. Prisha smiled too, at least she trusted Rina, even if no one else dares, she will.


    “I know something, I was actually the one who had spotted him in here and shouted for help”.


    “What!”, Prisha shouted.


    The queen turned to Rina instantly, and their gaze met, she flinched.


    “I admire your courage girl, unfortunately it’s already toote, the cmity still holds, it’s in the tradition, but nevertheless, there is a reward for you”, and he turned away from them.


    “I take my leave”, and finally he left.


    ? Minutes Later ?


    Queen Arya sat on the biggest couch in the living room, looking pained and angry. Infact, she was so peeved, so peeved.


    Two maids stood behind her, one at each end.


    Despite her stern warnings, someone dared unt it? What a disrespect!


    “Hmmm”, she groaned and fisted her right hand then hit it on the arm of the couch.


    “Who… was…that…maid?”, she asked picking her words one after the other.


    The maids nced at themselves and shrugged.


    “Who?”, Arya shouted, startling them.


    “It’s … it’s Rina”, one of them replied.


    “Goodness!”, she banged her fist on the arm of the couch again.


    “Go get her”, she ordered.