The Commoner Consort: The Country's Respected Empress

Maya assures with a faint smile "Thank you for your efforts. I will wear it for an important occasion. Do not make that face now!"

Sarah wonders with a frown "What could be more important than your first visit to the Royal Palace? Why are you not happy about it?!".

Maya says bitterly "I think you have forgotten some important event. I was brought out of that place on my first day itself by none other than your Respected Crown Prince. Are you seriously expecting me to jump around in joy?!".

Sarah sits beside Maya reluctantly and speaks "M-Maya, I genuinely want you to be happy about this visit. I can be punished for my behaviour now if someone sees me sitting equally next to you but-". She speaks checking around in fear. Even though they were sitting inside a chamber, Sarah couldn't help feel vulnerable.

Maya smiles holding Sarah's hand "No one can punish you without my permission, can they? You can not only sit beside me but also be yourself whenever you are with me. But I could only feel fear whenever I hear of The Royals". Saying so, Maya gets silent thinking deeply.

Sarah nods thinking something and asks in a low voice "How about your marriage? I heard marriage is a bond of seven lives in your country? Are you not going to fulfil your marriage vows?".

Maya laughs at her words startling Sarah 'Fulfilling marriage vows for seven lives?! Does she really think that I would be doing that?!'. She declares "I do not believe in any of the rituals and religions".

Sarah stares at Maya for few minutes trying to understand Maya's words and asks "Are you for real?!".

Maya laughs lightly and nods "It's hard to believe but that's the truth".

Sarah shakes her head in disbelief "How could this be possible?! Are you really from Hindustan?!"

Maya chuckles "Your Crown Prince brought me from there, didn't he? Why do you doubt him?"

Sarah "…"Am I doubting our Crown Prince?! Is she tricking me by my own

sentence?!

Sarah still protests to believe and asks "How can you not believe in religion when you are from the Country of Spirituality? How can you even live not believe in religion alone?"

Maya states simply "Religion is a luxury that I couldn't afford to carry with me"

Sarah "…" What is she talking? Why can't I understand her words?

Seeing her confused face, Maya explains "If I have many other important struggles to fight, then I wouldn't care about fables, would I?".

Sarah declares irked "They are not fables!"

Maya chuckles "I am saying my thoughts but that doesn't mean I am right, does it?"

Sarah sighs leaving the matter mumbling "You are not right…" and goes out saying "I will be back in few moments. I will help you get ready to the Dinner"

Maya lets out a deep breath in defeat and looks outside the window of the chamber.

'I wonder what is waiting for me there tonight..'.

----

After several hours.

The Royal Palace.

The Imperial Court Room.

Kalki is seated in his throne next to the Emperor's.

The Imperial Court Room is a huge hall where the Royal people gather to discuss and take important decisions. Though it's the rule of the Imperial Court, no one has dared to voice their suggestions as every decision has been taken by The Emperor solely.

The Emperor's throne was placed higher of all the chairs on a stage while Crown Prince's throne is just lower than the Emperor's. The seats of other Royal people were placed equally in the shape of an arc and there are several rows of seats aligned in the same manner but no one was seated in any of them. Only two front rows of the seats were filled with Royal people.

The hall was filled with complete silence until a soldier announced "The Hearing starts now! The complaints and suggestions about The Construction of Dam across The Southern River can be put forward to His Highness for consideration!"

SILENCE!!

Kalki looks around the people sitting in complete silence for few moments and smirks in disdain. He looks at the soldier who just announced and nods subtly.

The soldier announces after nodding back at Kalki as if he was previously informed about what he had to do now "The Hearing is postponed and extended till tomorrow at noon. The Court would be hearing the suggestions again, in front of the representatives of the Countryside people tomorrow. His Highness requests everyone to stay in the Royal Palace and honour us!"

GASPS

Everyone in the room gets astonished as it has never happened.

"The representatives of people in Imperial Court Room?!"

"Since when the people started to appear for the Hearing?!"

Kalki stands slowly and the crowd stands at once after him. The silence fills the Court Room till Kalki walks out of the place. Only after his leave, the crowd again starts whispering and talking about the sudden change of Emperor's path.

-----

The Emperor's Chamber.

Emperor Philip wonders with a proud smile on his face "Did I hear everything right, Son?"

Kalki stood tying his hands back and watching outside the window. He answers carelessly without even seeing the Emperor's face "Does your spy dare lying His Respected Emperor? If so, then he must be bored of living his life".

Seems the Emperor is used to his son's aloof behaviour.

Emperor Philip smirks "So why the sudden change in the procedure? Care to explain?".

Kalki frowns looking at the window frame of the chamber and holds it slightly.

CRACK!

Kalki raises his eyebrows and recalls the broken frame of the window in the Countryside Pavilion.

Emperor Philip clears his throat to gain his beloved son's attention and wonders "What caught your attention, Son?"

Kalki mumbles under his breath "The girl…" and steps backs looking the full view of the window frame. He wonders curiously "What's this frame made of? How strong it is?"