Vikram's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed red when he got to know that Raksheet already know about his secret crush on the maid.
"W-What are you talking about your majesty? There is nothing like that. I just know her. She work in our palace so i should know about her background, that's why I know this much about her." He tried to deny and give a acceptable explanation.
"Oh really? Then do you have information of other maids and servants working in palace? Did you checked their background?" Raksheet asked, trapping Vikram in his own words.
"I will not be surprised if you ask me to call her by your surname or Mrs. Vikram someday."
"What! N-No, you are thinking too much your majesty. I told you it's not like that."
Raksheet laughed on Vikram's silly behaviour. How such a intelligent and brave spy can be so shy and deny to accept his love.
"Vikram, you can deny it infront of others but not infront of me. I know you since childhood. And I have seen you looking at her so many times. I don't mind if you like her or want to marry her. But I want you to learn more about her and her background. May be she is innocent but she can be a spy too." Raksheet warned, not wanting Vikram to fall in a spy's trap who can ruin not only their family's happiness but can distroy their kingdom too.
"But your majesty, she is working here for more than seven years. She was just a teenager when she came here. How can she be a spy?" Vikram asked concern. He don't want his lover to get called a spy or criminal.
"People can spend their entire life to take revenge and distroy their rivals. And the most trustable and loyal peoples are spies. They can serve their entire life for their kingdom without any hesitation. You know it better. I know you love her but you should be careful before taking any step forward. She may want to misguide us or may be she is telling the truth. We don't know."
Vikram looked down at the table infront of him in dilemma. He never doubted her. His heart is refusing to doubt on her. But his mind is telling him to suspect her according to his duty.
Raksheet got up from his seat and walked towards Vikram. He patted his shoulder "Continue your investigation and find some valid evidence. I am not telling you to stop loving her. Just be careful and be sure about her background as it can affect our Kingdom." He patted Vikram's shoulder one last time before walking towards door. He stopped at door and asked "By the way, what's her name?"
Vikram stood up and looked at Raksheet. He was scared that may be Raksheet will send someone to investigate his lover's background. But doesn't matter how much he love her, he can't lie to his king. He have to be loyal, so he answered "A-Adity." He replied, trying to look normal but the fear in his eyes was telling everything.
Raksheet chuckled to see his bravest spy getting scared for his love. "Don't worry. I will not hurt her. I just wanted to know my bravest spy's lover's name. As for her background check, I think you can do it better than anyone else. All the best." He then left his office as it was already lunch time. He went towards Viraaj's chamber because he know his wife will not leave her grandfather's chamber and he want to have lunch with her.
When he reached Viraaj's chamber, he knocked on the door "May I come in?"
"Please, come in your majesty." Viraaj said jokingly.
"Grandfather, you don't call me that. Call me by my name." Raksheet said and sat down on the chair beside Viraaj's bed.
"Ok ok. I will."
"What are you doing here? It's lunch time. Go have your lunch." Ira said while coming towards him when she was done arranging Viraaj's cloth in his almirah.
"I know it's lunch time and that's why I am here. I am here to have lunch with you and grandfather." Raksheet replied. "I already told mother to send food for us." He looked arround suspiciously "The temperature here is much colder than other chambers. Even my office is hot like it's burning. How is it so cold here?" He asked as he removed his rob and put it away.
Ira and Viraaj looked at eachother
"The window is open. Can't you see? It's cold here because of the window." Ira replied.
Raksheet scoffed and looked at Ira with a smile "Really?" He raised his eyebrow questioningly "Then my office should have been frozen by now. If only open windows can reduce temperature this much, then the window beside pond should freeze the entire chamber."
Ira folded her hand on her chest and narrowed her eyes on her husband, thinking how smart he is. It's hard to trick him.
Raksheet leaned backward on his chair and crossed his hands on his chest. "Now, tell me princess, what's going on here?"
Ira sighed and rolled her eyes on Raksheet. She walked towards the corner of the chamber and moved the curtain that was hiding a big container filled with ice. There were more containers in each corner of the chamber.
Raksheet's eyebrows raised in surprise when he saw the reason of coldness in the chamber.
"Mr. Chiron said that grandfather's body is not used to the temperature of Jwalana. He need the cold temperature like how it is in Aaro. So i asked some servants to buy some ice and place it in grandfather's chamber." Ira explained.
"Everyone is doing so much for me. Everyone have to spend their time on taking care of me. I am sorry Raksheet. Because of me, you can't spend time with your wife and family." Viraaj said with an apologetic look. Because of his health condition, Ira have to stay with him all the day as Dhishva is spending time with Ashwant, discussing some political matters. Even if he had time, Viraaj already forbidded him from staying with him after how he yelled at Ira before. Because Ira is always with her grandfather, Raksheet also have to eat with Viraaj in his chamber if he want to spend some time with his wife.
"That's not true grandfather. There is nothing to feel sorry about. You are my grandfather too. Spending time with you is also spending time with family." Raksheet held Viraaj's hand and smiled reassuringly that he is not bothering anyone and don't have to feel sorry.
In between, a maid brought the food for them. The maid knocked on the door, asking permission to enter in the chamber.
Before Ira or Viraaj can response, Raksheet got up from his seat and walked towards door. "You sit, I will take care of it." He said to Ira.
He walked towards the maid and asked in a low voice so that only that maid can hear him "You are bringing it here right from the kitchen, right? Did anyone touched it?"
"No your majesty, no one touched it except for her highness queen Avanya and me. I am bringing it here right from the kitchen." The maid replied in the same low voice so that only Raksheet can hear her.
"Ok. Bring it inside." He said and walked inside. He signalled maid to place the food on the table near the window.
After having lunch, Ira asked Raksheet about the investigation. Whether he found that intruder.
"Sorry princess, i haven't found that intruder yet. The investigation is still on. I will tell you as soon as I find him. Ok?" Raksheet said with an apologetic look.
Ira looked down in disappointment and nod "Ok." She looked at Raksheet and smiled bitterly "I hope you will find him soon."
"I will. I promise." He hugged Ira to comfort her. She must be worried that intruder may try to hurt Viraaj again or run away and hide and they will not be able to catch him.
'Sorry princess, I can't tell you the truth. Let me find more evidence. When i have enough evidence against that person, I will tell you everything. I don't want your feelings to get hurt because of the half information.' He thought.
After that, he left for his work and Ira went inside Viraaj's chamber.
When Raksheet was walking through the hallway to go to his office, a soldier came to inform him about royal healer's presence.
"Greetings your majesty." The soldier said "The royal healer Mr. Chiron has come to meet you. He is in the meeting hall."
"Summon him to my office." Raksheet said with a serious expression and walked passed the soldier. He straight went to his office and waited for the healer impatiently. Mr. Chiron must have found something about the medicine. What is wrong with those medicines?
As Raksheet was in his deep thoughts, thinking about Ira, Viraaj, intruder and medicines, Chiron knocked on his office door.
Raksheet snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the door.
"May I come in your majesty?" Chiron asked with a soft smile.
Raksheet sat straight and cleared his throat before answering "Yes, please. Come have a seat." He gestured Chiron to sit infront of him.
Chiron sat down obediently "Thank you."
"So, tell me. Did you find something? Are those medicines really harmful?" Raksheet asked eagerly and anxiously.
Chiron nod with an serious look "Yes, your majesty. Those medicines are indeed harmful. Not only harmful but life threatening." He took out the medicines from his bag and gave it to Raksheet. "I checked them. They look exactly like his majesty's original medicines, that's why he didn't found any difference from outside but from inside, I mean, the ingredients of these medicines are little different."
"How?" Raksheet asked. This time, his expressions were even more severe and displeased.