Abhiveera quickly detached the small paper from the bird's leg and opened it. He started reading it. It was from Cabail.
In the letter, he informed that Vikram and Ankush has reached Aaro and Vikram had already started his mission. Ankush also started his training to enter in palace. He will enter in palace next week and till then, one of his men who works in Aaro palace, will handle the situation. The letter was sent late because he was waiting for Viraaj to reach Aaro so that he can inform them, that's why the bird arrived late.
Abhiveera inhaled in relief. "They reached Aaro.....all of them."
A slight smile of relief appeared on Ashwant and Raksheet's face.
"That's good." Ashwant said.
Raksheet looked down at the bird, caressing it's head gently with his thumb. That reminded him of Ira. He once said that Ira is like a dove bird to him. Like a new beginning, peace, love, luck and prosperity. She will be happy to see it.
"Can i bring it to my chamber?" Raksheet asked to his grandfather.
"Why?" Abhiveera asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion that why his grandson is acting like a kid that want to play with a bird as if he never saw it before.
"I want to show it to Ira. She is missing her grandfather. She might feel good to see it. It's from her kingdom. She will be happy." He replied with a joyful smile that made Abhiveera chuckle.
He can't refuse it when it comes to his granddaughter in-law, Ira.
"Ok, go on. Don't forget to feed it properly. We will send it back tomorrow."
"Ok." Raksheet replied and caressed the bird's head gently.
Ira was lying on her bed, blankly staring outside the window. Without any expression on her face and her eyes were lacking emotion. She just wanted to forget everything, leave this world and feel peace entering her heart. Her mind was chaotic with all the memories of her grandfather with her. She was feeling as if she lost everything and there is no way she can get it back when suddenly she heard some footsteps entering in the chamber.
She tilted her head a little to look at the person entered in the chamber and again turned her head towards window when she saw Raksheet walking inside.
He sat down on the bed while his hands were behind his back.
"Princess...." He called her, impatient to see the smile that will spread on her lips soon.
"Hmm" She replied without looking at him
"Turn around. Look at me." He leaned forward towards her ear "I have a surprise for you."
She slowly turned arround to look at him even if she wasn't interested in any surprise.
"What?"
Raksheet took out the bird from behind his back and showed it to her with a bright smile "This. It's beautiful, isn't it? Remember, i told you that you are like a dove bird for me?"
The bird didn't lit up Ira's mood much, but it succeed in making her smile a little.
She forwarded her hand and caressed the bird's head. "Yes, i remember. It's beautiful."
"Aren't you happy?" He asked after hearing Ira's half hearted answer.
She looked up at him and then again at the bird "I am. But it's just a bird. There are a lot of them like this one in our palace."
He chuckled "No, it's not just a bird like other birds."
Ira furrowed her eyebrows in confusion "What is so special about this one?"
"It is special." He replied "Because it's from Aaro."
Ira's eyes widened after hearing her kingdom's name, she quickly sat up and asked "It's from Aaro?"
Raksheet nod with a smile.
She forwarded her hand to hold the bird and Raksheet gave it to her carefully.
"Did Grandfather sent it here?" She asked while caressing the bird with teary eyes.
"No. My spy sent it with a message that they arrived in Aaro." Raksheet replied.
"Oh." Ira's excitement dropped but still she was happy that this bird came from Aaro and the spies reached Aaro. It means the mission will start soon.
Raksheet held Ira's hand "In the message, he mentioned that your grandfather reached Aaro as well, safe and sound."
She looked at him and smiled. "Okay."
There was a silence for a while and then Raksheet asked.
"Do you want to feed it?"
Ira nod "Yes, but what can we feed him?"
"Rice, wheat, grain. Wait, i tell someone to bring it here." He said and walked outside the chamber.
Soon a maid came with a tray with some grain and water.
"Here it is." He said and took the tray from maid and told her to leave. He went towards Ira and sat down beside her.
He took some grain in his palm and forwarded it towards the bird. Ira was watching him carefully, holding the bird in her hands.
"You can put it down. It will not fly." Raksheet said thinking that Ira's hand must be hurting to hold the bird from such a long time and it would be difficult for the bird to eat.
"Are you sure? I don't want it to fly away." She looked at the window "The window is open too. It's easy for him to fly out."
Raksheet chuckled on Ira's innocence "No, it will not fly out. Even if you are afraid that it will fly away...." He stepped down from the bed and walked towards the window. "I am closing it. Fine?" He asked after closing the window.
She smiled at him and nod. "Yes."
He came back to her and sat down.
She released the bird from her hold and placed it on the bed. The bird walked a few steps after getting free from Ira's hold and walked towards the tray. It immediately started eating the grain as it was hungry after flying for such a long time without eating anything.
"Can we keep it?" She asked, admiring the bird with a smile.
"No, we have to send it back tomorrow."
"Why??" She asked displeased. Her smile dropped.
"Princess, it takes so much time to train a bird. And my spies are so poor, they can't afford to buy more birds." He laughed on his own excuse.
"You are lying." She complained "You can buy more for them."
"But I can't train them." He defended himself.
Ira looked at the bird with unhappy look and caressed its back.
"Princess..." He called but she ignored.
He leaned forward to make her look at him "Don't be sad. When mission will be over, I will ask my spy to gift it to you. And if you want more, I will ask him to buy hundreds of different birds from Aaro for you. Ok?"
She smiled and leaned towards him, her head resting on his lap "Ok."
Next day, Raksheet wrote a message to Cabail and sent it with the bird.
Ira was a little sad that the bird left but her husband was there to cheer her up. He dragged her towards the horse barn, doesn't matter how much she refused. He asked her to do horse riding with him.
"Come on princess, don't be sad anymore." He said and forwarded his hand towards Ira to help her climb on Agni. "Come."
She smiled a little and accepted Raksheet's hand. She hopped on and sat down infront of him.
"Good." He kissed her cheek before starting the ride.
"Don't you have work today?" She asked.
"Yes, I do have work. But my wife is important too." He kissed her head and wrapped his arms arround her waist to hold her tight. "In past few days, We didn't get to spend some good time together. I am your husband, I need your attention too." He complained in a soft tone.