Warrior Princess; Her Quest to the throne

"You can't bring him here. He is underage," said the security guard who was stationed outside the drinking establishment.     

The legal age for drinking had been determined as sixteen in Chandragarh. Admitting underage children attracted huge penalties for the establishment owners.     

Shaurya leaned forward and said, "don't say that out so loud. He is extremely sensitive about his lack of growth. This is his identification paper which says he is nearly seventeen."     

Mriga's intestines were smashing against her stomach walls in trepidation and excitement. She didn't know whose papers had Shaurya shown as hers to help her gain admittance into the pub. He hadn't exchanged a single word with her on the way to this place. But she didn't mind it. Whether this was a punishment or a test, she was willing to show that she could handle it.     

The suspicious guard let them in with a grunt. Loud chatters greeted Mriga as she entered the place. There was a peculiar stink floating in the air, which she couldn't identify. She willed her nose not to scrunch up in displeasure.     

"You got me a new customer, handsome," said a middle-aged woman to Shaurya.     

She was decked up in gaudy clothes and thick layers of make-up and seemed to be the owner.     

"You can take your usual table. I will send someone with the drinks," she waved her hands in the air.     

He bowed his head slightly, in acknowledgement and led the way towards the end of the room. Mriga followed him, trying her best to not stare at the tableau in front of her. She had never seen anyone under the influence of liquor before. Even at the annual zilla fairs, which were elaborate events, she hadn't witnessed such a scene. They went and sat at a table located next to a set of open windows.     

"Keep your fascination under control. Your eyes resemble oversized saucers. You are here to observe, not draw attention towards yourself. The trick is to look at people, without them realising that they are being observed," he chastised her under his breath.     

She looked at him contritely. A gaily dressed boy who seemed to be closer to her age, banged a pitcher full of foul smelling liquid and a couple of glasses at their table. Shaurya filled both glasses with the near transparent liquid and pushed one towards her.     

"Don't even think about drinking it. It is just for show," he warned her.     

By now, her curiosity had gone berserk. This was a far cry from the time-bound courier activities that she had indulged in up till now, as part of the administrative department internship. But she dared not utter a squeak. While she looked around the room surreptitiously, Shaurya had drained his glass outside the window with a nonchalance. He refilled his glass with exaggerated movements and emptied it again after a bit, stealthily. He repeated the process few more times before calling loudly for another pitcher.     

"Do not move from the seat," he said before getting up unsteadily and walking towards the stairs which were located next to the pub's entrance door. She saw him stumble while climbing up. Suddenly a female came and put his arm around her shoulder. He swayed in her arms while climbing the remaining stairs.     

"She is…oh, she is the woman from this afternoon," Mriga's mind galloped, conjuring up various scenarios.     

"She looks to be in her early twenties but is definitely older than Shaurya. Is that his girlfriend?" she rejected that thought as soon as it popped up in her head.     

He wouldn't bother with such an elaborate ruse to meet a girl. More importantly, he wouldn't dress up so bad to meet his lady love. So, what exactly is he doing here? What am I doing here?" she thought, her head working feverishly to connect the dots.     

"Here's your food," the same boy came to the table and laid a couple of dishes in front of her.     

She looked at the food in surprise. In the excitement, she had forgotten all about dinner. Her stomach emitted a loud rumble showing its displeasure at being ignored for so long. She gave the boy a dismissive smile and dived into the food and resurfaced after polishing off both the platters. There was no sign of Shaurya so she looked around the room. Some people were sitting alone, lost in their thoughts. Others were a merry raucous bunch. One guy caught her attention because he looked as if he didn't belong here. He kept tapping his foot vigorously on the ground. A mixture of impatience and nervousness was visible on his face. He was sitting diagonally opposite to her, with his back towards the stairs. He looked up every few minutes to check the entrance.     

"Is he the one that I am supposed to be looking out for?" Mriga thought excitedly.     

She made note of his clothes, his features and a rough estimation of his height. She couldn't wait to share the same with Shaurya.     

She gritted her teeth and pinched her nose to control herself from displaying impatience. The man was ready to settle the bill and there was still no sign of Shaurya. For a bold minute, she contemplated going after the man as he left the establishment. But she sat back as per the strict instructions which Shaurya had drilled into her head. After a frustrating lapse of time, Shaurya finally came and sat down. He reeked of sweat and the now recognisable smell of alcohol.     

"You are too late. He has already left," she said petulantly.     

Shaurya looked up startled.     

"What do you mean?" he asked.     

"The man who was supposed to be here…the one you wanted me to keep an eye out for, he has left," she said impatiently.