The Commoner Consort: The Country's Respected Empress

None other than the Royal people has seen Kalki since years as he has always been secretive and never appeared in front of the world! This also might be a reason for people considering him as their Lords in the fables-who saves their country in shadows.

Kalki asks carelessly as if talking to himself "Did you inform her?".

(Author : Is he talking to himself? He is alone!)

Just then, Xavier walks into the chamber and speaks "I asked her to stay back. We have to lead this without her. It's just a simple formality anyway. Her presence. .".

(Author : Silly me!)

Kalki who stood to wear his outer rob, stops his action for a split second but continues again as if it doesn't matter for him.

Xavier is also wearing his outer robe to meet the Emperor of the Southern Country and asks hesitantly "Won't you ask why?".

Kalki asks grabbing his sword "Should I?".

Xavier says anyway "She doesn't like to be involved with us. In Royal matters-".

Kalki simply states while checking himself in a mirror "I don't think so".

Xavier frowns "Why?".

Kalki states "You have seen her in Imperial Court. It contradicts your statement".

Xavier ".." Indeed! In the Imperial Court she didn't behaved like she is not interested!

He clears his throat awkwardly "She was just acting impulsive. I think we should understand her and leave her alone-".

Kalki finally finished getting ready and asks staring Xavier "Why do you care?".

Xavier "..." I..

He suddenly stood dumbfounded and says after composing himself "She.. is a family now, isn't she?. We should take care of her, shouldn't we?".

Kalki looks at Xavier mysteriously and scoffs "Seems you already started treating her as your Sister-in-law".

Xavier "..." I didn't! And I will never! Ever...as Sister-in-law. .

----

In the future.

The Royal Infirmary. 

Kalki walks inside the infirmary with a stoic face. Indeed it's true that he is not a very expressive person. But the eyes of his had a very peculiar emotion which is hard to decipher this time. It was also not expressionless this time like he had been before. It had enough emotions that's for sure.

With his each steps forwarded towards The Empress, his aura completely turns colder and colder.

It's not a metaphor, the chamber in the infirmary literally turns colder and colder for real.

He looks at Maya's pale complexion and grits his teeth. His whole body burns in rage. Without realizing, he had already held Maya's blood stained palm.

Maya opens her eyes slowly as sge has already sensed his presence. She controls her overwhelming emotions which were making her rusty breaths to hinder her respiration occasionally.

Kalki's eyes caught a glimpse of her stabbed wound in her waist which is now covered with huge cotton gauges to stop her bleeding further to death.

He hisses staring right through Maya's eyes "Who was it?".

Maya coughs weakly and istead of answering him,  she whimpers "Does that matter?".

Kalki just looks at her for few moments and his eyes finally softens which is foreign expression for him.

He simply declares as if he has guessed what has happened "You had an another choice".

The Empress smiles with pride "I want only what I ask for".

A single drop of tear escapes from her left eye. No one can understand why. To understand we should have travelled a long journey with them. As for now, we only could assume the reasons of our own.

Kalki tightens his hold on Maya's palm and speaks almost to himself "I failed to own your tears even though we are...".

Maya blinks back her tears and looks away from facing him.

He knew that she would have heard him but he still looks at her stubbornly waiting for her reply. She never talks.., her heart to him.

Maya sniffles softly and says in a low voice "You don't deserve me".

Kalki chuckles instantly at her reply.

Maya raises her eyebrows in surprise and mocks him even though in her dire condition "You can smile".

Kalki smiles "Just like you can cry".

Only then Maya realizes that she never cried in front of Kalki!

Similarly, Kalki too realizes that he never smiled in front of Maya. His smile fades gradually with the sudden realization. Something made him to regret... resent... I wonder what..

He states with a sigh "Seems this is the destiny".

Maya completes his sentence guiltily "Which I wrote for myself" and corrects herself after thinking her sentence for a moment "Which..I wrote for us".

Both lost in their thoughts.

After few moments of deep thoughts, he asks meaningfully "What did you do?"

Maya stays silent without any answers. As if she is not intended to answer him anyway.

Kalki states looking at her injury "It's been a long time...".

Maya understands what he was saying and states "I never allowed myself to get betrayed before".

With that sentence, Maya's voice broke. After few more minutes, she stutters "I-I think... It's the right time".

Kalki freezes at her sentence as it caught him off guard. He could easily join the free ends in his mind and guess what she is hinting by saying the 'the right time'.

He asks seriously "What have you really done?!"

Maya looks at Kalki and begs with her pleading eyes "Forgive me, will you?".

Kalki feels Maya's hand turning cold and gasps in shock.

Maya stays silent with her eyes on Kalki's panic sprouting face. She feels pity seeing him in this state.

'I have never seen this side of this man... I shouldn't have stayed here...Any of this shouldn't have happened...It should not happen! Just believe me for the last time, will you? I have turned everything right..'.

Kalki grunts "I asked you to stay! With me! Do you really want to leave me behind?! Alone?! As a mere Incomplete Soul?!".

Maya's lips shiver while she controlled her tears. Her pale lips parted and whispered "Nothing will change even if I stay".