"Good. Work hard and don't disappoint anyone. How old are you?"
Ankush looked at Agastya for answer. Agastya tried to answer Viraaj but he stopped him in middle.
"I asked him. Let him answer." Viraaj said to Agastya and looked at Ankush "Ankush, tell me, how old are you?" His question sounded like an order.
With a little hesitation and stuttering voice, Ankush answered. "I-I am t-twenty one years old."
"Good. Where do you live?" Viraaj questioned again with a smile.
Ankush glanced at Agastya, looking a bit scared and then answered.
"With brother." He pointed towards Agastya.
Viraaj furrowed his eyebrows "What about your family? Do they also live with him?"
Ankush fell silent and looked at Agastya. He held Agastya's sleeves and hided behind him like a little kid.
"Your majesty, he lost his family in last year's landslide. So I am his only family now. He is my responsibility. That incident had left a big scar on his heart and memories that's why he gets scared around new people and can't talk confidently." Agastya replied.
Viraaj's eyes softened "Oh, sorry I didn't knew about it. Did he got the compensation?"
Agastya shook his head "No, he don't have documents to prove his identity. His house was distroyed so..."
"Oh." Viraaj tried to look at Ankush who was hiding behind Agastya "Ankush, come here."
Agastya looked over his shoulder and whispered to Ankush. "Don't act over! You are not a kid! Come in front!"
Ankush gave a death glare to Agastya and pinched him before coming forward and wearing his innocent look.
Agastya rubbed his arm in pain without making it obvious and cursed Ankush in mind.
Viraaj gestured Ankush to come close and patted on the bed, beside him. "Sit here."
Ankush and Agastya quickly looked at each other with wide eyes and Agastya shook his head, signalling Ankush not to dare to sit beside a king.
Viraaj noticed Agastya signalling Ankush "Agastya! Stop scaring him. I am the one asking him to sit near me, then why do you have a problem?"
Agastya immediately apologized "I am sorry your majesty. But we are just servants, we can't dare to sit beside a king. Our touch can stain your bed."
Viraaj sighed deeply and pulled Ankush towards him to sit on the bed. "You shouldn't spend too much time with Veer." He said to Agastya and Agastya just chuckled.
Ankush was frozen after realising that he is sitting on a king's bed beside him. He wanted to scream and run away from there as soon as possible.
"He has been living with you since last year?" Viraaj asked to Agastya.
"No, he has been living in East Village since last year, Working there." Agastya answered, not paying any attention to Ankush who has turned into statue by now.
"What? He used to work there?" Viraaj asked in wonder and glanced at Ankush and again looked at Agastya "He look so shy and scared. What job he used to do there?"
"He used to take care of his sick master. But unfortunately he died two weeks ago so he came here to work and live with me. And after hearing his past, her highness gave him job in palace."
Viraaj smiled and replied "She did a good job." He patted Ankush's hand gently and said "You should listen to her. She is the kindest person in this palace, so never disappoint her. Do whatever she says and stay loyal. You can ask Agastya if you have any doubt. You will get used to live with new people."
Ankush gulped hard and looked at Viraaj with a faint awkward smile. "Y-Yes."
Viraaj tried to sit straight and said with a serious look "Some people will try to bully you. But don't be scared. Come to me immediately and tell me who misbehaved with you. I will teach them a good lesson. And never answer back to anyone doesn't matter how much they try to provoke you. Just do your work and stay away from people who want to bully you. Understand?"
Ankush blinked nervously after hearing Viraaj's instructions and nod "Y-Yes."
"Good." Viraaj smiled brightly and looked at Ankush's hand that he was holding and patted it gently. "You know what, I have a granddaughter. My youngest granddaughter. You are reminding me of her." He looked at him "She is just like you, i mean, she was just like you before her marriage. Always a little scared, shy and clingy to me." He chuckled, recalling Ira's childhood when she was with him.
"She love to stay with me. I miss her and she miss me too. But we can't meet much."
"Where is she?" Ankush asked with innocent look and low voice.
Viraaj chuckled "You don't know?" He then glanced at Agastya and again looked at Ankush "She got married, to the king of Jwalana Kingdom. She live there with her new family."
"Oh, i didn't know." Ankush replied.
"The way you behave infront of new people, she used behave the same way. Hiding behind me and avoiding to meet others. But after her marriage, after living with her new family, she have became more brave and confident. She can talk with people confidently and without any hesitation. And I am sure that you will build that confidence in yourself after working here and meeting new people. Face every problem and don't be afraid of anything, ok?"
Viraaj's words touched Ankush's heart. He felt like there is someone who care for him. Even if all of this is fake, his identity, his behaviour and even his innocence that made Viraaj trust him. Still, he felt that someone care for him, at least for a moment.
He nod with soft eyes "Yes, as you say your majesty."
"Ok, now go to your work." Viraaj said and Ankush stood up from bed.
Agastya said "Take care your majesty."
Viraaj just nod in response.
Agastya slightly closed the door of Viraaj's chamber to not desturb him more. He then took Ankush towards Ira's chamber but the door was closed. Only Viraaj have the keys to open the door and if Daksha miss her daughter, she have to ask for keys from Viraaj to enter in Ira's chamber.
Since Ira got married and left the palace, no one ever entered in her chamber except Viraaj and Daksha. He used to ask maids to clean the chamber in his care but since he fell sick, no one cleaned the chamber. Because he fear that someone might take something from Ira's chamber that she love.
"The door is locked because his majesty don't want anyone to enter in princess Ira's chamber." Agastya explained.
"I can understand." Ankush replied.
"There is one more chamber. His majesty and queen Sadhya's common chamber." Agastya said and walked forward towards the next chamber.
"What?" Ankush asked confused "Wasn't the back chamber theirs?"
"No, it was his majesty's. He don't really like to stay with his wife so he have his personal chamber. Since he fell sick, queen Sadhya had started maintaining distance from him. She is scared that she might get sick if she stay with him so she don't enter in his chamber much. And his majesty hates to see her too so..." Agastya explained "I told you about their relationship before too, right?"
Ankush nod. When they reached Sadhya's chamber, before stopping infront of the door Agastya noticed that Sadhya is inside. Without stopping infront of the chamber, he dragged Ankush forward and walked away.
"What happened?" Ankush asked annoyed, the way Agastya dragged him.
Agastya covered Ankush's mouth with his hand, preventing him from shouting. "She is inside. Queen Sadhya." He whispered.
Ankush's eyes widened "What? Is she?"
Agastya nod and sighed in relief "It's good that i noticed her before stopping infront of her chamber. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?"
Agastya looked at him "Otherwise she would have made you her personal servant for a week."
Ankush made a disgusting look and asked displeased "Why?"
"To see how capable you are to work here." Agastya replied and walked away. Ankush quickly ran behind him, sacred if Sadhya sees him and make him her personal servant.
"King Dhishva and queen Daksha will leave for Bayar in sometime. I am going to see the preparation for their departure. Stay alert and don't mess around." Agastya said and quickly dodge the punch Ankush threw at him in annoyance after listening his nonsense.
"You are too slow kid!" He said and ran away before Ankush shows his true speed.
"I really want to puch him so hard and break his teeths! He talks too much!" Ankush muttered and breathe heavily to control his anger.
He started working, cleaning every chamber of palace with the help of his partner 'Vansh' that Agastya gave him and other servants. Agastya also left for his work.
He was observing each and every corner of palace and memorizing which thing is kept where.