"You may enter," the young man said, turning back toward the door.
Hi'um gestured for the three children to walk in first and followed behind.
"There is a stable in the back streets," the young man said over his shoulder as he crossed the threshold.
Tushnim gave a silent nod. He took the reins and guided the carriage away, its wheels creaking softly before gradually fading into the darkness.
The inside of the inn was quiet. A few oil lamps burned along the walls, their small flames barely reaching the corners of the room, while low wooden beams stretched across the ceiling, darkened by years of smoke. The floor was clean, though the walls carried the dull, brownish stain of years spent beneath oil lamps. A faint smell of burnt oil lingered in the air, mixed with dried herbs and the warm, earthy scent of agarwood.
"Please wait here for a moment," the young man said before walking toward the back of the room.
Hi'um watched him closely as he disappeared into the shadows beyond the door he had just pushed open.
Ipsha stayed close to Hi'um, holding onto his hand as she quietly looked around.
"Careful," Hi'um gently warned as he stepped over the uneven floor.
Aniket, however, seemed more interested in looking everywhere except where he was walking.
A moment later, he walked straight into Hi'um.
"Hehe!"
Chogyal Hi'um shook his head with a faint smile, looking down at the boy before gently placing a hand upon his head.
Chandra walked beside them in silence. His fingers brushed against the dusty surface of one of the tables as he passed, and he looked up at the low beams, then toward the corners where the shadows gathered between the lamps. The inn felt strangely quiet.
After a few moments, the young man returned. He carried a lit lamp in one hand and a small basket of fruit in the other, placing both on the nearest table before turning toward them.
"It may take some time for my father to return," he said quietly. "Please have these in the meantime."
He gestured toward the basket, where several fruits rested beneath the warm light of the lamp.
"I'll have some water brought up for your baths. Your clean garments and rooms on the upper floor will be prepared in a short while."
"Very well," Hi'um replied with a slight nod.
He turned toward the little girl by his side as if to say something, but, noticing her yawn, he stopped himself. Ipsha rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, barely managing to keep herself awake.
"You three should get some rest for now," he said, looking at their tired faces. "Guide the children for now. I will join you after some time."
The young man remained silent for a moment, glancing briefly at the three children before returning his gaze to Hi'um.
"As you wish," he replied with a deep bow.
The children followed closely behind the young inn owner.
Meanwhile, Chogyal Hi'um, with slow steps, looked around the room—the old tables, some sturdy and well-kept while others were uneven and clearly gathered from different places, the old rugged walls, and the wooden decorations covered in dust.
His gaze moved slowly from one corner to another, lingering over the marks left behind by years of use. The place seemed worn, but not neglected.
Soon, his feet came to a halt.
He stood silently before an old painting, illuminated beneath the warm glow of the flickering lamps.
For a long while, Hi'um did not move.
The painting seemed old enough that the colours had faded beneath the passage of time, yet the figures within it remained surprisingly clear. His eyes travelled across the painted scene before finally settling upon one particular figure.
As he stood still, Tushnim walked in through the inn's entrance.
"Was there anything odd?" Having long grown familiar with the knight's footsteps, Hi'um asked without turning back.
"No, my lord. It seems that someone of higher rank from Kamarupa has visited Khalingla. As a result, the security is tighter than in previous years. However, it is only a good thing," the knight replied as he bowed respectfully.
Hi'um gave a faint nod, though his gaze remained fixed upon the painting.
"Very well. Tomorrow, take the documents to the city's administrative office."
Tushnim silently nodded with a slight bow.
With the children no longer in sight, he looked around the room again. Dust particles drifted through the light of the lamps, while the tables bore stains that had clearly been there for years. His expression slowly tightened as he took in the surroundings.
"The prince and the children?" he muttered.
"They followed that young man to their rooms."
Tushnim bowed slightly in acknowledgement. As he lifted his head, he took another look around the room before turning toward his lord.
"Ahem."
He coughed lightly as he composed himself, his eyes briefly returning to the patched furniture.
"My lord, if you wish, I can look for a better place. For you and the prince to stay here…" he hesitantly added.
"No, Sir Tushnim. I will stay here," Hi'um replied without shifting his gaze.
Tushnim nodded in acceptance.
"As you wish, my—" The knight was about to finish his words when a voice interrupted him.
"It seems you aren't satisfied with our inn."
Hi'um and Tushnim both turned toward the sudden voice.
The young man stood near the doorway, partially concealed by the shadows.
Hi'um looked at him for a moment before shifting his gaze toward the painting once again.
"We meet again, Sir Tushnim," the young man added as he stepped out from the shadows. A faint amusement could be heard in his voice. "Well, now that I think about it, you have never stopped by the inn before, so it is evident that you would feel this way."
Tushnim raised an eyebrow.
"Is that not the case?" he asked, a teasing expression appearing upon his face.
"Hahaha, well, you are not completely wrong."
The young man walked further into the room, glancing casually at the old tables as though there were nothing unusual about their condition.
"You see, the inn that is visible to the eyes of visitors is an old structure barely holding itself together—perfect for this neighbourhood. Normally, it is bustling with all kinds of rough-looking men that even the city guards do not dare come here unless some major accident happens. They drink, gamble, and fights break out every other day."
Tushnim's eyes moved toward the nearest wall.
Several sword marks remained visible beneath the layers of old dust and faded oil stains. One of the chairs had a broken leg that had been patched together with a rough piece of wood.
The knight looked back at the young man.
"I can see that."
"But during the harvest festival, when the surveillance is tight, those violent men go into hiding, and the other inns nearby close themselves off."
The young man paused as he approached one of the tables, running his fingers lightly over its edge before looking toward the upper portion of the room.
"However, my father—he does something he never normally does. He prepares the upper rooms in such a way that they could make even a wealthy merchant envious."
Tushnim's expression changed slightly.
"Upper rooms?"
The young man smiled.
"But surprisingly enough, no one has visited in the past six years that I have been taking care of the inn. And if I ask Father, he would only say one thing—that he is waiting for the right person."
As he finished speaking, his eyes slowly turned toward Hi'um.
He was still standing at a distance, his attention entirely occupied by the old painting, seemingly unaware of the conversation taking place behind him.
Tushnim followed the young man's gaze before looking back at him.
"What upper rooms? This whole inn is only one storey."
His tone carried a mixture of confusion and disdain.
"Oh, I forgot."
The young man let out a small chuckle.
"You will know once you see it in a short while. I assure you that your lord and his children won't face any trouble during their stay."
Tushnim remained still for a moment, clearly trying to make sense of what he had just heard.
The young man watched him with quiet amusement.
"However, I think it will take some time. It looks like your lord is more interested in the painting."
Tushnim glanced toward Hi'um.
Chogyal Hi'um had not moved.
"You know about this painting?" Hi'um asked all of a sudden, without looking away.
The young man's expression changed slightly. His amusement faded as he followed Hi'um's gaze toward the old painting.
"This?"
He stepped closer.
"My father told me that the man in it was his closest friend."
Hi'um's eyes remained fixed upon the painting.
The young man studied him for a moment, seemingly unable to understand what had captured this Lord's attention so completely.
"Oh, let me show you something interesting here."
He moved closer to the painting and pointed toward a figure standing behind the man.
"Do you see that boy?"
Hi'um's gaze shifted slightly toward the spot where the young man's finger rested.
"Father told me that the boy was hiding from his mother."
The young man let out a little giggle, but the sound faded almost immediately when he noticed Hi'um's expression.
"Your father…"
Hi'um's voice was quieter now.
"What else does he say?"
The young man straightened himself and thought for a moment.
"Well, he says a lot of things. He sometimes tells me about the founding of Kamarupa, the various kingdoms that exist in the east and far west; sometimes, he would even tell me stories of the past, although I find them hard to believe."
A faint smile appeared on his face as he recalled those conversations.
"He could keep talking for hours if I let him."
Hi'um remained silent.
Then, after a brief pause, he asked,
"Does he not talk about… Shailantara?"
The young man's expression froze.
For a moment, even the faint crackling of the oil lamp seemed strangely noticeable within the quiet room.
"About that…"
He lowered his hand from the painting.
"Whenever I ask Father about it, an unusual silence befalls him, and he goes to his room, saying that he needs to sleep."
Hi'um listened carefully.
Something in his expression softened, and a bittersweet smile slowly formed upon his lips.
"You must really love your father."
The young man looked at him, seemingly caught off guard by the sudden change in subject.
"Isn't it natural?"
He looked away for a moment, his eyes settling upon one of the old tables.
"He made me into the person I am, took care of me all by himself."
His voice had become quieter now, carrying a warmth that had not been there before.
Hi'um watched him silently for a moment.
"What about your mother?"
The young man's expression changed.
He lowered his gaze, and the smile that had been present moments earlier disappeared.
"Well, I don't even remember my birth mother's face."