The royal palace was a different world. Tall marble pillars, doors decorated with golden carvings, and velvet lighting in every corner. Raghuveer had never seen such a palace. The carpet beneath his feet was so soft that he felt he wasn't walking on the ground, but in a dream.
As the king's bodyguard, he was given a special room, but it was at the back of the palace. Because the upper caste people still didn't want him there. Sunlight came through the window. In that light, the sun gave a signal — that light had overcome darkness. Morning had arrived. Raghuveer had slept in that room the previous night. There was a wooden bed for him to sleep on. Raghuveer sat on the bed. He didn't even realize when he fell asleep, because he hadn't slept properly the night before. He had leaned his sword against the bed.
*
The news that the king had made a criminal his bodyguard spread throughout the capital.
"The king doesn't seem to care anymore…" said one knight.
Manas was also there. As usual, he was guarding the upper caste area.
"Yes… the boy who injured soldiers, who killed knights — he's now a bodyguard," said another knight.
"The king isn't the same as before," said the first knight.
Manas was listening to all this.
He attacked knights in front of me and killed them. But I couldn't do anything. Why couldn't I do anything? Why? Manas asked himself.
Such discussions continued everywhere. More than half of the upper caste people were against the king, because he hadn't punished Raghuveer. The news spread so much that it reached the king's sons outside the capital. The king's elder son lived in the free city of "Vaaranai," and the younger son in "Paras." The king had given them responsibility for those cities.
*
It was afternoon. The sun cast its intense light upon the earth. Raghuveer sat on the bed. His sleep was complete. In the afternoon, the king himself came to meet Raghuveer. A maid was with him. She held a bundle of silk clothes.
"Take these clothes… You're now my bodyguard. You should wear something that suits the palace's prestige," said the king.
Raghuveer said nothing. The maid came near him and placed the clothes beside him.
"I've kept the clothes here. Wear them," said the king and walked away. The maid followed him.
Raghuveer remained seated on the bed. After some time, he got up and opened the clothes.
Raghuveer wore the outfit. He had put on a black coat, just like the ones worn by royal families. The coat's fabric was thick, but soft. Inside was a white shirt, and around his neck was a large white scarf. The coat's buttons were shiny, and the boots were spotless. Looking at his clothes, one would think — this boy belongs to a noble family. But still, there was no expression on his face.
Raghuveer, the clothes are good, right? Yes, Raghuveer, they're good, he told himself.
He always lived alone, so he had made himself his own friend.
He now hung his sword on his back and stepped out of his room. He began walking through the palace. All the workers there were looking at him.
"He looks so handsome," one maid said to another.
Raghuveer kept walking. Now he was the king's bodyguard, so no one stopped him. In those clothes, he looked less like a bodyguard and more like a prince.
Walking, he reached the palace garden. Roses, lotuses, and champa flowers were blooming there. He saw Sharvani there. She was sketching the flowers. Raghuveer walked past her.
After he passed, Sharvani turned around.
Did someone come here? she asked herself.
Raghuveer met the king ahead.
"Oh, you wore the clothes. You look great. Just like I did in my youth," said the king.
Raghuveer said nothing.
"Say something," said the king. Still, Raghuveer remained silent.
"Look, you have today and tomorrow. Prepare well. The competition is the day after. If you win… the entire army will follow your command," said the king.
Raghuveer listened carefully.
Under my command… the entire army will do what I say. That's good. You must win. I know you will, Raghuveer told himself.
"Your Majesty, the ministers have arrived," said the messenger. The messenger looked at Raghuveer. He couldn't believe this was the same Shudra boy.
"Yes, let's go…" said the king and left with the messenger. While leaving, the king looked at Raghuveer — as if he saw his old friend Varahar in him.
*
Raghuveer spent the rest of the day walking through the palace. Night fell. Stars twinkled in the sky. Raghuveer returned to his room. He saw food placed on the bed. He sat down and ate. There was a lamp in the room. Its light spread throughout the space. After eating, he lay down to sleep. Before sleeping, he untied his hair, which he had tied with a string. Raghuveer leaned his sword against the bed and fell asleep.
His second day passed the same way.
Now comes the day of the competition.