The garden had gone quiet again.
The fountain continued to flow gently in the background, its soft trickling mixing with the rustle of leaves in the cool afternoon breeze.
They had returned to reality.
Tara sat silently, her face unusually difficult to read. Her eyes rested somewhere ahead, but her mind was clearly elsewhere, still processing everything Satyadhara had just revealed.
Beside her, Yash was doing something entirely different.
He was trying to put the entire story together in his head.
The noblewoman.
The secret relationship.
Her family discovering them.
The assassins.
Satyadhara's revenge.
His imprisonment.
Tara's father freeing him.
Tara's kidnapping.
And finally, the promise that had kept Satyadhara beside Tara all these years.
Yash's expression became increasingly confused as he tried to connect everything.
Satyadhara noticed.
He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
Satyadhara: "It feels... a little relieving to finally tell you about my past."
He looked down at his hands for a moment.
Satyadhara: "Keeping it buried inside my heart for so long... made it feel heavier than it should have."
He looked toward Tara and Yash.
Both of them were still sitting there with countless questions written across their faces.
Satyadhara gave them a faint, almost amused smile.
Satyadhara: "Don't you two have anything to say about it?"
Yash immediately raised his head.
Yash: "I have a lot of questions."
Before he could continue, Tara gently raised her hand.
Tara: "Don't ask."
Yash stopped.
Tara looked toward Satyadhara.
Tara: "Whatever questions you have can wait. Asking him about every detail now will only make him remember everything all over again."
Yash hesitated.
Yash: "Ah... oh. Okay."
He lowered his gaze, accepting her decision.
Tara took a slow breath herself.
For a few moments, she simply looked at Satyadhara.
Then a faint smile appeared on her face.
Tara: "I'm glad to know your full past now."
She paused.
Tara: "I just wish you could have told me this earlier."
Satyadhara's expression softened.
For the first time since his panic in the meeting hall, he looked completely calm.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Satyadhara: "I'm sorry."
He looked toward the flowing water of the fountain.
Satyadhara: "I wanted to keep it a secret from everyone who didn't already know about it."
Tara nodded.
Tara: "Well... that's okay."
She gave him another faint smile.
Tara: "I hope telling us what's been in your heart all this time has made you feel a little lighter."
Satyadhara breathed out softly.
Satyadhara: "Yes."
He looked at Tara.
Satyadhara: "It has."
A short silence followed.
Then Yash glanced toward Tara.
Yash: "Well then, Devi Tara..."
Tara looked at him.
Yash: "You have a lot of work waiting for you."
He gestured vaguely in the direction of the city.
Yash: "I suggest we get back to the others."
Tara sighed quietly.
Tara: "You're right."
She slowly stood up and adjusted her clothing.
Before leaving, she turned back toward Satyadhara.
Tara: "Are you going to stay here for a little while?"
Satyadhara looked around the quiet garden.
Tara: "You should. The air is cool, and I think spending some time alone here might help you calm down completely."
Satyadhara considered it for a moment before nodding.
Satyadhara: "I think I'd like that."
Tara nodded.
Tara: "Alright."
She turned toward Yash.
Tara: "Let's go."
Yash followed her.
The two began walking away from the garden, leaving Satyadhara beneath the shade of the trees.
He remained seated beside the fountain.
For the first time in a long while, the memories that had been buried inside him no longer felt quite as heavy.
The garden grew quiet once again.
And Tara and Yash disappeared back into the streets of Haridwar, where the rest of the expedition was waiting.
— Back to the Group
The garden had become quiet again.
The fountain continued to flow beside them, its gentle sound mixing with the rustling of leaves. The cool breeze had finally calmed Satyadhara, and the tension that had gripped his body earlier had almost completely disappeared.
Tara and Yash walked back toward the main group.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Tara's expression remained thoughtful. Her mind was still occupied with everything Satyadhara had revealed, but one thing was already clear to her.
His past was his to keep.
They eventually reached the others.
Aryav and Kavya were waiting nearby with Malini.
Aryav: "There you are. We were wondering where you two disappeared."
Tara: "We were in the garden."
Aryav looked past them.
Aryav: "Where's Satyadhara?"
Tara: "He's staying there for a little while. He wanted some time alone."
Aryav nodded, though his expression showed that he was curious.
Aryav: "Is he alright?"
Tara: "He'll be fine."
Yash suddenly opened his mouth.
Yash: "Actually, Devi Tara was—"
Tara immediately turned toward him and placed her hand over his mouth.
Yash's eyes widened.
Tara: "Don't."
Yash blinked at her.
Tara: "Don't tell anyone."
Yash hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Yash: "Mmph... understood."
Tara slowly removed her hand.
Tara: "What happened in that garden stays there."
Yash: "Yes, Devi Tara."
Aryav stared at the two of them.
Aryav: "What happened in the garden?"
Tara: "Nothing you need to worry about."
Aryav looked at Yash.
Yash quickly nodded.
Yash: "Nothing important."
Aryav narrowed his eyes.
Aryav: "...Right."
Kavya looked suspiciously at Tara.
Kavya: "You two are acting suspicious."
Tara: "We're not."
Kavya: "You literally covered his mouth."
Tara: "Because he was about to say something he shouldn't."
Kavya: "Which was?"
Tara gave her a calm look.
Tara: "Something he shouldn't."
Kavya stared at her.
Kavya: "...Fine."
Malini quietly smiled.
She knew Tara well enough to understand that there was a reason she had decided to keep whatever happened in the garden private.
The group began walking back toward the quarters.
Yash stayed beside Tara.
After a few moments, he lowered his voice.
Yash: "I understand why you don't want anyone to know."
Tara glanced at him.
Yash: "He trusted us with something very personal."
Tara nodded.
Tara: "Exactly."
She looked ahead.
Tara: "We don't need to turn his pain into a story for everyone else."
Yash: "Understood, Devi Tara."
They continued walking.
Whatever had happened in the garden would remain there.
For now, there was still an expedition to run.
Scene 2 — Back to Work
By the time they returned to the main quarters, the afternoon was already moving toward evening.
The moment Tara entered the room and saw the documents waiting for her, her thoughtful expression disappeared.
Minister Tara had returned.
Maps covered the main table.
Reports from Haridwar's officials were stacked beside them, along with supply records, lists of horses and pack animals, guard assignments and messages from the scouts.
Tara sat down.
Tara: "Let's finish everything before evening."
Aryav and Kavya took their places around the table.
Malini stood nearby while Yash brought over the latest reports.
Yash: "These are the updated route reports."
He placed them on the table.
Yash: "The route toward Katyuri territory is still usable. There are several settlements along the way where we should be able to replenish water and basic provisions."
Tara unfolded the map.
Tara: "And the terrain?"
Yash pointed along the route.
Yash: "It becomes narrower once we leave the larger settlements. There are forested stretches, steep roads and several sections where the convoy will have to move more slowly."
Tara studied the route.
Tara: "Where can we camp?"
Yash pointed to several locations.
Yash: "Here. Here. And here."
Tara nodded.
Tara: "Good. We'll use those as our primary stopping points unless the scouts report otherwise."
Yash: "Yes."
Tara moved her finger farther along the map.
Tara: "How far ahead will the scouts travel?"
Yash: "Far enough to identify obstacles and possible threats, but close enough to return quickly if they find something unusual."
Tara: "Good."
She turned toward Aryav.
Tara: "Provisions?"
Aryav checked the records.
Aryav: "Enough for the planned journey, assuming we replenish along the way."
Tara: "Horses?"
Aryav: "Healthy."
Kavya looked through another report.
Kavya: "The wagons have been inspected as well. The damaged wheel has been replaced."
Tara: "Good."
She continued through the reports.
Everything was mostly in order.
The convoy had been designed for the plains, but the further they travelled, the more different the road would become.
Tara studied the map again.
Tara: "We'll have to be more careful once we leave Haridwar."
Aryav: "Because of the warning?"
Tara paused.
Tara: "Because we're entering unfamiliar territory."
She tapped the map.
Tara: "The warning simply gives us another reason not to be careless."
Yash nodded.
Yash: "I'll remind the scouts and guards."
Tara: "Do that."
She continued reading.
Then she reached the report concerning the missing caravans.
Her expression became slightly more serious.
Tara: "How many merchant caravans were reported missing along this route?"
Yash gave her the latest figure from the local reports.
Yash: "Several."
Tara: "And none were recovered?"
Yash: "Not that we've been told."
Tara was silent for a moment.
She looked at the route.
Then she looked toward the others.
Tara: "We aren't changing our destination."
Aryav nodded.
Tara: "But we're going to change one part of our formation."
Kavya looked up.
Kavya: "What part?"
Tara pointed farther ahead on the map.
Tara: "We're going to send a small convoy ahead of the main one."
Aryav frowned.
Aryav: "A second convoy?"
Tara: "A decoy."
Yash immediately understood.
Yash: "You think someone may be watching the road."
Tara: "If the Raksh are responsible for the missing caravans, they may already know that important people are travelling through this region."
She pointed toward the route ahead.
Tara: "I don't want them finding the real convoy first."
Kavya leaned over the table.
Kavya: "So what will the decoy contain?"
Tara: "A few supply wagons."
She pointed to another spot on the map.
Tara: "And several large royal wagons."
Aryav's expression changed as he understood the idea.
Aryav: "So from a distance, it will look like part of the ministerial convoy."
Tara: "Exactly."
Yash: "But there won't be anyone important inside."
Tara: "No one."
She looked toward him.
Tara: "The royal wagons will be completely empty."
Kavya: "And the guards?"
Tara: "A small group of mounted guards."
Aryav: "Enough to make it look legitimate."
Tara nodded.
Tara: "They aren't there to win a battle."
She tapped the empty wagons.
Tara: "They're there to make whoever is watching believe they've found the people they're looking for."
Yash thought for a moment.
Yash: "And if they're attacked?"
Tara: "The guards retreat."
Aryav: "Immediately?"
Tara: "Yes."
She looked at him.
Tara: "Their orders will be very clear. They don't try to defend the wagons. They don't pursue anyone. They don't risk their lives trying to protect an empty carriage."
Kavya nodded.
Kavya: "They leave the wagons behind."
Tara: "Exactly."
Yash: "Then the scouts can report the attack to the main convoy."
Tara: "And we'll know something is ahead before we reach it."
She moved her finger along the map.
Tara: "We'll also know exactly where the attack happened."
Aryav: "That's clever."
Tara: "It's safer than waiting for the first attack to happen to us."
She looked around the table.
Tara: "The decoy must travel far enough ahead that whoever attacks it won't immediately see the main convoy behind it."
Yash: "I'll coordinate with the scouts."
Tara: "Good."
She paused.
Tara: "And only the people who need to know will know it's a decoy."
Yash: "Understood."
Kavya: "Otherwise someone could accidentally reveal it."
Tara: "Exactly."
Tara then looked down at the list of animals accompanying the expedition.
Her expression changed again.
Tara: "There's something else."
Malini: "What?"
Tara pointed toward the horses listed on the page.
Tara: "The animals."
Aryav looked at her.
Aryav: "The horses?"
Tara: "The horses, pack animals and every other animal travelling with us."
She looked toward Malini.
Tara: "Have proper coverings prepared for them."
Malini nodded.
Malini: "For the colder weather?"
Tara: "Yes."
She continued.
Tara: "Blankets, protective coverings and whatever else is necessary to keep them warm and dry."
Kavya: "We'll need them once we start gaining altitude."
Tara: "Exactly."
She looked at the map again.
Tara: "The people aren't the only ones making this journey."
She pointed toward the animal records.
Tara: "If we're preparing ourselves for the mountains, we're preparing them too."
Malini made a note.
Malini: "I'll speak with the attendants."
Tara: "Good."
She looked over the table one final time.
The decoy convoy.
The scouts.
The main convoy.
The supplies.
The animals.
Everything needed to be ready before they left Haridwar.
Tara: "We're not going to underestimate the mountains."
Aryav: "Or the people living in them."
Tara nodded.
Tara: "Exactly."
She finally rolled the map back up.
Tara: "That's enough for today."
Malini looked at the remaining documents.
Malini: "You still have three reports."
Tara stopped.
She slowly looked at the reports.
Tara: "...Those can wait."
Malini: "Tara."
Tara: "I said enough for today."
Aryav laughed.
Aryav: "She's finally learning."
Tara gave him a look.
Tara: "Don't push your luck."
The room relaxed into a few quiet laughs.
The work was finished.
The route had been reviewed.
The new decoy formation had been decided.
Preparations for the animals had begun.
And for the first time since arriving in Haridwar, Tara finally felt that the expedition was ready for the next stage of its journey.
The mountains were waiting.