(One Year Ago)
Nothing in the wretched country ever went well.
"The King send words. Your fianceé had arrived from Benevia. She had arrived a few weeks ago, actually. His Majesty had decided you shouldn't be completely unaware of her stay in the Parthan Palace."
Those words had meant mostly nothing. Not when Rudra had to hunt down who know how many shapeshifters during heavy monsoon in the capital city of Ashkavar.
Rudra was wearing close-fitting dark linen that wet through fast but also dried relatively quickly- and most importantly it didn't bind. It had a deep green colour - not exactly a campflouge- but atleast it wouldn't start looking dirty right after few mud splashes. Despite the heat, Rudra had worn full sleeves, tightly fastened at the wrist. Bare forearms invite leeches and all sorts of insects, accidental cuts when you are riding through the jungle. Not that those could actually harm a dragon but he still liked to avoid troubles when he could.
Long sleeves weren't a comfort choice but a necessity. He had also worn a short riding coat that ran up to his mid-thigh. His trousers were same dark linen as his upper base layer, cut close at the thigh and the calf without being restrictive - loose enough to crouch, climb and move fast. They were tucked into knee-high boots - made of same material as the coat. The boots has soles thick enough to handle submerged roots without slipping and thin enough to feel what was underfoot before committing full weight.
He didn't wear anything to cover his head from the rain. He was a creature of hot blood. He hated the thought of being covered in leather and linen from head to toe far more than he hated the thought of getting drenched in rain.
He had chosen a short curved bow rather than a full long bow. He had a hunch was going to be inside the jungle around which the city of Ashkavar operated more than in the city itself. And even amateurs know full drawn length of a long bow is a liability where clear sightlines are rare and close quarters shots were the reality.
He had another weapon. A beautiful sword Ravaan had gifted him on his twentieth birthday- which he was itching to use. It had been properly oiled ofcourse but he was not ready to bring it outside to let the wet weather trying to eat away the blade and make the sword bleed rust.
He was heading to the stable when the news of his Fianceé had arrived.
"Why now?" He asked curtly.
"I don't know, Your Majesty. I only know His Majesty believed you should atleast be aware of her existence."
"Tell him, I will attend to her once the situation with shapeshifters had been dealt with."
It was odd for Ravaan to inform Rudra about arrival of women of marital prospects like this. Usually, he almost never informed his son and dealt with these situations himself. Marital aspects weren't a private affair in Azhdar Royal Family. It was politics. With Nations Partha bore tension with. It was something entirely dealt by Ravaan.
Brides weren't women who were expected to join the family. They were political hostages. They went home once their said country had bent to Ravaan's demands.
''You need not attend to her, My Prince."
Rudra had to pause. He turned around to look at Kesh, his head hunter- a veteran hunter in his mind fifties- who probably had been a hunter far longer than Rudra's entire life on earth. He was one of the very few people who had been allowed in and out of the inner palace. To most, the mountain of Ashkavar - the Royal Palace- was a forbidden ground. To most, Rudra didn't have a face.
This had been more or less the first time he was supposed to be handling something publicly - which made the matter more serious.
"I needn't attend to the woman," Rudra repeated, it made sense, "Ofcourse I don't. But I don't see why-"
"His Majesty only wanted you to be informed," cut in Kesh with a knowing smile Rudra didn't understand.
" .....right."
Rudra resumed walking. "However if that woman formally request you to meet her," Kesh continued, "You may have to do it."
Rudra didn't answer. He only nodded.
The rest of his crew waited by the stable, already dressed in their respective uniforms. Dhaman and Mehta- Kesh's left and right hands- wore same black leather Kesh was wearing. Their attires a little darker than Rudra's. They were as seasoned as Kesh himself. And then there were three other hunters- Taz, Prit and Lohan- men in their mid thirties- less seasoned but fast. Last week Rudra had witnessed Lohan to take down two shapeshifters in overcrowded market place without injuring a single citizen. He had never doubted their capabilities after that. Sidh was their animal tamer, usually he was in charge of leading the hunting dogs. But three days ago, they had found out shape shifters were killing the dogs and blending with the pack. Even without the pack, he was a ruthless hunter by himself- bitter and out for blood.
Rao was their scouter. He was a man almost as old as Kesh. He was dressed lighter to blend in better with citizens and also to ride faster. Rudra wasn't hunting ordinary animals. A scouter was useless against a shapeshifter. But that man knew his way around Ashkavar better than most. And that was reason enough to bring him along.
The crew could have operated by themselves but they kept claiming without Rudra they were defenseless- probably trying to butter him up- a trick Rudra had been used to since he had been five.
Rudra's horse was.....fine. He didn't own any specific horse. Dragons don't get attached to most creatures - humans and animals alike - since their lives were so much longer than other. But he knew it wasn't the same for the rest of the crew. Most of them had one specific horse they named, they took care of and adored.
Probably because their lifespan was short enough to ride only only horse their entire life.
It was kind of sad and pitiful.
But still, Rudra also felt an irritation, a mixture of want and repulsion - an emotion he couldn't put his finger on.
It was ...jealousy.
Of all things Rudra could have - gold, comfort, best food- he couldn't have one thing these creatures with short life span could have.
Connection.