YEARN

CHAPTER 09

R U D R A N S H

Rudransh had made a few mistakes in his time, mistakes that no one had held him accountable for out of fear of him being their future ruler. He had never gotten away with any of it though. His mother had made sure of it. She repeatedly made him face the consequences, stating that he needed to learn responsibility as early as he could for the good of both himself and their kingdom. He couldn't have said it better himself because she was absolutely right. 

As a result, he knew when to own up to his slip-ups. However, he couldn't figure out what he had done for the life of him when a particularly fierce set of eyes continued glaring at him from the other side of the dining room. Rudransh carefully placed his food back down, not wanting to provoke the agitated six-year-old. 

"Avi!" Lasya exclaimed, not giving herself a moment of thought before running towards him. She crouched down to hug him, making Avyukt smile as he wrapped his tiny arms around her in response. The moment would have been incredibly adorable if it weren't for his hostile glare that still hadn't diffused in intensity.

Rudransh looked at his new parents when the soldier and his wife bowed. The pair had been more than eager to raise Avyukt and he couldn't find a good reason to deny. He had made sure they wouldn't be struggling financially by giving them extra money to take care of him. They had done him a favour. He didn't want the kid to be a burden. 

Lasya pulled away, pressing a kiss to his cheek before she held him at arm's length. "How has your new home been?"

"Good." Avyukt said, smiling. "How's Bhoomi?"

"She's good too. The Cook and his wife have used some of the money that we gave them to get her new art supplies. She was thrilled."

Rudransh could attest to that. He was worried that the eight-year-old would burst into tears right there in the courtroom. He didn't have a single clue about managing crying kids, so he was glad that she hadn't. It had taken a weight off of his shoulders. 

"That's really good to hear." he nodded, stopping short when the soldier cleared his throat. He looked up at his adoptive father. "Your Majesty, we came here to talk about that. The money that you gave us is a generous gesture, but it isn't enough."

His eyebrows furrowed. He had given them more than enough. "How isn't it? You do receive it every month, right?"

The wife nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty, but between his schooling and his food, we're running a little tight on money."

He looked at Lasya, only to find her gaze on him already. He turned back to them. "The Cook and his wife seem to be doing fine. What specific issues do you have?"

The soldier took it upon himself to answer this time. "They've got a girl, Your Majesty. They don't have a lot of expenses when compared to raising a boy. His food consumption is an example on its own."

Rudransh looked at Avyukt. The kid looked fine, but he wasn't nearly as fit as the other kids his age. He couldn't risk it when it involved a child though, so he agreed to give them more financial help. 

"Thank you, Your Majesty." the pair bowed. "Your generosity knows no bounds. Vibhava couldn't possibly have a better ruler."

He didn't pay them any heed, his gaze hooked on Lasya like a fishing needle. She fretted over Avyukt like a mother would over her child, making sure he was healthy. Rudransh smiled internally. He had no doubts about her being capable, but this only proved him right. She would be an excellent mother.

"Did you have your lunch?" she asked, making Avyukt nod. "Do you still want to eat something? Mangoes maybe?"

His eyes grew wide. "Mangoes?"