Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Rule: Kabanata 91 - Kabanata 100

A few more days had passed since Samarth’s burial. Inayat had not spoken much since then. She could not bring herself to. The only words that echoed in her mind were the ones Aabroo had said to console her — “He’s gone to be with the Lord.” Those words gave her a fleeting peace, but now, silence had become her constant companion. She smiled at times, but used her voice only to read scripture or answer the occasional question from those around her. Beyond that, there was no idle talk, no laughter, no unnecessary chatter. It was as if she were sinking quietly into the comfort her environment could offer. During that time, Akshara, Raj’s daughter, had arrived safely. Raj was relieved to see her unharmed — not a single scratch on her. Her arrival brought joy to the household, especially for Aabroo, who now had a companion of her age to dance with, sing with, play with, and learn skills beside. Among the children of the village, the two girls were forging new and beautiful bonds. Both w

Ten years had passed. Much had changed — Aabroo most of all.She was no longer the timid, shy girl of the past. She had become a wild, learned, and fierce woman. She was fire walking across stone, a phoenix soaring in the sky — untameable, her wings wide, setting the air ablaze.She had grown into a woman. A beautiful one. She had inherited her brother’s spirit — the refusal to give up — as she stared at her goal and smiled wide.“Finally…” she whispered, standing tall.“Aabroo!” a voice called from behind, loud and pleading.She turned, pressing her staff to the ground as she faced the rising figure. She smiled, watching the younger girl struggling to climb the mountain, taking heavy steps, leaning on her own staff for support.Aabroo waited patiently, settling herself on a rock, her eyes fixed on the girl.The girl climbed with effort, drawing long, deep breaths, as if trying to drink in the air itself.“It was... it was hard,” the girl said at last, dropping beside the rock and lea

“Are you thinking of wandering into the woods again?” Aadhya asked, gently guiding her chestnut mare along the trail.Aabroo turned her own steed, a pale grey stallion, to face her friend.“Of course. You know I love visiting my musk deer,” she replied with a radiant smile.‘And perhaps… my dear stranger, too,’ she mused silently, a secret smile playing at the corners of her lips.She wasn’t sure she would see him again. But she hoped. Somehow, she always felt his presence near—like a whisper in the wind.Aadhya rolled her eyes.“You and your ridiculous adventures. I’m not going up there. I’ll stay down here and enjoy a peaceful ride with my horse.”Aabroo chuckled softly.“As you wish. Farewell,” she said, turning her horse towards the rising slopes of the mountain.The steady rhythm of her horse’s hooves echoed softly against the rocky earth as she rode uphill. Aadhya remained behind, watching in silence before heading in the opposite direction.Meanwhile, Aabroo made her way throug

The vulture came gliding down from a grey, dust-heavy sky.Its wings sliced the silence, circling low over the blood-damp earth — a graveyard not yet buried. The air still tasted of iron, thick and slow, as if even the wind mourned. Below, the field bore its wounds in the form of scattered corpses, warriors caught between loyalty and fate. Not many, but enough for the vultures to call it a feast.More came behind the first, sweeping in on ragged wings. They landed with indifference, their claws clutching armor and flesh. The soft sound of tearing skin began, wet and rhythmic, as the scavengers began their work.A black boot stepped into view, halting just before one of the dead. Ayman drew back from the blood-soaked ground, his cloak dragging like shadow behind him.From the side, another figure emerged — Abhiman, helmet tucked under his arm, hair matted with sweat, blood splashed across the curve of his cheek like war paint. He grinned, his teeth too white in all this red.“Wasn’t to

The supper was set, and new faces had joined the gathering. Ayman and his men were welcomed warmly, the room humming with quiet anticipation.Raj, ever the strategist, chose this moment to stir the pot of conversation. He leaned back in his chair and spoke casually, though his eyes were sharp.“Well, Ayman… It seems you’re keen on seeing Inayat take the throne,” he said, breaking a piece of bread as he spoke.Ayman swallowed his mouthful of rice before replying, “Yes. I believe my sister should rule Tziyonia. She is the rightful leader in the king’s absence—until the heir is old enough to take his place.”Inayat’s face softened, her eyes glimmering with affection. “Have you met him?” she asked gently.Aniruddha wasn’t at the table. He had eaten earlier and was now somewhere outside, likely training or observing the guards.“Aniruddha?” Ayman echoed with a warm smile. “Yes, I’ve met him. He’s a bright boy — sharp, well-trained, and wiser than his years.”Inayat gave a tender nod. “By G