Chapter 142 - Just Two Soft Pats!

She lets out a relaxed and tired laugh. She feels her throat gone dry due to the running and walks slowly towards the barn to find some water. She is too exhausted to return to her chamber just to drink some water.

'Every single horse left. So, I should get some water to quench my thirst now...'.

She looks around carefully seeing no one around this place and frowns confused "Why is no one here?".

"Haven't Her Majesty heard about The Wish Ride Contest?".

Maya ".."

Maya freezes hearing 'The voice'. She clearly stunned recognizing the voice even though she came prepared to face it! 

She looks at Eros walking towards her from the backside of the huge doors of the Royal Barn.

Fear creeps in her heart subconsciously, seeing the horse which looked exactly like a Demon just descended from hell. At the moment of seeing the Black Beast she really wanted to run away in fear.

The reality of a talking horse didn't even helped Maya.

Before she could run away in fear, Eros bows in front of Maya by bending it's right leg.

Maya "...." My Goodness! Is that the Goosebumps I am feeling all over my body?!

She already trembled in fear yet didn't move from her place. She darts her eyes nervously seeing Eros still bowing and gasps "W-Why are ..you..still bowing?".

'You are just a horse! You don't have to greet me!'.

She is still confused at the thought of talking to a Talking Horse! She swallows often while digesting this weird and awkward encounter of her life!

'I heard Prince Nakulan in Mahabharatam Epic could communicate with birds and animals but even in that Epic no one mentioned about a Talking Horse!'.

She wouldn't even have imagined in her life that she would be at a situation like this!

Eros answers respectfully "We should wait till Our Majesties permit us to raise, Your Majesty".

Maya lets out a nervous chuckle subconsciously and nods "You may raise".

Eros answers still bowing "That's for humans, Your Majesty. For us, they should caress our face or pat us!".

Maya "..." What have I gotten myself into?! Now I am being taught even by this horse?! Is this horse telling me the truth or searching a chance to trample me under its feet?!'.

She didn't realize that she already stopped mentioned Eros as Beast and promoted as horse for now. But still a long way to take a place in her heart like Her Charlie!

(Author: May be this is something to do with the owners of the horses?)

She chews her lower lip while forwarding her hand slowly. Seeing her hand trembling she concentrates hard to control it.

'It is too embarrassing! This hand is just humiliating me even in front of this horse!'.

TWO SOFT PATS ON EROS' FACE!

Maya retrieved her hand back swiftly as she is afraid that Eros might chew her fingers if she even delayed a mere moment! Instead of caressing Eros she chose the short one! Just two soft pats!

Now we wonder whether that was really a rule or Our Eros just tricked Maya to get those pats! Because as far as we know how could there would be any rule like that? May be Our Eros wanted to be treated just like how Kalki treats him? Or Eros might have thought that everything Kalki does is a unwritten rule in the Realm! We can only assume now and sigh in confusion! 

Eros stands straight after the pats and stays silent waiting for Maya.

Maya asks blankly as she already forgot her purpose of this visit temporarily due to the sudden shocks "W-Why did they free all the horses?".

Eros answers "It's a custom before every Wish Ride Contest, Your Majesty".

Maya asks confused "Custom?".

Eros neighs and explains "The people from the whole country are allowed to participate in the contest only with a Royal horse, Your Majesty. The one who wants to participate should tame these horses-". 

Maya opens her eyes wide cutting Eros's words "Common people get to ride these Royal horses?!".

She stares at Eros in extreme shock as she heard an impossible news!

'I have never heard of anything like that even in Epics of my country. ..or at least I don't remember?!'

Eros answers with no emotions in its voice "Yes, Your Majesty. It happens since Our Emperor Philips took over the Throne of the Northern Realm".

Maya smiles astonished knowing this information and couldn't help think good about Emperor Philips 'The Emperor indeed has generous heart! He even allowed common people to get equal opportunity in the name of a Contest!'.

She sighs bitterly 'Unless like in the stories I have heard ...The throne would never allow any commoner to change their destiny! My heart will ache every time I hear the stories of Karnan in Mahabharatam Epic!'.

She lets out a breath bitterly and starts mumbling worriedly as if she was the one personally affected by that "How wonderful it would have been if he too gotten the opportunity in the first place and was treated better. Perhaps Asthinapuram Realm should have allowed him to practice Archery too! After all, his Archery skills were as talented as Prince Arjunan, who was praised for being the best in Archery! Sadly, Karnan was only suppressed and even ridiculed by those oppressive rulers and the Princes of the Realm many times in the story. Just because he was not a warrior by his birth. This reason tried to forbid him to learn anything other than being a mere Charioteer, which was his father's occupation and was forced on him!".

She didn't realize that she was talking out loud until she heard Eros's statement. 

"One should follow the Rules of The Majesties".

Eros's voice sounded unhuman with no emotion. Even though Eros talks, it also felt that it didn't talk actually.

Maya rolls her eyes "Can I find some water here?".

Eros leads the way without further word "This way, Your Majesty ".