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Chapter Text

Varadha woke up with the sun shining on his face, feeling more than seeing the first rays of the day. There was no one around him to ruin the little bubble he crafted for himself. At least for this moment, he was just Varadha, a man with no responsibilities. When he couldn’t ignore the blazing sun any longer, he stretched up from his makeshift hammock, packed up, and began making his way back home. 

What a peaceful day. 

“Varadha Raja Mannar! You ungrateful child!”

Damnit.  

“Varadha, where have you been? Were you sleeping in the field again? Out in the open? You know how dangerous that is! I can’t believe you! I-”

“Baba! Relax. I was well within the bounds of Mahara and it’s not like I was-”

“I don’t care young man! What will it take for you to actually be careful?.” Looking at Baba’s face, Varadha finally felt the guilt creeping in. He never means to worry Baba, it just happened. He couldn't even blame Baba. After all, it was Varadha’s recklessness that had gotten them… No. He couldn’t think about that. The past was behind them, and he had more things to think about now. 

“Sorry Baba, I’ll be more careful next time. In fact, there won’t even be a next time.” Luckily, Baba didn’t see the crossed fingers behind his back. 

“That’s more like it. Now, go get ready, I’ll get breakfast set up.” Baba finally walked off grumbling and left Varadha to his own devices. He went to shower and get ready, and finally start the day. 

After breakfast, he decided to walk around Mahara and try to find Surabhi. 

The morning weather was truly beautiful, so he decided to take the long way around. The new ration shop was teeming with customers, and the library construction was bustling. Varadha stopped to say hello to everyone who greeted him. He didn’t notice that they bowed a little bit lower to him with every passing acquaintance. Finally, he found Surabhi praying in front of the Kateramma temple. 

“Surabhi! How are you?” 

“Varadhanna! You’re here? I didn’t think I’d see you for a while.”

“I know, I still have a lot more to do with the ration distribution, but I wanted to see if you got any more news from, you know.”

“I do! I’m glad you’re here actually. I have a letter for you from our, uh, trading partner. Here.”

“Thanks Surabhi. I’ll get you a response as soon as possible.” With that, Varadha left to walk back to his house, holding the letter in a small pouch close to his chest. Varadha could feel his heartbeat pick up from the small contact he had with the letter. 

Devaratha, or the leader of the Shouryanga tribe was still an enigma to Varadha. He’d never even seen the man. All he knew was that he assumed control of the Shouryangas when he was only 10 years old, liked the Jasmine flowers they grew in Mahara, and was the only chance Mahara had at survival. 

Varadha never thought Mahara’s responsibility would fall on him. After all, he was the disgraced, fallen prince. Perhaps his father thought giving him control of the most dilapidated district overrun with women was an insult. Knowing Raja Mannar, what he did to Varadha was the highest humiliation possible. What he did not know was that this was a blessing to Varadha. Away from the prying eyes of Kotagada and the vultures that circled it, Mahara was almost like heaven. He didn’t have to constantly calculate his every move or shield his dignity with a forced submission. He was almost free. Almost. 

The only problem with Mahara was that it was never given the resources it needed to prosper. After all, it never provided the resources Kotagada deemed necessary for Khansaar’s prosperity. What was a land without silver mines or weaponry before the eyes of beasts? When Varadha first shifted to the territory, all he saw was a barren wasteland filled with people who had no hope. 

At first, he resolved to ignore it. After all, his father only sent him to Mahara as a form of exile. No one expected him to do anything with the area. All he did was wallow in self pity while Baachi and Baba attempted to get him out of bed and eat. Then one day, Varadha decided to go outside. He did it again, and again and again. The longer he saw the women with their sullen demeanors and downcast eyes, he couldn’t ignore the issue anymore. He may have been a prince in exile, but he was still a prince, and his people needed him. 

Varadha spent weeks agonising over a proposal to present to the council so Mahara could get the agricultural tools, money, and transportation it so desperately needed. He spoke to the women of Mahara themselves, and appointed a group of advisors. They worked together to create a list of requests followed by a plan to implement it. Unfortunately, the first person who saw the proposal was Rudra, and it was immediately shot down. Varadha tried 3 more times, only to be met with a resounding no each and every time. It killed him on the inside that he wasn’t strong enough to protect the area he was in charge of. 

Then one day, Surabhi came running up to him with a letter in hand, bearing the seal of the nearby Shouryanga tribe. 

To Varadha Raja Mannar, 
Please don’t be concerned about receiving this letter. We are not going to raid your lands or steal your children or whatever else the mothers in your country tell their kids. 

Varadha let out a small laugh at that. This was already looking interesting. 

I come to you with a proposal. I understand the state of Mahara. I also understand that you are not receiving the aid you so desperately need from your own people. I offer a solution: trade with us. 

At this, Varadha needed to take a minute to breathe. The Shouryangas were a formidable tribe. Even his father was afraid of them, and rightfully so. After all, it was Raja Mannar himself who killed their previous chief, Dhaara and almost wiped out their entire tribe. What if this was a trap? It could very well be, with the Shouryanga’s alleged propensity for revenge.

My tribe is undergoing a bit of an issue with food recently, and we would like to trade our steel, wood, and weapons (which I know you need) for agricultural items. I understand this may come as a surprise, and I also understand you have little reason to trust us. But please know, we also have little reason to trust you. To rectify this, I propose sending a few of your diplomats to negotiate with a few of mine. You can pick the time and place. Send a letter back with the kid. Don’t worry, she’s not a spy. She just looked like the smartest. 

I will be awaiting your response, 
Devaratha Raisaar. 

It took Varadha 3 days to even think of a response, and 3 more to discuss what to do with his advisors. Baba and Bilaal were fully against the idea of even contacting the Shouryangas, while his senior Mahara advisors were for it. Mahara’s infrastructure was falling apart and every day breathed a new threat from the rest of Khansaar. 

Finally, Varadha said, “Without extra help, Mahara will fall soon anyway. If we are going to be destroyed, it will be on our terms and timing. Send out a delegation to speak with the Shouryangas.”

The day the delegations met on no man’s land, Varadha could not stop pacing around his hall. It wasn’t until his chief delegate, Mandavi came back that he finally relaxed. He sent the women with guards, but it was nice to see that they weren’t really needed. No one had any complaints, and the treaty seemed fair. The Shouryangas seemed fair. 

And so began a new age for Mahara. One where she received money, wood, steel, and support. It also began a new age for Varadha. With that thought, he finally stepped back into his home, and began reading Devaratha’s new letter. 

Chapter Text

Good morning Varadha. 

I hope you’re doing well. Surabhi told me you haven’t been resting as much. We can’t have that now can we? After all, Mahara and the Shouryangas would starve without you. And who would I write to? 

Now back to business, the new seeds you’ve sent us have done wonders for our crop output. I would like to thank you for extending our agreement. As a thank you, I’ve increased the amount of wood you will be receiving monthly. I heard you’re planning on building a new school for the children. This should help. 

Until next time, 
Devaratha Raisaar. 

Devaratha’s letters were always short and to the point, but that could never stop Varadha’s heart from beating just a bit faster with each new word penned on the paper. From what Varadha learned about Devaratha, he was a great leader with the support of his entire tribe. That wasn’t something done overnight. He was also unconsciously thoughtful. Throughout the year, he frequently made life easier for Varadha. All Varadha needed was for Mahara to be survivable, both for its people and for him. Devaratha made it possible for Varadha to hope for more. He made a beautiful future for the territory seem more plausible. 

Hello Devaratha. 

I’m doing fine. Thank you for asking. And thank you for the wood. I didn’t send the seeds requesting anything in return but I still offer you my thanks. Mahara wouldn’t be what it is today without your support. I truly appreciate it, and I owe you a lot. 

I also wanted to thank you for encouraging Surabhi to attend the school. I’ve been trying to convince her for months but she was very stuck up on going to work to make money for her family. I don’t know what you told her, but it worked. 

Once again, thanks for everything you’ve done, 
Varadha Raja Mannar 

It was just a week before Varadha got a response. 

Hello Varadha. 

6 times. That is how many times you said thank you in your previous letter. There were 9 sentences in total. You don’t have to thank me for everything I do. All I do is for the sake of innocent people. Don’t worry too much about it. And don’t worry about owing me anything. If you really want to repay me, send me some of that strawberry sweet I heard Mahara is famous for. 

I hope all is well, 
Devaratha Raisaar

Varadha laughed when he read that letter. He’d never met someone who didn’t appreciate being thanked. Then again, maybe Varadha did go overboard. He put the letter in a drawer that held the rest of the 27 letters that came before it, and began penning a response. 

“Anna?” Varadha didn’t notice when Baachi came outside the room. 

“Baachi? Come in, what are you doing there?”

“I just came to tell you that the warehouse for the excess crops finished its repairs. There shouldn’t be any more problems. Also, I talked to some of the workers there and they said they haven’t had any issues lately either. They’re thankful for the jobs.” When Baachi first came to Mahara with Varadha, he barely spoke 3 words. Varadha told him he didn’t need to follow him, and could stay in the safety of Kotagada. Baachi just scoffed at him and began packing. 

“That’s good Baachi. I’m proud of you.” He walked up to Baachi and patted his shoulder. Baachi looked adorably smug for a moment before he walked past Varadha and looked at the letter on his desk. 

“Oh? Is this another letter to your paramour?” 

“Baachi, don’t joke.”

“Who said I’m joking? I’m being dead serious.”

“I’m writing a diplomatic note to the leader of our most prominent trading partner.” Varadha hoped Baachi didn’t hear the note of bitterness in his voice. 

“Anna, you’re pouting.”

“I am not pouting, I am trying to explain to you the nature of Mahara’s dealings.”

“Mahara’s dealings, or yours.” Baachi sniggered while he said that and Varadha could not help the blush that spread across his cheeks. He only hoped his beard covered it all. 

“Baachi.” His use of a firm, brotherly tone on Baachi hadn’t worked yet but one could hope. 
“Anna, you literally smile every time you get a letter from that man. Like, really smile. Last time I checked, you don’t make a soppy expression whenever you get a note from Naarang or father.”

“That’s because Naarang and our father don’t send us extra wood, or architectural plans for developing infrastructure.”

“They don’t send you little figurines to put on your desk or a pen made from the finest materials of Pathran either but that’s neither here nor there,” Baachi said, pointedly looking at the ornaments lining Varadha’s desk. Damnit. Varadha didn’t realize that Baachi knew where those little gifts came from. If Baachi knows, I wonder who else does as well? 

“Listen, anna, I love you and want the best for you. But seriously? Devaratha Raisaar? That man’s a psycho! DId you hear, he once sliced a man’s head off just for looking at his mother weird!”

“Good for him. And Deva is not a psycho. He’s a strong leader who just has a less conventional way of dispensing justice.”

“Deva? Since when did he become Deva? And wow anna, you’re defending him now too?”

“I know what it looks like, but I need you to relax. I only harbor honorable intentions towards the neighboring chief and only wish to discuss our next few steps.” If only Varadha’s inner voice didn’t echo in a chorus of liar liar liar. 

“Alright, I’ll leave you alone to pen your love letter, call for me if you need anything.” Baachi began to saunter off and do god knows what for the rest of his day.

“Oh and Anna?” Varadha looked up. “You look nice when you smile.”

Varadha could only scoff again before he began writing his letter.

It’s good to hear from you Deva, 

I didn’t know you were an accountant. Why else would you be counting every word I write? It’s not my fault you don’t know how to accept my thanks. Anyway, if you say strawberry sweets are all you need then who am I to argue. I’m sending them with Surabhi. 

And I forgot to tell you last time, but the amount of students registering for the school increased to 14! I couldn’t be happier. With more girls getting their education, I won’t have to worry about Mahara’s self sustenance. They’ll be able to take care of themselves. 

Also I have a meeting with the elders council in a few days. I’ll ask them for their advice on the transportation issues out of Mahara. Sorry it took me so long to finally get to this, I know you asked me about more than 2 weeks ago. 

That’s all I have for today. 

Yours truly, 
Varadha

It was only after Varadha had already sent Surabhi off with his letter and strawberry sweets that he realized his mistake. He called him Deva. 

Chapter Text

When Varadha finally got a letter back, he realized he had no reason to be afraid of Deva's response.

Dear Vara, 

I’m happy about how the school work is going. My mother is the principal of the school we have here. I’d be happy to set up contact between you two so you can get more ideas from her.

Also stop apologizing. I know how busy you are, so you don’t have to worry about the questions and suggestions I have. They can wait. 

And thank you for the sweets. They are truly delicious. Perhaps we could - 

“Anna!” Baachi’s troubled cry knocked Varadha out of his reverie. 

“Baachi? What is it?” 

“Vishnu. Vishnu’s here! He wants to see you, and he asked us to summon all the womenfolk of Mahara in the town square. What could this asshole want now?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t get any letters from Naarang to indicate a visit. We have to go.”

“Anna, they already took Pathran from you. They cannot take Mahara from you too! You rebuilt this place from the ground up!”

“We don’t know what he’s here for yet, and we won’t unless we go speak with him. Now go, get Bilaal, Rinda, and Baba. I need everyone to be present for this. And don’t call any of the women yet. I’m not letting them near his sight until I find out what this is about.” Varadha knew that Vishnu coming to Mahara unannounced was bound to bring bad omens. He just never realized how many. 

Noon found Varadha and his gang standing in front of Vishnu, who was lounging on a highly decorated wooden chair, with their hands folded and heads lowered. 

“Varadha Raja Mannar! The pride of Khansaar! Oh! I forgot. You’re not the pride anymore. You’re the disgrace, the black sheep if you will.”

Varadha kept his mouth shut and eyes cast down. From where he could see, he noticed Baachi’s grip on his arms get tighter. Stay calm. Breathe. It will be over soon. 

“Oh what happened, cat got your tongue?” It was clear all Vishnu wanted was to get a rise out of Varadha. He could not let that happen. It would only make a bad situation even worse. 

“Ah you’re boring. Where’s the entertainment? Speaking of entertainment, not everyone I requested is here. Where are the chicks?”

Varadha refused to look up. Suddenly, he felt a shadow cast over him. 

“Varadha, where are the girls?” Vishnu punctuated his words by grabbing Varadha’s chin roughly and yanking his head up. Varadha felt his cheeks flush with mortification and his chin crawl with what felt like hundreds of bugs. Still, he stared straight at Vishnu and did not utter a word. 

“Fine, be that way. I’ll just go find them myself.”

“Vishnu stop.”

“Ah, now you finally start speaking. I knew this would work. Now, don’t stop. Where are the girls that live in Mahara? I heard they were some of the most beautiful ones in Khansaar.”

“Vishnu, leave them alone. What do you want with them?”

‘What else could a man want with a woman?”

“They’re children.” Varadha could feel his anger blaze with each passing moment. How could monsters like this exist? More than that, what could he do to stop them?

“And?”

“Ask for anything else, I’ll give it to you. But leave Mahara out of this.”

“Oh? Anything? Well, there is one thing I’ve had my eye on, but I didn’t think I could get it this easily.”

“What is it?”

“You.” 

“Excuse me? What makes you think the likes of you can get their hands on me? Who do you think you are?”

“A man who is willing to give up all the women of Mahara for one chance with you. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on you for the longest time, but I haven’t had the chance yet.”

“You think my father will let this go?”

“I do. I can’t bed Raja Mannar’s son, the prince of Khansaar. But I can bed Varadha, the exiled pauper of Mahara. You have no one to support you, Varadha. Maybe, if you make me feel good, you might have a chance. Now tell me, what will you give up? Yourself, or Mahara?”

Varadha felt his composure shatter. Him? Vishnu, this leprous donkey, wanted him? He could feel the bile rising in his throat at the mere thought of letting Vishnu touch him again. But did he have any other choice? The people of Mahara trusted him. They were his people. There was no way he was letting anyone touch his people. 

“I’ll do it.”

“That’s a good boy. I’ll be back soon. Have a day to get ready in fact. I like my bedmates to look nice and beautiful.”

With those final parting words, Vishnu finally left. With him, he took Varadha’s flickering sense of peace. 

“Anna!” 

“Baachi, I”

“No! Why did you do that? What on earth possessed you to promise yourself to that absolute beast?”

“What choice did I have?”

“I don’t know! There must’ve been something! I’m not letting that pervert anywhere near you. I’ll kill him before he gets his hands on you.”

“Baachi’s right Varadha,” Rinda began, “There has to be something we can do! We’re not going to just stand around and let him, let him, ugh!” 

 “There’s nothing else we can do!” Varadha had enough. All of a sudden, he couldn’t take it anymore. “No one from Kotagada will come to save us. We are all these people have. If I cannot at least do this for them, what am I good for? I am not letting the people who trust me be led into a slaughterhouse. Now, unless anyone has any other ideas, go back to work.” He didn’t stop to see their expressions.

That night, when Vishnu was gone and Baachi was safely put to bed, Varadha lay awake thinking of his future. He remembers Rudra’s words from when he was a child, still grieving the loss of his mother. No one will come to save you. So what could he do but submit. That night, for the first time in a while, Varadha let himself cry.

Chapter Text

Varadha awoke with the sun. instead of its usual warmth and comfort, all he felt were the blazing rays meant to burn instead of nourish. Today was the day. As he stared at himself in the mirror, all he felt was disgust. He had always been told he was a beautiful man. What, with his long lashes and even longer legs, with his kind eyes that caught the sunlight, with a waist women could only dream of. At least I can use it for something. 

He finished getting ready and went downstairs, where he was met with the glaring eyes of his men. No one said a word as breakfast commenced and finished. 

“Where’s Baachi?” As long as he could keep his brother out of trouble, that would be enough. 

“Angry.” Rinda looked like he very much agreed with that sentiment. 

Varadha focused his efforts on eating his breakfast. Baachi would come around, maybe. He would just have to show him that Varadha was fine. And he was fine. The bile in his throat would go down, and his head would stop spinning. He just needed to get this over with and everything would be okay. Vishnu would leave. But would he actually? This was just a gamble he would have to make. 

At noon, he made his way down to the town square to face his fate. He saw Vishnu, sitting on that stupid chair surrounded by his men and two gaudily dressed women. 

“Varadha! You’re finally here, I’ve been waiting for you.” Varadha suppressed a shiver at the look Vishnu was giving him. He refused to bow his head down. He would accept the consequences of his actions with equanimity. 

“Still so quiet? That’s okay, we’ll rectify that soon enough. Go get my little treasure ready. I want him to look as fresh as possible.” He signaled to the two women next to him to move towards Varadha. They tried to grab his hands but he shook them off, and began walking off on his own.

Inside the little hut, the women made Varadha shower and set out some clothes for him. They kept babbling on about how lucky he was, but Varadha couldn’t hear them. He thought of Baachi, Surabhi, and all the people that relied on him. Then, for whatever reason he thought of Devaratha. He shut down that line of thought quickly enough. Before he could put on the silver necklace he would be forced to wear, he heard a large thud, followed by Vishnu’s frustrated scream. What is going on? 

He ran outside to see what was happening. Did Baachi do something? There, he could see a man, one of Vishnu’s men laying face down on the ground surrounded by a pool of his own blood. He looked to where the rest of the people outside were looking, and froze. 

There, standing proud and tall and with a look of fury so palpable it made the hair on Varadha’s arms stand up, was Devaratha Raisaar. It had to be him. There was no other man in all of Khansaar that could knock a man down with one punch. Devaratha looked exactly like how Varadha imagined and more. His soft waves were moving in the wind, and he looked much taller than Varadha himself. His eyes looked cold and hard. He was surrounded by the women of Mahara, egging him on. 

Devaratha looked over in Varadha’s direction and slowly the look in his eyes softened. He relaxed his position and smiled softly at Varadha. He never knew someone could look at him like that, like he was important. Varadha stared right back at him while Deva just smiled. Varadha could do nothing but smile back. 

“What are you looking at? Go get him!” screamed Vishnu. Varadha looked on in shock and not a small amount of admiration as Devaratha continued to plow through the men running at him, like they were nothing. Vishnu’s men were falling like flies while Devaratha hardly broke a sweat. Varadha could see the muscles on his chest glisten in sweat as he punched a man to the ground and proceeded to walk over him to where the others were. 

Now this is a man, thought Varadha. Writing letters to him, he forgot that Devaratha was first and foremost a soldier. A man who earned the respect of his tribe members as a mere child. He was not someone anyone would want to make an enemy out of. And here he was, fighting for Varadha. Varadha could feel his heart beat faster and his breath pick up. 

A pained movement from Deva stopped Varadha short. Taking advantage of Deva’s focus on his men, Vishnu hastily shot out his crossbow. An arrow was pierced too close to Deva’s heart, and he kneeled close to the ground, breathing shakily. 

“Deva!” Varadha started running towards him before Deva put a hand up to stop him. He slowly rose up and snapped the arrow at its hilt. He looked over at Vishnu and the expression on his face made him take a step back. Then, Deva looked over at Varadha and he nodded his head, as if to say, relax. 

“Who do you think you are? Challenging me? Do you know who my father is?” Vishnu scrambled to show a semblance of dignity, but it was too late. The fear in his eyes was all too obvious. Devaratha simply smirked, and walked closer to him. 

The first hit came as a surprise. Devaratha refused to give Vishnu a chance to recover before he pummeled him to the ground. He then grabbed Vishnu as if he was a sack of rice and dragged him in front of Kaateramma. He decorated him in kumkum and turmeric, and took a staff presented to him by the children that had gathered. Then, in one fell swoop, he stabbed Vishnu through the neck. 

For a moment, there was just silence. Then, as if someone shook life back into the crowd, there was cheering. All for Devaratha. Who killed Vishnu, all for Varadha. Deva ignored the cries of the people around him and walked to where Varadha was standing. Varadha’s heart rate began picking up again, and suddenly it stopped altogether. He was face to face with Deva. 

“Varadha.”

“Deva, uh, Devaratha. You’re here? Why? I mean, not that I’m not happy to see you, but. Wait! Are you okay? The arrow-”

“Varadha.” Deva stepped closer into Varadha’s space and grabbed his hand. Varadha couldn’t help but gasp at the sudden sensation. “I’m fine. What I want to know is how are you doing?”

“I’m, I’m fine.”

“Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Varadha, why didn’t you ask for me?”

“Huh?”

“You were in trouble. Why didn’t you ask me for help?”

“I, well everything happened so suddenly. And, I thought I had it under control.”

“You thought you had it under control?”

“Yes?”

That seemed like the wrong thing to say. If anything, Deva’s expression closed off a bit more. 

“Devaratha I”

“Deva.”

“Huh?”

“Call me Deva. It’s what you called me in your letter.”

“Oh. Deva.” Deva just smiled back at him and Varadha was a goner. He only snapped back to reality when Deva made a small wince when he moved.

“Deva! The arrow, we have to get it out! Come with me.” Varadha pulled Deva by the hand he was still holding to the inside of the hut. He sat him down and told him to stay put while he got some medical supplies from the clinic down the street. When he returned, Deva was sitting exactly where he had left him, with a small smile on his lips. Is this the same man I saw kill 50 men? 

“Take off your shirt, it’ll be easier.” Varadha tried not to blush when he said that. Deva was hurt and that’s all that should matter now. 

“I can’t, my shoulder hurts. Can you do it for me?” 

“Of course! Sorry. Just one second.” Varadha sat closer to Deva to help unbutton his shirt. He couldn’t help but lean towards the heat radiating from Deva’s body. It didn’t help that Deva also seemed to be leaning closer. It’s just to make it easier.

“You snapped the arrow too close to the base, I don’t think I can grab it with my hands.”

“Oh. Let me try.”

“No! I can use a wire to pull it out, don’t worry.” Varadha found a small, sturdy wire in his kit and tied it around the remaining hilt. “This will hurt, but bear with me.”

He leaned closer to Deva and tried to pull it out. Other than making Deva wince, it didn’t do anything. Varadha felt his heart clench. “Sorry Deva. I’ll get it out, I promise.”

“I know you will.” Deva was still smiling. Varadha didn’t know what to do with the earnestness on his face. 

He leaned closer still and began pulling the wire out with his teeth. It took some effort, but the arrow finally came loose. He immediately cleaned and bandaged the wound. When he looked up at Deva, he finally processed the position they were in. Deva was shirtless and had a light hold on Varadha’s waist, who was almost in his lap. He looked down to hide his face, and buttoned up Deva once more. 

“Deva, I”

“Anna!” Oh no. Baachi. Varadha jumped out of Deva’s personal space and stood up before Baachi could see them together. He didn’t notice the slight smirk on Deva’s face. 

“Baachi? Where were you? I’ve been worried sick and”

“Anna, I went to get Devaratha.”

“What?”

“You weren’t listening to me! Or anyone! Did you really think I was just going to hand you over to that misbegotten son of a leprous donkey? Hell no! I knew no one was going to sway you so I bought Devaratha here.” Baachi just looked smug at that explanation. 

“Why did you have to bother him, I could have managed it.”

“That was not managing it!” Varadha turned at Deva’s shout. “Handing yourself over to that man was not managing it. I understand that you have a need to handle everything on your own, but that was stupid. What if he hurt you? What if he came back again? Varadha, please, you absolutely cannot do that again.”

Varadha didn’t know what to say to that, so he stayed silent. Deva didn’t see a need to fill the silence, so he looked on at Varadha. 

“You should invite him for lunch.” It was Baachi who had to break the silence. 

“Uh, oh, yes! Deva, you should come for lunch. If you want to. I don’t want to take up more of your time.

“You can take up all of my time, and I still wouldn’t complain. Lead the way.” Varadha stayed frozen at those words, and simply watched Deva walk past him. What have I gotten myself into?

Chapter Text

Deva was a simple man. He spent his days hanging out with the children around him, getting scolded by his mother, and carrying out his tribal responsibilities. Life was the same every single day. But then, Varadha Raja Mannar came into the picture. With his sweet words, his dedication to his duty, and his love for the people around him, how was Deva not supposed to get attached to him? 

The first time Deva saw Varadha was when Varadha first moved into Mahara. He decided to see what the infamous son of Raja Mannar was like for himself, and subsequently lost his heart. To say he was awestruck was an understatement. Varadha had a subtle air of beauty around him, one that lodged itself deep into a man’s heart. Deva could also see how he took care of the other men with him when he helped them move their things before taking his own inside. But still, Varadha had a look of profound sadness in his eyes that Deva wanted to erase immediately. In the end, Bhaarava, who came as supervision, had to drag Deva away from their hiding spot. 

Physically being apart from Varadha did not help with his obsession. Every day, he would think about him, and what he would be doing at this time. It became a problem when he was daydreaming about Varadha instead of paying attention to a diplomatic meeting. Bhaarava had to once again come to his rescue. Instead of learning to tune out Varadha, Deva decided he would go all in. He sent Thiru to do preliminary recon on Varadha, just so he could learn more about him. 

From the information he got from Thiru, he learned that Varadha had been banished from Kotagada and purposefully given the weakest territory in Khansaar. The very thought that this lovely man was treated like a sick dog meant to be sent away infuriated Deva. How could anyone look at Varadha and treat him with contempt? It was inconceivable to him. He also learned that no matter how life treated Varadha, he refused to be beaten down. Varadha looked at Mahara and instead of seeing a place of exile, he saw it as an opportunity to improve. It was only bad luck that he had no support. 

Deva would soon change that. Despite complaints from his advisors, Deva sent a trade proposal to Varadha. In a stroke of pure luck or fate, Varadha agreed easily, and so began their correspondence. 

From his letters, Deva only developed more admiration for Varadha. He was mind numbingly perceptive and had this way of seeing the world that was both pragmatic and optimistic. He was kind and had a boatload of compassion for the people around him. Deva loved when he showed his more childish side in their letters. That wasn’t to say he was naive, no, not at all. Varadha Raja Mannar had ambition that could put even the most shrewd courtiers to shame. He wanted the world, and Deva would hand it to him on a silver platter. 

Throughout the time that Deva knew Varadha, he tried his best to make life easier for him. When Varadha had a hard time hiring workers to build new infrastructure, Deva threatened the guild that had rejected him into accepting the job. When Varadha told Deva about a lack of wood, he immediately increased the export quota. When Surabhi told Deva that Varadha wasn’t sleeping properly, he canceled the next 2 weeks worth of meetings between their territories. That wasn’t to say Varadha only took. He seemed to take it upon himself to charm Deva further by sending in more seeds when the Shouryangas had a drought, or when he always tried to write in little jokes in his letters. So when Deva found out that there was a pest trying to hurt his Varadha, he lost it. How dare that fucker think he could take Varadha’s pride? First thinking that he could hurt little children, then thinking he could hurt Varadha? Deva would show him what true destruction was. No one was allowed to touch Varadha. 

Now, sitting across from the man he had been dreaming of, Deva didn’t know what to do. 

“I know you said you liked spicy food, so I had the cook set out some extra spice for you. Let me know if it’s not to your liking and I’ll have them fix it.” Deva softened a bit at that. Varadha remembered that innocuous detail about him. 

“I’m sure it will be perfect. Thank you.”

“I’m the one who should be thanking you. You saved my life Deva, there’s nothing I can do to repay you for that.”

“Hey! If anyone needs to be thanked it’s me. After all, who came up with the idea to get Devaratha here in the first place?” It was nice seeing his brother get along with the man he was obviously pining after but couldn’t he at least acknowledge Baachi? Nonetheless, he was happy his brother wasn’t thinking about the impending diplomatic nightmare they would face. 

“Thank you Baachi.” Surprisingly, it wasn’t Varadha who said those words, but Devaratha. “If you didn’t come to me, I wouldn’t have known until it was too late. You did well.” Baachi sat there frozen. Besides his brother, no one had told him that they were proud of him. This was new. 

“Yes Baachi, thank you. You truly are the best brother I could have asked for.”

“Alright alright that’s enough. Now dig in, I’m starving.”

The rest of the lunch went by uneventfully, only filled with the little looks Varadha and Deva were giving each other. Taking advantage of his injury, Deva let Varadha fill his plate. 

“My shoulder still hurts, I don’t know if I can still eat on my own.”

“Well, I think you can, considering it was your left shoulder that was injured and you’re right handed.”

Deva huffed out a small laugh and went back to eating. If only I could have this for the rest of my life. 

Towards the end of the meal, Baachi took his leave and said he had work to do. Varadha didn’t see the small wink he sent Deva’s way. 

“Will you show me around?”

“Of course! I’ll show you what we’ve been doing with the materials you’ve sent us.”

As they walked throughout the streets of Mahara, Varadha tried not to think about how close their hands were to each other, and instead focused on their surroundings. It didn’t help. Varadha’s hand jolted when it came into contact with Deva’s, but when he tried to move away, Deva grabbed it and held it in place. He continued to walk, hand in hand with Varadha, and acted like he hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary. 

“Where’s the gola stand you said you liked? I’ve been meaning to try it.”

“It’s down the street here! Come on.” For the second time that afternoon, Varadha pulled Deva by his hands, and for the second time that afternoon, Deva’s heart was fluttering at this small touch. 

Varadha was still fairly quiet when they were eating gola, but he was speaking more than he was during lunch, so Deva considered that a win. Deva tried his very best to focus on what Varadha was saying, and not how the red of the gola was staining his lips. It was extremely difficult. All he could think about was how he wanted to put his lips to Varadha’s a suck until he could drink the gola juice off of him. He only returned to reality when Varadha threw away his stick and looked at him to begin walking again. 

“How are your recent projects going? I know you’ve been putting a lot of effort into them lately. So much so that you’ve hardly been sleeping.” Deva looked at Varadha with mild judgment in his eyes. 

“They’re going well, thank you for asking. And I’m fine with how much sleep I’m getting. It’s not like I’m falling over during any meetings.”

“Yet.”

“I won’t!”

“You might.”

“Deva.”

“Varadha.”

Varadha looked away in frustration, but he couldn’t ignore the warmth that was slowly spreading through him. He didn’t feel his usual annoyance at being told what to do when he was getting gently scolded by Deva. For the first time in a while, Varadha walked through Mahara with the feeling that life was looking up.

Chapter Text

Varadha was smiling. He was frequently smiling these days, as he himself noticed. Just the other day, he had to school his expression back to normal while Rinda was talking about security at trade posts. He had to learn to ignore Baba’s knowing looks and Baachi’s sniggers, but it was fine. He was fine. He was actually more than fine. He was positively giddy. 

Ever since he met Deva over a month ago, he had been seeing more and more of him. At first, Deva came up with paper thin excuses to come over, such as “I just wanted to make sure Naarang didn’t cause any problems” or “I was wondering how the construction of the school was coming along.” Varadha had to tell him that he didn’t need an excuse to come to Mahara, and he could make his way over any time. Ever since then, Deva would come at least once or twice a week to just see and spend time with Varadha. He had even continued his tradition of bringing small gifts to give him. They would spend their days eating at local stalls, telling each other funny stories, or just sitting in some of Varadha’s (and now Deva’s) favorite spots. 

When Varadha first moved to Mahara, he didn’t see a future for himself; he thought his life as he knew it was destroyed. But now, with Deva’s presence, Varadha felt that life was finally worth living. Whatever was going on between them, Varadha wanted it to continue forever. 

Varadha was getting ready for another day out with Deva when Baba came running in looking harrowed. 

“Baba? What’s wrong?”

“Your father.”

“What? What about him?” This time, it was Varadha who looked harrowed. 

“Your father is summoning you back to Kotagada. He says it won’t take too long, but you need to get back immediately.”

“Now?”

“Yes now!”

“But,”

"I’ll tell Devaratha where you’re going, but you need to pack and head out now. I don’t want your father to be any more upset with you than he already is.” And so, Varadha set off for Kotagada, with his heart left behind. 

3 days later 

Varadha generally believed himself to be a calm man. When his mother passed away, he didn’t lose his front. When he had Bhargat and Pathran grabbed from him, he didn’t make a fuss. When the bloody Shouryangas came to him for a trade deal, he didn’t lose his mind. But this, this was new. 

“An arranged marriage?”

“Yes.” Varadha’s father remained as cold as ever, as if any bit of paternal warmth in him had evaporated and only left a steaming puddle behind. 

“With who?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes.” 

“If you must know, it’s a business magnet from India. The girl is nice, pretty and accomplished. Her father has a large sway in the Indian government. This would be good for Khansaar. It will give us the leeway we need to establish a legal arms trade. You’ll be the head of their conglomerate after the marriage of course, and for that you will shift to India as soon as the wedding festivities finish.” 

“When is the wedding?”

“It will be in 2 months time. I expect you to stay in Kotagada for another week, and then you may return to Mahara. I’ll send some men back so they can keep an eye on you, and then safely escort you back in time for the wedding.”

Varadha simply stared ahead at his father. He knew his father didn’t love him, that much was obvious from his childhood. But to sell him like a calf in an auction, to ignore everything that Varadha had worked for, this was a new low even for him. Varadha could feel the little house of hopes in his mind begin to crumble. It was well and truly, over. 

“Okay Kartha.” With that, Varadha turned to leave the darbaar. 

“And Varadha,” Raja Mannar began. Varadha turned slightly to see what new insult his father would deal to him. “Mahara has been doing well recently. Your actions befit that of a Mannar.'' In the past, Varadha might have felt a semblance of pride over his father’s words. Now, he only felt disgust. He simply nodded to his father, and left the room. 

Varadha was almost at his childhood bedroom when he heard them. “Look what the dogs dragged in! The prince of Mahara! How are you doing, your highness?” Rudra. “He looks like he’s doing well if you ask me. A little too well.” And Ranga. 

“Rudra, please control your attack dog, he’s salivating again.” Ranga lunged forward a bit at that comment, but Rudra held him back. Varadha just raised his eyebrows. 

“Control yourself Ranga. This is someone’s betrothed we’re looking at.”

“Betrothed? Oh please, as if anyone would want this pathetic morsel of meat. The only thing he’d be good for is dog food.” Ranga began laughing hysterically at what he said, and even Rudra couldn’t cover his smirk fast enough. Something is off here. 

When Rudra and Ranga finally left, Varadha ran to his room and fell on his bed. Why me? He knew why it was him. He was the most disposable Mannar. No doubt this was Radharama’s or Rudra’s doing. Pawning him off to the first people who asked was very on par for them. Why did it have to be now though, when Varadha finally had something to live for? 

He thought of Deva, with his warm eyes and gentle hands. Varadha wanted to see him. He hadn’t seen him in days, and he would probably never see him again. Varadha was to be married. Any hopes he had of spending the rest of his life with the man he truly loved were over. But still, he needed to talk to Deva. Even if Deva didn’t feel the same way he did, there was no way he would hold out on a friend in need. 

My dear Deva, 

How are you? First of all, I’m sorry I couldn’t meet you that day. As I’m sure Baba told you, my father summoned for me and I am now in Kotagada. I’m not doing well here. I miss you. I miss Mahara. I miss everything. I feel so incomplete here, like I’m holding my breath underwater without knowing how to come up. 

My father has arranged for me to marry some girl from India. I don’t want to marry her. I just want to come home. 

I know everything will change now, no matter how much I want it to stay the same. I hope our friendship will remain just as strong as it has always been. 

Yours truly, 

Varadha

Varadha sent the letter off with one of the page boys, and went to bed. Once more in the course of a few months, he slept weeping.

Chapter Text

Damp. That’s the only sensation Varadha felt in this dingy room he was tied in. He wished someone would at least take off his blindfold so he could see what was going on. 

“Varadha! You’re finally here.”

Ah shit. He should’ve known it was Ranga. 

“What the fuck do you want?”

“You.” Varadha froze. That was exactly what Vishnu had said. It’ll be okay. I can fight Ranga. 

“And it’s not just me who wants you dead, my sweet. You have a whole hoard of enemies. Rudra, Radharama, Naarang.”

Of course Vishnu’s death would come back to bite him in the ass. There was no way Naarang would sit idly after his son was basically butchered in the streets of Mahara on Varadha’s watch.

“Okay well can you finish this quickly? I don't want to be in your presence longer than necessary.”

“Oh don’t worry sweetheart, you won't be seeing me for much longer anyways.” Ranga began cackling like a hyena, and came forward to finally untie Varadha and take off the blindfold. The discomfort didn’t go away however, as Ranga immediately began applying some kind of red paste on him. His skin crawled with Ranga’s touch. There was only one man who’s touch Varadha welcomed, and it was not this psychopath Ranga. 

“You called me a mad dog before Varadha, but you forgot that dogs hunt in packs. You may escape me, but let me see how you can escape my pack of drugged up rabid mutts.” Ranga cackled his maniacal laughter once more, and walked away behind a wall in the warehouse. Soon, Varadha heard the growls. They didn’t sound like actual dogs, but they didn’t sound human either. Whatever it was, Varadha would have to survive. He couldn’t die without seeing Deva at least once more. He couldn't leave Mahara in the hands of Kotagada. 

Suddenly, the many doors lining the hallway opened, and a large number of men began stumbling out. No. Man was not a word one could use to describe them. The creatures walking out were barely on this side of humanity. They ambled about like zombies before laying their eyes on Varadha. Then, it was as if a switch had been turned on. They all lunged at him. Varadha barely had time to react before he was pummeling the drugged men to the ground. He ran around the warehouse, using whatever he could find as a weapon. But alas, he was getting tired. Varadha was only one man fighting off a multitude of crazed creatures. So this is it, this is how it ends. He could feel the men pushing against his makeshift shield as his strength gave out. I still had so much to do. 

Out of nowhere, he heard a sharp whistle. The crazed men must’ve heard it too, as they began running towards the source of the sound. He then heard the sound of something cutting the men, and them falling to the ground. Deva. There was no way it could be anyone else. But how did he get here?

He didn’t have much more time to think as Deva approached the area Varadha had sequestered himself. As Varadha looked Deva in the eyes and saw his tender smile, he realized that everything would be okay again. Deva would make sure it would be. He got up and walked to where Deva was standing. 

“Here, you’ll need the bigger one.” Deva handed Varadha the larger knife and began walking towards the hoard of men. As they sliced the men down all while continuing their usual playful banter, Varadha realized that there was no way he could live the rest of his life without Deva by his side. If he could, he would wish for Deva on every shooting star, every birthday candle, every stray lash, and every coin thrown into a water fountain. I’ll fight for him. Deva was worth fighting his family over. He just needed Deva to accept. 

With all the men dead and laying at Deva’s feet like sacrifices, Varadha just looked at the love of his life. 

“Deva, I”

Varadha didn’t get to finish however, as Deva came barreling towards him and grabbed him by the waist to pull him into a rough kiss. Varadha froze only for a split second before wrapping his arms around Deva’s neck and returning the kiss. Deva pulled him even closer, as if it was possible and deepened the kiss further. He bit Varadha’s lower lip and used the gasp that followed to slip his tongue inside. The only sounds Varadha could hear were the sounds of their tongues meshing against each other and the soft moans he was letting out. Deva seemed to find encouragement in Varadha’s eagerness and refused to let him go. Varadha wasn’t complaining. 

“Hey! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Damnit. He was so caught up in the moment that he forgot Ranga was still here. He tried to pull away from Deva, but Deva refused to let that happen. Instead, he pulled Varadha back to himself and gave him a small, dopey smile that was very contradictory to the bloodbath he just started. 

“I said, what the fuck is going on here?” 

Varadha had had enough. All he wanted to do was kiss Deva some more but it was very clear that would be difficult with this pest around. Varadha gave Deva a small peck on his cheek and stepped out of his embrace. He picked up the knife he dropped and walked towards Ranga. With every step he took, Ranga took one step back. 

“You made a very big mistake today Ranga.”

“Wh-what mistake? You wouldn’t have been able to survive without your little bodywarmer, oh sorry, bodyguard here.”

“And you wouldn’t have been able to survive without being a pet to my brother or these attack dogs you created. That’s all you are Ranga. A pet. And what do we do when pets turn against us? We put them down.” With one swipe of his knife, he hacked Ranga down. 

“Varadha.”

“Deva.” Varadha walked up to Deva and grabbed him into another crushing hug. “Take me away from here. Please. I don’t want to be apart from you anymore, but my family won’t agree. Please Deva, let's leave.”

“No.”

“Deva?” Varadha felt his heart breaking. Did Deva not actually want him? 

“Sweetheart, I want to see you sit on the throne of Khansaar. We can’t do that if you run away.”

“No matter how much I want Khansaar, I want you more.”

“You will have both.”

“How? You don’t know what my father, or my siblings are like.”

“But I know how politics work. Do you trust me?”

“Of course!”

“Then let me handle this. Go home for now, and wait for me to come to the palace tomorrow. Whatever happens, just agree with it. Trust me Varadha, I will not let you down.”

“Okay.” Varadha did not know what Deva was planning, but he knew he could trust Deva. He trusted him with every fiber of his being. If Deva said he would handle this, he would. Varadha looked towards the exit, and began walking away. 

“Wait!” Deva grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, only to kiss him once more. This kiss was softer than their first, but no less intimate. Varadha pulled back a bit to look at Deva. 

“I’ll wait for you.”

“I won’t make you wait for too long.”

“I know.”

Chapter Text

When Varadha woke up the next morning, he tried his best to stay calm. Deva said he would come to the palace today. To do what though? Was he going to challenge Raja Mannar for Varadha’s hand in marriage? Was he even planning marriage? He should’ve asked more questions, but he was, ahem, a bit preoccupied at the time. 

Varadha walked around through the palace to let off some of his restlessness. He was so caught up in thinking of worst case scenarios that he didn’t notice the fear and pride in the eyes of the circulating staff. After killing Ranga, Varadha walked back inside the palace covered in blood and still holding the murder weapon. No one knew Deva was also there to help him so the rumors were that Varadha killed a hundred crazed men and then Ranga all on his own. He didn’t notice the image he portrayed, but everyone else did. Even Rudra decided to step back in fear.  

As Varadha continued to pace around, he heard the announcement.  

“Devaratha Raisaar, the leader of the Shouryangas is making his way inside the palace.”

All of a sudden, Varadha couldn’t breathe. Deva was here.

Varadha saw Deva walking with his entourage to the main court room where his father would take his official meetings and hearings. The Deva he saw now looked nothing like the Deva he knew back in Mahara. This was not his Deva, this was Devaratha Raisaar, the man who single handedly controlled the Shouryangas. This was the man that would help Varadha out of this mess. 

As Deva walked past where Varadha was standing, he gave him a small glance and smile, and continued to the dharbaar. That was enough for Varadha to understand that everything would end okay. Before stepping into the room, Deva whispered to one of the men standing next to him. Varadha recognized him as Thiru, Deva’s third in command. Thiru walked towards Varadha while Deva went into the dharbaar. 

“He told me to tell you not to worry.”

“I’m not worrying, I’m just curious to see what he’s going to do.”

“He didn’t tell you?!?”

“No?”

“Ah shit.”

“Thiru, what is Deva planning?”

“See now I don’t think I can tell you. But it’s going to be great! I promise, I know you’re going to be happy.”

“Okay?” 

Varadha and Thiru spend the rest of the meeting in awkward silence, only broken by Thiru asking strange questions such as “so how many friends do you have that you would invite to big events” and “so what’s the deal with your banishment?” He also talked about the Mannars and asked “who’s your least favorite Mannar, like if they died you wouldn’t be too upset”. When Varadha answered “All”, Thiru let out a hearty laugh. Honestly, this whole interaction was a bit strange. 

It was almost a relief when he heard, “Varadha Raja Mannar, you are being summoned into the court of Kartha Raja Mannar.” Varadha took a deep breath and accepted the pat on the shoulder he received from Thiru. Then, he straightened himself and walked into the dharbaar. 

He tried to read the expressions of everyone in the room. His father seemed impassive as always, but there was a tiny bit of fear in his eyes. It was a curious sight to see. Radharama was also present, and she seemed to be fuming. But then again, when wasn’t she fuming. Deva was the only one who seemed unperturbed, and even a bit smug. 

“Varadha Raja Mannar, ” called his father, “Despite your past transgressions, you remain a prince of Khansaar. With that role comes many responsibilities, do you not agree?”

“Yes Kartha.”

“One of those responsibilities include marrying an individual who provides the best possible future for Khansaar.”

“Yes Kartha."

“Previously, I had decided that you would be marrying into a family in India. Now, I rescind that order.”

Varadha was shocked. In his entire life, he had never seen his father go back on his decisions. It was simply not in the realm of possibility. Varadha’s silence only seemed to make the environment more tense.

“It is my responsibility to seek the best possible opportunities for Khansaar. I see now that the best possible opportunity for us, lies with the Shouryangas. Varadha Raja Mannar, meet your new betrothed. Devaratha Raisaar.”

To say Varadha was shocked would be an understatement, yet also an overstatement. That was it?  Where was the screaming? The fighting? The dramatic declarations of love? His father was quite literally handing him over to Deva on a silver platter. What the fuck?

“Do you accept?”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you accept this betrothal?”

“Yes?”

“Good. You are to be married in two months time.”

“Yes Kartha.”

“Everyone besides Varadha is dismissed. To the Shouryanga embassy, please make yourselves at home in the guest suite. My daughter, Radharama will lead you there.” Varadha watched as the Shouryangas marched out. Deva sent him a small wink unbeknownst to anyone that sent a shiver down Varadha’s spine. He tried to hide his smile to minimal success. Bhaarava also gave Varadha a smile which he returned. 

At last, when the dharbaar was empty, Varadha looked at his father. 

“You accepted very easily.”

“Yes, you said it was my responsibility. I take those very seriously, despite what many may think”

“Yes I can see that, you are doing well in Mahara.”

“Thank you.”

“Bhargat is yours again.”

“Excuse me?”

“You killed Ranga. By the laws of Khansaar, the strongest win everything. You’ve proved yourself to be stronger than him, and taken back what you lost. Bhargat is once again yours.”

“Oh. Thank you Kartha.”

Silence reigned once more. 

“Is there anything else you wish to say?”

“No Kartha.”“Oh. Then you are dismissed as well.”

“Thank you Kartha.”

Varadha walked out of the dharbaar not knowing what to feel. On one hand, he was going to marry Deva! On the other hand, how? There was no way it could be this easy. Nothing in Varadha’s life ever came easily. How was it that Deva did? And Bhargat? His father took great joy in grabbing Bhargat from him and giving it to Ranga a few years ago. Why was it that he was now handing it back to him? What kind of magic did Deva work on his father?

Chapter Text

Varadha couldn’t sleep. His brain was running in circles thinking about what happened this morning. He was marrying Deva; with the blessings of his father and the Shouryangas no less. It all seemed like a dream. Ever since he was a child, he had to fight for anything he wanted, nothing ever came easy. But for Deva, he didn’t even have to lift a finger to attain him. It was as if he had saved up all his luck for this one wish. Thinking of it like that, it seemed that all the difficulties of his life were worth it. He was so caught up in overthinking that he didn’t hear the subject of his thoughts sneaking into his room through the open window. 

“Vara!”

“What the fuck!” Varadha sprung up from his bed and grabbed the dagger that was under his pillow, only to see it was his Deva standing in the room. 

“Deva? What are you doing here? How did you get inside?”

“What do you mean what am I doing here? My fiance is in this room, where else would I go?”

Varadha tried to ignore the way his heart was speeding up and put on a firm expression. 

“Deva, I know we’re getting married but we’re not exactly fiances yet. You and I will get in big trouble if someone catches us.”

Deva only smirked at him and began walking forward, causing Varadha to move back. “You’re worth all the trouble in the world”. Varadha felt like prey trapped in the eyes of a predator, so much so that he didn’t even notice when his back hit the wall. Deva stalked forward and placed his hands on either side of Varadha, effectively trapping him in place. Varadha had never realized how much taller and broader Deva was than him. He couldn’t bear to look at Deva like this, when he felt so vulnerable. He tried to turn his face to the side, but was stopped by Deva’s finger underneath his chin. Deva used his leverage to turn Varadha’s face back to him, and stroked his cheek. 

“D-deva?”

“Vara.”

Deva moved one of his hands to cup Varadha’s face. The proximity was dizzying. As he trailed a finger down Varadha’s nose and towards his lips, Varadha couldn’t help the shaky breath he let out. Deva seemed to find enjoyment in that, so he kept his thumb on Varadha’s lips, periodically swiping it to the side. Varadha didn’t know what came over him when he peeked his tongue out to lightly graze Deva’s thumb. Seeing the dilation of Deva’s eyes, Varadha grew more bold. He slowly sucked Deva’s thumb into his mouth while keeping his eyes on Deva, whose breathing was growing more intense by the second. 

Varadha didn’t let go. He continued to suck Deva’s thumb, swirling his tongue around it and hollowing his cheeks. Something in Deva seemed to snap, as he harshly pulled his thumb out of Varadha’s mouth only to replace it with his tongue. 

The way Deva was kissing him, he made it seem like he wanted to consume Varadha from the inside out. He licked and sucked and bit until Varadha was a puddle in his arms. Varadha moved his hands up to Deva’s soft curls and tugged. When Deva let out a small moan, he tugged a bit harder and ground his hardening cock against Deva’s thigh. Deva lowered his hands down Varadha’s back and cupped his ass, kneading it lightly. Varadha practically melted into Deva, but rather than being put off, Deva only held Varadha tighter. Then, in a move that caught Varadha off guard, Deva shifted his hands under Varadha’s thighs and picked him up. Despite being shocked, Varadha wound his legs around Deva’s hips. 

When they stopped kissing for a moment, Varadha let himself look at Deva.

“I need to get inside you, will you let me?” Deva’s voice seemed raspy, as if he’d already been fucking Varadha long and hard instead of just kissing him. 

“Yes.”

Deva barely let a second pass before he began walking towards the bed, Varadha in tow. It did something to Varadha, to see Deva so desperate for him. 

Deva placed Varadha on the bed so gently that it was at complete odds with the ravenous way he was sucking bruises on Varadha’s neck. Varadha was confused whether to push him away or pull him closer. 

Varadha expected Deva to rip his clothes off of him, but instead, Deva carefully peeled away the nightshirt Varadha was wearing. He looked mesmerized for a moment before putting his mouth on Varadha’s nipple. Varadha couldn’t help but arch his back lightly, which only encouraged Deva to suck harder. Deva used his hand to give the other nub attention, pinching it between his forefinger and thumb. He then moved down, kissing the path down to Varadha’s cock, but not quite where Varadha wanted him. He pulled Varadha’s breeches and boxers down in one swift move before stopping. 

Varadha lay completely naked before Deva, breathing heavily and covered in a light flush. He couldn’t handle the look Deva was giving him, like he wanted to eat him whole. 

“You look so beautiful. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do this.” Deva dove down back to Varadha’s lips and neck, fully ravishing him. The sensation of Varadha’s naked cock against Deva’s clothed drove him crazy. 

“Deva, you’re still wearing clothes.” 

“I’m sorry sweetheart, I just can’t control myself when you’re in front of me looking like a present I need to unwrap.” Contrary to the gentle way he removed Varadha’s clothes, Deva practically ripped his own off and threw them to the side. He then went right back to kissing Varadha. 

Varadha wrapped his arms around the scarred back of Deva. He ran his hands up and down, fascinated by the texture of Deva’s muscles and battle scars. Deva pulled back slightly, and Varadha almost whimpered at the loss. 

“Do you have lube?”

“In the drawer next to the bed.”

Deva somehow found it and came right back into Varadha’s waiting arms. Varadha went a bit lightheaded when he saw Deva pouring the lube over his fingers. Deva put his finger to Varadha’s rim, but didn’t go in just yet. He just circled it, ignoring Varadha’s hitched gasps. 

“How many times have you laid in this bed, doing this to yourself, hmm? How many times did you wish someone was here with you, giving you exactly what you want?” Deva punctuated his question by finally pushing his finger in. 

“Deva!”

Deva continued to push his finger in and out while Varadha turned his head to the side, attempting to muffle his gasps into the pillow. Deva didn’t let that deter him, as he pushed two fingers in. 

“Look how well you’re taking in my fingers. How well will you take my cock?” He moved his mouth up to Varadha’s neck and bit. Varadha wailed at the stimulation, but arched his neck up to give Deva more access.

“Good boy.” Deva continued to suck bruises up and down Varadha’s neck before adding a third finger in. Varadha arched up, further driving Deva’s fingers in. 

“Deva, please!”

“Please what sweetheart? What do you need?”

“I’m ready, please… I can’t wait anymore”

“I wanted to be patient, spend as much time as possible preparing you, but I can’t do it anymore.” He lined himself up against Varadha, and with one smooth glide, he slipped inside and buried himself to the hilt.

“Are you doing okay my love?”

“Yes, please move?” Deva pushed himself out until his tip before pushing back inside. Once he realized Varadha was enjoying himself, he picked up the pace.

"Fuck, you’re so tight and warm sweetheart. It’s like you were made for me.” Deva continued to move faster, spurned by the way Varadha wrapped his legs around his hips once more, using his ankles to push Deva further inside him. “You were only made for me. I’ll kill anyone who’s ever touched you.”

Deva fucked into Varadha, refusing to let up even for a moment. Whatever little self control he had up until that moment snapped the second Varadha called out his name, asking him to go harder. He pulled out of Varadha only long enough to flip him over, and went right back inside as if they were never parted. While he continued to fuck into Varadha, he wrapped one hand around Varadha’s cock, stroking it in tandem with his thrusts. Soon his rhythm turned sloppy. 

Varadha keened Deva’s name as he came, saying it almost like a prayer. That was enough to send Deva over the edge, as he came deep inside Varadha. 

They stayed like that for a long while, refusing to let go of one another. Deva eventually slips out of Varadha, who tries his best to keep in a whine at the loss of warmth. He walks into the bathroom and comes out a few moments later with a damp towel, and uses it to wipe the both of them down. He then tosses it to the side and slips right back into bed and opens his arms, where Varadha willingly shifts. 

They spent the rest of the night trading confessions and lazy kisses. For the first time in his life, Varadha gets a good night’s rest.

Chapter Text

The sun snuck in through a small gap in the curtains of Varadha’s window, leading him gently awake. Varadha didn’t want to open his eyes yet, not when he was so attuned to the presence of Deva around him. He could feel Deva’s soft breath hit his nape and his arms where they wrapped tightly around his middle. It was heaven. He turned slightly to face Deva, and slowly opened his eyes. 

Deva looked glorious like this, all languid and peaceful. This was the sight that would greet Varadha every morning from now on. Deva was his, and no one could get between them. 

Varadha had a mischievous idea. He shifted to get his hand on Deva’s mustache, and tugged slightly. Besides moving a bit, Deva didn’t react. Varadha once again tugged on his mustache. This time, Deva swatted at his hand lightly before turning his face to the other side. Varadha chuckled softly before once reaching out for his mustache when Deva’s hand suddenly shot up to grab his arm. Varadha barely had a second to react before Deva used his arm to push Varadha down into the mattress and hover over him. 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“Messing with you.”

“Oh?”

Deva lowered himself closer to Varadha’s face before lightly grazing his beard on Varadha’s cheek. When Varadha shifted his head up, Deva used the moment to plant light butterfly kisses down his jaw and neck. His hands moved down Varadha’s waist, caressing the naked expanse of skin, all while he continued to make his way down Varadha’s body.

Deva kissed Varadha’s thighs, stomach, and hips. Varadha tried to move so he could give some attention to his half hard dick, but Deva seemed to be purposely ignoring his cues. 

“Deva, please?”

Finally, Deva turned his mouth towards the area Varadha desperately needed. He licked a stripe down Varadha’s hardening cock before slowly taking it into his mouth. He increased his pace, bobbing his head up and down and hollowing his cheeks. It was starting to drive Varadha crazy. He arched himself up even further until he came into Deva’s mouth. 

When he finally came down from his haze, he was once again wrapped in Deva’s arms, who was gazing at him with so much tenderness that it made him want to look away. But he didn’t. This was his Deva, and he would not shy away. 

“Deva?”

“Yes Vara?”

“I love you.”

Deva was silent for only a split second. “I love you too. So much.”

“Why do you do all this for me? You’ve saved me so many times, and you never ask for anything from me.”

“I just told you my love. I love you. I just want to see you happy.  

“You really do want to marry me right? And not just to save me?”

“Varadha, the first day I met you in person I had to physically restrain myself from proposing to you on the spot. You have no idea how much self control I have.” Varadha let out a laugh at that. At least he wasn’t the only one head over heels here. 

“I’m serious! I think I deserve a reward.”

“You’re getting me! That’s your reward.”

“Fair.”

They laid in silence for a bit, just basking in the morning glow. 

“Deva?”

“Yes sweetheart?”

“What did you say to my father to get him to approve of our marriage? My last proposal was basically all decided before you came.”

“Oh, that. I threatened him.”

“What?!”

“I told him that there was a rebel group of Shouryangas planning on invading Khansaar, which is true by the way. Then I said the only way I would stop them would be if he gave me you. Your father may be a tyrant, but he’s also a coward. He agreed almost immediately. I also told him I would be his ally in getting the Indian government on our side though, so I didn’t completely bully my father in law.”

Varadha could feel the smugness rolling off of Deva in waves. 

“What the fuck?”

“Are you upset?”

‘I’m not upset Deva I’m just confused. How did this happen so easily?”

“Your husband isn’t just a pretty face my love. He's also extremely smart.”

“Cockiness doesn’t suit you.”

“Yes it does.”

Varadha couldn’t help but smile. In his mind, everything suited Deva. He couldn’t tell him that though, no need to inflate his already large ego. So, he satisfied himself by hugging Deva as tight as he could. 

They were interrupted by a loud knocking on their door. Varadha only groaned while Deva looked like he was going to pummel the person that interrupted their morning. 

“Yes? Who is it?”

“Prince Varadha Raja Mannar, the Kartha is requesting your presence in his office immediately.”

“Oh, please tell him I will be with him shortly.”

“Yes my prince.”

Varadha waited till he heard retreating footsteps before he began to get up. Deva immediately followed and wrapped himself around Varadha, doing his best impression of a koala. 

“Do you have to go?”

“Yes, and you do too. Let’s go get ready, then I’ll go to meet my father and you can go back to your room.”

“Whatever you say boss.”

Varadha managed to get ready in less time than he thought possible considering Deva decided to distract him at every possible turn. When he finally went down to his father’s office, he saw his father staring down at the papers on his desk. 

“You’re late.”

“My apologies, kartha.”

“You usually wake up earlier than this.”

“Yes kartha, today was an exception. I once again apologize.”

Varadha waited until his father would speak again, but silence reigned for quite a bit. He was always uncomfortable in his father’s presence, but today he was even more so. 

“How are you doing?”

“Excuse me?”

“I asked how you were doing.”

“I’m doing fine. Thank you”

“And you’re okay with this marriage proposal? To Devaratha?”

“Yes, I am. It will help Kotagada establish allies outside our borders and I’m told Devaratha has ties to the Indian government as well. All in all, it’s a lucrative alliance.”

“And you are prepared to marry that barbarian?”

“He is not a barbarian. And yes, it would be my honor to marry him.”

Silence, once again. Seriously what is his problem today?

“You remind me of my father.”

“Oh, thank you?”

“Varadha, when you pawned off Bhargat just so you could save some woman, I thought you were weak. Bhargat was the pride and joy of the Mannars, and you just threw it away. I couldn’t understand why you did it. I still think it is a stupid course of action. However, I understand that you think differently than me. You think like a true king. That much is obvious in the recent prosperity of Mahara.”

Varadha was shocked. This was Raja Mannar, the tyrant of Khansaar. And here he was, all but telling Varadha he was proud of him, albeit in his own twisted way. 

“Thank you kartha. I will try to exceed the prestige of my previous actions.”

“I am speaking to you now as your father, you can address me as such.”

“Forgive me kartha, but to me you will always be the kartha first and my father next. I can only call you by how I see you.”

There was an unreadable look in Raja Mannar’s eyes. It almost looked like regret. But no, it couldn’t be. 

“Is that all kartha?”

“Yes, you are dismissed.”

Varadha couldn’t help but think of his father’s words as he walked back to his room. He seemed concerned for him. No matter, Raja Mannar was a man incapable of unconditional love. It was best to treat him as a king rather than a father. 

Varadha wasn’t paying attention to his surroundings, so he didn’t notice Deva hiding in the shadows of the corridor as he suddenly pulled him towards the wall. 

“Deva? You have got to stop doing this, you’re going to give me a heart attack!”

“Sorry Vara I just missed you.”

“You saw me ten minutes ago!”

“Yes, and I missed you.”

Deva tried to pull his puppy eyes on Varadha, but it didn’t work. Fully. Varadha only smiled at the man. 

“You silly, silly man. What am I going to do with you?”

“Keep me by your side.”

“Well, obviously.”

Chapter Text

2 years later 

“Amma, I promise it’s not my fault! I was just sitting there, watching Varadha and…”

“Deva, you can’t keep using your husband as an excuse!”

This was the conversation that Varadha walked into. It looked like his husband was once again in trouble and he would once again need to bail him out. Who knew that the chief of the Shouryangas and the consort of the crown prince of Khansaar would be this childish? 

“Amma? Deva? What’s wrong, what did Deva do now?”

“Why do people always assume I did something?”

“Because you’re always doing something. Now be silent while the adults talk. Amma? What did he do?”

“Your lovely husband here convinced the children to go play cricket with him rather than finishing his paperwork on border patrol and letting them finish their homework.”

“Deva, seriously, again?”

“Hey, they convinced me. If anything, my pure soul is the one being corrupted by those heathens.”

“Deva, you’re in your thirties getting peer pressured by ten year olds.”

“That’s neither here nor there.”

“Varadha darling, please knock some sense into this tree of a man. I can’t take his antics anymore.”

“Yes ma, I’ll take care of it.”

When Amma walked away, Varadha turned to face his tree of a husband. 

“Deva what the hell is wrong with you?”

“Sweetheart, I promise it’s not my fault.”

“When is it ever? Just for upsetting Amma again you get no kisses for the rest of the day.” Varadha wouldn’t actually withhold kisses, but it was a good threat. Deva needed to learn. 

“What! Varadha, no!” 

“Varadha yes.”

“I will not allow it.”

“That’s too damn bad.” Varadha moved to walk away, but wasn’t successful. Deva grabbed him by his waist and pulled him flush against his chest. 

“What’s too damn bad is not being able to kiss my husband for the rest of the day. You understand I cannot let that stand.” Deva began peppering kisses down Varadha’s neck while Varadha tried to squirm out of his grasp. 

“Deva you absolute menace! Let me go before someone sees.”

“I’ll never let you go. Not now, not ever.”

Varadha made a show of rolling his eyes, but deep down he couldn’t ignore the sense of satisfaction he had at Deva’s corny words. Life was well and truly, perfect.