Chapter 5

Next day, we were standing in front of the king in the royal court. Subham's father used his influence and made us enter the court as early as possible. Of course, why wouldn't he? His son was dying. 

We were standing in a really large hall with huge pillars. Many soldiers were standing here and there guarding the royal court. The King's throne was higher than the ground. Almost ten to twelve feet higher. They studded it with gold and gems. The ministers stood on both the sides in queues. King Rajavarma was sitting on that throne. 

I was stunned after seeing the shine in his eyes. He was wearing a golden crown with gems studded in it. He had yellow skin, black eyes, dense moustache and beard. He must be in his forties. He was wearing a red surcoat, gold belt and tight stockings. I was sweating from my forehead and my palms. I had never met a king in my life. 

"Tell me your problem," He said, sitting proudly on his throne. 

I was looking at Bhaskar, hoping that he would be the one to talk to him. But he was not saying anything. 

"Yes?" The minister Induvir said. He was wearing a yellow surcoat, a red turban and tight stockings. He had a thick gray moustache, a round face and big brown eyes. 

"My king, our friend Subham..." I blurted out in a hurry. 

'What happened to your friend?' The king asked. 

"He is suffering from a disease. Doctor Yuddhrama is tending to him right now," I continued. 

"Hm, go on."

"My king, he is not able to cure him. My friend is on the verge of death."

"Hm, if you want our royal doctors to treat him. Then I must tell you, if Yuddhrama cannot treat him then he has a very less chance of surviving. I don't want to give you false hope. But I will still fulfill it if this is your wish," He said. 

"My king," I said. "We don't want the royal doctors."

"Then?"

"We want to go to The Great Black Sea in search of The Wish Fish."

Everyone present there started murmuring. The king raised his hand up. They all became silent when they got the signal. 

"What are you saying?" He said with a puzzled expression. 

"My king, this is the only way we can save our friend."

"Hm," He breathed. "You would not be able to come back alive. Do you know this?"

"Yes, my king."

"I do not want to send my precious people into the jaws of death, but if you really want this, I would not stop you."

He was just like the people said. A great king. 

"What do you want from me then?" He asked. 

"My king, we don't have a ship. Neither we have resources to survive in the sea," Bhaskar said, just at the moment I opened my mouth to say the same thing. 

This bastard! What was the point in speaking now? 

The king started thinking something. We all were looking at him silently, hoping he would not deny our request. "Hm, very well," He said. 'We will provide you all the resources. Rest assured."

We all were smiling after hearing this. We bowed our heads. "We will forever be grateful to you, my king," I said. 

The king nodded before we walked out of the royal court.

The minister Induvir was a little confused by the king's decision. "My king, may I ask one thing?"

"Yes, Induvir. What is it?"

"My king, we all know that they will not survive if they go there. I know you, you would never let someone die after knowing this. But I am confused here. Why did you let them go?"

The king smiled. "Whatever you said is right. But what made me take this decision was their love for their friend. My Induvir, people even leave their parents nowadays. But they... they decided to bet their life on the line for a friend. Do you understand now, Induvir?"

"Yes, my king."

"Hm, I want you to put their names and this incident in our golden history book. So, that our upcoming generations will take life lessons from it."

"As you order, my king."

"One more thing, shift their friend to the royal palace. We will tend to him until they return."

"But my king? How do you know they will return?"

The king stood up. All the ministers and people present there also stood up in respect. The king was standing while holding his hands behind his back. 

"I have faith in them. All the people who went there until now only had selfish reasons. They only wanted to fulfill their own desires and wishes by finding The Wish Fish. But they are different. They don't have any selfish reason. Now, have you understood the reason behind my faith in them?"

Induvir smiled in satisfaction. "Yes, my king."

The king then walked down the stairs and walked out of the court. The soldiers and ministers followed him. 

My friends went to their homes to talk to their family on this matter. Of course, I could imagine the scene going on in their houses. Only I was left alone. I had nowhere to go. So, I just went to the river at the outskirts of the town. I sat on a stone at the bank. I don't know why but I missed my family way too much. I was having flashbacks of the precious moments I spent with them. 

I remembered the time when I fell sick, and my father was awake the whole night taking care of me. 

"Come on, son. You are strong. You can't be defeated by a fever."

No matter how hard the situation was, he was always smiling. His smiling face was moving around my eyes. One day, he was scolded and abused badly by his master (Subham's father). But he never showed even a bit of sorrow. He always smiled and drank his problems like wine. 

Before I knew it, tears came flowing out of my eyes. I looked at the sky and smiled. 

"Father, I am going to do something which might take my life. As you always taught me, I won't be defeated until my last breath."

My heart pained but my face had a smile. It was a peculiar condition I was in. 

"Father, your son needs your blessings today. I know you must be watching me from wherever you are. Send my love to my mother. Tell her I love her. I love you too."