Chapter 23

"That's it boy! Now hold out your arms, I'm going to toss it back to you!"

Ishwari sat on a near by bench as she watched Pagan and Ajay throw a blue rubber ball back and forth. Those two were bonded as bonded could get. Ajay giggled as the ball bounced off the stony ground, up towards him. Unfortunately he wasn't very skilled at catching it just yet, but the smile on his face showed that he didn't mind.

"Okay, throw it back to me one more time and then we're done for now."

Ajay made a pouting face at the man he believed to be his father, knowing that was Pagan's weakness.

"Fine, fine, fine." Pagan said, throwing his hands in the air as if surrendering. "We'll throw it for a few more minutes, but lunch should be ready and we need to call it quits dear boy, so no more of that sad face. Understood?"

The smile returned to Ajay's face as he picked the ball up off the ground and threw it towards Pagan. Ishwari couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Her son had the king of Kyrat wrapped around his finger.

It was just as Pagan had said and they only continued playing for no more than five minutes. "Okay Ajay. This time for real, we need to go in for lunch. I know I'm famished and I bet your mother is hungry too. After all she's eating for two." Pagan turned his attention towards the now six month pregnant Ishwari.

Ishwari smiled at her love and moved to rise up from the bench. Before she fully had time to stand up, Pagan was already by her side, offering his hand for support. Ever since her pregnancy was confirmed he had become very over protective of her.

"Careful dear. You're carrying precious cargo."

She took his offered hand, using it to pull herself up. "Thank you, but I assure you I don't need help with every little thing." She laughed at him.

"Just making sure you're safe, dear." He turned and looked over to Ajay and motioned his hand so the young boy would follow. "Come. I can smell lunch already."

They sat at the dinning hall table, Pagan at one end, Ishwari at the other with Ajay in his high chair near the middle. They sat as they ate and indulged in small talk. They were only about halfway through their meal when there was a knock at the door. "Come in." Pagan announced formally.

A young man poked his head in the door. It was the new assistant Pagan had hired. Well he hadn't actually hired him. It really came down to the man being able to keep his life as long as he did what ever Pagan asked of him.

"Is there something you need Gary?" Pagan asked, not hiding the annoyance in his voice.

"S-s-sir." The man stuttered nervously. "Lieutenant Yuma is on the phone and wishes to speak with you."

Pagan let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, but would you please excuse me dear." He said as he stood up from the table, exiting the room.

Once Pagan was gone, Ishwari shook her head. She was really enjoying her day with her king. It was just like Yuma to ruin things, and a call from her usually meant that Pagan would have to leave and wouldn't be back until either late or the next morning. She turned her head to look at Ajay, who was looking back at her. "Did you enjoy your play time with daddy?" Ajay smiled and nodded his head.

It wasn't long before the dinning room door opened back up and Pagan stepped in. "Ishwari dear, I'm sorry but..."

"I already know." Ishwari cut him off. "Just go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can get back."

Pagan walked over to Ishwari and placed his hand under her chin, forcing her to tilt her head up. "Are you mad at me?"

Ishwari looked into his beautiful brown eyes. "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at Yuma."

"I'm sorry dear. I promise I won't let her keep me until tomorrow. I'll be back by tonight, even if it kills me." He told her, just before placing a kiss on her lips. He then made his way over to Ajay and kissed his head. "See you later kiddo."

Ishwari watched Pagan exit the room once again. Once he had left she sat there in the silence he had left her in, until she heard the roar of his helicopter start up and then disappear.

Ishwari finished up her food and waited for Ajay to finish his. After they had their fill of food, she decided to go in search of Shanna's company. She walked down the steps to the lower storage area, to find Shanna washing up some rags.

Shanna noticed Ishwari and looked up from what she was doing. "Hey there mama!" She said with a smile on her face. "What brings you down here?"

"What? I can't come see my friend every now and then?" Ishwari giggled.

"Fair point." Shanna smiled. "So how's the baby doing?"

"Causing me a lot of back pain, but all in all good." Ishwari said, rubbing her lower back.

"I still can't believe that Pagan had a doctor flown in, with high tech equipment, and you still refuse to let them tell you the sex of the baby." Shanna said shaking her head.

Ishwari laughed. "I want it to be a surprise. Hopefully it's another boy for Ajay to play with, but Pagan wants a girl."

"It's too bad we don't have more doctors here in Kyrat." Shanna began folding some cloth.

"Actually I talked to Pagan about that, having concerns myself." Ishwari said, walking over and helping Shanna fold. "He agreed to fund some potential kyrati to study medicine abroad. He's just waiting to find some motivated students that would appreciate the offer."

"Oh?" Shanna tilted her head to the side. "I'm surprised he's up to something like that."

"He probably would not have even thought about it, if I hadn't brought it up."

"It seems like any good he has in him, comes from you Ishwari." Shanna stacked all the cloth into a neat pile.

"I will admit that I have a positive influence on the man, but he does have good in him, not just from me."

"If you say so." Shanna laughed at her friend. "I'm finishing up early today if you are up for a walk."

"Sure. I certainly enjoy your company and you know how much Ajay likes the outdoors." Ishwari said as she patted her son on the head.

It was nine at night by the time Ishwari finished giving Ajay his daily bath and reading him a bedtime story before he went to sleep. When Ajay's eyes were finally closed and he was officially out for the night, Ishwari let out a sigh of relief. She loved being around her son, but some alone time every now and then was appreciated.

She stood up from the rocking chair that she was sitting in and placed the children's book in which she had been reading from on the nightstand. Quietly closing the door, she walked away from Ajays room and towards her own. She had just reached the golden doors, when she stopped in her tracks, looking down at her round belly. She smiled from the feeling of the child inside her kicking. He or she was definitely going to be a strong baby.

After cleaning up and changing into some suitable night clothes she crawled up under the covers of the massive bed. She was hoping to read more of her latest novel, but lately her pregnancy had really worn her out. She stretched her arm out and flipped off the light on the stand next to her. Being in the dark, she laid her head back on her pillow, closing her eyes, wondering what Pagan was up to at that very moment.

"Ishwari."

Ishwari opened her eyes and saw a hazy Pagan next to her. "Welcome back." She yawned. She rubbed her eyes, assisting them with getting adjusted to the light he had turned on. When she could see clearly she looked up at her love to smile, but stopped. There was something wrong with him and Ishwari could tell. His face gave away that something was troubling him. "Pagan? What's wrong?"

Pagan frowned. "I need you to get dressed. There's something outside that needs taken care of and I can't do it without you."

Ishwari became very concerned. "Pagan, what's going on?"

The king shook his head. "Get dressed."

Ishwari, with Pagan's help, stood up from the bed. Doing as she was told, she put on a pair of elastic pants and grabbed the first shirt she could grab. She slipped on a pair of slippers and took Pagans offered hand, allowing him to lead them out of the room and down the hall towards the exit.

Upon reaching the doors that lead to the outside courtyard he stopped, turning to face her. "Ishwari, I have to warn you that you won't like what you see, but this decision really needs to be up to you."

Ishwari swallowed her fear, worried about what could possibly be going on outside the door. She nodded at her king, knowing that there was no point in questioning him, being as she was about to find out what was causing all this trouble.

Pagan placed his hand on her cheek, pulling her in for a kiss. "No matter what happens, know that you're the only woman i care and will ever care about Ishwari." His word made her even more nervous.

Pagan place his hand on the door knob and opened up the door, allowing them to walk out. Outside, a few feet away from the door, stood Yuma with a bunch of royal soldiers, all gathered in a circle. Ishwari and Pagan approached closer, for a better look. What she saw in the middle of the group of soldiers made her stop breathing.

There, kneeling on the ground, with his hands bound behind his back, was her husband. Mohan.