The day began more chaotic than usual; the streets were bustling with the sounds of footsteps and the crowd's murmurs, and stalls were at full volume, trying to attract customers. It was still 10 am, but for once, Alazras was in its spirit completely alive.
"It seems so lively down there, almost feels like the rush during Durga Puja or Diwali", Ishaan remarked while looking out of the window, while getting dressed in his special kurta and pyjama he wears during festival times.
"You said it, I just wonder how they will dress, like it is going to be difficult to locate them, like we are so accustomed to walking the roads so freely" Aaron, with a soft smile, while he was doing the last button of his kurta.
"Ohhhh~~~, is someone too excited to see his special someone, huh?" Ishaan remarked with a smirk on his face
"Ahm ~~, ok fine, I'm, but you can't say you aren't. I saw you know how she was leaning on you. I was surprised you could be this gentle," Aaron retaliated.
"Hawwwww, I take it as a personal offence, you know I can be gentle too," Ishaan, puffing his face, trying to show he is angry.
"But then again, I also didn't know what she was like. Yesterday I got to learn a lot about her, and how we are common in so many ways, it just felt so right to just hold her." Suddenly, there was a change of emotion, something like he was in deep thought, and it was rare, but there was a feeling of closeness.
"Yeah… I get it. Yesterday was something else. Honestly, kind of sad too. It's wild how life works — we just happened to land here, meet those two, and suddenly everything feels different. And now, it's our last day before heading back to India. Who knows if we'll ever cross paths again?" Aaron was in a state of contemplation.
"You know, I agree, it will be difficult, but I want to do something before we leave. I want to thank both of them and let Isabella know how I feel. I think they deserve that much, although I am curious about what they said at the end?" Ishaan was picking himself up.
"You know, yesterday must have worked magically, just look at you so 'mature'," Aaron returns it with sarcasm.
"Ya, ya, sure Dadaji", Ishaan with a comeback
"You, bastard, just come here", Aaron rushed with his slippers in his hand.
As the boys were off goofing off, Mrs Banerjee came into the room. She stood there for a solid 5 minutes before the boys realised
"I swear to god, I don't know how those two managed you guys, now get ready and don't you dare make your clothes sweaty this early on" Mrs Banerjee's hand on her head in stark worry.
"Aye, Aye, captain", Ishaan remarked while trying to block Aaron's hands from slapping him across the room.
After tussling for a while, both the boys went down and waited at the waiting spot for the girls.
"You know, I'll miss how we always wait for them, it has kind of become our get-together spot", said Ishaan, leaning against the wall
Aaron just nodded calmly, scrolling through his phone.
Seconds turned into minutes and minutes turned into hours.
"Hey, man, what do you think is the matter? We have been standing here for almost 2 hours," Ishaan now looked around a bit impatiently.
"Ya, I am getting a bit concerned, just hope they didn't get into any problems" Aaron is shaking his leg as he is waiting anxiously.
After 15 minutes
"Damn, it doesn't tell me that something happened to them", Ishaan bit his nails.
"What do you mean?" Aaron, now clearly anxious, was swaying from one leg to another
"You don't remember what they told us last night, 'whatever happens, don't forget us', I just thought it was just a way of them seeing us off as our time was coming to an end, but now I am concerned, if it was really what it was." Ishaan was now visibly panicking.
Aaron got up and started moving towards a direction.
"Where are you off to?" Ishaan following him
"I refuse to accept that yesterday was the last time we met. I am trying to go find them; they normally come from this direction, so let's start from there," Aaron fastened his pace.
Both Aaron and Ishaan started their frantic search, Aaron walking while trying to deduce from where they normally used to come or where they could be, and Ishaan going up and down the street, alleyways and asking around shops. But all in wane.
"You found out anything?" Aaron asked as he panted for breath.
"No, no clue, you tried calling them again?" Ishaan asked, gasping for air.
"Tried it, not connecting", Aaron said as he tried again.
"AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! DAMN IT ALL….. why god? Why do you have to be this cruel ?" Ishaan screamed at the air out of frustration.
"Bro, keep your cool, just relax, I believe if god has put them in our path, then we will find them again. Let's not lose hope," Aaron is trying to comfort Ishaan.
"Ok… let's keep on looking", Ishaan now calming down.
Both of them continued their frantic search throughout the entire day… Going from alley to alley till it was almost evening and then returning to their spot.
"Bro... we….. Have searched… the entire city at this point," Ishaan gasping for air.
"Man, I know", Aaron kept a calm composure, but his hands were tight in gripping his phone.
"Well, it seems the boys had a marathon or something, just look at them all sweating", a voice came from behind.
It was Mr and Mrs Banerjee, who looked shocked seeing the boys alone.
"Where are Izzy and Est? " Don't tell me you guys lost them," Mrs Banerjee was trying to be humorous, but then she noticed the stark anxiety and fear in Ishaan's eyes and Aaron's nervous posture.
"Wait, where are they ?" Mrs Banerjee asked.
"Honestly, that's the same question we have been asking all day."Aaron tried to respond as he still scanned for any clues.
"They never showed up, so we looked over the entire city, but still couldn't figure out where they were… surprisingly, for two locals, no one knew who they were" Ishaan was still exhausted from all the running.
"Seeing the exhausted boys, Mr Banerjee stepped in and said, "Boys, it's almost time for the reveal, you know, let's go there, I have a gut you might find them if they are there."
"True after all, everyone will be gathered near the castle after all." Mrs Banerjee is trying to convince the boys.
The boys were hesitant but reluctantly followed their parents to the castle.
As the boys moved towards the castle, their scanning and searching didn't stop, asking everyone and anyone who even remotely resembled them.
As they finally reached the castle, the crowd had thickened, but there was no sign of any of the girls.
As they moved towards the gates and their parents gave their invitation cards, which they had won… the guard at the gate informed them that their tickets had been upgraded as a vacancy had appeared and they would be allowed in the inner hall.
Mr and Mrs Banerjee were overjoyed and excited, but were a bit concerned about the boys.
But Mr Banerjee, being Mr Banerjee, just told the boys to follow him.
"You guys go on in…. Let us be" Aaron resisting.
"Pleaseeeee….. We need to find them, we have something we must say," Ishaan, clinging on to the pole.
"Guys, just get in there for a few minutes after the reveal is over you can go out, don't miss this chance", Mr Banerjee is trying to pull the boys in.
Mrs Banerjee stepped in and claimed the boys said, "Listen, I know you want to say and meet them, but let's not forget this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so let's enjoy for a bit, then we all can search for them. This event is going to last for a long time, so, ya?"
The boys, still not fully convinced, still went in.
The inner hall was like stepping into a grand banquet in all those fantasy kingdom anime, golden decorations, lavish food and the line of guests so sophisticated and dignified, it felt like a true nobles' gathering, whereas on the other hand, Mr Banerjee was all excited, trying to fill his plates with food and making an effort to stand out. Mrs Banerjee is trying to both control him as well as trying to avoid any connection with him.
Although the hall was lively, the boys were nowhere near excited. They stood at a corner just wanting this reveal to be over.
After a while, a cheer came from outside, followed by triumphant horns. The reveal had started, and as tradition first, the countrymen shall meet the heir, and then they introduce themselves in the inner court, which is followed by a slow waltz.
The horns came first.
A single long note that rolled through the walls and silenced every conversation in the hall. The guests straightened. Glasses were set down. Even Mr Banerjee stopped mid-bite.
Then the doors opened.
The king entered without fanfare — just presence, just weight, the kind of man the room reorganised itself around without being told to. He stopped at the head of the hall, his gaze moving slowly across the gathered faces until it landed, briefly, on Aaron and Ishaan.
He said nothing. But something in his expression shifted — just for a moment — before he looked away.
The queen took her place beside him, her chin raised, her eyes steady. The murmur that had started when she entered died the moment she looked out at the crowd.
"Honourable guests," the king said, his voice carrying without effort. "As custom demands, it is my honour and my duty to present my daughters to the world. Today, the elder has reached her seventeenth year. It is time."
He stepped aside.
The hall held its breath.
The doors behind him opened.
Aaron didn't realise he'd stood up until Ishaan grabbed his arm.
Two figures stepped into the light — gowns catching the chandelier, posture carrying the kind of ease that only comes from a lifetime of being watched. The crowd exhaled in one collective sound, somewhere between a gasp and a sigh.
Aaron felt his throat close.
He knew those shoulders. He knew the way the taller one held herself — that particular stillness, the kind that looked like calm but wasn't. He knew the way the shorter one moved, like she was already halfway to the next thing.
"Presenting Her Royal Highnesses—"
Ishaan's grip on his arm tightened.
"—Isabella von Alzaras and Estella von Alzaras."
The applause broke like a wave.
Neither brother moved. Neither brother spoke. They stood in the middle of a hall full of cheering strangers, holding the same thought between them like something fragile neither wanted to drop.
And then — just before the sound swallowed everything — Isabella's gaze moved.
Not a sweep of the room. Not a polished acknowledgement of the crowd.
Straight to him. Just for a heartbeat. Soft and sharp and full of something she hadn't been able to say.
Then it was gone. Her composure returned, seamless, practised, royal.
The trumpets blared. The crowd surged forward. And Aaron stood perfectly still, the gloves on his hands suddenly feeling like the heaviest things he'd ever worn.