To Ashwin's surprise, the capital of Vardana had not changed much since he had last seen it. The streets were full of people, the market square bustled with excited customers, and the merchants were full of energy. The pure white walls of the buildings and the flower garlands above the doors gave the impression that the festivals had never stopped celebrating here. It was as if the pirate attack on the harbor and the rampage of man-eating apes had never happened. The liveliness of the city could fool anyone, but it was either because of all the misfortunes he had gone through or because he had come back after a long absence that Ashwin noticed the increased number of soldiers and police officers on the streets right away. In the shopping districts, squares, and public gardens, armed men were almost present on every corner. What made Ashwin even more uncomfortable was that the citizens did not pay any attention to the increased security measures and surveillance.

The teen thanked the Varman captain in his mind once again. The man turned out to be a really decent fellow. Not only did he keep his word and give a ride to Ashwin, but he also gave out the teen as a member of his crew when passing the border. 'It was probably not the first time he had brought an outsider on board or smuggled something,' thought Ashwin, watching how easily the captain dealt with the situation. Being involved in something even remotely related to the underworld was a forced measure. After parting ways with the crew, the teen felt somewhat relieved. He did not want to compromise with his conscience any longer.

He walked the streets, enjoying the views of his hometown and gathering courage in the meantime. Ashwin, tempted to head straight to his family's mansion with a heavy heart, decided to postpone his visit. The teen feared that if he witnessed the wrecked and robbed place that was so dear to him, it would break his heart. For now, it was best not to tarnish these precious memories with harsh reality.

Someone's giggling made Ashwin turn around. A group of young women were stealing glances at him and whispering. He couldn't hear them, but he recognized the topic of their conversation. The realization made his blood flush to his face. It was fine in the outsider's outpost, but here in the capital, his peculiar look, especially his hide jacket, stood out too much. No matter how much Ashwin wanted to continue his walk, it was time to find a place to change. It would be even better if he could get information about his family.

Ignoring the curious gazes, the teen quickened his pace. He instantly lowered his gaze, passing by a group of soldiers. Although he had grown up, there was still the slightest chance that they might recognize the son of a man accused of treason. Armed men sneered at the sight of his hide jacket and worn-out sandals, but their disdain was better than their interest. In this large city, with thousands of people, Ashwin had a tiny number of options for where he could go. His first choice fell on the family of his fiancée, the Shaan.

He knew the address and the impressive, luxurious house with its splendid garden remained intact. However, the guards at the entrance had unexpected news for the teen.

"The Shaan family moved away years ago," the man standing in front of the gate said, looking intently at Ashwin. Although he wanted to reprimand an unwelcome guest, he took pity on the teenager and added, "I think they're living near the city walls now. Ask there."

Ashwin thanked the man and headed back to the city gates. The areas close to the city walls were not favored by the population and were usually not considered a place for nobles to live. This was a worrying sign. Then again, being in good relations with the Cheda family, accused of treason, Shaan had no chance of getting out of the water dry. It didn’t take long to get the address from the gatekeepers. The day was already ending, with the sun setting on the horizon.

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Fearing the worst, Ashwin walked past shabby-looking houses, some of which had wooden shutters instead of glass windows. To his relief, Shaan's new home looked well-kept and nice, despite the troubled neighborhood. It was only two stories tall and could be compared to a servant's annex at their previous mansion. The small yard contained only a couple of trees and a rose bush. This austere view made the teen feel sad and bitter. Memories of the Everbloom garden his family owned came to mind.

Sighing, he knocked on the door. It took a few minutes. He wondered if the servants in this new house were also lacking. But then the door opened, and a young girl appeared. They stared at each other for a moment, until Ashwin asked, "Binita?"

The girl's brown eyes widened. She looked a few years younger than he, and compared to their previous meetings, she wore a simple sari. But not simple enough to be a maid, and the Shaan family had only one daughter.

"Ashwin?" asked the girl. When he nodded, she quickly pulled him inside the house. She closed the door carefully, making sure not to make any loud noises. Surprised by her sudden boldness, Ashwin stood silent, forgetting even to look around the hall. The girl grabbed his hand and hurried to the kitchen. The teen frowned. Even there, he didn't see any servants.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here? No, first of all, everyone thought you were dead. What happened?" The rain of questions from the girl interrupted his own. Like, how could the esteemed family live in such conditions here? But that could wait.

"It's a long story, but I'm fine and alive, as you can see. I was hoping for some help from your father," the moment the words left his mouth, Ashwin realized how silly and naive they sounded. Help from a fallen family? Isn't it too arrogant of him to ask for help from them when the mere fact of their friendship and engagement has made the Shaan family lose so much?

His guilty look didn't slip the girl's attention. She didn't rebuke him, she just smiled and said: "I'm sorry, but there is hardly anything my father can do for you. Sit down. I can at least feed you and give you new clothes. They might be a bit loose for you, but they will still be better than what you are wearing now."

The dinner that Binita cooked for him was the most delicious one he had ever had. He couldn't stop stuffing his mouth with chapattis and dal soup, until he ate to his heart's content. Ashwin leaned back in his chair. While Binita was cooking, he told her his story briefly. And while he was eating, the roles reversed, and she told him about the events in Vardan. She tried not to go into detail about the executions and the suppression of those who were close to Cheda. But learning about how Shaan and his maternal relatives cared for his mother's funeral, Ashwin sat in silence for a moment. His grief overwhelmed him once again. When he calmed down, he thanked the girl who was no longer his fiancé. 'It was obvious that the engagement would be terminated given the circumstances, but I continued to think of her as my future wife for all these years.'

Smiling wryly, Ashwin remembered another possibility.

"Do you know a noble girl named Adwita?"

His sudden question made Binita confused. She thought while cleaning dishes and said, "Do you mean Adwita Singh? She's the daughter of the current Vizier." Noticing his interest the girl added, "I don't think you should involve yourself with her."

'Of course, she thinks that. Because she doesn't know how Adwita gave me bread when I was in the pit. But there is a chance that she and her father really don't support Virat.'

"Don't worry, I'm just asking for information," reassured Ashwin the girl. Binita continued talking, but his mind was already elsewhere, thinking about the next meeting.