It didn't take much effort to find the address of the Singh family. The mansion which belonged to the current vizier, was in the most prestigious district of the Vardana capital, surrounded by splendid gardens and close to the palace. Ashwin took a look at the walls surrounding Rajah's residence from a distance. Getting closer was impossible due to tight security. Fortunately, unlike the palace, noble mansions were still within his reach. The police patrolled the streets, but no one was forbidden to walk on them, even commoners.

His new clothes that he received from Binita helped him to blend in with the crowd a lot. He couldn't stay at her house for long and left after a short rest. But before Ashwin left, he made sure to properly express his gratitude. Leaving was also part of it, as he was afraid that the presence of a teenager with a murky past would tarnish her reputation and draw attention to her father. He already owed them a debt; he could not let the Shaan family be harmed by his actions anymore. But before he left, Binita once again gifted him with something.

"I don't know much, but there's a rumor that your father is alive. My family hasn't been able to contact him, and I doubt he's in Vardan, but maybe you'll find out more about Lord Cheda."

Ashwin took a deep breath. The hope that he might someday meet his father gave him new strength. His spirit was high; the only problem left was how to meet Adwita. The streets were open to commoners, but there was no way for him to freely walk into the house of a high-ranking nobleman. As soon as he reached the mansion, his predictions came true. A pair of men armed with khandas were standing in front of the open gates. Ashwin pretended to take a leisurely stroll, admiring the luxurious houses and gardens of wealthy nobles. Fine clothes he got from Binita, even without jewels, but simply made from good quality materials by a personal seamstress, deflected any suspicion from the guards.

However, he couldn't afford to stay long in their sight, regardless of how well he blended with the locals. While Ashwin was thinking about a plan to get past the armed men, the gates opened. A young lady around his age stepped out, accompanied by her maid. Another guard tried to follow her, but she did not hesitate to express her discontent and ordered the man to return to the mansion. Her voice sounded familiar. At least Ashwin thought so. Unlike Binita's, this lady's lime green sari was made of silk and was richly embroidered. Everything, from the golden and jewelry earrings to styled black hair, looked perfect. Ashwin suddenly felt shy about approaching this beautiful girl. Not to say that doing so in front of the guards would be dangerous.

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He followed the lady and her maid for a bit before calling out to her. "Excuse me, Lady Adwita. May I have a moment of your time?"

It was a guess, but Ashwin hoped he had got the right person. When the young lady turned around, he instantly felt relief. His guess had been correct. The strained face of the maid, a woman in her forties, could not scare him away. She became even more tense when her lady ordered her to wait at a distance.

"Do I know you?" the noble girl looked at the teen slowly up and down.

"Yes, but I suppose it is hard to recognize me. You gave me bread when I was in my most unfortunate time."

"Did I?" his hint made Adwita only frown. "Maybe I did."

Her maid stole glances toward Singh's mansion. There wasn't much time, so Ashwin added: "Yes, I was in the arena pit. My name is Ashwin Cheda. I wanted to thank you, my lady, for your generous gesture."

"Oh. Oh!" the girl exclaimed but hastily covered her mouth with her hand. Too much emotion could draw unnecessary attention. She continued, keeping her voice low, "Yes, I remember now. But what are you doing here? Isn't it dangerous?"

Her recognition and concern made Ashwin smile brightly. For a moment, he forgot all about the dangers. “It is, but I still wanted to meet you to at least express my gratitude. You probably had no idea how happy this piece of bread made me back then."

The young lady smiled back and fixed her hair, putting a curl behind her ear.

"But if I may be honest, I hoped to get a chance to meet and speak with you again," continued Ashwin. "I know very little about the situation in the capital. Maybe you or your father can help me learn more about it?"

"I can't talk for long right now," stated the obvious Adwita. Her maid was growing impatient, glaring at the young man who dared to approach her lady on the street. "Let's meet again at the Tadoba tea house in two days at noon. I will talk to my father and ask him for help."

"Thank you!" Ashwin thanked the girl warmly. It was more than he had expected from this meeting. "I look forward to seeing you again, Lady Adwita."

"As am I," Adwita smiled and called to her maid. The woman hurriedly approached the girl, standing between the teenagers. It was time to retreat, but despite the maid's gaze full of disapproval and indignation, Ashwin's mood was lighter than ever. At long last, there was a ray of hope for him.