Chapter 9
“Y
ou don’t have to worry about my marriage.” His words pierced through me.
Of course, I wasn’t second, and I didn’t know where I stood in the line.
It was easy for him to attract anyone; his eyes had beautiful, thick lashes, the green of which would fade into a sad shade, resembling an ocean awaiting the moon to let its waves play freely.
And I was being completely foolish.
It was wrong. It was terribly wrong. I could never forgive myself if he cheated on his fiancée with me.
I battled with my every breath, resisting, not wanting to give in. Another moment with him, and I knew I would’ve lost that battle of seven years.
Even though I could see the care in his gaze, I couldn’t be that woman; I couldn’t stand as an enemy to another woman.
Yes… Yes, I felt at home for a moment when his lips touched the tip of my nose.
I felt unbothered, unburdened, and cared for.
It was as if time had slowed down. For the first time, I felt this from a man.
A man named Agastya Dev Singh, the most charming, handsome, and intelligent prince of Suryagarh.
But he was committed. And so I had to push him away.
What if his future wife had discovered our relationship? I wasn’t one of his many past relationships. There seemed to be no apparent reason for his actions other than attraction.
I returned to my room, shutting the door behind me.
The temperature rose around me. I could feel the heat in my cheeks and body, and my palms turned sweaty. I tried to place my hand over my heart, hoping to calm it.
I rolled onto the comforter and hid myself. The vision of him closer to me was clearer than reality. My future was clearer than reality. I couldn’t stay away from him and control myself around him.
The emotions I had always considered dead and buried awakened, reminding me that a woman who needed to be cherished by a man lived within me.
The Man. He was a man. A man.
I had never felt that way about him in the past four years. But then, why did it change suddenly?
My head spun with his thoughts, and the one that prompted me to push my comforters off my face was the thought of completing that kiss.
What would have happened if he had kissed me? What was I even thinking?
No, he shouldn’t come near me. It was wrong. Society would never accept this.
But he drew closer. With my back pressed against his chest, his lips were near my ear. My breathing grew heavy. His finger brushed my arm, sending shivers of anticipation through me. His chest felt warm against my almost bare back.
I felt him leaning into my neck. My lashes closed tightly, and a slight wetness formed in my core. It was wrong, but it felt good. The touch didn’t burn me. The voice didn’t bite me. And the softness made me feel cared for.
I pressed my thighs together. We were on the bed, and he smiled at my struggle. Placing his hand on my thighs, he parted them, shaking his head, ‘Only me’.
His words made me feel even hotter, and I turned to face him and sat on his lap. I felt his hardness against me, and it thrilled me.
‘Kunwar Agastya,’ I murmured, kissing his cheek, and in that instant, I opened my eyes.
I quickly glanced around and straightened up.
What in the world did I dream about? And why?
I shook my head in disbelief. How could I dream about him? I quickly covered my face, struggling to breathe.
Suman, you’ve become a problem. He isn’t the problem. You are the problem. You’re getting turned on. And after seven years, for him?
Suddenly, I felt the bright sunlight on my face and immediately looked toward the window. It was late in the morning.
Ugh, no! Let me handle one thing at a time.
A grand feast awaited in the kingdom, and I was sleeping.
I immediately threw away the comforter and walked toward the common bathing room for attendants.
At this time, it was empty. Typically, we attendants would remove our clothes and wrap ourselves in cotton fabric to take a bath together.
However, some attendants were very confident about their bodies, so they went naked, like older women.
I wrapped the fabric around my body and stepped into the pool, which was filled with dirty water since everyone had bathed. However, I let it go, and after emerging from the pool, I used a bucket of clean water to change into my plain clothes.
But today, I chose to face the reality. I removed my bangles, nose ring, and toe rings. In our tribe, wearing vermilion was optional, but the toe and nose rings were significant ornaments for married women.
I needed to accept it, and Kunwar-sa did too.
Taking a deep breath, I walked toward Nandani’s chamber. Upon entering, I found her sitting with Daadi-sa.
“Pranaam, Daadi-sa,” I greeted, bending down to receive her blessings. She placed her hand on my head and held my wrist, encouraging me to sit beside her.
“How are you, Suman?” she asked in her weak, old voice, and I smiled, rubbing her hand.
“I am good, Daadi-sa,”
“You called me Bhabhi-sa?” his voice suddenly captured my attention and sent butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
“Ji, Devar-sa, come here,” Nandani invited, and I heard his footsteps approaching. I glanced at him as he settled on the other side of the bed with Nandani.
“I was thinking of taking you with me for a while. You’ll feel better,” Daadi-sa said, catching my attention as I heard Nandani talking to him.
“What happened to you last night? Why were you acting so childish?”
I gulped nervously, feeling my palms sweat with the tension.
“You’ll come with me, right, Suman? You’re our child now. I want you to get married and settle down in a loving family. I have someone in mind,” Daadi-sa said, and my smile faded from my face.
Did she have to say all of this in front of him?
I tried to shake my head, but then he suddenly burst out laughing. “Um… Bhabhi-sa, actually, no one knew what I wanted to eat, and I wanted to teach them a lesson. So, I kept sending them back until they brought me what I love,”
My stomach twisted at that.
“Tell me, Suman. You’ll get married, right?” Daadi-sa asked, shaking me. I tried to nod absentmindedly but noticed Nandani twisting his ear.
“How can you act like this when your Bhabhi-sa just laid an offspring? Couldn’t you eat what they made for just one day?”
He yelped and shook his head. “Ouch… sorry, Bhabhi-sa. I’m really sorry; I won’t do that again.”
His voice sounded cute, and I couldn’t believe his cuteness wasn’t as charming in my dreams.
My cheeks grew warm as I glanced at Daadi-sa, who was still waiting for my answer.
I gulped nervously. “Ji, Ji, Daadi-sa. Whatever you want,” I muttered, hoping he wouldn’t hear.
“By the way, I want to see my papaya,” he said, leaning forward to look at the baby. I guess he hadn’t even noticed me.
“Oh my God, she’s beautiful… but so tiny. Are you sure it’s Bhai-sa’s?” he asked, and Nandani immediately punched his arm.
“Don’t you dare, stupid!”
He laughed and leaned in to kiss the baby’s feet. “I’ll make you the most spoiled princess this world would ever know,” he said, but suddenly Daadi-sa interrupted.
“What about the princess you’re marrying, Kunwar-sa? How will you spoil her?”
I sensed the teasing in her words and immediately lowered my face, wanting to escape from her.
He laughed, gently touched the baby’s cheek, and said, “You are too old to know about it, Daadi-sa.”
Nandani interrupted, “Aye, she’s not old.”
He laughed again and looked at us. His gaze lingered on me for a moment before he spoke. “Then maybe I can tell you,”
I quickly glanced at Daadi-sa and said, “Um… I need to go, Daadi-sa. I must see the kitchen.”
She didn’t even hear me as I slowly escaped, listening to his voice fade away.
“I will teach her how to use the dagger wisely. You know it’s a journey of self-discovery,”
Nandani laughed loudly. Daadi-sa chuckled too, but I didn’t understand what was funny. I never quite understood Nandani or his jokes; their bond was deep, like that of best friends.
I hurried out of the room, but before I could, someone grabbed me and pinned me against the wall. I quickly glanced around before turning to look at him.
“Kunwar-sa,” I gasped. “Someone will see us,”
He quickly untied the curtain from the pillar, covering both of us. “Not now,” he said. Frustration ran through me. “I want to talk to you,” he continued.
I shook my head, trying to push him away.
“Aye, don’t!” His warning only provoked me to push him harder.
However, as I tried to walk past him, he grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. A wave of pain shot through my hand when he twisted my arm behind my back, dragging me precariously nearer to him.
My eyes widened with shock.
“I’m talking to you,” he said.
My whole body shivered with his strength, and I gazed into his eyes with a trace of fear.
“Kunwar-sa,” I muttered.
He gulped, loosening his hold on my hand. “Why did you take it off?” he asked, studying my face, and I shook my head.
“What?”
“Your nose ring,”
I was stunned.
“Because my husband is dead. It’s only for married women,” I reminded him.
He took a step closer, pushing me against the wall. I felt smaller next to him.
“You have a husband,” he gritted through his teeth.
I shook my head. “No, I don’t,” I replied immediately. “The world doesn’t know about it,” I added in a low voice.
His eyes sharpened, and my wrist numbed in his tighter grip. His cologne enveloped the air like a drug, as his presence occupied a significant space in my life.
“But you know about it, don’t you?” he said as I gazed at his face, leaning closer.
My cheeks flushed, and I felt suffocated, trapped in his embrace. I attempted to lean back, trying to create some distance between us, but as he drew me nearer, my weight shifted onto my toes, and my eyes widened in astonishment.
“Be a good wife to me,” he muttered.
My stomach somersaulted as his lips inched closer to mine. I turned my face away, trying to resist my sinful surrender.
“Aye,” he breathed, wrapping his other hand around my shoulder and cupping my jaw with his large hand, forcing me to meet his gaze.
My lips quivered and parted as I huffed. He drew nearer, and I could feel our breaths mingling against each other’s lips.
I couldn’t help giving in; I felt too weak to struggle. To my surprise, he kissed the tip of my nose and murmured, “I need to go for a day. I want you to keep my dagger with you.”
His words prompted me to open my eyes and regard him with furrowed brows.
“Where and why?” I immediately asked, and he smiled.
“That’s how you ought to question your husband,” he said, and I gritted my teeth.
“Half husband,” I reminded him. He smirked slightly, loosened my hand, and leaned closer, bringing his lips near my ear.
“Jitni tum ho uske liye hum aadhe hi paryaapt hai,” “My half is sufficient for all of you,” he said, brushing my cheek with his dagger. It felt cold against my skin.
“It’s not serious between my fiancée and me.” Suddenly, his words shattered my world, and I stood frozen. But before I could react or ask anything, he stepped away, leaving me with his dagger.
I was unsure of how to deal with it.
“See you tomorrow, dinner.”
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