Suman
"Now, the bruises count to three. Stay alert.” The moment he said this, my hand instinctively went to my neck. My eyes widened in shock. "What?" I couldn't help but raise my voice, and he just chuckled, wrapping my Dupatta around himself and slipping back under the comforter.
"How could you do this?" I whispered beneath the layer of shouting.
He chuckled and replied slowly, covering himself with the comforter. "Good night, love."
I gritted my teeth even tighter. I couldn't believe it. Anger surged through my body as I marched toward him.
"You know, I can't even walk around like this, and my job involves meeting your Bhabhisa, Bhaisa, and other family members,"
He chuckled from beneath the comforter. “ You bit my lips, too.” Muffled, his voice made me grit my teeth as I yanked the comforter off him. It tousled his soft curls, and he looked at me.
“ That was after you did this,” I trembled, my voice pretending to be strong. “ Now I ’ ll have to hide from everyone. And it ’ s all your fault.”
He smiled at me and muttered, "You can hide under my comforter."
And that was it.
I couldn ’ t help but close my mouth in defeat. He would never understand. “ You know what? Forget it. You won ’ t get this. Because you ’ re a prince, and you can do whatever you want. You can sleep with anyone you want and let anyone bite your lips without a care. But I ’ m not a prince; I ’ m not even a man. I ’ m not privileged.”
He inhaled deeply and sat up slightly. “ So, we ’ re doing this right now?” he murmured, raking his fingers through his hair.
I folded my arms and asked, “ What do you mean by that?”
He bit his lips. “ Ahh, it hurts,” he complained slowly, then turned to me.
“ You ’ re acting like a mother, ,” he said, and I took a deep breath out of frustration.
He gazed at me silently for a moment before saying, “ Okay, we should do something about this.” He got off the bed and walked closer to me, pulling me in and looking into my eyes. He was tall, and his veiny hand could wrap around a quarter of my arm whenever he held it.
"What?” I asked.
"Agastya,"
Suddenly, we heard Nandani ’ s voice, and we exchanged confused glances. Fear coursed through my veins as he stepped toward me when the curtains in his bedroom opened. A strange silence followed, and I could feel my palms sweating with anxiety. If Nandani found out, we would be done for.
“ Agastya,” I heard Nandani let out a deep sigh, the sound of her anklet bells echoing in the bedroom as she came closer.
“ Ji, Bhabhisa,” his voice sounded frightened as she suddenly asked, “ Who is behind you?” Her words sent a chilling shiver down my spine, as if I had been struck by a mountain. He let out a small laugh.
“ No one, Bhabhisa, hahahaha,” I heard her bangles clink as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“ What? Hahaha! Who are you hiding from?” she asked, and he laughed again.
“ Hahaha, it ’ s early morning; you must be hallucinating. You know that darkness is the time for ghosts, and you s-,”
“ Just step aside,” she shouted at me, and I gasped when I saw Nandani standing before me, utterly stunned.
"," her eyes widened in disbelief, and I could only cover my face with my palm and shake my head.
"No, I am not . I am Bala... Rekha... Raveena..."
“ What on earth are you doing here?” She placed her hand on her forehead.
"Agastya?"
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, his palm covering his mouth, and suddenly he said, “ Ummm, nothing, she… ummm, she just… ummm, she just came to wake me up.”
A sharp slap followed from Nandani to his bicep.
"Aaauuuchhhhhh!"
"In your shawl?" she yelled at him.
“ Nandani,” I tried to say, but her piercing gaze fixed on me.
“ What? What the hell is happening between you two?” she shouted, and I shook my head in fear.
"Nothing."
“ Do I look blind to you?” she demanded, locking eyes with me as he chimed in from behind, “ Maybe.”
She turned to him instantly.
“ What? What the hell did you say?” she yelled as he ran his fingers through his hair and replied, “ I don ’ t know how you see . No one is here. You ’ re clearly hallucinating. Maybe this is your dream. Wake up, Bhabhisa, wake up.” He said this as I lowered my gaze and shook my head
I couldn't believe it.
Nandani palmed her face in disbelief. “ Seriously, Agastya? I gave birth a week ago, but I ’ m not mad. How can you even…?”
She gasped. "Wait a moment!"
She turned to look at me, then back at him.
“ What ’ s on your lips?” she asked, and I quickly wrapped my shawl around myself. He bit his lip, and she glanced back at me.
", did you do that?" she asked, surprised, and I shook my head innocently.
"Why would I?" My voice trembled, and she inhaled deeply, walking toward the couch. She sat down and shook her head.
“ I can ’ t believe this was happening right under my nose in this kingdom.”
He stepped forward and shook his head.
“ No, Bhabhisa,” he paused before continuing, “ Actually, our chambers are in a line, so it wasn ’ t happening right under your nose, but technically beside your nose,”
Nandani ’ s eyes blazed with rage as she hurled a couch pillow directly at his face. “ Shut up!”
“ What? I ’ m just correcting you!” he said, chuckling slightly.
“ Leave him alone, . Can you tell me what ’ s happening? What are you doing in his room so late at night?” she asked, and I lowered my gaze in shame.
I couldn ’ t help but say, “ I ’ m sorry.” My voice broke as she quickly stood up from the couch and walked toward me.
"How dare you?" She raised her hand, but before she could touch me, he stepped in and muttered,
"Don't you dare, Bhabhisa." The anger in his voice was evident, though the pitch stayed low.
“ Are you out of your mind, Agastya? This is cheating. You ’ re going to marry Rashmika in a few months. The friendship between Mehrangarh and Suryagarh relies on this alliance. And she was sleeping with you- “
“ She was sleeping with her husband!” he interrupted, and I shut my eyes, allowing tears to flow down my cheeks.
“ I ’ m really sorry,” I whispered softly.
“ What?” Nandani asked in a slow, shocked voice. Her feet trembled slightly as he stepped forward.
“ Be careful,” he said, holding her, but she shot him an intense, glare.
“ What do you mean she was sleeping with her husband? What the hell is happening here? And what are you two up to?” she asked, and I broke down in tears.
"I'm sorry, Nanda-,"
“ You heard that right, Bhabhisa. She was sleeping with her husband, who is me. We were just cuddling, and yes, of course, a few kisses—nothing more,” he said, and she inhaled deeply, closing her eyes. He wasn ’ t helping her.
“ I ’ m not asking for details, Agastya,” she gritted her teeth in anger.
“ , what ’ s happening here?” she asked, turning her gaze toward me. Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke. “ Did he force you to do something? Are you opposed to it? Did he ask for your consent?” Her voice broke, and I knelt before her, nodding.
“ Yes, I know what I was doing,” I managed to reply.
She sighed deeply and palmed her face. "My brother-in-law and my sister are like best friends? Seriously? Do you two not care about what people will say? The cast is different, and the statuses are worlds apart. Our kingdom would be nothing but a joke. This is what your father did, Agastya, and this is what you are doing. You are using her," she said, looking at him while holding my hand.
His face flushed upon hearing this, and he lowered his gaze.
"No, he is not using me, Nandani. Stop hurting him," I couldn't help but say.
She turned her shocked gaze to me, and I let fresh tears fall from my eyes.
"I didn ’ t tell you something," I said, turning my gaze to look at him. He nodded silently, and I looked back at her.
My voice broke as I began, "When my husband died, the old one..."
"Yes, I know, I was pregnant," she replied.
I nodded. "Yes, the people my tribe captured wanted to burn me along with him," I managed to say, my voice trembling.
"What? Why didn ’ t you tell me anything?" She asked, shock and worry on her face.
"Because you were pregnant," I managed to say.
"Then?" She held my hand.
"Then he came to save me, but the people were too stubborn; they didn ’ t want to let me go until he had to marry me," I said, and her eyes widened in shock.
"Marry as in, in the temple, the whole ceremony?" she asked, and I shook my head.
"No, he..." my voice broke. "He cut his thumb with his sword and filled the partition of my hair with his blood," I tried to explain, and she screamed.
"What??"
Then she lifted her gaze to look at him.
"What the hell? Why didn ’ t you tell me or anyone anything?" she yelled at him, and he inhaled sharply.
"Well, I expected a thank you so much, Devarsa, for saving my best friend," he teased her lightly, and she gritted her teeth.
"I am not in the mood, Agastya," she said, clenching her fists.
"Well, we can't tell anyone anything until I get rid of Rashmika," he said, and she narrowed her brows.
"So, you're making it real?" she asked slowly.
There was a slight pause. I didn ’ t say anything, and he nodded slowly.
"I didn ’ t want to, but now, yes, I want her," he said, looking into my eyes.
Goosebumps spread across my skin as he said that while she looked at me.
"I can ’ t believe those people tried to kill you. I ’ m going to wage war on them. How could they?" she raged, and I shook my head.
"They wouldn ’ t listen, Nandani. It's the custom of our tribe, and it's like singing in front of a cow," I managed to say, and she immediately hugged me tightly.
"Oh my God! I can ’ t even imagine what would have happened to you," her voice broke, and I hugged her back.
"Nothing happened to me," I said, my voice trembling.
"Still not a thank you," he muttered from behind, and I couldn ’ t help but chuckle a little.
She withdrew from the hug and stood up from the couch, walking toward him.
"What happens to Rashmika now?" she asked seriously, and he lowered his gaze for a moment.
"Give me some time; I will show you," he said slowly, and I noticed he seemed very tense about something. Last night had been quite playful, but he still seemed a little off. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with him.
"By the way, thank you so much for saving her," she said, and he smiled.
"You gave me a nice gift; this was the least I could do," he muttered softly, and I narrowed my brows, unsure whether I should smile or be upset.
"Why did you come here early in the morning?" he asked suddenly, and she lightly slapped her forehead.
"Yes, I came here to ask you to go with Abhinandan. He actually needs a hand with something," she said, and he nodded.
"Alright," he agreed and then looked at me.
"Ummm, I should also leave," I managed to say, and she shook her head.
"That's okay, I should probably leave... You two can continue whatever you ’ re doing," she said, walking away, but suddenly Kunwarsa stopped her.
"Bhabhisa,"
She turned to look at him.
"Don ’ t tell Bhaisa anything," he said, and she narrowed her brows.
"What will I get in return?" she asked, making an upset face.
"Fine, I will obey whatever you say for the next year," he said, and she narrowed her eyes and shook her head.
"This matter is too big for one year. You will owe me for the next five years," she challenged, and he inhaled deeply, frustrated.
"See, , what's the real character of your best friend," he said, looking at me, and I couldn't help but lower my gaze shyly.
"Fine, you win," he stated, and she smiled.
"Also, , just don ’ t get pregnant before it becomes official, you know," she said, and I immediately shook my head.
He chuckled. "Oh, you ’ re late, Bhabhisa; she already is,"
Her eyes widened in shock.
"No, no, no, Nandani, he is joking; I ’ m not. We haven ’ t done anything," I tried to clarify, and she inhaled deeply.
"Your neck says otherwise," she said, and he chuckled.
"Ahh, that's my art," he replied, pride dripping from his words.
I couldn ’ t help but look his way.
But Nandani interrupted, "But her art is better than yours."