Suman
As I entered his room, my gaze fell on the unmade bedsheet, prompting an urge to tidy it up. After checking the entrance and seeing he hadn ’ t appeared, I walked over, pulled off the sheet, shook it out, and spread it over the bed, neatly tucking in the sides. Hearing his approaching footsteps, I quickly arranged the pillows on the headboard.
"," he called in his slow, deep voice. I looked at him as he walked toward me. "What happened?" I asked softly, trying to keep my racing heartbeat under control. I noticed his intense gaze and the neatly made bedsheet.
"You did this?" he asked slowly. I nodded, unable to understand the emotions behind his voice. "Yes." He furrowed his brow and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why?"
His question made me frown in confusion. "Why not?" I replied. He bit his lower lip and walked past me to sit on the edge of the bed. ", there are so many people who can do this."
His words made me inhale sharply. "Of course, there are. I don't have a problem with your intense interrogation."
I tried to explain, but he inhaled sharply. ", there are better uses for you than serving food, making beds, and cooking."
I gulped and nodded slightly. "So, are you implying that all homemakers—like women, wives, and mothers who support their families—have no value?"
I asked, and he shook his head. "No, but you shouldn't be doing what others can do."
I inhaled sharply, crossed my arms over my chest, and asked, "And might I ask why?" Then I sat beside him on the bed.
"Because I don ’ t want you to. You are my... wife," he said slowly, causing me to lower my gaze for a moment and inhale deeply.
"Still, I will cook, make the bed, and do everything else a woman should do," I said, looking into his eyes.
"But why? Bhabhisa doesn ’ t do anything. Aishwarya Bhabhisa focuses on her business, and now Bhabhisa understands that you don ’ t have to do anything," he said, and I shook my head.
"You know, they were raised differently, just like I was. Plus, even if they don't do anything, that doesn ’ t mean they can't. They simply don't have the time. Given the chance, they'd love to do things for their husbands and families," I tried to explain.
"Yes, because they are their families," he replied.
"And not mine?" I asked. He stared at me for a moment and said, "I don ’ t mean to imply that. You ’ re steering this conversation in a completely different direction."
I wetted my lower lip with my tongue and asked, "Okay, what do you want to say?" I spoke slowly. He touched my arm and took my hand in his.
"I don ’ t want you to feel scared all the time. You shouldn ’ t be constantly worried about what you have to do. Just do whatever you want; don ’ t overwork yourself. You ’ re already doing a lot," he said, and I sat in silence for a moment, gulping.
"Kunwarsa, you ’ re saying this only because we have this connection. You wouldn ’ t have noticed me at all if that incident hadn ’ t happened. This shift in feelings is only because we are bound to each other now," I said, inhaling deeply. He shook his head.
"It's not like that, . Yes, it's because we are connected. If I say I don ’ t want you to work, it means I don ’ t want you to work, end of discussion," he stated, looking at me. My mouth dropped in shock and anger.
"You can't tell me that I can ’ t work. That ’ s not your place," I asserted, and he shook his head.
"I said, end of the discussion, ," he replied, and I stood up from the bed as he gritted his teeth.
"I'm not done talking," he stated, and I shook my head.
“ But I ’ m done talking. You can go wherever you want; do I say anything? No. You can flirt with Princess Rashmika right in front of me. Do I say anything? No. You can call me in the middle of the night if you want to; do I say anything? No. You watch me change without me knowing; do I say anything? No,” I said, and he stared at me silently for a moment.
"And you do not even listen to me," I said, fisting my fingers, and he lowered his gaze.
“ Alright, I ’ m sorry. Just do what you want; go ahead,” he said, and I furrowed my brows.
I attempted to speak, but no words came out. He rose from the bed, yanked the bedsheet off, handed it to me, and said slowly, “ This is dirty.” He walked away from there into the other part of the chamber.
I sighed frustratingly, threw the bedsheet on his bed, and walked away.
He couldn ’ t determine what to do or what not to do simply because his feelings were changing. Also, why did he think that staying home was derogatory? Making a home was one of the most difficult jobs. Raising good children and having a peaceful home were areas where many struggled.
This Kingdom was mine as much as his. I have worked here for the last four years, and even if I had become his wife, obviously in different circumstances and not completely, I would still work hard for this Kingdom. It was not him who gave me these lovely people, but this Kingdom, and no work was less important.
Every person has different work, and all contributions are commendable way.
I exhaled deeply, walked out of his chamber, and returned to Nandani, where I found her feeding the baby princess.
I smiled, looking at her.
“ How did it go?” she asked, caressing the baby ’ s bald head, and I nodded slightly.
"Good,"
She smiled and patted the back of my hand when I sat beside her on the bed. “ So, let ’ s start again,” she said, gulping silently before asking, “ How did it go?”
I looked into her eyes and said, “ It ’ s bad. He wants me to stop working and gain weight,” I remarked, unsure of what else to do besides working.
“ I know. Did you two fight about it?” she asked, and I replayed everything that happened.
"It seems like," I said, and she nodded.
"So, is this the first fight?" she asked, and I furrowed my brows.
"Why are you romanticising it? Are we a happy couple, and the first fight is a kind of moment?” I tried to ask, but she said no.
“ It ’ s a moment. I mean, the way you two got married looks like progress,” she said, pausing for a moment before asking, “ By the way, who won?”
I shook my head, unable to believe her. “ I don ’ t know,” I said as I stood up and left.
“ You are not helping, Nandani,” I said as I walked away from there.
"Where are you going, by the way?" she asked from behind, and I turned to look at her.
"To see what's for dinner because I am the head maid of Suryagarh," I said, walking away toward the kitchen.
I didn't realize that throughout all the time I spent in the kitchen, my mind was stuck on the moment when he pulled the bedsheet off the mattress and handed it to me with a 'sorry.'
Dinner was ready, and I looked after everyone's plates until my gaze fell on his. I searched for everything he liked and looked at the attendant.
"Add jaggery to this one," I said.
The attendant added it and went to serve dinner to everyone.
After finishing my work, I had dinner and was about to return to Nandani with her milk when I noticed an attendant coming back with a dinner plate.
"What happened?" I asked, furrowing my brows, and she replied.
"Kunwar Agastya is not in his chamber.”
I looked at the plate momentarily and asked, "Where is he?"
She shook her head. "I don ’ t know. But he ’ s not in his chamber."
"Okay," I said before walking back to my room after giving the milk to Nandani.
I rolled under my comforter in my room, illuminated by the soft light of the lamp, gazing at the walls. They were as bare as my life. There were no floral designs like those in royal chambers. I understood what he was trying to convey, but he failed to see that my room wasn ’ t a chamber; the walls lacked floral designs, and sunlight didn ’ t fall directly on them.
I didn ’ t have a kingdom to run alongside a king or a business to finance, either. All I had was my extensive experience working in the kitchen and cleaning rooms, and I excelled at them.
I didn ’ t want to give up on those tasks because I wasn ’ t forced to do them; I enjoyed them. For me, it felt like taking care of my family and the surrounding people.
I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes to catch some sleep. I didn ’ t know where he had gone, but we had plans. He promised to take me out. Maybe he was angry with me, but why? He had no reason to be mad at me.
I never asked him to change anything he liked to do.
I was suddenly jolted out of my thoughts by a soft knock at my door.
I gazed at the door, wondering who might be there at such a late hour. However, dismissing the thought, I pushed aside the comforter and stood up to open the door.
I gasped as my gaze fell on a tall figure dressed in black, with kohl lining his eyes and a black turban wrapped around his head. I was taken aback to see him, but the moment I noticed his green eyes illuminated by the lamp ’ s yellow glow on his face, I recognized him.
“ You… here?” I asked softly, quickly pulling him inside and closing the door behind us.
“ What if someone sees you? What are you doing here? Men aren ’ t allowed here; this area is exclusively for women,” I said. He held out a bag in front of him and replied slowly, “ We ’ re going out.”
My mouth dropped open in surprise as I furrowed my brows. “ Where were you? Why didn ’ t you have dinner?” I asked, and he stared at me for a moment before responding, “ I thought you wouldn ’ t question me about anything.”
I gritted my teeth slightly as he handed me the bag. "Change,"
I lowered my gaze, opened the bag, and asked, "What is this?" as I found a pair of clothes.
"These are men ’ s clothes," I pointed out, and he nodded.
“ Yes,” he replied, leaning back against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. “ Since we ’ re going out alone, it ’ s quite unsafe for a woman to be outside at night. So, put these on.” He made perfect sense to me, and I looked at him.
“ Alright, wait outside,” I said, and he frowned his brows.
“ I believe you mentioned people might see me standing out there,” he said, making me gulp silently as I looked around. It was just one room, and I couldn ’ t hide anywhere.
“ Alright, turn around. I can ’ t change in front of you,” I said, and he chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"You had a problem with me watching you change before, so this time, I ’ ll watch you change with your knowledge," he said, and my eyes widened in shock.
"Change," he demanded shamelessly. The moment he muttered that word, a deep, cunning shiver ran down my spine, scaring and arousing me simultaneously.
The memory of him watching me the other day, sitting on the couch while sunlight fell on my body, filled my mind, and I couldn ’ t help but bite my lower lip while lowering my gaze.
“ Change? In front of you? And you ’ ll just watch me?” I managed to ask, convinced I had misheard something. He lowered his gaze to my feet for a moment before staring back into my eyes again.
"Yes, take off your blouse and skirt and slip into those," His words caused a slight throbbing in my core, and I shook my head slowly.
"It's embarrassing," I managed to say, and he furrowed his brows and shook his head.
"Well, you complained that I watched you change, so this time, grant me the pleasure of watching you with your knowledge. And it could not be more intimidating than anything else. “ His words made my fingertips feel cold, and I fisted them tightly.
“ Um, but Kunwarsa, I ’ ll feel ashamed changing in front of you,” I tried to say with a pleading tone, and he gritted his teeth slightly.
I didn ’ t know, but he looked cute even when he was angry.
“ Then you can turn your face away from me,” he said, and I sighed in frustration.
"So, you would not listen to me?" I asked. He scratched his jaw with his index finger for a moment and then shook his head.
“ Umm, you have already accused me of not listening to you. So, I am standing up for my allegations,” he said, and I gritted my teeth at his stubbornness.
“ Why are you even upset?” I asked, finally letting the bag drop to the floor and covering my face with my hand.
“ I ’ m not angry. Do I look angry?” he said, and I sighed in frustration as I looked at him.
"Fine, fine, fine, how can I make it up to you?” I said, feeling like I was already losing in front of him. His brothers had raised a spoiled prince who would neither listen nor understand.
“ I ’ m not angry. So, you don ’ t have to do anything to make it up to me. After all, I go out to meet girls at night, I flirt with Rashmika, I watch you undressed without your knowledge, and so on. So, you don ’ t—“
"You watching me naked without my knowledge was true," I cut him off, and he exhaled deeply.
"I lay naked in your lap. You did not have any problem that day. Why is your body a body and mine is not a body?" He said in a slightly frustrated tone, and my mouth hung open.
“ But you knew I was watching you,” I attempted to say, and he lowered his gaze.
“ I ’ m not talking to you. Just change,” he said, and I bit my lips and shook my head.
“ Sorry, I don ’ t feel like going out. You can go,” I said, swallowing hard as I noticed him watching me.
He remained silent for a moment and nodded. “ Okay, as you wish,” he said, then opened the door and left.
I felt bad. A painful ache erupted in my heart, watching him leave.
I did not know what had suddenly happened between us. Kneeling down, I looked at the bag he had brought me.
Maybe I was being too stubborn. Maybe we both didn ’ t need to stretch it further. Maybe we could talk without dragging up the past.
I mean, I wasn ’ t offended the day he saw me changing. I don ’ t know why I brought it up today—just to have something to say in return.
But it did nothing but hurt him. It did not bring us closer. Sometimes, in a relationship, one has to overlook a few things. One of them was the past. The past is called because it was in the past.
I sighed deeply and walked toward the door, but my steps froze when I heard a soft knock.
I gulped silently and looked at myself, wondering if I looked presentable or not.
However, the moment I opened the door, my heart skipped a beat, and a slight smile attempted to appear on my lips.
He lifted his gaze from the floor and looked at me.
"I came back to find out why you are angry?” he questioned slowly, and I heard the distant sound of anklet bells.
“ Someone ’ s coming here,” I said, quickly pulling him inside the room.
His eyes widened in shock as I asked.
"What are you doing here again?" My voice came out a whisper, and he pouted, looking at me, and said.
"I did not want to hurt you," he said, and I inhaled deeply, silently, and stared at him blankly.
After a brief pause, I managed to speak in a slow voice. “ I know,”
He gulped and closed his eyes while holding my arm and pulling me closer to him, slowly. “ I ’ m sorry. I didn ’ t mean to hurt you,” his words made me shut my eyes. “ I just want you to respect yourself. Because if you don ’ t respect yourself, people won ’ t respect you. Respect your boundaries, your timing, and everything. There ’ s no need to overburden yourself. You ’ re already doing more than enough for us. Why do you always think that if you don ’ t do something, the chores won ’ t get done? Trust me, they will get done.” He said in a slow voice, and I inhaled deeply and nodded, gulping silently before speaking.
“ This isn ’ t overburdening, Kunwarsa. I care for Nandani, Ranaji, Prince Ranvijay, Princess Aishwarya, and the people of this kingdom. I don ’ t mind staying up late or getting up early to take care of them,”
He remained silent and kissed my forehead before saying, “ Alright, as you see fit.”
I smiled before releasing the hug, and he said. "Alright, change,"
And my brows thinned in a line with confusion and disbelief. "Still?" I asked, and he nodded shamelessly.
“ Yes, you didn ’ t want to change in front of me because we were fighting. Now it ’ s resolved. Change,” he said.
I blinked silently, trying to find something to say, but nothing came to mind except, “ And you would watch me?”
He leaned back against the door and nodded.
"Of course, I am your husband, and I have already seen enough, and I want to see you naked. I do not see any problem in that except if you do not want me to," He said, and I nodded, appreciating that my consent did matter to him.
So, as a reward, I nodded.
"Alright," I said, inhaling quietly as I picked up the bag in my arms.
I removed the top and bottom of my menswear and looked at his grey, shameless eyes, which bore into mine. A tint of shame was climbing up my cheeks, and I lowered my gaze to hide it amid the candlelight falling over me.
Standing in front of him in a small, closed room, I moved my hand to untuck the end of my Dupatta from the band of my skirt. I lowered it to the floor, letting it fall off my shoulder. I felt a slight tightness in my lower abdomen as he watched me silently, taking my hands towards my back.
I lowered my gaze, trying to find the end of the blouse's strings, and pulled it low. At that moment, I could not see his eyes, especially since I knew that he was watching me, not from afar but just from three feet away.
The strings of my blouse loosened, and I felt my nipples erected in the heat of this moment, and just when I was about to pull the shoulder of my blouse down, I heard the slight movement of his turning his face opposite to me.
A timid smile crossed my face, and he noticed my discomfort, which he acknowledged in a slow voice. “ Just because, we still have to make it official,” he said in his typical Agastya-coded voice, and I smiled.
But he had already seen me enough. “ That ’ s okay, you can watch me change,” I said in a slow voice, and the last thing I expected was for him to turn back.
But he shamelessly turned back and smirked, looking at me.
"Since you said that I do not listen to you, I am listening to you,” he said in a slow voice, and I pulled the blouse off my body.
I felt timid with his gaze on me, and I could not help but shake my head. "You are impossible," I said.
He chuckled softly. “ And you are beautiful. The ink on your skin is the most stunning thing I have ever seen,” he said in a slow, deep voice as I felt his gaze become intense. His breathing slowed slightly, and I bit my lower lip while slipping my arms into the sleeves of my top.
I tied the strings of the top to secure it, then looked at him. He unfrozen from his position and began walking towards me.
"Let me help," he said slowly as I looked into his eyes, focusing on the knots at the top.
“ I ’ m sorry, too. I shouldn ’ t have said that,” I agreed, and he lifted his gaze and shook his head.
“ You don ’ t have to apologize. I should be,” he said, his fingers moving to the next string. “ But I ’ m not sorry for the other day—watching you change without your awareness,” he continued. I blinked nervously, feeling his fingers silently gliding toward the side of my waist. I felt his fingers hook into the knot of my skirt.
“ I thin—“ But before I could finish, he unfastened it.
My heart raced as I felt the skirt fall down to my feet, revealing my legs. Thankfully, the top ended at my thighs, covering the main part of me.
I gazed into his green oceans, warming me against the midnight chill. His fingers brushed against my thighs, causing me to inhale sharply. Yet, I pressed my lips together to conceal the effect his presence had on me.
"May I?" His words made me blink nervously, and I could not help but feel a wave of sparks running over my skin, and his fingers crawled on my thighs.
I nodded, unable to shake my head in a 'No. ’ There was no reason, either.
He leaned in closer, and I felt his lips just an inch away from mine, brushing softly against them while his fingers moved up the space between my legs.
My lashes were forced close to feel the manly touch. A few moments passed, absorbing the new feeling of his finger gently brushing against my sensitive skin.
"Does my touch feel good?" he asked slowly, and I nodded gently.
I felt him pecking my lips, and he muttered.
“ Then, my tongue would do wonders.” The moment he said this, a strong, icy shiver ran down my spine. Before I could react or do anything, I felt him kneeling down before me.
I clenched my fist when I saw him on his knees before me. My gaze flitted timidly as he slowly leaned closer to my thighs, brushing his lips just above my knees.
“ What are you doing?” I asked, unable to understand why he was kneeling down before me.
“ I am going to suck your crown,” he muttered slowly, causing me to gulp nervously.
“ No, no, you can ’ t,” I said as he kissed my thighs, deeper this time. I stumbled on my feet and placed my hand on his head, trying to push him away, and he asked, “ Why?”
I shook my head dizzily and tried to speak. “ You are a Prince. I am just…,” his lips traveled to the top of my thighs, “ I am just a commoner…” I felt his lips lifting my shirt and slowly moving towards the darker part of me. “ A maid,”
I spoke, but it felt futile as he pressed his lips against my center.
An uncontrollable shiver ran through my body when he parted his lips and gently sucked me hard. “ Ahh,” I couldn ’ t help but exhale sharply.
I could not help but exhale sharply.
As his lips caressed my core, I couldn ’ t help but lift half of my weight onto my feet. With his face digging deeper between my thighs, I widened my legs slightly to give him the space he so desperately needed.
“ Kunwarsa,” the words caught in my throat, and I couldn ’ t help but thread my fingers through his hair. His fingers gripped my thighs, and suddenly, he drew me closer, making me tremble on my feet. “ Ahhh,”
Fear ran through my nerves, and I tightened my fist in his hair.
The way his lips curled against me, my eyes rolled behind and closed slowly.
"Does it feel good?" His slow, deep, and husky voice made me weak in my knees. I felt as if I had been summoned yet set free by him.
The closed room made me free out of breath all of a sudden, and the moment the gentle caresses and sucking turned into a hard nibble, my body shivered in anticipation.
"Ahhhh, do not bite me, please," I requested in a slow voice, and my finger had now pulled his face placer into my core with anticipation.
He kept sucking me, and I felt him pulling my leg up and putting it over his shoulder. My legs parted even more. And, I felt like with a thin rope and trapped between pleasure and fall.
I felt vulnerable, open to being played and seduced.
But his care and perfection made me feel as if I was cherished more than before played.
"Aaannhhhh,” A deep and trembling moan escaped my lips when the soft suck geared into the deep, brutal one, determined to pull the extra skin out of me into his mouth, nibbling it, smoothing it, licking and most importantly, claiming it.
"Let me taste you, ," his words added an extra flavor to the art. With my closed eyes and rolled head, I could not help but move my hips gently against his mouth.
"Yes, like that," he muttered, and a fire lit in me, heading to shut his words.
He groaned against me, and all of a sudden, the wetness turned into the river and soaked his lips and jaw in the process. And, I broke into trembling shudders of pleasure running through me.
"Ahhh, Kunwar Agastya," My moan came out insanely slow.
He served me a few last gentle licks and brought me down from the high of the pleasuring mountains, and I opened my eyes to notice his wet lips.
Nothing aroused me more than his green eyes, messy hair, and wet lips.
I tried to catch on my breath, and he sucked on his lips while muttering.
"Apparently, you taste sweeter after anger.” His words brought a timid smile to my lips, and I tried to say, grabbing the lower of the dress.
"That does not mean you will make me angry all the time," I said and took a few steps away from him to slip into the lower.
He stood up, sucking his lips, cleaning them with the cuff of his wrist, and I gulped with nervousness and shame.
"What was that about?" I asked slowly, and he chuckled, wrapping the turban around his head.
"That was me apologizing," he said, and I furrowed my brows.
"That's how you apologize to your brothers?"
He glared at me intensely for a moment, and I shook my head.
"That's okay; you don't have to answer," I said, standing in front of him and asking if I looked alright.
He smiled at me and pulled out a fake mustache from his pocket, and I couldn ’ t help but giggle.
"You have a fake mustache?"
He stepped closer, kissed my nose gently, and nodded.
"Yes,"
He carefully applied it over my mustache line and pressed it to stick with the gum. I couldn ’ t resist bringing my fingers closer to his lips, rubbing them off gently.
"You look better like a man," he said, and I lightly slapped his chest.
"Don ’ t you dare," I glared at him, and he furrowed his brows.
"Haven ’ t you ever felt like you wanted to be a man?" he asked, and I gulped silently before asking, "Why would you think that?"
He lowered his gaze for a moment and said, "All the women I've met once said that they would want to be a man if given the chance."
His words made my chest feel tight, but I shook my head.
"No, I would never want to be a man. The way men are raised, they are filled with the mindset that they can take control of everything. Just because they are providers—whether it ’ s a home, kingdom, or finances—they are given the utmost advantage along with that. They could have another woman simply because they could. They make the rules for themselves and for us, and their rules are nothing but unfair advantages to them. And despite all this, they want us women to be grounded and hidden so that no other men will touch us. Imagine if men were raised with the right mentality; there would be no need for brothels. But sadly, women are often considered the reason for their disloyalty too. They say, oh, she wouldn't be able to fulfill his needs. I mean, how many needs do they have? Why is it always about what they wan—"
"He died," he cut me off, and I inhaled sharply, remembering that he was gone. The man who ruined all men for me had died.
"He is gone," he said again, wrapping his arm around me gently.
"I know it ’ s been difficult. But you are brave and strong because you ’ ve been through what many couldn ’ t even imagine,"
His words weighed heavily on my chest, and I exhaled deeply, trying to calm myself.
"We should go," I managed to say as I released the hug, and he nodded.
"Yes, but before we leave, do your hair; you have to hide it," he said, and I furrowed my brows, unable to think of how I would hide my healthy hair.
"Maybe make a bun and wrap a turban," he suggested, and I nodded.
I quickly made a tight bun, and he wrapped the cloth around my head.
"But you still look feminine," he said, and I couldn ’ t help but think back to his shawl that I had.
I immediately took it out and wrapped it around myself.
"How do I look now?"
I asked, and he smiled as he looked at me.
"Perfect, and your name is Eklavya, and you don ’ t know how to speak," he said, and I questioned immediately, "Why?"
He smiled, "Because you have a really sweet voice that couldn ’ t be changed." His words made a lot of sense to me, and I nodded, "Alright."
He held my hand, and we both walked toward the door. As he opened it, he stepped outside first, checking to see if everything was okay.
"Come out," he said slowly, and I felt butterflies in my stomach already. I didn ’ t know why, but the thought of anyone finding us made me feel sick all of a sudden.
I stepped outside, trying to calm my racing heart, looking around to see if someone was watching.
Suddenly, while watching me back as he walked forward, he bumped his head into a pole, and a soft cry escaped his mouth.
"Aaaaaaghh,"
My eyes widened in shock before bursting into laughter.
"Hahahahaha,"
He stared at me while rubbing his head and smiled.
"I did that on purpose to make you smile," he said, and I couldn ’ t help but laugh even more.
"Sometimes, you don ’ t even behave like a prince," I teased, and he led me silently through the galleries, avoiding detection, replying,
"Everyone is a normal human before they ’ re a king, prince, maid, or anything else. Life is thousands of times more beautiful when you just stick to that."
His words made me feel good, and I looked at him as he took me to the horse stable.
"Won ’ t the soldiers at the door notice us?"
I tried to ask, and he looked at me for a moment with a smile while untying his horse and rubbing its neck.
"I don't care,"
He said, leaning in to kiss the jet-black horse and rubbed its forehead.
"That ’ s my wife,"
He said to the horse, and I gulped nervously, glancing at it looking back at me. It lifted its front legs and neighed a little.
"That ’ s okay; she doesn ’ t weigh much," he muttered in its ear, and he inhaled sharply.
"Give me your hand," he said, and I moved my hand closer to him.
"Doesn ’ t he recognize me? I mean, the you saved me," I tried to say, looking at him as I put my hand on his forehead.
"He does, but I ’ m making you two friends,"
I smiled and took a step closer, rubbing its forehead lovingly.
"Hey," I muttered.
"What ’ s his name?"
I asked.
"Ashwait," he replied, and I smiled.
“ What a beautiful name, Ashwait,” I said, looking at him as he calmed down from my caresses.
"Is he feeling good?" I asked, looking at him, and he nodded.
"Yes, better," he said, pulling my hand to the side.
"I want to climb on my own," I said, glancing at the footrest hanging from the horse's back.
"How do I do it?" I asked, and he smiled as he explained.
"Hold the hair here," he said, stroking the long hair on the horse's upper neck and showing me where to grip.
"Okay, then?" I muttered, holding his hair tightly. It was not soft but strong, and his skin had a lustrous shine. I could bet that he had a really good diet.
“ Then, put your right foot here on the footrest and climb,” he said. I gulped nervously as I placed my foot on it. It was taller than me. My legs felt small, and I could not reach it. He chuckled a little and muttered.
"Bass ek hi sapna tha hamara ki ladki lambi honi chahiye... kher ab vo bhi paani me gaya,"
“ I only had one dream that the girl would be tall… but it also went down the drain,”
I shot him a glare, and he smiled a little while holding my waist and lifting me up to climb onto the horse.
I felt butterflies in my stomach as the horse's back felt shaky. I thought I might fall, but he quickly climbed behind me and wrapped his arm around me.
I gulped nervously, unable to stop smiling.
I had never been out with a man, and definitely not like this.
He took his shawl out of his small jute bag and pulled me closer. My back pressed against his chest as he wrapped the shawl around us, enveloping us both together. My head nestled in the crook of his shoulder while he rested his chin on me gently. “ So, where should we head first?” he asked slowly, and I looked over my shoulder and murmured, “ I don ’ t know. Wherever you want.”
He dragged the horse ’ s reins, bringing Ashwait into motion. I tightened my fist around his wrist as he walked.
And suddenly, he ran.
My gut sank deeper. The world shook as he sprinted toward the main entrance. The door was closed, and the soldiers noticed us. They quickly got into action and started opening the door. For a moment, I thought we would crash against it, and I closed my eyes in fear. I tried not to scream with all my might, as I couldn ’ t draw attention to my girlish voice. But the door opened with a loud, thunderous sound just in time, and we passed through. He laughed and kissed my cheek. The cold breeze hit my face like the frozen ice of a pond I had once witnessed in my life. I giggled and closed my eyes for a moment. It felt like freedom; the weight on my shoulders was suddenly lighter.
My fingers trembled, fisting tighter on his wrist, holding onto it as if this was what I had been looking for the whole of my life, bound yet free.
He kissed me again on the cheek, deeper and longer this time, and muttered, “ This night is yours. Ask for whatever you want; all your wishes will be granted.” he said, making a bright smile cross my lips. I glanced at the dark path ahead, feeling soothed by the sparkling moonlight.
We were riding on a slight incline, and I felt his weight shift on my back. Ashwait picked up speed as we raced down the slope, veering onto an empty, sandy path. The rhythm of the horse ’ s hooves hitting the ground, our bouncing together on his back, and the icy air hitting my face sent goosebumps across my skin.
“ Tell me, , where do you want to spend the night?” he inquired. I bit my lower lip for a moment before softly replying, “ To the cottage where we spent our first night.” My tone was tinged with apprehension, and he leaned in to whisper.
“ Are you sure?" he asked, slowing Ashwait as we neared the edge of a dense forest. I nodded slowly, my fingertips numbing from the cold.
As we entered the woods, the moonlight faded, and he drew close, whispering in my ear, "So, are you happy with me?” His gentle voice made me raise my brows playfully.
“ Am I with you?”
His chuckle met my ears as he placed a soft kiss below my ear.
"You ’ re not with me?”
As I spoke, my lashes grew heavy with his tender murmurs and feathery kisses.
“ Not yet. The world doesn ’ t know we ’ re together," I replied slowly as he leaned in again.
"I've never grasped the need for societal validation. Why does the world need to know when two people share a connection? Their empty blessings don ’ t matter,” he said, and I paused to inhale deeply.
“ It's not about validation; it's about claiming your territory and being responsible for one another,” I attempted to explain, receiving another gentle kiss from him.
“ What do you mean?" he asked while I gazed at the stunning scenery around us.
“ It means asserting that this person is yours, that no one else is allowed to harbor romantic feelings for him. It ’ s also about accountability. Animals do the same; they mark their territory and claim their mates,” I described, and he inhaled sharply at my ear.
"But, people will not support you. Even if you try to announce it, you ’ ll face challenges at every step,” he responded with furrowed brows. I looked confused. "What do you mean?”
“ I witnessed my parents declare their illicit relationship to the world, trying to be seen as a legitimate marriage. But no one accepted it. After they passed, we weren ’ t allowed to live in the Kingdom; no one cared for us. We were always labeled as the Kingdom ’ s illegitimate children,” he related, and I took a sharp breath, listening intently.
"I didn ’ t know that," I confessed, blinking nervously. "I mean, not to this extent.”
“ It ’ s irrelevant whether the world is aware. What counts is that you know. Relationships accepted by society can still involve betrayal and separations. The person unafraid of societal judgments doesn ’ t care what others think. They live their life on their own terms, filled with pride because they know judgments fade with time,” he stated, prompting me to bite my lower lip.
“ That ’ s a way of advocating for fearlessness. But people of royal blood, like you, leave a legacy. Their actions are remembered and shape the future, setting an example for others. That ’ s the purpose of monarchy: to uphold righteousness," I articulated, watching a slight smile cross his face as I glanced over his shoulder.
“ Wow, that ’ s impressive. You know a lot about politics," he remarked, catching me off guard.
“ Umm, it ’ s merely my opinion. I mean..." I stumbled to find the right words.
“ How much have you studied?" he asked, my gaze dropping in embarrassment.
“ Um, I didn ’ t study much in my childhood. Just household chores, how to respect others, and such. But after my husband left and my parents abandoned me, one of my sisters urged me to seek work in Mahabaleshgarh. I passed all their tests and became one of Nandani's maids. We became close friends, and I shared everything with her while she studied. I began to take an interest in academics, and she welcomed that. I became her study partner, although she was always sharper than me. Learning the basics took time, but once I mastered reading and writing, we would read together and discuss. Nandani adored history, politics, and war, leading to passionate debates. She also cared for the common folk, often asking me to venture into the village for insights about the realities that didn ’ t reach the King. That ’ s how I learned,” I shared, and he held me tighter, stating,
“ You know, very few truly grasp what royalty is meant to be. Most kings view it as power over people, but few understand that royals are meant to serve the people."
I nodded.
"Well, that's true, but I ’ m glad that Ranaji understands this well. In Mahabaleshgarh, Maharani Abhishree introduced many changes that had never happened before. And, you know, when King Ranvardhan was alive, the two of them would engage in very heated arguments about the people and the children. At that time, no one could have guessed how much they loved each other," I said, and he nodded.
"I really miss King Rajvardhan. I first met him on Holi," he said, and I chuckled.
"Yes, I sort of remember that," I replied.
"Yes, it was Bhabhisa and Bhaisa ’ s first Holi. Bhabhisa went to visit him, and that ’ s where I met him first. He was the first king I had seen who was down-to-earth, friendly, and understanding," he said, and I nodded.
"Yes, he was. He fought for me too. When my in-laws came to court demanding me back, he outright denied it," I said, and he looked at me in surprise.
"He did?"
I nodded widely and smiled.
"Yes, Nandani asked him to do that. He loved both of his children very much but adored Nandani a little more. Everyone knew he adored Nandani more than King Abhinandan. He could yell and argue with him, but he never raised his voice at her," I said, and he chuckled.
"That ’ s why she sometimes acts like a spoiled princess," he said, and I laughed.
"She ’ s actually sweet," I mentioned, and he kissed my cheek.
"But I didn ’ t like it when she raised her hand to you," he said, and I shook my head.
"You know, she cared about me more than my actual mother ever did. Not every slap is derogatory," I replied, and he inhaled sharply near my neck.
"Do you remember when I hid behind you during that Holi?" he asked slowly, and I nodded timidly.
"Yes, but at that time, I felt angry," I managed to say softly.
"Why?"
I laughed a little before saying,
"Because I hate Holi. It feels like forced fun," I explained, and he laughed a bit while tightening his arm around my waist.
"You ’ re cute sometimes," he said, and I furrowed my brows.
"Well, what ’ s cute about that?" I asked, and he nudged his nose below my ear.
"I don ’ t know. Your rigid opinions on everything," he replied, and I inhaled sharply, turning my head to look at him.
"Rigid opinions?" I asked, and he nodded.
"Yeah, your beliefs are very rigid. It might come from your trauma, but you tend to judge people really quickly," he said slowly, and I furrowed my brows again.
"No, I don ’ t judge people. I mean, I don ’ t!" I tried to protest and added, "And my beliefs aren ’ t rigid; they ’ re based on personal experiences."
He smiled and nodded.
"Every person, every experience in life is new, . You slice an apple, and if it turns out to be rotten, that doesn ’ t mean all apples are rotten. You just ignore it and slice another one," he said, and I nodded, biting my lip.
"But you know, when you find a rotten apple and go out to buy another one, you check extra hard to see if it ’ s fresh or not. That ’ s what experience teaches you," I tried to argue.
He nodded. "But that doesn ’ t mean you should hurt the other apple in the process by judging it and pointing fingers at it. In life, people aren ’ t apples. Sometimes, like you, they ’ re holding their traumas too. And when you point fingers and question them, they feel nothing but more broken. It ’ s like no one trusts them, and that hurts," he said, and I inhaled deeply, caressing the back of his hand gently.
"Did I say something that hurt you?" I managed to ask, looking at the cottage in front of us.
"Umm, not much," he replied, and I felt his hand pull the reins of the horse to bring it to a halt.
I was unaware, but his words made me realize that something I said was troubling him.
"We are here," he stated as he dismounted the horse. I smiled when he effortlessly held my waist and lowered me down.
"How are you so strong?" I inquired, and he grinned.
"Children who don ’ t see their parents are strong," he explained, and I furrowed my brows, shaking my head.
"No, I mean, physically," I clarified slowly while watching him tie Ashwait ’ s rope to a tree.
He chuckled. "Oh, my dinner keeps me healthy."
I rolled my eyes, feeling him take my hand as he said, "Come with me, love," drawing out the last word as I giggled softly.
"Love?" I echoed, and he nodded, biting his lower lip.
"Your name is , and if I give you a nickname like Summu, Summa, or something else, the kids will tease you. So, 'Love' works well," he explained, and I asked as we entered the cottage, and he opened the door.
"Which kids?"
He looked at me with furrowed brows and replied,
"Our children." I felt a blush creeping onto my cheeks.
"Our children? I didn ’ t expect that," I managed to say while removing his shawl and hanging it on the rope in the cottage.
"Oh, you didn ’ t see us coming into this cottage?" he teased, and my eyes widened in disbelief.
"No, but that doesn ’ t mean it's for children," I protested, and he laughed, pulling me closer and pressing his lips to mine.
"How about a change of plans?" he whispered against my lips.