Chapter
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Twenty minutes later, her bedroom looked like a small disaster zone.
Several outfits lay abandoned across the bed while jewelry boxes remained open. Two palace maids moved quickly around the room while Yamini stood near the mirror, trying not to panic.
“This one,” Savita declared confidently, holding up a wine-red silk lehenga.
Yamini barely looked before nodding. “Fine.”
The lehenga fit beautifully, which was annoying.
Because now she looked exactly like someone prepared to receive royalty instead of someone who had spent the previous hour wearing faded jeans while chasing kittens.
Savita moved behind her. “Please sit, maharani.”
Yamini obeyed while Savita worked quickly through her unruly hair, smoothing loose strands and pinning sections elegantly away from her face.
Another maid helped fasten matching earrings.
Yamini automatically reached for the jewelry box.
Her fingers paused briefly, then picked up the emerald pendant.
She fastened it around her neck.
The emerald fish pendant settled against the wine-red fabric.
Her reflection finally looked less like an exhausted photographer and more like someone capable of surviving dinner with Rani Suchitra Devi.
“Has the maharaja arrived?” Yamini asked casually, not wanting to sound too eager.
Savita looked surprised while adjusting the final section of Yamini’s hair.
“Maharaja came early to personally receive Rani Ma when she arrived.”
Yamini froze.
Bharat Jogra had come early to receive his mother.
Which meant he had known his mother was arriving.
And yet, he didn’t mention it to her, so she could return early, shower, and avoid accidentally presenting herself to the queen mother while wearing jeans covered in pencil marks.
Inconsiderate jerk.
Yamini stood. “Thank you,” she told the maids, forcing a smile.
Taking a deep breath, she walked downstairs.
The palace staff moved quickly and efficiently around the dining hall.
Additional floral arrangements decorated the table while staff moved between stations, carrying dishes and ensuring everything looked perfect.
Inside, everyone was already seated.
Bharat sat at the head of the table. Rani Suchitra sat on his right. And Mira sat beside her.
Rani Suchitra looked up.
For one brief moment, Yamini wondered whether the queen mother had noticed the difference between now and thirty minutes earlier.
If she did, nothing appeared on her face.
Yamini murmured a soft greeting before taking the seat opposite Rani Suchitra and beside Bharat. She noticed that he was dressed in traditional Jogra clothing with a high-collared black sherwani and a small heritage brooch.
As usual, he didn’t bother to look at her or greet her. Yamini resisted the urge to kick him under the table with annoyance.
Dinner began as soon as she sat.
The table filled quickly.
Several traditional dishes occupied most of the table. And alongside them sat makki ki roti and sarson ka saag, which were her favorites.
She glanced toward the staff waiting quietly nearby.
“Thank you,” she said softly with a smile.
Several of them returned the smile with a small bow.
The meal continued quietly until Rani Suchitra set down her silver cutlery.
“Tomorrow will be busy,” she said calmly.
Yamini straightened slightly.
“The morning begins with temple rituals. Afterwards, there will be an event in Jogra Valley.”
Rani Suchitra’s gaze briefly moved toward Yamini.
“You will be introduced to the people of the valley as the new Jogra maharani.”
Yamini’s heart raced with nervousness, but she gave a small nod.
“The formal announcement will happen the following evening,” Rani Suchitra added.
Mira then discussed the logistics. The timing, the priest's arrival, and the village council seating arrangements.
Bharat responded in his usual curt precision.
Yamini listened, trying to appear calm while her mind raced uncontrollably.
“There will be limited media,” Mira added politely. “Along with local leaders, businessmen, and invited royal families.”
Dinner concluded shortly afterward.
Rani Suchitra rose first, then Mira did.
Bharat stood too. And Yamini quickly followed.
“Good night, Mouj,” Bharat said. His tone sounded too curt and formal to address a family member, let alone his mother.
But Rani Suchitra didn’t seem to mind. “Good night, son,” she said.
Yamini sensed an underlying softness in Rani Suchitra’s tone as she looked at her son.
Bharat greeted Mira in a similar curt tone.
“Good night, maharaja,” Mira replied warmly before looking at Yamini with a warm smile. “Good night, maharani.”
“Good night,” Yamini greeted Mira and Rani Suchitra.
With another regal nod, Rani Suchitra left along with Mira.
The dining hall suddenly became quieter.
Yamini was now alone with Bharat Jogra.
She suddenly realized that this was their first dinner together.
She only saw him during breakfast. And at midnight.
Her face immediately heated at the thought of the upcoming midnight.
She pushed away the thought and turned toward him.
“Why didn’t you tell me your mother was arriving this evening?”
Bharat adjusted his cuffs.
“The security informed me you were occupied at the studio,” he said. “It was more efficient for you to continue your work uninterrupted.”
Yamini stared.
“My mother will remain here for two days,” he added. “There was no need for you to hurry back.”
Yamini opened her mouth. Then closed it.
Because she wasn't sure what emotion was appropriate.
Should she be grateful because what he said sounded suspiciously thoughtful?
Or should she yell at him for allowing her to accidentally meet Rani Suchitra wearing faded jeans and covered in pencil marks?
Bharat Jogra remained infuriatingly difficult to categorize.
As though sensing her stormy thoughts, his golden-brown eyes lifted and met hers.
“Don’t wait for me tonight,” he said. “You have a long day ahead. I won’t be visiting your room.”
Heat rushed to her face.
First with embarrassment and then with anger.
She lifted her chin. “I never wait for you,” she replied.
He gave a brief nod, as if acknowledging a logistical exchange. “Good. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He paused once at the doorway, so briefly she wasn't sure it happened, and then walked out.
Yamini stood alone in the long room, glaring at his back while he walked toward his office in military precision.
How dare he assume I wait for him each night?
And how dare he decide when he would or wouldn’t visit her room as if she were an appointment in his calendar?
Trying not to look too annoyed, she walked out of the hall, bidding the staff good night before walking toward her room.
When she reached her bedroom, she shut the door harder than necessary.
The large windows framed the dark outline of the mountains, the snow faintly luminous under moonlight.
She removed her jewelry with clipped movements, placing the fish pendant carefully on the nightstand despite her anger.
Her reflection in the mirror looked flushed. Embarrassed and furious.
“As if I would care if he doesn’t come,” she muttered to herself. “Good riddance.”
She changed into her nightclothes and slipped into the enormous bed.
It felt too wide. And it smelled faintly of his cologne and something metallic, which she knew was only in her imagination as he didn’t even stay in the same room as her.
She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling.
The connecting door between her suite and his loomed in her peripheral vision.
“I never wait,” she muttered under her breath.
The silence felt louder than usual.
She turned onto her side. Then onto her back. And then onto the other side.
The mattress was comfortable. The room was warm. And the view beyond the drawn curtains was serene.
But her mind refused to quiet.
She had to wake up early the next day for the temple rituals. And then the Jogra valley gathering.
But she couldn’t fall asleep.
Finally, the grandfather clock in the palace began to chime. By the time the twelfth chime echoed faintly through the walls, her jaw was tight with irritation.
She glared at the connecting door.
“Arrogant controlling jerk,” she whispered. “As if I would ever miss you.”
The connecting door remained closed.
Somehow, that irritated her even more.