33
Early update as I am having a bad day and need something to cheer up lol
I went back to our chambers after having a bath, slightly anxious about Adi's mood. He wasn't very happy about the punishment yesterday so it would be too optimistic to expect that everything is going to turn out better today.
However, to my surprise he seems to be in a very good mood as the first thing he did was to hide behind the doors and pull me towards him the moment I placed the tea cup on the table.
"Good morning, Vaishu," he smiled as he appiled the sindhoor.
"Is it mandatory to pull me into your embrace every single time?" I asked playfully.
"I was testing your defensive skills," Adi joked, "and you've successfully disappointed me once again."
"Well," I signed, "I just don't have a very good teacher."
"True," Adi chuckled, "That silly man is always busy with state affairs." "But today I will make sure he comes straight to the practice grounds as soon as he is done with the royal court," he added.
"Court?" I asked, "You...are...not allowed to...remember..."
"Right," Adi signed as he took a step back.
Oh he forgot! Well that explains......
"Adi...please don't be angry," I tried to console him.
"How can I not be angry, Vaishu?" Adi said as he walked past me, "when for the first time ever, nothing seems to be in my control."
"Isn't that...exactly why you should not be angry?" I asked, "Because your anger is not going to change anything..."
Adi looked at me and remained silent for a brief second before diverting his attention to the tea cup.
"Why did you bring the tea today?" he asked to distract himself.
"I made it too," I said with a smile.
"Vaishu...is this regarding what I said in the temple yesterday?" Adi immediately asked, "I was just joking...I...."
"I know," I interrupted, "But I also thought I never made anything for you so...."
"This is not your job, Vaishu," Adi said a little serious, "You have other things to do...the queen's cabinet.....your reading.....sword fighting..."
"Adi it's just tea," I calmly argued.
"Today it is tea, tomorrow it will be lunch," Adi added.
"Actually today I planned on cooking lunch too...." I said and Adi shook his head in disappointment.
"You are the Queen, Vaishu. Act like one," he said.
"Then I command you as the queen to drink your tea," I said but quickly regretted saying so for his angry eyes immediately shot up.
Damn! Did I invite trouble?I waited hoping for him to smile and say that this is all a joke but he didn't.
"Command?" he asked as he took slow intentional steps towards me, "The king of the nine kingdoms?"
I could feel my heartbeat raising. Every part of my body telling me to retreat. My eyes begging me to look down and my feet almost taking a step back....but I restricted it....forcing myself to stand my ground and not look at the floor.
"This...this is a joke, right?" I asked hesitantly.
"Does it look like a joke, Vaishu?" Adi asked staring into my soul.
My heart skipped a beat regretting every decision I ever made to lead upto this point. I should've read his feelings...I should've watched my words when he is angry.
"I..I don't know," I said and immediately looked down tightly holding onto the sacred thread in my hand. After all, the general said it protects me from witches and devils...
"Did I scare you too much?" I heard his calm voice after what felt like an enternity. I looked at him surprised.
So this was all a joke!?
I did not know how to react. This is sick and I am angry.....anger that would soon take the form of tears. Not knowing what to do I turned around to leave but he held onto my hand.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Somewhere outside the royal compounds where you cannot intimidate me as a joke," I said in a tone calmer than I intended to.
"I did not intimidate you as a joke," Adi immediately responded.
"So you had genuine intentions of scaring me?" I asked sarcastically.
"Yes, I did," Adi said taking me by surprise.
"Why?" I asked devastated, "Why would you do that despite knowing my past? If you repeat the same pattern I've seen for years, my mind will automatically start expecting abuse..."
"Which will not happen," Adi interrupted, "and that is when you will start believing that no matter how angry or intimidating Adi might look or behave he will not harm his Vaishu."
I remained silent.
"Else anytime I get angry, your first instinct would be to get submissive and accept defeat," he continued, "I do not want that to happen. I want you to fight right back or ask me to shut the hell up until you are ready."
I did not know how to react to that.
Should I be angry that he traumatized me? Should I be grateful for his intentions? Should I feel sorry for how I have been treated in the past?
"And yes," he added letting go of my hand, "If you wish to stay away from me, you do not have to go all the way to the library. You can go to your private chambers and announce that you wish to be left alone. I will honour your...."
I did not know what exactly were my thoughts at that time but I instinctively whispered "Shut the hell up," and kissed him.
Not sure if I am allowed to have these thoughts...but it felt good...to express my love....and it felt wonderful to think that the amount of love I have for Adi at this moment is amount of love he had for me every single time he kissed me........
Never did I think a visit to a library can turn into a nightmare but here we are.....stunned at the atrocities of the Queen's cabinet......Pallu running around the library with a blanket over her head screaming she is a ghost.
I agree.
Naina performing....what she thinks...is Kathak....but it is really just her knocking into every piece of furniture she possibly could....and my lovely Gati...ferociously walking around and pulling out an invisible sword every 5 seconds screaming "I will protect the queen".
What is she even...wait....she is imitating me!?
The general! Of the Nine kingdoms!
The audacity!
"What the hell is going on?" I shouted and everyone looked at me scared and surprised for they did not even notice my presence until then.
Pallu slowly walked towards me.
Towards me?! Is this a dream?!
"Greetings general," she bowed respectfully.
I was so traumatized that I forgot that I am supossed to be angry.
"Uh...Pallu...are you not going to run away?" I asked confused.
"I decided to fight my fears," she replied calmly.
I will take it to my grave that I, the general of the Nine Kingdoms, felt a slight fear when Pallu said that statement with her open hair, white blanket, and eyes that did not even blink.
"Good," I replied to hide my fear.
"Can you take a couple of steps to your right?" she asked still maintaining her ghostly aura.
I stepped aside and anxiously waited for her next move.
"BAHHHHHHHHHHHH" she screamed and immediately ran away through the door I was previously blocking.
"Dammit," I said as I tapped on my ears hoping it would somehow magically reverse the damage caused. "Your entire family is insane," I told Gati angrily while she rolled her eyes.
"What brings you here, general?" Naina asked pulling herself up from under the table that she was knocked into when she stopped spinning.
A gentle reminder that my entire family is insane too.
"To meet the queen," I said walking in.
"The queen decided to spend her entire day with the king today," Naina stated, "She also wanted to cook for her husband."
"And the king said," Sruthi continued, "whatever it is, we will do together. So they are cooking together."
"How sweet!" they said together clasping their hands and looking into the sky with dreamy eyes.
"That both of you have absolutely no work to do," I added in the same tone and both their smiles disappeared.
"If you are soo free, go make lunch for me," I demanded although the truth is that I am soo free and want to spend time with Sruthi....no I mean Niana...I want to spend time with Naina.
"Why should we make lunch for you?" Gati asked seriously.
"We do not even fall under your line of command," Naina added.
"Security protocol, ladies," I smiled, "We need to know if the food you give the queen is any good."
Naina and Sruthi looked at each other exchanging suspicious looks.
"You can check the protocol if you want," I said giving them the paper in my hand that describes 'The 10 effective ways to dispose garbage'.
Naina and Sruthi looked at the paper trying to see if they could make sense.
"Fine," they reluctantly agreed, "What do you want?"
"Oh I have a long list...." I said.
"Let's start," Adi said as he pulled out a small sword from his sleeve...to...cut a carrot...
"You don't have any bigger swords?" I asked calmly.
"Yes, I do but then I thought...." Adi paused when he understood that I was being sarcastic and shook his head.
"Here," I said giving him a knife from the stove top. Adi took it and slammed it on the carrot. It broke into two pieces each flying in a different direction. I immediately started laughing.
"Not funny," Adi said pretending to be angry.
"Let me teach you," I said and took the knife from his hand and stepped infront of the chopping board.
He stepped behind me and held onto my hand with the knife and I immediately felt nervous.
...in a good way...can't believe that I kissed this man and his simple touch is still having this affect on me.
"Teach me," he whispered and I showed him how to chop a carrot while he held onto my hand.
"Got it?" I asked.
"No," he said and placed another carrot on the chopping board.
"Really?" I asked turning to him.
This man is known for chopping heads...but cannot learn how to chop carrots?
"Don't be so mean, Vaishu," he said offended, "I spent 6 months teaching you sword fights and never asked this question." "Focus," he added and diverted his attention back to the chopping board.
"Even the Queen never asked for so many varities," I said as I angrily placed the dishes on the dining table.
"Don't worry, I will make sure she does," Nanda smiled, "Sit down, let us eat together," he said looking at me and Naina.
"With you?" I said and rolled my eyes...while Naina.....sat down?
"Naina!" I called out offended.
"I am hungry, Sruthi," Naina confessed, "Put your pride aside and join us."
"I..."
"Naina, this food is not meant for monkeys," Nanda joked before I could complete.
"Then why are you eating it," I countered.
Nanda chuckled. "Alright, princess," he smiled, "I apologize, please sit down"
I immediately sat down because I found that really very cute and he served the food in my plate.
Awww he served food in my plate....how swee....Wait....he is the one who bullied me into cooking all those dishes....God Sruthi....get yourself together....