38
Although we did not reach the target, it's still a lot and I am truly grateful to every single one of you
To those who didn't, would you follow me if I say "please ??"
Jokes apart, here's the chapter, enjoy!
"I...ran away," I said slowly gaining courage, "Punish me if you want to....do not punish the general...or anyone else....or yourself."
Adi clenched his jaw and looked away for a second to control his anger before looking back at me.
"It is not a wise idea to tempt my fury, love," he warned, "Leave!"
That statement made my heart shiver. Every part of my existence begged me to leave. Yet I stayed and whispered "No."
"No?" Adi asked both angry and surprised.
"No," I said a little louder looking at him.
"Alright," Adi nodded. "General, leave," he said with his eyes still on me.
"Your highness," the general stepped forward to convince me.
"She will be fine," Adi interrupted. "Or atleast that is what she think."
The general still did not leave and looked at me as if asking for permission. I nodded and after hesitating for a few minutes the general reluctantly left.
As the distant sound of his footsteps left the room my anxiety continued to increase as I began to question myself the stupidity of my decision and unknowingly I tightened my grip on the sacred thread in my hand.
"Why are you holding onto that?" Adi asked with a hint of sarcasm, "Need protection from the devil?"
"You can take it from me, if you want," I said extending my palm to give him the thread that I was holding, "But you are not the devil."
Adi looked at the thread and back at me. He still looked angry so I mentally prepared myself for the worst possible outcome but to my surprise he took the thread, rotated my hand and started tying it on my wrist.
"Do you not love me?" he asked in a calmer but still stern voice.
"Of couse I do, Adi," I immediately replied, "You are the love of my life."
"The love you ran away from?" Adi said lifting his eyes.
"That is not true," I said as my heart almost broke at his statement.
"That is the truth I see," Adi argued, "And the truth I will continue to see as long as you keep hiding things from me."
I remained silent.
"If you want our relationship to continue, tell me everything," Adi said, "Every little thing, every damn detail of your life. I need to know."
I still remained silent contemplating. Adi shook his head in disappointment and was about to leave but I held his hand.
"I will tell you everything," I said, "but...after Vijayadasami celebrations."
"Always taking time," Adi whispered to himself in frustration and freed his hand from my grip.
"Then I will continue to be your husband, after the Vijayadasami celebrations," he said and walked away.
I knocked on the door of the queen's private chambers. Stupid Nanda told me that she is safe and back but did not allow me or Naina to leave his chambers, so we did what we had to.
Jump out of the window and reach our friend.
As we contemplated knocking again, the queen opened the door. Her eyes were swollen with tears.
"Your highness, are you okay?" I asked concerned.
She shook her head and hugged me as she started crying and repeatedly saying sorry.
"Are you angry too?" she cried as I pulled out and held her cheeks to console her, "I am so sorry, I am..."
"Your highness, calm down," I said wiping her tears, "I am not angry."
" No one is," Naina continued, "Just tell us what happened? What did Meihu tell you?"
"You..." the queen sobbed, "You...will not tell anyone, right?"
"No, we promise," I said, "What happened?"
"My...sister..." the queen said inbetween sobs, "She.
.does not have a good reputation...in the east..
.so when Adi said everyone is coming for the Vijayadasami celebrations.
...I knew that the officials from the east will be included too.
" "So..." she continued, "So I asked Meihu if the officials would know me.
..and my sister...she said...they know her as a whore and they know me as a whore. ..."
"Your highness, that is a lie," Naina immediately said, "People in the east do not even know Aishwarya has a sister."
"The women don't, I know," the Queen replied, "But the men....the officials...I never met anyone but what if they saw me from a distance and...."
The Queen's words were interrupted by another knock on the door. Naina opened it.
"What a bunch of idiots," the general whispered as he stepped in looking at Naina and myself. The queen quickly wiped off her tears.
"Are you alright, your highness?" the general asked the queen.
She nodded.
"Are you ready," the general hesitated for a while before continuing, "to be introduced in the court tomorrow?"
"I think so," the queen whispered.
"We will not be having anyone from the east your highness," the general said and the three of us looked at him surprised.
There is no way he heard our conversation through the walls!
"I investigated into your family," the general explained before the queen could even ask, "I know what your sister did for a living and I know you are not a part of it.
" "Nobody even knows you exist," the general continued, "But since you are skeptical, I revised the guest list and removed everyone from the east."
The Queen blankly stared at him both grateful and surprised.
"I promised to protect you, your highness," the general added, "As long as I am alive you will have nothing to worry about."
Not sure the impact his statements had on the Queen but to me, I felt like running into his arms and kissing me....until...
"Dumb heads, shall we go?" he said looking at me and Naina.
"What part of your sane mind convinced you to walk into the Royal chambers despite being well aware that the king will kill you the moment he sees you?" I burst on Sruthi and Naina the moment we entered my chambers.
"The same part that convinced you to leave the Queen alone with the king," Gati argued, "Did you not see how angry he was?"
"Of course I did," I replied, "I saw his anger but I also saw his love and I also saw his love and I know it is strong enough to bring his anger to it's knees."
"You cannot assume that based on....." Gati argued.
"I am not assuming, I know," I shouted, "And I know that because today when you.
..." I paused just in time before I revealed to Gati the love I have for her.
How I absolutely hate her for what she did today and yet couldn't stop myself from loving her so much that I went against Adi and everything I stand for just to keep her safe.
"When I....what?" Gati asked.
"Nothing," I shok my head, "I am only answerable to the king, no one else." "Shut up and go to sleep," I said looking at both Naina and Sruthi.
"I will wake Pallu up," Sruthi said and was about to walk towards Pallavi who for some reason decided to sleep on the top of the cupboard.
"Unless you both want to die," I said stopping Gati, "Sleep here and don't dare to step out of this room."
"We will not sleep in the same room as you," Gati opossed, "That is inappropriate."
"Neither will I sleep in the same room as you," I countered, "That is suicide."
Gati angrily glared at me but I am too tired to care.
"I am going to the guest chambers," I said and turned to leave.
"We want to go to the guest chambers," Naina interrupted but stopped when I looked at her angrily.
"It has...fluffy white pillows..." Gati hesitantly added.
The women in my life are born to kill me.
I turned to them and took a deep sign.
"Miss Sruthi and Miss Niana," I politely said, "I have 5 swords on me right now and know a dozen other methods to kill a person."
Their expression changed from hopeful to scared.
"If you step out of this room," I warned, "Forget the king, I will slaughter you to death."
That statement made them both speechless and they remained absolutely silent.
"Fluffy white pillows," I whispered to myself once again in frustration as I headed out.
Do you guys like fluffy white pillows?