Chapter 6 Meeting the Royals
Meeting the Royals
SITARA
If nerves could kill, I would’ve been declared dead before noon. Twice.
I sit at the edge of a velvet sofa, knees pressed tightly together, palms slick with sweat even though the air conditioner hums softly in the background.
The heavy bridal jewelry digs into my collarbones, the bangles clink every time I move, and my dupatta has decided to slide down my shoulder for the fifty-seventh time in ten minutes.
And the worst part? I can’t even fix it properly, because my hands are shaking.
Meher bhabhi-sa leans close, whispering, “Stop fidgeting, Sitara. You look like you’re about to go into battle.”
“I am about to go into battle,” I hiss under my breath. “You don’t know what it’s like to meet your almost-mother-in-law and sister-in-law on the same day you got abandoned at the mandap and agreed to marry someone else.”
Poorvi hides her laugh behind her hand. “You make it sound like a Netflix drama.”
I glare at her, but the corners of my lips twitch anyway. “If Netflix made this, they’d cancel it after one episode. Too much chaos.”
Before they can reply, the attendant by the door clears his throat. “Rajmata Jyotika Devi and Rajkumari Yagini have arrived.”
I freeze.
Oh God.
Here we go.
Poorvi squeezes my hand once before she and Bhabhi-sa stand to leave. “You’ll be fine,” she says, smiling. “They’re nice. I promise.”
“Define nice,” I whisper. But they’re already walking out.
The door opens wider.
And in walks Dhruv’s mother.
Rajmata Jyotika Devi carries herself like a woman born from sunlight and marble.
She’s draped in a soft ivory saree, the border glinting faintly under the chandeliers.
Her posture is perfect—spine straight, chin lifted, eyes sharp enough to cut through glass.
There’s a quiet authority around her, not loud, not forced, just there, like gravity.
Next to her, Rajkumari Yagini is the complete opposite—bright-eyed, young, wearing a coral outfit that probably weighs less than my dupatta but somehow sparkles more. She has Dhruv’s smile, but only if it was more teasing. Mischievous, warm, and a little bit dangerous.
They stop a few feet away.
For a second, nobody speaks.
Then I realize I’m just… staring. Like an idiot.
I scramble to my feet, almost tripping on the hem of my lehenga in the process. Perfect. What a royal first impression. “Namaste, Rajmata-ji, Rajkumari-ji,” I manage, bending slightly to touch Jyotika-ji’s feet.
She accepts it with a nod, the hint of a smile flickering in her eyes. “You may sit, beta.”
Beta. Okay. That’s… comforting. I think.
I lower myself back onto the sofa, spine stiff, heart doing jumping jacks inside my chest.
Rajmata Jyotika takes the chair across from me, Yagini plops onto the couch beside me, curling one leg beneath her like we’re already friends.
“You must be tired,” Rajmata says, her tone calm, polite. “It’s been quite a day.”
Understatement of the century.
“Yes, a little,” I admit, clasping my hands together. “But I’m fine. Thank you.”
Yagini tilts her head. “You don’t look fine. You look like someone who’s memorized all her answers for an exam and still thinks she’s going to fail.”
My mouth opens, then shuts. “I—uh—what? No! I mean, yes, maybe? I don’t—oh God, I’m rambling.”
They both just watch me. Silent. Composed. Regal. Completely opposite to what I am right now.
And suddenly, I can’t stop. The words just pour out like a faucet that’s lost control.
“I swear I’m not usually this awkward. I mean, I am awkward, but not this much.
I just… didn’t expect today to go this way, you know?
One moment I’m about to get married to a man I’ve met four times, and the next I’m about to marry another man who happens to be your son, and a king, and—well.
So, yeah. Sorry if I’m—uh—talking too much.
I do that when I’m nervous. Veeraj Bhai-sa calls it verbal diarrhea but I prefer to call it self-defense through speech. ”
There’s a long pause.
Oh no. Oh God, they hate me. I can feel it.
But then—Rajmata Jyotika’s lips twitch. Yagini snorts.
And within seconds, both of them are laughing. Not polite chuckles—actual laughter.
I blink. “Wait… you’re laughing?”
Yagini leans forward, eyes sparkling. “We were teasing you! You should’ve seen your face when Ma didn’t smile. You looked ready to faint.”
My jaw drops. “You—what?”
Rajmata Jyotika lifts a graceful brow, amusement softening her expression. “You fluster easily, my dear. We couldn’t resist.”
I just stare at them, utterly betrayed. “That’s… mean.”
“Necessary,” Yagini corrects. “You passed the test.”
“Test?”
“To see if you’d cry, run, or talk your way through it.”
I blink again. “And?”
She grins. “You talked. So you’re definitely perfect for my brother.”
Heat creeps up my neck. “Oh, please.”
“No, really,” she says, laughing. “He’s the serious one. You’ll keep him human.”
Rajmata nods, a small approving smile tugging at her mouth. “You have a good heart. I can tell.”
I can feel my chest tighten—not from fear this time, but something warm, almost like relief.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
Just then, the door opens behind me.
I don’t even have to look to know who it is.
That steady presence, that quiet confidence that fills a room before he even speaks—it’s him.
“Am I interrupting?” Dhruv’s voice is calm, low, and somehow… amused.
Rajmata smiles faintly. “Perfect timing. We were just evaluating your bride.”
He raises a brow, walking in. “Evaluating? Should I be worried?”
“Only a little,” Yagini chirps.
Dhruv’s gaze slides to me, eyes glinting with something soft. “And how did she do?”
Yagini smirks. “She survived.”
Dhruv chuckles. “That’s impressive. Not everyone survives Ma’s first interrogation.”
Rajmata sighs. “You make me sound like a villain.”
“Only slightly,” he says, leaning down to touch her feet. She blesses him, brushing his hair affectionately, and then he straightens to look at me.
I wish he wouldn’t.
Because the way he’s looking at me right now—like I’m the calm after his storm, like I’m something fragile and steady all at once—makes my stomach twist in ways I don’t understand.
“You look beautiful, Sitara,” he says quietly.
I blink. My mouth opens before my brain catches up. “I know.”
He laughs—a low, warm sound that melts into the air. “As you should.”
Yagini gasps dramatically. “Did you just flirt? In front of us?”
Dhruv gives her a mock glare. “Don’t you have somewhere else to be, Rajkumari-ji?”
She grins. “Nope. This is way more fun.”
Rajmata chuckles, rising gracefully. “Alright, you two. Enough teasing. Let the couple talk.”
They start to leave, Yagini winking at me as she passes. “Don’t worry, Bhabhi. He pretends to be serious, but he’s a softie.”
“Choti,” Dhruv warns.
She laughs all the way out. When the door finally closes, silence settles again—but this time, it’s different. Comfortable.
I glance at him, biting my lip to hide a smile. “You let them bully me.”
He feigns innocence. “They’re harmless.”
“They laughed at me!”
“You are adorable.”
“I was panicking!”
“Still adorable.”
I groan, covering my face with my hands. “You’re insufferable.”
He chuckles, moving closer until he’s standing right in front of me. “Maybe. But you’re smiling now.”
I drop my hands, and he’s right—I am.
“I wasn’t sure they’d like me,” I admit softly. “They’re so… poised. Elegant. I feel like a walking chaos next to them.”
He shakes his head. “They loved you already.”
“Because I talked too much?”
“Because you were yourself,” he says. “And that’s all they needed to see.”
Something inside me loosens at that. Like a knot finally unraveling after being pulled too tight for too long.
He notices, of course he does. His voice gentles. “You did well, Sitara.”
I glance up at him. “You mean I didn’t embarrass you?”
His lips twitch. “You tried your best.”
“Dhruv!”
He laughs, and it’s the most unguarded sound I’ve ever heard from him.
“Did I just witness The Dhruv Singhania laughing TWICE in a day?” I gasp jokingly. And a small smile makes a way on his lips.
“You have, but no one would believe you, so it’s not a threat.” He it says so seriously that laughter bubbles out of me again.
I should be nervous, I should be overwhelmed—but instead, I just feel… lighter.
Maybe this is what it feels like when someone doesn’t expect you to be perfect.
Maybe this is what it feels like when you can finally just be.
I should be intimidated-- I mean I am, after all, marrying a man for my convenience.
I know myself. I know I am not very bright or graceful or…
I don’t know… not very elegant, especially to be the wife of someone who already knows my antics and is still willing to marry me.
But I am not intimidated. I never am with Dhruv.
From our very first meeting, I have always felt so bold with him, so carefree, and although I don’t know the reason, it still helps a lot in this circumstance.
I do feel sad for him. He could have had anyone, but he’ll be stuck with me. Probably for life because my brother is his best friend and Bhai-sa would not hesitate to kill him if he hurts me.
“Are you sure about this, Dhruv?” I whisper, looking away from him, “We won’t be able to change this for a long time because I don’t want to ever strain your relationship with Bhai-sa.
He hardly has friends, and I know you mean a lot to him, so a divorce won’t really be in our cards for a long time.
” What kind of a bride talks of divorce even before she’s married?
“You can have anyone you want, Dhruv,” I look into his eyes, so he knows I mean every word I am going to say to him. “You’re kind—grumpy yes,” I laugh, “but still so kind, patient, caring… you’re just a very giving person and I don’t—” he gets up before I can complete my monologue.
“I don’t want anyone else,” he says roughly. “It’s you who’s settling for less, so between the two of us, it’s you who needs to be sure. I’m very clear on my choice.”
“I am being selfish,” I admit, “and I am going to let you believe that, but you truly do deserve the best.”
“And thankfully, I am getting what I deserve.” A small gasp escapes me, but he doesn’t wait for my reply. He walks away, but pauses at the door and gives me one final look. “I will meet you at the mandap, princess,”