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— SAMARTH —

Samarth walked into his chambers to Ava’s silk-shorts-covered pretty backside peeking out of his walk-in wardrobe.

“It’s your room too, no need to snoop,” he tugged the string holding his angarkha in place at the neck. Her head pulled out of the walk-in, her hand raising high with the horse brooch she had once gifted to him before a game.

“What is this doing front and centre in your drawer?” She waved it.

“Staring at me every time I open it.”

She turned it over. It was in perfect condition. He had it cleaned and polished at regular intervals.

“What are you doing in my drawers?” He caught hold of her wrist and pulled her up.

“It’s my room too, I should know what’s hidden in here.”

He couldn’t not smile at the perfect little fairy she made.

Her night silk shorts and spaghetti were dusty pink, her hands bright with her mehendi, eyes still big in spite of all the makeup wiped away.

Her hair was damp, cascading down her shoulders in wet waves.

He pushed it away, leaning his head down to plant a kiss on her clavicle.

She popped it — “So are we going all the way or you are planning to wait for the first anniversary?”

He dropped to his knees, taking the hem of her shorts with him. She gasped but didn’t have the time to finish the first syllable of his name as he buried his mouth there. She folded herself over him, the sweetest scream leaving her mouth.

“Sa…” she panted, tapping the back of his head. “Don’t make me… aaah!”

He laughed, and got whacked on the head. Samarth sat back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand — “You were saying something about first anniversary?”

“That was so…”

“So?”

“So…”

“You’ve teased the hell out of me these last few weeks. This is my limit.” He leaned in to place one last kiss before rising to his feet and pulling her flush against him — “Let’s see who goes shy now, Raje. Or should I call you Maarani now?”

“Raje,” she asserted.

“Exactly my thoughts,” he grabbed the hem of her top and pulled it off and over her head before lifting her in his arms.

“You are still very clothed, Rawalji,”

“Give me a minute, give me a minute.”

He deposited her in the centre of his bed, looking like the dream of his every single night come true. Her legs crossed, one over the other and she pulled them close.

“Samarth — 1. Ava — 0,” he announced before pushing his angarkha off his shoulders.

“What? Why?!” Her body opened up in protest. He pushed his churidar down and climbed between her legs, grinning at her fiery snarl.

“You are so easy to rile up nowadays, Ava,” he went over her and took her mouth into his own.

Her body loosened under his, her legs winding around his waist just as her hands wound around his neck, fingers twisting in his hair.

The cradle of her lap opened for him and he could feel the build-up of their days of discreet conversations and video calls and the last few minutes welcome him with a flood.

His tongue lashed with hers and she bit it.

“Foul,” he pulled back.

“You’re so easy to rile up nowadays, Samarth,” she smiled sweetly.

He reached for his bedside drawer and grabbed a condom.

“What’s this doing here?” She pushed at his chest.

“Taunting me every time I open the drawer,” he tore the wrapper with his teeth.

“I am dead serious. What do you need a condom for?”

“Relax,” he pushed her back. “I got it for tonight.”

“Do you remember how to put it on?” She cocked her head. “But then, you two were never the best of friends.” She sputtered.

“Solanki blood finds its way,” he rolled it on, coming over her on his elbows on either side of her head. Her laughter died.

Samarth nuzzled her nose with his own — “This time I wanted to do it right. God forbid something happened, I didn’t want you to be left with anything that would weigh you down.”

“Your child cannot weigh me down.”

“I know. But my guilt never dies. I love Brahmi, I love that she came into the world and you nurtured her so well,” he caressed the hair off her temple. “But I cannot forget that you did it singlehandedly while I was drilling oil and playing polo.”

“It has passed now.”

“It has passed. And it will not be repeated.” His hips lowered over hers, skimming her pelvis. “Are you ready?”

“Yes!” Her hips rose to seat him. “Of course yes!”

He slid in and realised it wasn’t as smooth a sail as he had imagined.

“Give it a second… it’s been like that since Brahmi’s birth. At this time of the month. The dryness…” Ava squeezed her eyes shut.

“Is it hurting?”

“No… it’s just mortifying.”

“Look at me, Raje.”

Her eyes popped open.

“I won’t be able to last as long as I used to either.”

Her hesitant face broke into a smile.

“We are old, Samarth…”

“No,” he reached down and used his fingers to twirl a rhythm he remembered she loved. Her mouth opened in a gasp. A pleasured gasp. “We are just different.”

“Don’t stop doing that…” her eyes scrunched shut again, her head thrown back.

He nipped the space behind her ear, making her buck.

He added the gyration of his hips in that same motion.

She moaned. She got easier to slip into.

And like the last eight years didn’t stand between them anymore, his body tunnelled into hers and his hips slammed down on hers.

“Oh fu…” her eyes popped open. “That was so good!”

“It was,” he tried controlling the urge to pull back out and slam back in.

“Feel dry still?”

She shook her head.

“Can I move?”

“Move!”

She was already beginning to tighten around him.

“You’re close,” he pulled out and rocked in slowly. “Let go.”

“No, let’s make it last…”

“Ava.”

“Make it last, Samarth! Come on, all the way after we are married!!”

His body rattled. Grabbing the top of her head to still her tossing face, he squeezed a kiss inside her mouth.

She kissed him back, her tongue lashing with his as her hips began to meet his.

Their bodies forgot the passage of years and the changes in sexual drives as the rhythm of their youth took over.

He had warned her he wouldn’t be able to last long but now, he could hold off for as long as she wanted him to.

Samarth came up on his knees, changed the angle, and pumped her down on him. She screamed.

“More! Just like that.”

He went in, again and again, letting her enjoy the meeting of their bodies like two mad waves.

And without warning she began to pulse. That crazy, crazy, uncontrollable pulse that didn’t look like it was slowing or stopping any time soon.

With a muffled roar, he collapsed on top of her, riding the wave with her.

It felt like it would never end and he didn’t care one way or another. If it didn’t, he was in bliss, if it did, he would find it again with her.

“Ohhh…” she moaned as their bodies stilled. Little pulses inside them continued to pop.

“We are so not old!” She breathed, laughter in her voice. His head popped up and he gazed into her eyes.

“We can never grow old,” he held her face between his hands. “We are holding our youth right here between us.”

Her eyes softened. Those two tiny dimples popped up. Just like they had that first time in Class 7-B of Saraswati Crest.

————————————————————

“Wear your clothes,” Ava ordered.

“Stop it, you love this,” he flexed his arm, rubbing the towel down his torso.

“I am saying because Brahmi might come.”

“I don’t think so. She has a newfound love for sleepovers with Dada Sarkar and Dadi Sarkar.” He climbed into bed beside her and pulled the duvet over their bodies.

“At least lock the door.”

“She won’t barge in here alone. Somebody will bring her. And they won’t barge in.”

Her chin propped on the contour of his bicep and she trailed a finger down the curve. She poked it, testing down the tendons. He flexed, letting her run her complete check.

“Still natural,” he nudged her chin. “No steroids.”

“Can’t be too careful,” she poked harder. “Show the other one.”

He rolled his eyes, turning until his other arm was under her poking finger.

“You said you don’t play that often now. How is this still firm?”

“I do still exercise.”

“Good for you,” she reluctantly let go of his bicep.

“Good for you ,” he smirked, taking her under his arm.

“How many years has it been?”

He kissed her temple — “Since what?”

“Since we met.”

“Close to 22. Why?”

“You’ve maintained a decent body for two decades, congratulations.”

His chest rattled.

“Thank you, I appreciate your good eye, Raje.”

Her head turned into his chest, her lips puckering on his cool skin. It warmed where they touched.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For listening to Hukum and coming to Loire.”

“That man. He can run entire kingdoms like his personal circus,” Samarth mused. “You don’t know how indebted I will be to him for pointing me in your and Brahmi’s direction. Did he mention anything about me when he met you in Loire?”

She shook her head. “He was as shocked as I was to see him. We talked courteous pleasantries. He didn’t know I was there for Brahmi’s lessons. And I thought I sneaked out with Brahmi before he could finish his brunch… I guess not.”

“Rajmata had to push me out of my chamber to catch my flight. Now when I think back two months ago… how things changed.”

“How you changed,” she cupped his jaw, her fingers scraping in the evening growth along his cheek. “Thank you for liberating yourself.”

He smiled, stroking the back of her hand.

“Did you miss your mother today?”

He frowned — “No. Why?”

“She wasn’t invited… I just thought…”

“In fact, she was invited. Papa was hesitant but Rajmata insisted. She didn’t show up.”

“And you?”

“I had Rajmata.”

Ava’s mouth softened. Her eyes lit up.

“I have a lot to thank her for.”

“Who? The whacko?”

She punched his chest.

“Don’t tell her I used to call her that.”

“Uh oh…”

“You did?” Her head whizzed up. He grinned, cupping it and pulling it back to his chest — “No.”

“Good, that secret is buried between us.”

A beat of silence passed between them.

“Ava?”

“What?” She yawned. “I am about to sleep…”

“Do you want more children?”

Her head popped back up — “Why would you ask me that while I was about to sleep?”

“Sorry,” he shrugged. “It’s alright, sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“No! You can’t throw a light like that and not expect to start a fire!”

“Having more children with me is starting a fire?”

“You get the gist,” she sat up straight and crossed her legs, her silk shorts riding up and giving him indecent ideas.

“Look up here at me, Rawal.”

“Hmm?”

“You want to have more children?”

“Don’t you?”

Her eyes went far, a little lost, then a little dreamy. She shrugged one shoulder — “I don’t know. I hadn’t thought about it.”

“What we did just now creates one, Ava. Or do I need to jog your memory?”

“You wore a condom. Or do I need to jog your memory? Oh, wait! You wore a condom that last time too.”

“Alright, don’t get snappy. Go to sleep.”

“Oh no, don’t you call me snappy!” She got on her haunches. “Who do you think you are calling snappy?”

“Umm, I don’t know? The Maarani of Nawanagar?”

Her fighter mode instantly switched to awed-Ava mode.

“That does sound a little nice.”

“Only a little?” He pushed closer to her, moulding his hands to her hips and trailing up into the bare skin under her top. She whacked them off — “Don’t push your luck.”

“I just asked a simple question to which your answer could have been yes or no.”

“And I choose the in-between.”

“ I don’t know? ”

She crossed her arms across her chest and bobbed her head.

“Alright,” he took hold of her forearms and pulled her slowly over him. “That works too.”

“In six months,” her low voice sounded solemn.

She held his face and traced his cheekbones with her thumbs.

“Let’s talk about it in six months. Once I have adjusted to life here, as Maarani.

Once Brahmi is ok with long-term life here.

We forget that it’s a cultural shock and a change from a nuclear two-person family to this palace and this kingdom for her. ”

“I get it. I wasn't looking at starting immediately either. Just wanted to know what you think. If you didn’t want one, I wouldn’t have brought it up again.”

“I know that,” she kissed his nose. “But… say, if we decide to have another baby. And it’s a boy. What would your court say then? You are preparing all this paperwork for Brahmi, for firstborns to inherit. What will happen if…”

“Nothing will happen. Nothing will change. Irrespective of whether we have another child or not, and whatever gender they are, Brahmi will be my firstborn and hence the first queen of Nawanagar.”

“Think carefully and think well. After what you told me happened in Devgadh, I don’t want an action replay in my house.”

“I have thought well, and Papa and Rajmata have also brainstormed. We will talk more about this, all four of us. Hmm?”

She kissed him, using her tongue to answer. Then pushed up, reached for the drawer for the condom and rolled it onto him. She got rid of her shorts and began to lower herself.

“Wait… are you…”

“Yes,” she breathed. “Still am.”

He hit his head back into his pillow at the otherworldly sensations.

“Slow, Ava…”

“It’s all the way now!” She shot down with a bang, making his eyes roll up. “You are my husband.”

He lost all control then.

“I am,” Samarth asserted, thrusting up to meet her. “I so am.”