Page 20

Following my conversation with Nandani, I felt furious and disappointed.

I knew she was a princess, and her upbringing was different from that of commoners like us.

However, the way she referred to my Maasimaa, her father's mistress, with a tone that conveyed disgust, troubled me.

We were married, yet there was an inexplicable detachment between us—perhaps because of our backgrounds, her social status, our differing perceptions, or the contrasting circumstances in which we grew up.

But she had to understand that my aunt was a motherly figure in my life.

She raised us three.

I had an idea somewhere that she wouldn’t be too benevolent with her, and I wasn’t expecting that either.

I understood her point of view as well.

She was, in fact, right in her perspective because my Maasimaa was her father's mistress, who had spent a great deal of time with him.

Therefore, it was only natural for her not to harbour any affection towards her.

Sighing, I walked toward the great hall when an attendant’s call caught my attention.

When I turned to look at him, he bowed to greet me.

“Yes,”

I inquired.

“Ranaji, Prince Agastya and Prince Ranvijay have arrived at the palace,”

he replied.

Hearing that, a gentle smile appeared on my face.

“Ask them to wait for me in the great hall,”

I instructed him, and before going to meet them, I thought of visiting the wounded soldiers.

Once I ensured everyone was receiving aid, I headed to the great hall.

Upon entering the room, I found them relaxing on the couches.

“Ranvijay, Agastya,”

I called to them.

They sprinted toward me, throwing themselves at me.

I spread my arms, embracing both my brothers and laughing heartily.

“Bhaisa,”

Ranvijay pulled away, scanning me from head to toe.

“Ranaji, must I say now?”

he asked, while Agastya teased, being the youngest.

“I hope you won't imprison us now that you're a King, Bhaisa,”

I replied, playing along.

“I might,”

and I pulled him into a tight hug.

“Jokes aside, I called you here because I have something important to discuss,”

I said, and Agastya shook his head.

“No, no, no… I will not listen to anything before I meet my Bhabhisa.

I've heard about her exceptionality and how she made you run after her,”

he said mischievously, folding his arms in front of him.

I looked at Ranvijay, who stared blankly at him.

He's always been like that—serious, calm, and mature, while the youngest is fun-loving and always up to mischief, seeking adventure.

My mother passed away giving birth to Agastya, so he never knew what a mother's love meant.

Thus, we held Maasimaa in high regard because she took care of us.

“Agastya, listen to what Bhaisa has to say,”

Ranvijay urged.

Giving him a look, Agastya replied, “No, you two rude brothers with a broody attitude cannot escape my excitement.

I want to meet Bhabhisa first, that's it.”

I sighed and placed my hand on his shoulder, making him look at me.

“Alright, Agastya.

She is busy right now.

But I'll let you meet her before lunch.”

He beamed instantly and looked at Ranvijay, scrunching his nose.

“Whatever,”

Ranvijay rolled his eyes.

“Okay, Ranvijay, we must appoint new members to rebuild the committee of high ranks in the royal court.

I am proposing that you become my chief advisor,”

I said, patting his shoulder to show how much I trusted him.

He looked at me, surprised.

“Me? Bhaisa, do you think I can do it?”

he asked, and I nodded.

“Yes, you are the most capable one for this.

You possess political expertise, proficiency, and all the necessary skills.

Your valuable suggestions will help in better governance of our kingdom,”

I said, and he curtly nodded.

“Alright, Bhaisa.

If that’s what you think, I am in.

I'm glad to take the responsibility of the chief advisor and be of help to you and our empire—”

“And me, Bhaisa, what will I do?”

Agastya interrupted, and I looked at him, placing my hand on his shoulder.

“You're good with figures and are sharp-witted, so I want you to handle the finances as a chief accountant,”

I proffered, and he gave a quick nod.

“Alright.

I'm set,” he said.

“Now, you two have two days to outline new strategies and devise plans for the upcoming year for better administration of the palace and regulating our empire’s system,”

I explained.

“I want you to collect all the information on the royal holdings we have available at present, recalculate all these resources and report to me on how we can implement the new taxation rules that can bring concurrence to the Kingdom and the royalty,”

I instructed, and they nodded sturdily.

“Of course, Bhaisa—”

“Ranaji,”

an attendee cut in on our discussion, and I turned to look at him.

“Yes, what is it?”

“Ranaji, Badi Ranisa is asking for you in the queen’s chamber,”

He informed me, and I nodded.

“Alright,”

I said, looking at Agastya and Ranvijay.

“Why don’t you come to meet Badimaa?”

I proposed.

Agastya nodded, but Ranvijay remarked, “Why don’t you both go first? I want to meet Maasima first,”

I nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll be in the queen’s chamber.

Join us later,”

I told him, looking at Agastya, and they both nodded in unison.

I left for my chamber and found Badimaa holding Hridhaan in her arms.

I sat beside her and played with Hridhaan, tickling him on his little tummy.

Badimaa put forward the idea of handing over Hridhaan’s responsibility to Bhabhisa.

“If Bhabhisa is willing to take the responsibility, I don’t see a problem,”

I said, and looked at Nandani.

“You, Nandani?”

I knew Bhabhisa; she was someone who could take the best care of Hridhaan.

It's not like Nandani couldn't, but she was too young to take responsibility for a baby.

Additionally, I wanted only the best for Hridhaan, having witnessed his birth, and he was like my own child.

Therefore, if Bhabhisa agreed to take responsibility, I would have no objection.

“No, no problem.

I'm sure she will take better care of him than I,”

Nandani said.

I could sense that she trusted my decision.

“Perfect,”

Badi Maa smiled, looking at Nandani and adding, “Also, Nandani, you can ask to give you a child of your own.

He isn’t getting any younger, you know,”

Nandani awkwardly glanced between us, fiddling with her fingers.

I tried to control my smile, keeping my chin up.

“I’m still young, Badimaa,”

Nandani chuckled, and Badimaa laughed too.

Suddenly, looking at my side, she asked, “What happened to your neck, ?”

She narrowed her eyes, inspecting my neck closely.

I immediately adjusted my kurta to cover my neck, trying to find an excuse.

“Ummm… Badimaa, I scratched my neck.”

Nandani lowered her gaze, and Badimaa said, “Don’t do that again, it might leave a mark.”

I nodded, assuring her.

“Badi Maasa,”

Ranvijay and Agastya walked into the guest chamber, and she smiled in sheer glee.

“Ranvijay, Agastya,”

Passing Hridhaan over to me, she rushed towards them.

Both my brothers bent to touch her feet to seek blessings.

I noticed Nandani standing up and fixing her dupatta over her head.

“How are you, Badimaa?”

Ranvijay asked, and she lovingly touched his cheeks, with tears glistening in her eyes.

“My children are here, I'm more than delighted,”

And Agastya went near Nandani.

“Pranaam, Bhabhisa!”

he greeted her, joining his palms in front of her.

She regarded his greeting, joining her palms in return, when he said, “Bhabhisa, don't you think you're too tiny for my brother?”

Nandani stood dumbfounded, her head spinning towards me.

I gave her an assuring smile to put her at ease.

“I think I’m perfect for your brother, Devarsa41,”

He chortled at her reply, making her smile.

“Pranaam, Bhabhisa,”

Ranvijay too greeted her, and she acknowledged his gesture with a smile.

Although she knew I had two younger brothers, I stepped forward to introduce them, to break the ice, “Ranisa, this is Prince Ranvijay and Prince Agastya.”

She stood with her gaze low, and Ranvijay warmly said, “Welcome to the family, Bhabhisa.”

She glanced at him, smiling courteously.

“Thank you, Devarsa.”

Agastya chimed in with a wide grin and asked, “So, Bhabhisa, when are you planning to promote us to the position of uncles?”

She gulped with wide eyes, and her flushed cheeks, with a tint of red, gave off her flustered state.

I gave Agastya the eye, warning him not to tease her.

“Agastya, it seems like you are in a hurry to become an uncle,”

Ranvijay said, patting his shoulder.

He chuckled and scratched the back of his neck.

“No, Bhaisa, I was just asking,”

he said again, looking at her.

“Bhabhisa, do you know fencing?”

She nodded, “Ji,”

His lips stretched into the broadest smile.

“Perfect….

you know I always wanted a Bhabhisa who could combat,”

she giggled.

“So, when can we have combat?”

he asked, and she looked puzzled.

“Tomorrow?”

“Perfect,”

Agastya clapped his palms giddily, and as I looked at them, I felt a knot in the pit of my stomach.

She went on, laughing at his remarks, and not for once did she look at me while talking to him.

“I think you both should freshen up and have lunch,”

I said, looking at them.

“Ji, Bhaisa,”

they both left together, and Badimaa, too, went along with them, passing Hridhaan back to Suman, who stood in a corner all the while.

She took him inside, leaving Nandani and me alone.

“, I didn't mean that earlier,”

she said in a low, worried tone, and I furrowed my brows.

“I know we have differences, but please do not drag my family into any of it, especially my Maasimaa.”

Her face suddenly changed into one of anger.

“Alright, I'll not speak to you about her.

You may go on, degrading my family’s reputation and crushing my dignity as you please, but I should do nothing about it.

Why do you think it is fair, ? How does that even work?”

She retorted.

“It works, Nandani, because I hate your family and I have justifiable reasons for it.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and snapped savagely, “Oh well, then let me enlighten you, Ranaji, I hate your aunt, and I, too, have justifiable reasons for it.

And, now you are my husband, and I cannot see you getting misled by non-existent things,”

I inhaled a sharp breath.

“You know nothing, Nandani.”

She dropped her hands and sighed.

“You too, ,”

I fisted my hands, trying to contain myself.

“Your parents killed my father, because of which I lost the only hope of my life.

They are responsible for whatever I suffered,”

I clenched my mouth, not wanting to lash out at her.

“I'm apologetic that you lost your father, but my parents did nothing wrong by killing him.”

That was it, that was the last string.

I looked at her with firm precision, hoping she wouldn’t take it any further. “Don’t,”

She took a step towards me.

“See beyond what you're told,”

Stepping forward, I, too, glared at her.

“I wasn't told anything.

Your parents killed him, and I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Your father abducted my mother,”

she replied, staring at me with the same intensity and tension.

I clutched her nape in my hold, jerking her closer to me, and looked into her eyes.

She pushed me away in a flash.

“Don’t you dare do that again, ever, ? I'm no object,”

Her eyes flickered with tears as she spat at me.

“And my life is no game for you and your parents to play with,”

I said, and she squinted her brows at me.

“I'm playing with your life? Me? You played with my life, , you.

You played with my feelings, my esteem.

You conspired with the game of love, and I very foolishly lost it,”

she raised her voice, pointing her finger at me.

I sucked in a deep breath.

“You made me do all of this, and it cost me.

It cost me everything,”

She began retreating her steps, saying, “I am sorry.

I’m sorry, I made you do all this.”

She turned around to leave the room, and I called for her, “Nandani.”

She kept moving, not paying any heed to my calls.

“Nandani, don’t even think of walking out on me,”

I said, but her walking away just like that heightened my fury.

“Nandani,”

but she chose not to listen to me.

I heaved an exasperated sigh.

Fine!

I returned to work, and for the entire day, I didn't meet her; I didn't see her, nor did she come to talk to me.

I went through some official documents and discussed them with Ranvijay and Agastya.

By the evening, Bhabhisa had arrived from her maternal home, and I had gone to meet her.

She was happy to adopt Hridhaan.

Once done, I left her chamber to let her rest.

After finishing all my work and meeting the royal courtiers, I had dinner with Ranvijay and Agastya.

Later in the night, I retired to our chamber, which was strangely completely dark, with no lamps lit around.

I headed towards the courtyard, but she wasn’t there or anywhere around.

The moon had already risen, scattering its light all around the place, but I couldn't find her.

I saw her attendant, Suman, coming out of the bedroom, so I asked her, “Where is Nandani?”

She answered in a polite tone, with her head kept low, “Ranaji, she's in the bedroom.”

“Did she have dinner?”

I inquired, and she nodded, “Ji, Ranaji.”

She left after answering me.

I felt bad for fighting with her.

But, somewhere, she had to understand me.

Her mother was promised to my father, and both her parents betrayed him and killed him later, because of which my brothers and I suffered for all our lives.

I sauntered towards her bedroom and found her lying on her stomach, playing with her flowy hair scattered at her side on the bed.

It seemed like she was so immersed in the book that not once did she turn her eyes away to look at me.

I cleared my throat to get her attention, but there was no response.

I could see her slender, fair legs dangling up in the air as she moved them swiftly, playing with the toes of her other feet.

Her anklet’s bells rang in the quiet chamber as I tread further.

The room was dimly lit with a few lamps and candles around.

She was trying to seduce me.

I could feel her intense stare on my open back as I removed my kurta and lit more candles.

If it's a game she wanted to play, why shouldn’t I play along?

After lighting a few candles and lamps, I settled on the couch and placed a few papers on the table.

Leaning forward, as I went through them, I could see her peeking glances at me from my peripheral vision.

She did not say a thing, and neither did I.

She continued reading her book until midnight, while I kept going through the papers.

The tension was palpable in the environment.

It seemed like a war about who would talk first.

Suddenly, I saw her climbing out of bed.

Her long hair, swaying above her small waist, came into view as she ambled towards the bookshelf in the corner to return the book.

She stood there, softly brushing her hair with her fingers, detangling the curls at the end and tying them into a loose bun.

Something flickered in my chest when I saw her lean arms for the first time as she made the bun.

Her backless blouse tempted me with a view of her exposed back, highlighting her shoulder blades.

I instantly turned my eyes back to the papers, blinking uneasily.

I wasn’t supposed to look at her in that way.

She was my wife.

But, unintentionally, my eyes again stared at her as she moved back to the bed.

“Nandani,”

I called her slowly, but she didn't reply and went towards the dressing room.

I inhaled a deep breath and waited for her to come back.

Stepping out, she closed the door behind her, and I felt my heart elevate at an unusual rate when I saw her in a white nightgown that reached till her mid-thighs.

My insides flipped, seeing her bare legs and arms, and I immediately stood up from the couch.

I stopped her mid-way as she approached the bed and cornered her against the bedpost.

“You want something, Ranaji?”

She asked, acting clueless, and I could feel she was still mad at me.

I tried touching her cheek, but she abruptly turned her head to the other side.

Moving closer, I blocked her way, keeping my hand beside her face on the bedpost.

“I hope you remember what I asked you to do for me,”

I said.

She tried to leave from the other side, but I quickly placed my other hand beside her waist on the bedpost.

“I remember nothing, sorry,”

she said, folding her hands over her chest.

Leaning into her ear, I muttered, “I’ll make you remember, little wife,”

She pushed me away, glowering at me.

“You may go to your quarters,”

I inched closer and cupped her cheek to make her look at me.

“Dare you say that again, and I'll never step into your chamber,”

I warned.

She blinked, looking at me, and turned her gaze down.

“I’m sorry,”

I gave in.

She closed her eyes, standing still as her cheeks flushed red.

Slowly encircling her waist, I pulled her into a gentle hug.

“I am sorry, Nandani.

I'll never say that again,”

I mumbled, caressing her back as she succumbed to my touch.

“I hate you,”

she murmured, and I kissed her head.

From behind, I gently held her neck to make her look at me.

“You're not an object.

If you don't like me holding your neck, I wouldn't do it, not in anger, not even when I'm calm.

But never say that again,”

I said.

Her lashes fluttered swiftly as I glided my finger slowly from her cheek to her neck.

It wasn’t easy to keep my hands to myself, as her sleek, delicate collarbones were right before my eyes.

Taking a few steps back, I dragged an armchair near the bed.

Settling comfortably on it, I looked at her and said, “You were supposed to teach me something.”

Shifting her weight from one foot to another, she shook her head, blushing extremely.

“No, I’ve never done it before,”

Biting my lower lip, I muttered in a low tone, “Lie down.”

***