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Her question made me nervous, unsettling my insides.

I exhaled softly, suppressing my restlessness, and cradled her in my embrace, my arm encompassing her waist.

“I don't think so,”

I murmured, and she frowned at me suspiciously, as if what I had just said wasn’t credible to her.

“Why’d you stop then?”

She whispered timidly.

Peering into her intoxicating eyes, I asked, “You didn't want me to stop?”

She blushed profusely, nuzzling her face into my chest.

“But I didn't ask you to stop. So why??”

she asked, and I closed my eyes for a moment.

“Because you're so tiny,” I said.

She looked at me, flaring her nose in anger, making me chuckle.

“Don't say that,”

she gritted.

“But you are,”

I teased again, and she turned her face to the other side.

“You call me tiny because you think I'm incapable of you.”

She scowled at me, and I held her palm.

“See, how small your hands are in mine.”

She looked at our intertwined hands.

Her slender, cute fingers were not even half the size of my fingers.

“But waiting will not make me any bigger now, will it?”

she said, plumping her head against my chest.

I laughed at her statement and closed my eyes, feeling her warmth.

“The mole on your bosom looked sensual.

Had me captivated at the very sight,”

a bright crimson crept across her cheek at my remark.

“You, too, have one on your back.”

I hummed, feeling drowsy.

I was someone who could fall asleep the moment I lay in the place where I usually slept.

And so I dozed off playing with her fingers.

***

Early in the morning, I woke up and turned my head to the sight of her slumbering figure in my arms.

Her long tresses rumpled over her face, and her beautiful lashes had me smitten.

I pushed the hair strands aside her face, and her eyes fluttered open.

She glanced at me in a sleepy daze, and I fondled her soft cheek gently.

“Good morning, Ranisa,”

“Good morning, Ranaji,”

she rasped in her morning voice, giving me a light smile.

I noticed her staring at my lips and nervously inhaling.

Slowly bringing her hand close to my face, she brushed my lower lip.

“What is it?”

I asked, and she moved her gaze from my lips to my eyes.

“You're a king now.

You shouldn't be going down on a girl,”

she said, and I pulled her closer.

I was truly amused by the paradox of societal norms.

On one hand, I was forbidden from doing many things to become a king; on the other hand, even after becoming a king, I wasn't allowed to do all those things.

“I know, I'm forbidden from taking pleasures, but I can surely pleasure my little wife,”

I said in a low tone, and she furrowed her eyebrows.

“Forbidden….? What’s that supposed to mean?”

She enquired, looking at me with a dilemma.

I stared at her blankly, realising what had slipped from my mouth.

Under no circumstances was I supposed to tell her about my forbidden pleasures, because I knew she'd get furious if I did.

“Nothing,”

I gulped, blinking my eyes away from her.

She immediately sat up straight, flipping her hair behind.

“No, tell me.

Who forbade you from taking pleasures? And why? And what pleasures are you forbidden from?”

She hastily questioned, and I placed my head on her lap, trying to divert her mind from it.

“, look at me,”

she said, holding my face and making me look at her.

“Nandani, it's nothing,”

I tried to sound convincing, but she budged away, causing me to move my head.

She shook her head in an urge.

“No, no, no, you take me for a fool.

Tell me, who forbade you and has concocted these things in your mind? Wait—”

She was stunned momentarily, and what I feared the most happened.

“You stopped last night...

because...

You are forb…”

Her eyes widened, and she audibly gasped, covering her mouth.

Her face was stricken with the flash of realisation.

Tears shimmered in her eyes, and I shook my head in denial.

She inhaled a sharp breath, crawling closer to me on her knees and held my hands.

“, please tell me it's not what I am thinking.

You're not practising celibacy until the coronation, are you?”

Her words faltered in an aggrieved tone, and she visibly swallowed the lump of distress.

“Oh, wait...

wa...

wait! That is why you do not sleep in bed, you don't dine on the royal meals, you do not stay in the royal chamber, you do not let anyone do your things, you do not smoke, do not drink, you don’t hunt, you do not…”

she turned breathless by the end of her revelations, and tears streamed down her eyes.

I closed my eyes, taking her into my arms.

“Nandani,”

I tried to calm her, but she broke into sobs.

“, do I even know you?”

She pushed me away lightly and stood up to leave, but I stopped her, holding her wrist.

“Does this wedding mean anything to you?”

she turned towards me, drawing back her hand.

“Do I mean anything to you?”

she asked, taking her steps back.

“You don't even have any feelings for me,”

she stated, and I stood up, trying to hold her.

“Nandani, it is not like that—”

“I, too, am forbidden to you,”

she rambled to herself, holding her forehead.

“I thought...

I thought you had feelings for me, something at least,”

she choked up on her tears.

“Nandani,”

I went near her and was about to touch her, but she stopped me, showing her palm.

“Oh! Ranaji, let me remind you that you are forbidden from touching me,”

she said, moving back.

“Murkh the hum, aapke bichaaye jaal mein phans gayein”

(Such a fool I was, I fell right into your trap).

She walked away, talking gibberish.

I sucked in a sharp breath, fisting my hands, trying to cool myself and knelt on the floor, closing my eyes.

I knew she'd get utterly mad when she discovered the truth and wouldn't like it.

She wouldn't have married me at any cost if she had known about it.

What I didn't know was what to do anymore.

“Ranaji,”

Suddenly, an attendant called me, and I looked at him.

“Ranaji, guests have arrived,”

he informed me, and I heaved a heavy sigh.

“Ask Prince Ranvijay and Prince Agastya to receive the guests and look after the arrangements for their stay in the palace.

I'll meet them in the royal court,”

I instructed calmly.

“Ji, Ranaji,”

he bowed and went away.

It was a significant day for the empire, as I was to sign a peace treaty and trade contracts with neighbouring states for the benefit of the people.

I stood up and walked out to get ready for the royal summit.

Once I was ready in a simple white kurta with a red overcoat, I saw Nandani before attending to the royal guests.

Walking into her bedroom, I called for her, but she wasn't there.

I checked the dressing room, but she wasn't there either.

Coming out, I asked an attendee, “Where is Ranisa?”

She bowed and answered without meeting my eyes, “She might be in the Royal Kitchen, Ranaji,”

I immediately marched towards the royal kitchen.

When I stepped in, I noticed the chaos—women grinding wheat in one corner, some crushing dry spices, some chopping vegetables.

I raked my eyes around to spot my queen in the crowd of the staff, but I couldn't find her.

“EKAANT!”

I ordered, and everyone dispersed right away, except for one girl working on the stone flour mill.

Striding in her direction, I looked at her, still grinding wheat.

Despite my squatting before her, she continued what she was doing without paying attention to me.

She wasn't wearing any jewellery or wedding bangles: just simple green bangles and plain clothes.

“Nandani, don't overwork in anger.

You’ll fall sick,”

I tried to stop her, but she moved her hand even faster, filling her other hand with the grains to fill the pit.

She remained silent, ignoring me like I wasn't there.

“Aeeee, Nandani,”

I held the grinder’s handle and stopped it to catch her attention.

She breathed heavily in anger and stood up.

“Suman, Reva, Jayanti…”

She yelled all the names, and I watched some attendants enter the kitchen again.

“Keep working; the guests must be served with the best food,”

she said, crushing the spices.

I followed behind, and now I was eager to even talk to her, especially with everyone around.

“Nandani, please,”

I pleaded in a low tone.

She pounded the dry chillies with such force that their powder blew into the air.

The moment I breathed, I coughed hard, feeling a burning sensation in my throat.

She deliberately did that.

She too coughed.

The surrounding attendees were eavesdropping on us.

“Nandani, please, don't be ang—”

“Suman,”

she called loudly, cutting me off.

Moving towards the flour grinder, she began grinding again, and I sat before her.

“Nandani, everyone is waiting for me in the royal court.

But I don't want to meet anyone, leaving you angry like this,”

I tried to convince her, and she instantly looked at me.

“I'm not angry, Ranaji,”

she creaked, showing her fury.

I asked, “So, why are you doing this? There are so many attendants, so leave it to them.

They'll do it,”

She inhaled a sharp breath and moved her gaze to me.

“No, I, too, am on a controlling period with you until you are,”

she said, and I immediately held her arms.

“Are you in your senses?”

I gritted in a whispering tone, and she yanked my hand away.

“No, but you are not allowed to touch me,”

she said, and I inhaled a deep breath to keep my cool.

“Nandani, what are you playing at?”

I questioned, but she ignored me again.

“Reva, heat some water, and come here, help me with the dough,”

she said, standing up, dusting her hands right in front of my face.

“Alright,”

I mumbled under my breath, and stood up.

She seemed infuriated.

I looked at the female attendees working and helping her.

It was only right that I left from there.

I went to the court where everyone was waiting for me.

The royal herald announced my presence.

“Saavdhaan!!! Rana Dev Singh, raaj sabha mein padhaar rahe hain….”

(Attention!!! Rana Dev Singh is entering the Royal Meeting Hall….) His voice was so loud it echoed in the huge hall, vibrating my insides, boosting energy in my body.

The moment I stepped in, murmurs and gossip piped down, and everyone got up to greet me with joined hands.

“Welcome to Suryagarh,”

I returned their greetings and walked towards the throne.

Taking my seat, I told everyone to sit too.

“Please, take your seats.”

I noticed my Guruji and immediately stepped down from the throne to take his blessings.

Returning to my place, I ordered them to commence the meeting.

Ranvijay stood up, catching everyone’s attention.

“Ranaji, we are all gathered here to establish a new peace treaty and make amendments to the percentage of taxes and duties in the current trade zones.”

I listened to him carefully and said, “Please introduce the revised contracts.”

***