Page 44

Warmth rose in my chest, and I smiled at his response.

“He’s right.

It makes me proud too… to see a king who puts people above possessions,”

I said gently, and he leaned in, kissing my cheek softly.

“Now, you must rest,”

he whispered, “get over your soreness...

and maybe teach me something from those seduction lessons you took.”

I stared at him, narrowing my eyes playfully.

“Knowing you,”

I teased, “I should probably ask for a refund from that teacher,”

He let out a low, deep chuckle, and I couldn’t help but smile shyly.

As I stood to leave, he followed and wrapped his arms around me in a tender embrace.

“Bahut sunder lag rahi hain aaj aap,”

(You look so beautiful today.) he whispered.

I giggled and tilted my head at him.

“Aapne aaj hi dhyaan se dekha hai humein?”

(You’ve seen me closely for the first time today?)

He smiled and replied, “Because I’m no longer forbidden to love.”

I stepped back slightly, looking up at him as he leaned in to kiss me.

His lips brushed mine gently, so light that the chill of my nose ring was still felt between us.

“Is it still hurting?”

he asked softly.

I didn’t speak, simply nodded, holding his gaze.

“Ahhh, my little bird,”

he murmured, kissing my cheek.

“I’m sorry,”

he added in a low voice.

“For what?”

I asked.

“For holding back?” I asked.

He looked at me, taken aback, brows slightly furrowed.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t ask for that refund after all,”

He laughed, making me chuckle.

Kissing my forehead tenderly, he said, “You should go and rest now.”

I nodded and walked away.

Returning to my chamber, I found Suman sitting on the couch, watching me intently.

“You look… different,”

she said, her brow raised with curiosity.

I lifted one of my own.

“Different how?”

I questioned, plopping beside her on the couch.

She leaned in slightly.

“You're glowing,”

she said with a small smile.

I pressed my lower lip between my teeth and smiled faintly. “Really?”

She nodded. “Yes,”

A short pause lingered in the air, then she leaned closer and whispered, “Something happened?”

She animated her fingers between me and him, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

My cheeks flushed instantly.

Inhaling a deep breath, I muttered, “Everything,”

Her mouth dropped open.

“Whattttt?!”

I looked at her wide-eyed, wondering why her reaction was so dramatic.

But she quickly softened her expression.

“What? Wow! Congratulations!”

she beamed.

I smiled, and we were locked in a tight hug the next second.

“Aaaaaaa, I’m so happy!”

I squealed in a hushed voice.

I knew I shouldn’t be this happy given everything going on, especially after what he had sacrificed for my brother and me.

But still, I couldn’t help it.

My heart was full.

Then suddenly… I felt wet around my thighs.

I pulled back from the hug and glanced at Suman.

Standing up quickly, I slipped my hand inside my skirt and looked at the blood on the tip of my fingers.

“Urrrrghhhhhhh,”

I groaned, feeling sick.

Menstruation.

“I’ll get you the padding,”

Suman said quickly, already moving.

I headed toward the bathing room, and she returned a few moments later.

After adjusting the padding, tears welled in my eyes.

I didn’t want it in the middle of everything.

Dragging myself back to the bedroom, I collapsed onto the bed.

And of course, the stomach cramps started.

Sometimes I wondered if my stomach actually saw the blood and decided, ‘Alright, time to hurt.’ Their timing was always too perfect.

“You rest here, I’ll bring you something warm to eat and drink,”

Suman said sweetly, and I nodded.

Soon, I started feeling cold. Then—

“Aaaaaaaccccccchhiiiiiiiiiiiiii,”

I sneezed loudly.

Great. Cold too.

I buried myself under the comforters, resting my head against the pillow.

Suman returned with food and tried feeding me, but I was already feverish, dizzy, and nauseous.

By nightfall, it had worsened.

The whole day had passed like a blur, me lying half-dead, energy leaking out of my body.

“,”

the Voice of My Beloved travelled down my ear, and I opened my eyes to find him standing by the bed, removing his overcoat.

He sat beside me, gently placing his hand on my forehead.

“Seems like you’re in pain,”

he murmured.

I took a shaky breath and nodded.

“Menstruation,”

“And… cold too?”

he asked.

I nodded again.

“Did you eat anything?”

I tried to speak.

“Yes… I ate in the morning…”

He furrowed his brows.

“Morning?”

he repeated, clearly not pleased.

Suddenly, he stood up and clapped twice.

An attendant entered the room.

“Bring dinner for us,”

he ordered.

The attendant bowed and left.

I watched as he walked into the bathroom.

After a while, he returned, freshly bathed, holding a bowl of warm water and a soft cloth.

He placed them on the side table, then sat down beside me.

Sliding his hand gently under my head and holding my arm for support, he helped me sit up and adjusted the pillows behind me.

A small cry escaped my lips.

The pain was worse; the previous night’s exhaustion, mixed with today’s discomfort, had drained every ounce of strength from me.

He softly tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“Come, let me help you freshen up,” he said.

Dipping the cloth in the warm water, he wrung it out and gently rubbed it against my cheek.

The warmth was soothing, and a tiny breath of relief escaped me.

I kept my eyes on him as he moved with care, wiping my cheeks, forehead, arms, and hands.

I had already removed all my jewellery, not wanting to feel suffocated.

And then my gaze drifted to the attendants walking in with the dinner.

“Bring it here,”

he instructed, and they obeyed, placing everything beside the bed.

I folded my legs, and he sat before me, washing his hands before opening the dinner plate.

He began tearing small bites of food, blowing on them to cool them and gently bringing the food to my mouth.

At that moment, I felt something stir deeply in my chest.

I felt so special.

In him, I saw everyone I had ever loved—when he gave me silly nicknames, I saw my father; when he cared for me like this, I saw my mother; when we bickered and annoyed each other, I saw my grandmother; and when he teased me, I saw my brother.

A single tear rolled down my cheek.

And when he noticed it, he frowned with concern.

“You know how you look right now?” he asked.

I bit my lip and smiled faintly. “How?”

“Like a cute baby monkey,”

he said, earning an abrupt chuckle from me.

“Seems like you’ve adopted a monkey then,”

I said, taking another bite.

“Ahh, yes,”

he said, playing along.

“I’ve got a monkey, a rabbit, a bird, a cat, a crocodile—and sometimes, a tigress.

But most importantly, I have my little wife,”

His words made me smile.

“You’ll never run out of names for me, will you?”

I asked, amused.

“Never,”

he replied with a soft grin.

“But more than anything, you're my baby first,”

Hearing that, my heart fluttered.

I leaned forward, broke a bite from the roti, and fed it to him.

He smiled and gently held my wrist.

“You just rest, little bird,”

he whispered.

I nodded after feeding him and leaned back again.

He fed me more and only ate after I had eaten enough.

After placing the plate on the table, he washed his hands and removed his kurta.

He walked to the other side of the bed, blowing out the extra candles on his way, dimming the room to a soft, warm glow.

I shifted under the comforter as he slid in beside me.

When he got close, I instinctively moved toward him and rested my head on his chest.

He wrapped his arm around me, and I curled my leg over his thigh for comfort.

He began caressing my knees, his fingers moving in slow, soothing circles.

The gentle pressure eased the tension, and I felt a sense of relief.

“Is it hurting so much?”

he asked softly. “Yes,”

I whispered, my voice husky from the pain.

“Should I call the physician to prepare some medicine?”

he asked, and I shook my head against his chest.

“No, I don’t need medicine,”

“Okay,”

he said, running his hand over my back, head, and down my arms.

I didn’t even realise when sleep took over.

***

When I woke up the next morning, my body felt a little better.

The pain had dulled to a manageable ache.

I slowly opened my eyes and found myself still in the same position.

His hand was gently resting at my waist, softly tracing circles along my side.

I could hear his heartbeat, and lifting my face, I looked up at him.

He was already awake, his eyes watching me quietly.

I inhaled deeply and stretched my arm, slowly straightening my leg, and turned to face the other side lazily, only to feel him shift closer behind me, spooning me.

His cheek brushed against mine, and his fingers laced with mine.

“Feeling any better?”

he asked, and I blinked slowly.

“This will go on for four to five days,”

I answered.

He traced my ear softly with his lips.

“You should eat properly and drink lots of water during menstruation.

I read that somewhere,”

A soft smile touched my lips as I nodded. “Hmm,”

“Are you not getting late for your courtroom meeting?”

I asked, and he pulled back just a bit, nodding.

“Yes, I was just about to get up.”

He climbed out of bed, and I watched him walk into the bathroom.

Even though I was more comfortable now, my thoughts didn’t rest.

I could sense that he was still worried about Abhinandan, about what was happening outside the borders… something weighed on him.

I stared at the ceiling and let out a deep sigh, lost in thought.

Should I talk to Abhinandan?

But Rudra had clearly asked me not to interfere between them.

Still...

shouldn’t I at least know what Abhinandan truly feels? He must’ve been devastated by everything that had happened.

And after learning that, I married Rudra, despite knowing what he had done to me, and forgave him...

I was sure he would be angry with me, too.

But I had to make him understand.

Rudra had a reason to do everything he did.

Even if the reason didn't sound reasonable to Abhinandan, one mistake couldn't define a person entirely.

We all make mistakes, especially when our minds are clouded, when we can’t think clearly or wisely.

Rudra’s mistake was rooted in half-truths and was misleading.

And for that, he deserved a second chance—the one I gave him.

I didn’t know what was coming next, but something inside told me things were about to spiral.

I exhaled sharply, trying to calm myself.

“You must take proper rest.

I’ll ask the attendants whether you ate or not.

So, take care of your diet, understand?”

His voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

He had dressed for the court meeting and was drying his hair with a cotton cloth.

My gaze softened as I watched his bare chest, firm abs, and strength in his arms.

Suddenly, the memory of our night together flickered across my mind.

A shy smile tugged at my lips.

But his words brought me back.

Wait… he had asked me to take care of myself.

“Are you going somewhere?”

I asked, narrowing my eyes.

He glanced at me and sat on the couch to put on his footwear.

But his silence… it said enough.

“Where are you going?”

I asked again, sitting up straighter in bed.

He stood and walked over to me.

“You don’t have to worry.

I’m just going to check the actual conditions at the borders,”

he said calmly.

I instantly reached out and held his hand. “What?”

He nodded, confirming it.

A wave of worry swept through me.

My chest tightened.

“No, Rudra, you know—”

“, I have to go.

The sooner we handle this, the better,”

he cut me off, before I could finish, gently holding my wrist.

“But what if they attack you?”

I asked, my voice trembling, tears already forming in my eyes.

He took a deep breath, eyes steady on mine.

“Don’t worry.

I’ll handle everything.

And nothing will happen to your brother,”

He slowly pulled his hand away and stood.

When he walked away, I threw the comforter aside and stepped out of bed, desperate to stop him.

But the moment my feet hit the floor, a jolt of pain shot through my knees.

My legs felt numb, and my body felt completely drained.

A faint cry escaped my lips, and he turned back, hearing it.

“You should rest, ,”

he said gently.

“I promise, nothing will happen,”

he said, and then… he left.

And I just sat there, frozen, watching him go.

***