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Aishwarya POV

"Aishwarya,"

He called and I stood frozen in my steps. My heartbeats started to race and I turned to look at him.

With my almost inaudible voice, I managed to speak.

"Ji,"

He stood up from the couch and I blinked nervously.

I saw him coming closer and with every step that he was taking towards me, I was feeling like running.

I did not know what happened while I was changing but it made me feel butterflies in my stomach and I could not help but lower my gaze when he stood in front of me.

I could feel his presence close to me, suddenly warming up my cheeks and I tried to trace my bangles with my fingers out of nervousness.

"Mm, Aishwarya, What happened before... Like,... I did not know that you were there. I did not mean to startle or scare you,"

"It's okay,"

I immediately said and tried to move my gaze anywhere but him.

"I am really sorry,"

He said and I nodded.

"It's okay. I am... I mean, I was not scared,"

Shit!

What the hell was I saying?

"I mean--not like that,"

He smiled a little and I immediately lowered my gaze feeling all flushed.

"Hukum, everyone is waiting for you in the dining hall,"

Suddenly the attendee's voice caught my attention and I abruptly blinked.

"Ji, we are coming,"

He said and I lifted my gaze a little.

I had cooked for everyone and now the thought of him not liking the food was making me worried.

"Shall we?"

He asked gently and I nodded slightly with the timidness and nervousness splashing over me like the hurricane.

Why couldn't I behave normally around him?

"Ji,"

I corrected my dupatta a little and started walking with him. I could see us matching our footsteps, he was slowing down whenever he was finding me staying behind.

I was feeling nervous. While we were walking down the galleries, and the royal gardens, I could feel all the eyes of the attendees, and people roaming around on us even though my gaze was low and was trying to focus on the path.

"This way,"

He said when there were two ways in front of us. He guided me to the dining hall and the moment we were climbing the stairs to step up and walk, I was feeling like shaking.

I stepped inside with him, my fingers were trembling and fisting on my skirt. I could feel all the eyes on me. What would they be thinking? I was sure that they did not like me at all. I was nothing in front of him.

They must be making fun of me.

I gulped and blinked nervously.

And, suddenly, I felt him touching my hand and I shivered insanely.

I lifted my gaze abruptly to see that people might have noticed.

The touch was soft and warm yet so electrifying. His fingers gently moved across from the back of my hand towards the palm, trying to undo my fist and hold my hand.

"Calm down,"

He said in a slow voice and I gulped nervously lowering my gaze. 

We walked forward and I could see two empty places that were meant for us, set up in the middle to make us the centre of all the attention.

I could hear the silence and the noise of my anklet's bells tearing it.

I stood near the couch and adjoined my hands to greet everyone with the gesture.

They smiled and I lowered to sit down on the couch. He also sat beside me and I could see attendees started serving.

My heart was beating insanely and my breathing was turning uneven. In some time, all plates were full. There were Ranaji and Jiji, Agastya, Badi-ma, a few more ladies I did not know about, a few males maybe the officials and so many attendees.

I was keeping my gaze low when I felt him forwarding his hand towards the plate. Making a bite of the Dhal Bhaati Churma and I literally closed my eyes for some moments when he took his hand close to his mouth.

God please make him like it. Pleaseeeee, I beg you.

I gulped nervously and could feel everyone eating silently.

No one said anything and now panic was bubbling up insanely more than ever before.

They all were eating silently with an expressionless face and I did not know why it was making me lose all my appetite.

And, suddenly his slow mutter caught my attention.

"Why are you not eating?"

He questioned in a serious tone and I lifted my gaze to look at him. I just blinked nervously and abruptly took my hand closer to my plate to make a bite for myself. Nervously bringing it closer I tasted the food I made and as soon as it started melting in my mouth, I could everything was fine. The salt, the chilli, the consistency and the spices. It was all perfect.

I lifted my gaze to look at him.

Why no one was not even smiling while eating?

They did not like it?

But, it was all good and tasty.

My eyes once again tried to look at him and he was just eating silently without any reaction.

It was making me feel all uneasy and all tensed.

I had a few more moments in the dilenma of why no was saying anything.

And, suddenly Jiji spoke with a bright smile.

"Ummmmm, the food is so delicious, I must say, Devarani-sa,"

A slight smile appeared on my face and she looked at him.

"Right? Devarsa?"

He lifted his gaze a little with the timidness and said.

"Ji, Bhabhisa, it's delicious,"

She smiled and suddenly Ranaji spoke.

"If you are liking the food than you should appreciate the efforts of the cook. I can understand that you must be feeling shy in front of us but do not forget to kiss the hand of your wife once you are alone,"

His face turned even more timid and I lowered my gaze with the melting.

And, he managed to say.

"Ji, Bhai-sa,"

"Bhai-sa,"

Suddenly Agastya spoke.

"If you will not be able to appraise her for this delicious food. I would happy to cherish my Bhabhisa for this delicious food,"

He smiled and suddenly everyone laughed.

His face turned anguish a little and he said.

"Why not? Agastya,"

Everyone finished eating in some time and presented me with so many gifts for the first kitchen ritual.

Jewellery, clothes, artefacts and so much more.

But, the person from who I was feeling like getting something had already left saying he has so much work.

I came back to my chamber and placed the gifts on the table.

But, there was a smile planted on my face.

I did not know but I was feeling pretty much welcomed here. But, I still did not know why he was trying to keep his distance from me. I was somehow sure that he did not like me.

Moni followed me helped me put the gifts into my trunk and I could not stop myself from asking her.

"How long its been since you are here?"

She smiled a little and said.

"About two years,"

I lowered my gaze for a moment as I was feeling slightly nervous to put up my next question.

"Is Hukum always like this. I mean -- busy in work?"

She smiled looking at me and nodded.

"Ji, Bai-sa, since he has came here in the Kingdom. He is always busy with work,"

She said and I nodded a little.

"Oh,"

"And, he should be busy because everything is new for him,"

She added and I furrowed my brows a little.

"Means?"

I asked.

Her smile vanished a little and she abruptly moved his hand saying.

"Um, Bai-sa, Rani-sa had called me. I forgot to meet her,"

She said and wished me by bending forward a little and left.

I did not know but her behaviour sounded a little different. It was not normal at all.

And, now I was alone in my chamber and feeling extremely bored. If I had been in my Kingdom that I would probably be decorating one of the dupattas.

But, here all I could see was books, rolls and papers.

I could see the table in front of the couch that had two books which he was reading in the noon. And, there in the corner there was a small shelf that was filled with books, some bottles and rolls. And, then there were another trunk that also must be filled with the book.

I sucked on my lower lip a little as I courageously took my step forward to that small shelf. My hand slowly and hesitantly pulled the door of the shelf open and I laid my eyes on the neatly placed books in red, pale yellow and green colors.

My fingers hesitantly raked on those books and I could not stop myself from pulling out a loose book of pale yellow pages.

I kept it carefully in my hand and my eyes blinked scanning it. It was seeming really old as if decades old.

My fingers could not stop myself from opening the pages despite the fact that I could not read. My eyes notices the certain strokes on the pages with the ink and they were looking really beautiful. It was giving me a old wood, rainy smell and bringing it even closer to my nose I inhaled its smell.

A slight smile appeared on my face as I could smell him in the books.

"Aishwarya,"

I shivered all of sudden as the manly voice startled me. The book fell my hand and I turned to look at him standing a little far away from me.

"I was just... I am sorry,"

I tried to say and took a step back as he walked closer to me. My heart beats were racing insanely fast and I got frightened as hell.

"I am sorry,"

I said and tears collected in my eyes almost.

"Are you looking for something?"

He asked with a plain voice and expressionless face.

My head shook lightly and I lowered my gaze.

The silence followed for a moment and he asked in a slow voice.

"I mean, you must be getting bored. Do you want something to read?"

I gulped and did not know what to say. I shook my head slowly and lightly only to say.

"Ji, Hukum, vo... darassal,"

"Ji, Hukum, I... Actually,"

I tried to form the right words to put it into a sentence. My eyes blinking nervously not able to dare to look into his eyes.

"Vo, Hukum, hum padh... hamara arth hai, hume padhna nahi aata,"

"I, Hukum, I cannot... I mean, I do not know how to read,"

I said with my eyes low and felt utterly ashamed confessing it.

Being the last daughter with the seven elder sisters, I was a complete disappointment for my father and even my mother died after my birth. Everyone called me with so many names my whole life. They used to say that just as my complexion, my fortune was dark too.

"Oh,"

He said.

A disturbing silence for a few moments after that until he said.

"Kuch seekhne ki koi umar nahi hoti. Aap jab bhi kahengi hum aapko sikha denge,"

"There is no age to learn anything. I will teach you whenever you want me to,"

I lifted my gaze a little only to look at him and find that he was looking at me. There was a kind of tickle of fear in me. The misfortune I could bring to him was making me feel scared. I blinked nervously and tried to say in a slow voice.

"Ji, I would love to learn. Whenever you get free, I will be available,"

No one could believe if I would say that because I had never ever been interested in reading book or even learning how to read. 

But, when he asked me I could not deny.

I did not know what suddenly happened to me that I wanted to agree on everything he was saying or asking.

The way he touched my feet last night and kissed them. It bubbled up a different kind of respect for him in me. 

"Alright, in the evening after the dinner,"

He said and I nodded.

"Ji,"

He smiled a little and put the book back into the shelf. My eyes were shamelessly staring at his face. His hair, his eyes, his nose, everything and especially his lips.

All of sudden he looked at me and I immediately felt a shiver running down my spine. I abruptly lowered my gaze and blinked nervously.

"Bhojan bahut acha bana tha, kaafi barso baad ese bhojan ka anand mila hume,"

"The food was very delicious, I tasted such a food like that after a really long time,"

He said and I lifted my gaze up. Although I was feeling really nervous and timid but my mouth did not feel shy to mutter.

"Thank you,"

He turned to look at me and the moment I held his gaze, I felt deep shivers running down my spine. Suddenly, I felt as if nothing existed beyond his eyes. Deep, black, timid yet intense. He gulped and I blinked seeing his Adam's apple move.

I did not know what was happening to me all of sudden.

"Badi ma said that I should give you something as gift for the first kitchen ritual,"

He said and I blinked nervously.

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