"So you are a princess?"

One of the little street kids asked Gauri as she gave them food. It had been 15 minutes since she and Om arrived to meet the street kids. Natasha and Singhji agreed to come. It didn't take long to convince Singhji to come but it did take a little bit of time for Natasha to agree. Natasha and Singhji were waiting by the car, watching the two young royals feed the street children.

Gauri: haan I'm a princess.

Street kid: wow. I also want to be a princess

Another street kid: mujhe bhi.

Gauri smiled and then one more child spoke: but girls like us can't be princesses.

Gauri: why do you say that?

Street kid 1: because we're not rich, we can't even afford a nice dress.

Street kid 2: and we can't even have a toy crown.

Gauri looked at the young girls. She bent down to their heights and said: let me tell you lovelies something....being a princess is not about wearing a glittery tiara and a gorgeous dress, it's s about becoming someone that others want to be like.

Street kid 3: matlab?

Gauri: meaning people want to be like you, they want to be kind like you, they want to be humble like you.

Street kid 2: oh so that what it means.

Street kid 1: when I want to be like you.

Gauri: meri jaise?

Street kid 3: haan, me too because you are so kind.

Why would they want to be like her? She was lying to everyone's faces about her real identity. If they knew the truth, would they still want to be like her or not?

Street kid 2: so you don't need money to be a princess?

Gauri: no, being a princess is not about money. The most important thing about being a princess is caring about other people. And if you do that, then you're a princess in your heart.

The three little girls hugged Gauri who hugged them back. Om was talking to some of the other children and his eyes caught Gauri hugging the little girls. He couldn't help but smile at the sight. One of the girls noticed and said to Gauri: Pooja di, he is looking at you.

Gauri: is he now?

Gauri took a quick look and at that moment, Om stopped looking at Gauri, focusing on the children. Gauri gave a little smile and that smile somehow made a blush appear on her cheeks. The three girls noticed the blush on her face.

Street kid 1: how much do you love Prince Omkara?

Gauri: between you three and me, I love him a lot.

The three girls: ooooo.

Gauri: I am going to give everyone else food. You three, start eating.

She got up and smiled at the girls. She started to give the other children and their families food. She even spoke to them, she got to know them, their life problems and how blessed they felt that they didn't have to beg for food on this one day. 

As she spoke to another person, one of the little boys said to Om: how much do you love Princess Pooja?

Om: do you really want to know?

Little boy: haan.

Om: I love her a lot. 

Little boy: oooo is it because she is pretty?

Om: let me tell you something. I don't love Pooja just because she is pretty. I mean yeah she is pretty haina?

Little boy: haan. 

Om: levin that's not why I love her. I love her because she is a sweet person, she has a big heart, she is really nice, she is this pure-hearted angel and I love her because she makes my heart smile.

Little boy: wow, when I grow up, I will also find a girl who makes my heart smile.

Om: and when you do, don't ever let her go. Promise me that?

Little boy: I pinky promise.

He said cutely as he linked his pinky finger with Om. Gauri saw the cute scene and smiled. Om noticed her smiling...he loved her smile, her smile was both the sunshine and the birdsong. 

After giving the food and talking to them, one of the little girls who Gauri spoke to earlier said to Gauri and Om: I will remember this day for the rest of my life. Want to know why?

Gauri and Om: why?

Street kid 2: kyunki on this day, I met a princess and a prince. 

Gauri and Om both smiled and hugged the little girl making the other kids come hug them. Once they broke the hug with the kids, they went in the car after waving and saying 'bye' to the kids. Once they were in the car, Natasha said: that was really nice.

Singhji: it really was. 

Gauri and Om smiled as Singhji continued to drive the car. Om found his hand coming near Gauri's hand. Gauri's hand found Om's hand and held it. She shyly smiled and she felt the heat on her cheeks. Om noticed how her blush was the blush of roses, that peek of champagne pink. The colour infused cheeks dimpled with the blossoming smile.

Soon they reached the palace and when they entered the palace, Ahana noticed the couple and Singhji-Natasha coming in. She wasn't even aware that they had left. 

Ahana: where do you four go?

Gauri: we went to feed the homeless. 

Ahana: oh did you?

Gauri: haan we did.

Natasha was counting seconds for Ahana's outburst. She didn't agree at first to Om and Gauri's plan. Eventually she agreed to come despite knowing what would happen if Ahana got to know. 

Ahana: accha....Pooja, Natasha, I just need to talk to you both. Follow me to the meeting room. Omkara beta, your mother wants you.

Om: ji theek hai.

Singhji went with Om whilst Gauri and Natasha went with Ahana to her meeting room. 

Gauri in mind: as if bedrooms, throne room and ballroom weren't enough that there has to be a meeting room!

When Ahana closed the meeting room door, she looked at Natasha and Gauri.

Ahana: why did you go to feed the homeless?

Gauri: because it was the right thing to do.

Ahana: so you told my kitchen staff to make a bunch of meals for the homeless?

Gauri: haan.

She was not telling her so-called mother that she and Om went into the kitchen to help the kitchen staff make the meals. She didn't feel the need to. Waise bhi, Natasha didn't even know that she and Om made the meals so she would have to bear outbursts from two people which she didn't want. 

Ahana: we only tend to those who are of our status.

Gauri: so rich?

Ahana: yes, you shouldn't have tended to the poor. You have to be like Pooja! Pooja only cared about those who were rich. 

Gauri: I was poor and you did such a great deed by inviting me to the palace.

Ahana: technically you weren't poor, never was poor...you have always had royal blood in my veins.

Gauri: and I didn't even know I had royal blood in my veins till you sent people to find the child you abandoned! Then I come back and you didn't want Gauri! You wanted Pooja! I wear these stupid contact lenses so my eyes are the same colour as Pooja's. I straightened my hair so I am like Pooja. I lie to everyone about who I really am because no one wants Gauri, they want Pooja. Listen to me Rani Ahana Siddharth Singh Mittal, you can try and make me act like Pooja but at the end of the day, I am Gauri and I am tired of these lies. 

Ahana: but you are going to be Pooja till you die.

Gauri: what kind of mother are you? You just want me to be your favourite daughter! You didn't even care to get to know me properly but that's fine...I don't mind if you don't know the real Gauri but you can at least tell me that why did you abandon me and kept Pooja? Tell me! Why did you abandon me?

Ahana: you want to know? Fine I will tell you. Three years before you and Pooja were born, I had another set of twins but they died soon after they were born. Then three years later, I was pregnant again and I went to Guruji to know about the baby in the womb. There I found out I was expecting twins. I didn't want to lose them again. At the time, I was very superstitious. Guruji told me that the times were against me and that the twins were in danger...Guruji then told me that if I wanted to save both children, I had to give one up. I didn't want to but I wanted my children to be safe. 

Natasha: aur on your birthday, I was told to pick one twin up and take her somewhere far. I didn't know which twin was which. I was just told to make sure that one twin was taken and that she was kept safe. I saw that woman pick you up from her doorsteps and I knew that you were safe.

Ahana: and even though I am not superstitious anymore, I can see how you and Pooja are in danger. Pooja was thrown off her bedroom terrace and from a massive loss of blood and internal bleeding in the brain, she passed away. Aur ab...

Gauri: I need to go.

Ahana: Gauri...

Gauri didn't listen, all she just did was go out of the meeting room and ran up the palace stairs. She bumped into her father and looked at him.

Siddharth: kya hua? You look upset.

Gauri: why do you care?

Siddharth: I know I have been bitter to you in the past but if there is anything bothering you, tell me. I am your father and I am here for you. 

Gauri didn't say anything. She did notice the soft tone he was speaking to her in. Her adopted father would have never said anything in a soft tone. It was either in a rough tone, yelling tone or scary tone. She had never vented out how she felt to her adopted father, could she vent her feelings to her real father?

Gauri in a low tone: I just found out my abandon truth. She was superstitious and due to her superstitions, she robbed me of my childhood. 

Siddharth: come with me.

He said as he took Gauri to his and Ahana's room then he said: now tell me everything, how did Ahana rob you of your childhood?

Gauri: my adopted father was abusive, even for the smallest mistake, he would hurt me or my mum Inayat. If my mum had to go for a minute or so, he'd find a flaw in the work I did for him then he'd hurt me and then he would storm out. I was always scared, terrified, it was so difficult to even breathe around him. Eventually my mum left him and then I had to see her suffering to make ends meet. Your wife stole my childhood because she was bloody superstitious. 

Siddharth: come here baccha.

He kept his arms around her and hugged the daughter he didn't know till now for the first time. If the concept of superstitions didn't exist, then maybe this girl would have been spared of life's pains. 

This was the fatherly love she had to wait for. 18 years of existing and she finally realised what love from a father felt like. Though Siddharth was cold to her at first, she felt the fatherly love from him. 

Gauri: I need to go now.

Siddharth: theek hai but I am here if you ever want to talk baccha. 

Gauri smiled at him and then left. She went to her room and decided to call her mother and sister. She saw the golden landline in her room so she picked the paper slip and dialled in the number.

Ekta: hello?

Gauri: Ekta, it's me Gauri.

Ekta: OMG finally you called me! 

Gauri: I got your parcel today. Thank you.

Ekta: we miss you.

Gauri: I miss you more. 

Just then she heard Ekta saying 'mum!' then she heard Inayat: hi baba, how are you? Are they treating you well there?

Gauri: mama...after so many days, I am hearing your voice. I'm fine mama, aap?

Inayat: you are not fine, I know very well that you're not fine. Tell me what happened.

Gauri: I have to pretend to be my dead twin sister Pooja. I didn't know I had one till I went to the palace and Pooja was supposed to marry Omkara who is a prince. Now I am marrying him and he said that he hates lies and I am still lying to him, on top of that, I learnt why my so-called real mother abandoned me.

Inayat: shh baba, first calm down. if your real mother didn't abandon you, how would you come into my life? She shouldn't have abandoned you I know she shouldn't have. 

Gauri: at least you were in my life.

Inayat: and about this Omkara, do you love him?

Gauri: I guess...yeah...

Inayat: and you don't want to lie to him anymore?

Gauri: haan.

Inayat: no marriage can be based off lies. If you are going to marry him, you need to at least tell him your identity. 

Gauri: won't he hate me for it?

Inayat: maybe he will get angry, mad but he would hate you even more if you told him the truth 5 years after you both marry. I don't know what these royals are saying to you and yeah but the more you keep lying about your identity to Omkara, then you are cheating yourself and Omkara. 

Gauri: I'll tell him tonight when we are alone in the garden.

Inayat: just stay true to yourself meri jaan. Me and Ekta love you.

Gauri: I love you too mama.

Inayat: I have to go now because Tolu, Molu, Aditi and Susheel are coming for tuition.

Gauri: are they failing again and need my amazing mama to sort them out?

Inayat: yup. 

Gauri: theek hai, I'll call you later and come meet me soon. I miss you. 

Inayat: I will baby. 

Gauri: bye mama.

Inayat: bye jaanu.

Gauri kept the landline down. Tonight she was going to tell Om her truth. She didn't care about Ahana or anyone else....he deserved to know the truth.

...

She went downstairs late at night just after dinner and went in the garden to see Om waiting for her. Om turned to see Gauri entering the garden.

Om: I was waiting for you.

Gauri: now I'm here. I heard what you said to that little boy about when he finds someone, he shouldn't let her go. That was sweet.

Om: you didn't hear what I said before.

Gauri: nahi what did you say?

She said it in a teasing tone and then smiled at Om making him smile.

Gauri: do I really make your heart smile?

Om: you do. I was so unsure about this marriage but now, I am ready to marry you. You make me really happy Pooja and I can't wait to embrace the marriage life with you.

Gauri: but before we marry, I need to tell you something.

Om: tell me what?

Gauri grabbed his hand and she made him walk to the garden chairs. As they walked to the garden chairs, she said: I don't want our marriage to be based on...

She couldn't complete her sentence since a bang was heard and her face suddenly lost all expressions. She fell in Om's arms.

Om: Pooja!

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Here we go. Sorry for the wait. You can all kill me for the ending of the chapter.

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