From her frown to smile; from morning to night, she was given an entertainer she didn't need.

Aryan was a pretty nice boy; cordial, jovial and total flirt. Last bit did irk Nandini the most. It seemed like she was provided with a diversion so that she didn't wander around much.

She didn't see that bandanna boy again since that day. She couldn't get his words, gaze and face off her mind completely. It wasn't like he interested her but he had become a subject. Nandini didn't stress over it much.

"Here's a pretty rose for pretty lady," Aryan offered her a rose. She took it with a plastered smile. She did appreciate his sweet gestures, it's just he wasn't someone or something which could actually prove to be a good distraction. They were going for a prayer meet. It was an event held for endorsing peace and harmony by the order there. Nandini wasn't very keen to be a part of this drama, especially after what she saw last time she had stepped out. But she being daughter of minister was expected to be there.

Sunny day, after so many days sun had bestowed some warmth on them.
Walking along Aryan as her mother was busy accepting hospitality of officers, she looked at a large crowd in front of them. People who wanted peace; people who were fighting for peace and people who were selling peace; all were in same arena.

She walked through the crowd as guards paved the way for them. She finally saw some warm smiles as she smiled at those kids. They did return it.

"Lieutenant has arranged the best feast ever for this meet," Aryan drew her attention back. She smiled thinking how these people deserve a little reinforcements.

"Well, I am happy that today they would be eating well at least," she elated.

"Oh them! They would get their basic diet," Aryan told.

Nandini frowned listening to him.

"Aren't you one of them?" She asked bluntly.

"I am Lieutenant's favorite, my lady," He bragged.

Nandini looked away before he could notice her displeasure.

"I don't want to be a part of this," Her mind thought aloud. As she rolled her eyes, her gaze caught a familiar face. The Bandanna boy, he stood there looking at her coldly, not even trying to move his gaze away as she looked at him.

Dirty shoes, rough jeans and an old jacket; he stood there firm. He was one of them. Beside him, stood a beautiful girl faintly smiling at Nandini. Nandini smiled back at her and again looked at that boy who saved her the other day. He had nothing to offer her except for those piercing frore gazes.

They walked past him and Nandini couldn't help but turn around to see him. Aryan looked in that direction and told, "They are mere commoners."

He slightly supported Nandini's shoulder to make her walk quickly. Nandini didn't miss to look at that bandanna boy before turning. He didn't take his eyes off her.

Nandini sat next to her mother and Aryan stood beside them. As Lieutenant delivered an utterly nonsense speech, Nandini was lost in her thoughts and trying to find the bandanna boy in the crowd.

"He is one of them, one of commoners. How come I never saw him before in the town?" Her mind did the thought parade.

"Nandini, you cannot practically know everyone in town." She answered her own query.

"Who was that girl beside him? The way she stood beside him, it looked like they are related. Why are you even thinking so much, Nandini? He clearly despise5 you as much as majority does here," Nandini put a break on her running thoughts.

After an hour of shallow word parade, everyone headed to the dining area. Nandini being one with perks joined the elite brigade. Aryan kept blabbering endlessly as she tried to look beyond the curtains.

"My lady, this way," Aryan tried to direct her. She trying to find an excuse to sneak out fumbled in her steps.

"I need to use the ladies room," She blurted and then bit her lip as it could not be an excuse to get out of V.I.P. arena.

"Oh, well! I can walk you there," Aryan said with an irritating smile. Nandini looked at him with utmost irk and excused herself before he started following her there.

Trying not to get noticed by guards, fumbling with steps and colliding with everything in way; she did get out of suffocating dining area. Her expensive dress didn't help her either. She from no angle looked like a girl having anything to do with other side of the fence.

Her white dress had real horrible mud patches as she walked on muddy land. Clouds couldn't let sun have the lead for much time it seemed. It had rained.
She saw long queue of people towards the food counter. That's how the feast was getting served to the commoners.

She stood at a distance and tried gathering guts to enter that crowd.

She introspected herself that why she was taking such a big risk to enter an area of which she had no experience. Her mind was stuck to that one boy and she was sure he could give her some answers.

Muddy bottom frill and wet hair, she was certainly stepping out of her zone. People looked at her as if she was one crazy woman. When crowd in queues turned into mismanaged mass, she didn't even realize. And now she was in a human maze, bumping into people while trying to cut a way.

Sweaty forehead in 4 degrees, she was getting anxious as mob went a little quick.

"Help," she mumbled under her breath and a giant man thrashed her shoulder. She hissed in pain.

"Please let me out," she tried talking when no one was even listening. It all seemed like a routine for all those people while she struggled to catch her breath in such tight space. She licked her lips to control the anxiety. Looking around to find that no one was even paying care to her state. She didn't know how to get out. She closed her eyes for few seconds to gather some courage.

She felt a grip on her forearms and next she felt her feet a little off ground. Someone was walking her out. She didn't feel a single knock on her body as grip around her was so damn apt. Her feet touched the ground as soon as they were out of that crowded place. She breathed deep as if had got her life back.

She turned around to see a face for which she at first place dared coming out. The bandanna boy looking at her all furiously, she sighed in some strange relief.

"Are you out of your mind?" He asked instantly. Nandini was still trying to catch her breath. She wiped sweat off her face and said, "Thank you for saving me."

And then she saw anger vanishing off his face and a void taking over. He was back at being cold.

"Go inside, it's raining," he said coldly, "As Fragile princess won't be used to such tough conditions."

Nandini shook her head and smiled. He despised her passionately.

"You love to spew venom or is it just me?" She retorted, "See! The Highness is standing in rain, all fit and fine."

She confidently looked into his eyes after saying that.

He kept looking at her as water flowed down her face. It was indeed raining heavily.

"Then keep standing here," He said carelessly.

"Manik," A girl called out and he turned around to see. Same girl who stood beside her was calling him. He didn't even pay a single glance to Nandini before leaving. He along with that girl walked off.

Nandini gulped as she felt frozen at her place. She assumed it to be cold rain whereas it was more than weather which had made her frozen for a moment.

__________

Sitting in her quilt, sneezing hard with moderate fever; the Highness was indeed a fool showcasing her endurance back there.

"What was you doing there in restricted area anyway?" Her mother yelled.

"Take this soup," She handed her the bowl.

Well, her mother was more concerned about Nandini being in restricted area rather than being found all drenched and sick.

"You are fragile, child," Her mother softly said.

"I am not," Nandini took the offence, "Don't call me that. Not that word please."

Her mother caressed her forehead only to be stopped by a miffed Nandini.

"I need to sleep," she tucked herself in the quilt.

"Manik! His name is Manik. Well, it is certain now that he hates me. Well, he always says such pinching words. Of course he despises me. But wait, how does that even matter? I needed to talk to him. About....ummm...about everything going around here. But then that girl came. He didn't think twice before following her call. But again it's out of context," Nandini was brought back from chain of thought as she heard lightening sound. She immediately murmured a prayer and sighed.

Her endless thoughts were taken over by sleep as medicines worked their charm.
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