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Rudraansh POV

The second she stepped out of my chambers with the guards I lost it, my anger taking the better of me and I threw whatever I could.

But now I was going back to her, I couldn't bear the thought of her staying in a prison cell, not after the night when she got attacked, I could still see the fear in her.

I had thought of doing exactly what she blamed me for, to show her affection and coax her to tell me the truth. But my affection towards her turned genuine, it was always genuine, I just kept denying myself.

Not only I wanted her but with each passing moment the more she opened up to me the more I found the need to be closer to her.

When Raghav brought the letter to me, it infuriated me filling me with concern for Mira. Was my defence so low that she was being approached without my knowledge? Her safety somehow became the primal concern for me.

So I brought her back, for her to stay near me.

And when she suggested me the way to run my kingdom I was taken aback for the very first time in my life . She was so much more and evidently I was getting habituated by her.

"Rudraansh" I heard Thakurma entering .A wide smile appeared on my face.

"You should have called me Thakurma " I helped her sit and she just smiled at me sweetly. I would do anything for that smile.

"I am here to see my grandson" she said and tapped my hand to sit beside me. "How is your injury now? " she asked .

"It was nothing Thakurama, just a light scratch." I assured her and she shook her head with a knowing smile.

"Come I will put oil in your hair" she called an attendee and asked for her to bring the oil . I sat on the floor, by back resting on her legs. She started massaging my head and I smiled in relief, this is what I needed.

"Pratap Babu" Thakurma called, she would call me Pratap, given name by her.

"Hmmm"

"Is there something you need to tell me" she asked softly.
"No Thakurma" I lied but I did not want to burden her with my issues.

"You know Pratap, your Baba was also not a good lier" she said.

"I am not lying Thakurma" I turned towards her and gave a cute smile. She just lightly slapped my head.

"Sukanya seems like a great girl."

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"She can argue with you" I heard her chuckling.

"That doesn't make her great" I said.

"Yes but that makes her special " she continued and her face came to my mind, did she become special to me?

"After your mother died Pratap, I know it was a hard time for you, you were so little and not only you showed courage but you also took care of Raghav."

I felt my chest getting heavy. "I don't want to talk about it" I whispered and she caressed my head.

"But when your father died, you didn't even shed a single tear, you took upon this spree of revenge "

I shook my head in defiance. "No Thakurma , I will cry as much as I want when I am done with my revenge" The heaviness in my heart increased.

"Hatred is not in mind it is in the heart and that can only be overcome by love. Don't darken your precious heart with anger and hatred Pratap, fill it with love and you shall find piece " she said and here every word touched a nerve inside me.

"I have no place for love. It's a distraction causing nothing but pain and unwanted wars" I justified but the words coming out of my mouth felt like lies.

"I once thought I was in love and you know what happened..she broke my trust and eloped. I loved Baba and Maa and they also left me" my voice became hoarse as she caressed my hair . I held onto her old hands fearing even she will one day leave me.

"You know you can give that girl a chance, I can see how you too look at each other" thakurma suggested.

I sat there silently watching the light torches burning as I kept my head on thakurm's lap.

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Mira's POV

I was so angry at him but now the anger seemed to have disappeared.

I lied on the bed, it was raining heavily, the sounds of thunderstorms keeping me alert.

I didn't like the sound. It reminded me of when me and my mother had to once spend a night inside a stable on such a rainy day because she couldn't pay the rent on time and we had to leave our small house.

I kept thinking about how Rajaji knew my identity. He knew about my plan all along and still didn't do anything.

He lied to me like I did.

He said no more lies but I don't trust him, I have already said enough. He has already made me so weak that I confessed so much in front of him.

All my life men treated me as a commodity, due to my mother's profession of being a dancer I would have to often stay alone, that's when I started working in the palace.

As I grew up, men approached me, I thought they genuinely liked me but it was all lies, they just wanted to sleep with me. Men have rejected me for my slightly darker complexion but would often compliment my body. It made me feel dirty and I lost my self confidence.

No one showed me respect after knowing my mother's work, and I never blamed her, she just worked hard, it was the mentality of others that needed correction.

Didn't Rajaji see me like that? His affection was becoming a drug to me which I was latching on, I was never given such attention and care before and my pull towards him is evidently because of the absence of such feeling in my life.

I have to control it, my pull towards him before my heart gets involved otherwise when everything else falls apart it would be my broken heart that would never recover.

Did he know about my mother? About my relation to the King? I hope not. His hatred for the king is crystal clear and if he knows that I am also related to him by blood I would not be able to see his hatred for me .

But he said no more lies

I rubbed my face as I turned towards my right, the thunderstorms reminding me of the hurricane that was happening inside my mind.

I sat up and wrapped a shawl around me, the water jug was empty and this time I decided to get it myself and not ask anyone. I did not know where the kitchen was but I had a fare idea that it was behind my chamber.

I took my veil and covered my head and wrapped my shawl, time like this I miss my knife, it has always given me a sense of protection but I think I would not be able to use it again.

I took a step outside my room, it was extremely windy and I shivered. I quickly walked towards the opposite side and spotted lights coming from the kitchen, I heard some shuffling when I reached the entrance.

Who is there at such late hours? I tip-toed and hid myself behind a huge pillar.

I sneaked and saw Rajaji cooking? He wore a simple white kurta, his hairs were loose, he looked so simple yet extremely charming.

He was preparing fish, the smell of spices intoxicating my senses and I suddenly felt extremely hungry.

"What are you doing here at such later hours?" I revealed myself to him. He startled and I saw him jump in fear for which I had to stop my giggle. His big eyes looked at me and then his eyes went to his cooking pot and his eyes went even bigger.

"I did not know the king could cook?" I teased and he relaxed a bit, a slow smile appearing on his lips.

"I am a man with many talents" he pointed at me holding the earthen spatula and I laughed at him.

"What are you doing here Mira"? he asked causally taking my name and I felt butterflies , I wondered how would it sound when he takes my full name.

I showed him my empty jug and he nodded in understanding.

"Why are you cooking so late?You have had your dinner right?" I asked again.

"I couldn't eat that time and I am feeling hungry. Also cooking helps me clear my mind" he said while he flipped the fish to other side, the aroma making me wonder he must be really good.

"It smells amazing." I complimented and he smiled. "You know I am not good at cooking" I confessed and he looked at me just shrugged.

"It's okay I will teach you and then you can cook something for me" he simply said licking the excess spies from his fingers and I didn't realise a conversation on food can make me feel hot.

"So what happened that you had to clear your mind" I asked changing the topic.

He took a brief pause, taking out the fried fish and keeping it on a dish. He kept his complete concentration plating his dish and I waited for him to say something.

"You happened" he whispered softly and he looked at me intensely.