Nandini tentatively gazed around the hall. The doors to the hall were open, and a guard was making his way to the yard. Barring him, the hall was practically deserted. Then she saw the individual she'd dreaded facing since yesterday.

Kadambari was striding out of a room at the back of the hall.

Nandini steadied her nerves, and it didn't take much effort. Her confidence was a tad higher than it was yesterday, maybe because she had taken care to dress up as nicely as she could.

The second-prettiest outfit in her collection, a pretty necklace that mother had insisted on keeping in her bag as a spare, dangling earrings, and beautiful new bangles and anklets. There were no more weapons in her armoury, she mulled resignedly.

It also helped that the confusion had reduced. Probably the result of a long blissful slumber. She had gone to bed in a befuddled state, expecting another restless night. But sleep had overcome her in a jiffy and she had woken up in the morning with a refreshed and clear mind.

Now she walked towards Kadambari with fresh resolve. She had to break the ice somehow...

Kadambari halted on her way to the kitchen, puzzled by the tinkling noise of anklets. She turned with a frown, intending to remind the irresponsible maid of an established rule.

But it wasn't a maid. Prithvi's mousy and tame "friend" was approaching her with a shy smile.

Kadambari critically evaluated the guest's appearance. The girl had not ventured from her room yesterday after speaking to Uday Singh, who had apparently shared his plans for Prithvi's birthday and sought help.

Had she been unwell? Kadambari wondered, looking for signs of illness. But the girl looked quite bright in the cream and pink churidaar kurta, with glowing skin, sparkling eyes and long hair half-open.

She responded mechanically to Nandini's greeting, and said, "Please seat yourself at the table. A maid will bring you tea."

"Aunty, I'm sorry about yesterday," Nandini apologised quickly.

"I don't recollect any action of yours that requires my forgiveness," Kadambari said impassively.

"I didn't have the right to call you 'Choti maa'," Nandini said awkwardly. "You don't know me. So it was rude of me to...but Prithvi had spoken about you so fondly, so I felt I knew you. That's why I took the liberty to – but it won't happen again," she pledged sincerely.

Kadambari gazed at her with growing delight. "He spoke to you about me?" she asked, stunned.

Nandini nodded vigorously, glad about not being subjected to an intimidating stare or comment. "He has told me a lot about you. About how you took care of him when he was young," she elaborated anxiously.

To her shock, tears sprung up in Kadambari's eyes. Then a joyful smile spread on the older woman's sweetly chubby face, and Nandini breathed easy again.

"I will serve you tea myself," Kadambari announced, conjuring an embroidered handkerchief from somewhere within the folds of her saree to swab at her eyes with a pudgy hand.

"Please don't go to the trouble, aunty," Nandini said swiftly. "I'll come to the kitchen and -"

"You cannot go there! You must not!" Kadambari cut in, looking scandalised. "Come with me. You will sit at the table as is appropriate," she proclaimed, stowing away the handkerchief.

Nandini jumped as her suddenly affable host proceeded to issue very loud instructions to maids in the kitchen. Then she was impelled firmly towards the dining area. Minutes later, Kadambari was standing beside her and pouring tea into a lovely cup. Four plates of biscuits and other baked items accompanied the beverage.

"Tea," the plump woman stated, gracefully placing the cup in front of her.

"Won't you sit down?" Nandini asked diffidently.

"I cannot sit at the same level as you," Kadambari said resolutely. Then unable to restrain herself anymore, she eagerly asked, "Is it true? Prithvi used to mention me? What did he say?"

Nandini wishing she could ask for an interval to jog her memory painstakingly and recollect everything Prithvi had said about his Choti Maa. He had evidently behaved true to character and not expressed the depth of his affection. And now Kadambari's hopes hinged on her power of recall. The immense hope in the elderly woman's eyes was tugging hard at her heartstrings. Whatever she remembered in this connection would probably be treasured for years, or even a lifetime.

"I'll tell you if you sit here," she said courteously, pulling an adjacent chair.

Kadambari crossly explained, "I cannot go against the rules of decorum."

"Those rules don't apply in my case," Nandini replied hesitantly, certain that she was ruining a bonding opportunity. "I'm not from a royal family, or even a wealthy one."

Kadambari looked doubtfully at Nandini. Beneath the politeness, there had been a faint and intriguing hint of obstinacy in the girl's voice.

She wanted to stick to the rules, but the wish to know more about Prithvi's memories was overpowering. After examining the hall for any inquisitive onlookers and scaring off two with a ferocious frown, she reluctantly sat in the assigned chair and looked strictly at Nandini.

Nandini smiled involuntarily, astonished by the minuscule triumph. Then collecting her thoughts, she quietly said, "He told me you took care of him like he was your own son. You used to run after him with plates of food. And you nursed him when he was sick. One day, when I had a fever, he prepared a herbal medicine that you used to make for him," she murmured timorously, fighting a spell of bashfulness. "He said he used to help you prepare it for others."

"He remembers that?" Kadambari asked in shock, tears gathering in her eyes again.

"He remembers everything you did for him," Nandini assured tenderly. "He told me once that you are the only reason he has good memories of his childhood. And...and he felt very guilty about not being in touch with you for years. He may not express it often," she added cautiously. "But he loves you very much."

Tears poured harder down Kadambari's face. Succumbing to an emotional impulse, a damp-eyed Nandini gently wiped the water droplets on the plump cheeks. The pretty handkerchief reappeared in the latter's fingers and Nandini withdrew her hand.

"He does express it," Kadambari mumbled hoarsely. "He calls a lowly and barren woman like me 'Choti maa'....allows me to use his first name... lets me scold him. Such liberty and affection for a servant is unheard of in his family," she said simply.

Nandini gazed mutely at the stout figure, moved by the devotional love and respect reinforcing each word.

Kadambari rose from the chair. "Your tea must have gone cold. I'll make a fresh pot and bring it in five minutes."

"You don't have to," Nandini said anxiously, lifting the cup and taking a sip. "It's still very hot."

"Alright," Kadambari smiled slightly. "I have to go to the kitchen now."

Nandini optimistically asked, "Can I come with you?"

"Your place is not in the kitchen," Kadambari said crustily, and pulled forward a plate of cream biscuits. "Have these. You're too thin. And before I forget, the maids will take your worn clothes from the bathroom and wash -"

"I've washed them," Nandini said uneasily. "I didn't know where to put them to dry, so they are still in -"

Kadambari curbed her annoyance. The girl's naiveté was unbelievable, but her heart seemed to be in the right place and she had earned the right to be infuriating for the next few days.

"Nandini, family members and their friends do not wash, dry or iron their own clothes. Leave them in the bathroom from now on," she instructed gruffly.

"Okay," Nandini muttered, lowering her gaze.

Kadambari started to go around her chair, then paused. "Prithvi dislikes the sound of anklets. You should remove them before he comes down for breakfast."

"What? He doesn't like – why do you say that?" Nandini asked, bewildered.

"He told me that directly," Kadambari revealed pompously. "He said their sound irritates him and the maids shouldn't wear them. It's a rule we've followed since then. No one must wear anklets," she spelled out austerely.

Nandini gaped at her in amazement, a riotous joy blooming in her heart. She leapt up and elatedly hugged Kadambari. Then catching herself, she hurriedly moved back and sat back down.

Kadambari frowned. Why was Nandini thrilled about the rule? The girl's blushing reaction didn't make sense.

Or did it? Was she the reason for Prithvi's diktat?

Kadambari meditatively turned and ambled to the kitchen.

********************

Sumer Singh guardedly observed the young man striding ahead of him as they walked along the corridor. "You want to shift to Daheer today?"

"Is that a problem?" Prithvi asked casually.

"No, of course not, my lord! I'll make the arrangements," Sumer Singh said speedily. He had been concerned if Prithvi would agree to stay at the palace. But now the prince was demanding that the move should happen today. Hopefully, it was a sign of things to come.

"Good. Don't wait for me. I'll reach Daheer by evening. I might not be able to phone you in the evening. Network is patchy in some of these regions. Write down basic directions to the palace and give it to me before I leave. My bags are packed. You've prepared those people?" Prithvi asked, black eyes fixed on the door to the room at the other end of the corridor

"No special welcome. No unpacking your bags. No fuss," Sumer Singh recited.

"You've been trained by the best," Prithvi grinned. "But you need to pass on more instructions this time. Only the friendliest and most talkative specimens should interact with Nandini. And they shouldn't hover around her all the time. Give her space. No one will not say or do anything that upsets her. Let them know that when she feels upset, I become unpleasant," he said offhandedly as they walked down the stairs. "And the food should be simple tonight. You know...the sort of dishes that Nandini has at home. Choti maa's room should be on the same floor as hers. In case she needs something. The rooms should not be adjacent," he directed. "But on the same floor."

"I'm not sure if that would be a solace or punishment for Nandini, my lord," Sumer Singh said pessimistically.

"It will be fine," Prithvi stated impatiently.

"But I've arranged one of the grandest rooms for Nandini. And Kadambariji's room is in the staff quarters. As is mine."

Prithvi looked irritably at Sumer Singh. "Neither you nor Choti maa will stay in the staff quarters," he said in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Yes, my lord," Sumer Singh said quickly.

**************************

Nandini kept the empty cup back on the table and looked at the varieties of biscuits. They looked scrumptious, but she wouldn't be able to eat peacefully until she had spoken to Prithvi. And after that, she would call up Mrs Bhargava to seek permission to stay till Wednesday.

She gazed through the large windows in the hall. The climate outside was wonderful. It was a rainy and windy day. And she would be able to spend some part of it with Prithvi.

He had missed her...he had seriously missed her...

Smiling, she rose to her feet, and then turned still. He came into view after a few seconds, talking to Sumer Singh. Her heart thudded violently.

Prithvi paused and tensely stared at the radiantly pretty girl waiting near the table. She began approaching him.

His eyes sought hints of depressing tidings, whilst his mind came up with ways to offer bogus apologies for his behaviour last night.

But Nandini didn't seem upset. In fact, she appeared to be in high spirits. Then again, a vast range of inane things could make her happy.

She stopped in front of him with a pink face, and gingerly said, "I need to talk to you."

"Okay," he muttered, guardedly examining her features.

"You can use the study, my lord," Sumer Singh suggested keenly, and looked at Nandini with an unsaid plea on his face.

***********************

Prithvi strode into the study, and held the door open for her. She peeked inside.

The spacious room looked reassuringly official. It had a gleaming desk with a high wingback chair behind it, two shorter chairs on the other side, and an assorted range of wooden furniture. The tall windows on one side of the room, which overlooked the lush garden at the back of the house, were partly closed. Raindrops were splashing on the glass of the windows.

Feeling more self-assured, Nandini entered the room and ambled to the desk, trying to decide where to sit and how to begin the dangerous conversation.

"You want to tell me you're leaving?"

At the pensive question, she turned bemusedly. Prithvi had closed the door and was looking at her with considerable stress on his fair features.

Stirred by the unusual air of anxiety around him, she walked to him with a smile and lovingly grasped his forearm. "I told you - I want to be with you on your birthday. But I do need to talk to you," she averred gaily, attempting to pull him towards the desk.

A frown knotted Prithvi's brows as he allowed himself to be propelled. "You want to tell me you'll leave in a minute if that lady asks you."

Nandini sighed exasperatedly. "That is not what I want to say," she refuted, finally succeeding in reaching the tall chair with him. "Sit down here."

He impatiently clasped her hands, and in one fluid move, made her sit in the wingback chair. Gripping the chair's arms, he bent to grimly scan her startled face. "No beating around the bush. Get to the point."

Feeling like a pinned insect under his merciless appraisal, she uncertainly said, "I will leave only on Wednesday."

"But?" he presumed coolly.

"You have to make some promises," she ventured guiltily.

Although he had seen it coming, irritation flared at her words.

"No promises," Prithvi retorted, straightening. "If you're not okay with that, you should go."

"You're refusing without hearing me out?" she asked, hurt by the outright refusal.

"I know perfectly well what kind of promises you'd want," he replied grimly. "Everyone in this house wants to turn my birthday into a f****** circus, and you've been appointed their CEO."

She reddened at the scathing indictment but wasn't ready to give up. "I won't make any unreasonable demands," she assured conscientiously.

"Your name is one of the synonyms for 'unreasonable'."

"I've learnt differently," Nandini hissed, bolting to her feet angrily. "My book describes 'unreasonable' as every demand you make of me. "I'm supposed to lie to my family every day for you, but you won't take a minute to listen to me. Great! Thank you for giving me an escape route. I'll take your advice," she snapped. "And you can spend your birthday in your favourite way. Wander the streets, eat unhealthy food, and be with strangers all day. And don't forget to switch off your phone. God forbid someone wants to wish you," she adjoined frostily.

He gaped at her in alarm. The outburst had been as disquieting as it was amusing, because it was not an empty threat. She meant it. He could see the telltale signs in the rigidity of her stance.

Staying apart for half the day yesterday had been absurdly difficult. Thoughts about her had encroached upon his mind with disruptive frequency. It had taken extra effort to focus on conversations. That had been his dismal condition despite knowing he could see her once he reached home. What the f*** would he do if she actually left.

Scowling angrily, Prithvi lounged against the desk. "What promises?" 

She coldly met his glare. "You will not stop, spoil or interfere in the plans for your birthday. And on Tuesday, you will do everything I ask you to do and participate in the celebrations."

He laughed mirthlessly. "Either you've gone insane or you think I have."

"And on the following day, you will not say or do anything to stop me from leaving," Nandini obstinately went on. "If you're not okay with that, I'll go today itself," she affixed poisonously.

His jaw clenched with fury. She was issuing an ultimatum. It was a historically proven fact that ultimatums given to him backfired horrifically on the issuers. And this particular one was not going to be any different.

"Alright. I agree. If the favour is reciprocated," he adjoined tersely.

A callously nefarious spark in his eyes caused her stomach muscles to clench. Striving to sound in control, she unconcernedly asked, "What do you mean?"

He smiled, and this time, the roguishness was blatant enough to frighten her.

"I'll give you those promises. In return, I want your word that you will not leave till Wednesday... come what may. And you'll accept three demands from me," he stipulated softly. "No questions asked or conditions placed. And neither of us will use the promises to refuse the other person's demands."

Blood rushed to Nandini's face. Accept his demands? Irrespective of what they were? She couldn't possibly consent to one single demand, forget three.

"No," she refused immediately.

"I agreed to your conditions, didn't I?" Prithvi asked mildly, levelling a chillingly penetrating gaze on her.

"It's not the same!" she cried out, wringing her hands.

"Because you're virtue personified and I'm a hopeless pervert?" he enquired.

The cutting mockery made Nandini cringe. "It's not like that."

"We'll have breakfast. Then you can pack your bags," he said calmly, beginning to move from the desk with an air of finality. "Sumer Baba will drop you to that lady's house."

She clutched his arm and pleaded, "We can talk about this."

"No," he said unemotionally.

She helplessly registered the uncompromising severity on his visage while struggling to find a way out of the predicament. No solution came to mind. He had cornered her. And if she put her foot down, she would be breaking many other hearts besides her own.

"Okay," she mumbled unwillingly. "I promise to stay till Wednesday. And fulfil three of your demands."

"Swear on your family," he commanded.

She let out an angry hiss. "Fine! I swear on them!"

The final vestiges of strain left Prithvi. She wouldn't go back on her word at any cost now.

Smiling brilliantly, he clutched her arms and tugged her closer. She stood stiffly in his grip and glowered at him, clearly waiting for him to gloat. But he wasn't going to begin the persecution just yet. And anyway, he wouldn't need to do much. Her imagination was going to do most of the work for him.

"We'll be leaving for Daheer today instead of tomorrow," he murmured. " I have to go out after breakfast, so I'll come there directly. You guys will probably leave at noon. It could take more than four hours to reach the place, but it is apparently close to Vishranti Nagar. Just thirty to forty minutes away."

Confused by the unexpected turn in the conversation, she stared at him suspiciously. He was giving up an opportunity to rag her, and was offering comforting information instead. But it wasn't entirely reassuring to know that she was going to Daheer.

"Uday grandpa and Sumer uncle referred to the other house as a palace. Is it really a - a palace?" Nandini asked abruptly, hoping against hope that he would tell her it was simply a bigger version of the bungalow.

He thoughtfully studied the myriad emotions darting across her exquisite face. "I haven't been there before. But I assume it fits the textbook description."

"Oh. That's nice," she said bravely, trying to maintain a cool façade while her spirits drowned in dismay. A real palace. A real prince. She was the misfit. If only he'd been honest with her about his family from the start. But would that have changed anything between them...

Did she know that her face couldn't keep secrets from him, Prithvi mulled absent-mindedly. It was not hard to determine the reason for the desolation in those striking eyes. Well, he wouldn't let it linger for long.

"When you see it, you'll have a small panic attack," he notified, sinuously pushing a disobedient lock of hair from her cheek and tucking it behind an ear. "You will want to run back home. You'll get upset when I won't let you leave. And you'll refuse to come out of your room. And when I try to cheer you up, you'll pick a fight with me. And accuse me of being the cause of all your troubles," he predicted with a deep sigh.

Nandini's lips twitched at the detailed forecast. "And what will you do?" she asked teasingly, starting to feel lighter.

"I will behave patiently and kind-heartedly as usual," Prithvi foretold. "I will remind you that I hate almost everyone on both sides of the family and their dumb legacies have no meaning for me," he said candidly, and then unexpectedly enveloped her in a powerful embrace. "I'll tell you that as far as I'm concerned, your grandfather's superstitions are more relevant than my family's history," he muttered into her silky hair. "And the manure in your family's yard is worth more than all the palaces owned by my relatives."

She hugged him back fiercely, smiling through tears.

When several minutes had ticked past, he raised his head and gazed at her. Correctly guessing his intentions, she playfully placed a finger on his lips.

"Is this one of your demands?" Nandini enquired with a mix of levity and hope.

He grasped the finger and kissed its tip. "You wish," he smiled devilishly, letting go of her.

A pall of anxiety descended on her. She retreated from him agitatedly and hastened out of room.

Prithvi grinned and followed suit.

***********************

Sumer Singh stopped patrolling as the study door opened and two people walked out.

Nandini came out of the room first, and he worriedly noted an unknown stress on her features. Prithvi emerged a second later, and the smug complacence on his face was as worrisome as Nandini's tension.

Sumer Singh's eyes fluttered to the clock in the hall. They had been inside for a short while. Had that been enough for her to convince Prithvi to allow the celebrations to happen? Had she failed?

Both looked upon him at the same time. Nandini smiled and gave a tiny nod, while Prithvi's amusement was momentarily interrupted by a glint of accusatory ire.

Stifling a desire to throw his arms into the air with a whoop, Sumer Singh smiled ecstatically and walked towards them.

"You chose the right weapon," Prithvi appreciated cynically as the elderly man came within earshot, earning an angry look from the girl beside him.

Flushing, Sumer Singh hurriedly said, "I was waiting because I wished to speak to you about something, my lord."

"Sure," Prithvi snorted. "What useless topic did you come prepared with?"

"I had phoned Madhav to find out if everything was fine," Sumer Singh said sheepishly, looking at his shoes. "And he happened to mention that you'd gotten in touch with the lawyer to discuss the situation of a lady in this town. I was wondering what happened -"

"I can tell you!" Nandini offered vibrantly, feeling happy at getting a little information, and guilty about not having shared the incident with Sumer Singh yesterday.

"But you won't," Prithvi growled, throwing a menacing glance her way.

She looked at him with gentle warmth. "It was a good deed. Everyone should know you're capable of it," she added impishly.

"What did he do, Nandini?" Sumer Singh asked eagerly.

"I made the mistake of taking this witless loudspeaker along," Prithvi retorted nastily, striding away.

"I'm not a witless loudspeaker," she yelled indignantly at his indifferent back, close on his heels. "And just for that, I'm going to describe your fight with that man in detail!"

"Fight?" another female voice shrieked.

************************

"What fight? Prithvi, you got into a fight with someone?" Kadambari asked in horror, waddling rapidly in his direction. She had been informed by a maid about the two children going to the study. After waiting for a decent amount of time, she had left the kitchen to check if they had finished their 'discussion', which was hopefully why they had retired to the study, and to find out the outcome. And then she had heard the girl shouting in the rudest way.

Prithvi halted and turned to glare at Nandini.

"I didn't mean to say it so loudly," Nandini whispered worriedly, but he was already stalking forward. She anxiously accompanied him, but stopped automatically as he reached Kadambari.

"It was not a fight, Choti maa," Prithvi said calmingly, placing his hands on Kadambari's shoulders. "Don't believe everything this one says. She's the queen of melodrama," he said disparagingly.

"I'm not!" Nandini refuted passionately, aghast at her hard-earned goodwill being trashed. "It really was a fight!"

"The more vehemently she says something, the more likely it is that she's making it up," Prithvi solemnly alerted Kadambari.

Kadambari dithered for a moment. She was incensed at the girl's audacity to speak to Prithvi in a raised tone. Nevertheless, Nandini did have a truthful look, and she had not lied in the morning for certain. But Prithvi would never utter a falsehood. She regarded Nandini with narrowed eyes, then turned to Prithvi to confidently say, "You never lie."

"I'm incapable of it," Prithvi said piously, and started steering her towards the dining area. "Now give me some food."

Kadambari beamed contently.

Distressed, Nandini swung to Sumer Singh, who had been watching the scene in silence. "I'm not lying, uncle."

"I know," Sumer Singh mollified. "Tell me what happened."

"Yesterday, when we reached the ashram, we saw a man beating up a woman badly," Nandini said uncomfortably. "The couple that runs the ashram were trying to stop him, but they were not able to. That man...he was being brutal... worse than an animal. But Prithvi stopped him," she said animatedly, unconscious of a new spark of pride in her eyes. "I went inside the ashram's building with the poor woman. I don't know what happened after that, but I think Prithvi did something very serious," she said uneasily. "I asked him... but he won't - "

"You can continue your fabricated story over breakfast."

With the spark vanishing, Nandini glowered at the source of the snarky comment. Lounging at the head of the table, Prithvi was scanning the front page of a newspaper while Kadambari ladled food into his plate.

"Let's have breakfast, Nandini. You must be hungry," Sumer Singh said hastily. They couldn't be allowed to fight for the next few days. He would have to be on alert to snuff out arguments before they turned serious.

*************************

Nandini stared at the mouth-watering breakfast spread while sliding into a chair on Prithvi's left. She could see paneer parathas, fried savouries, black gram curry, curd, mango pickle, a plate of tempered green chillies, cornflakes, milk, bread, butter, jam, three types of juices, tea and coffee. Plates, spoons, knives and forks were in front of her.

She heard Prithvi vaguely say, "Serve food to her too, Choti maa." She looked at him in surprise, but he was skimming through the middle pages of the newspaper.

Kadambari unsmilingly approached her and began serving the parathas with dollops of butter. On the opposite side, Sumer Singh was having a bowl of cornflakes. White-gloved servants were flitting around them, awaiting directions.

Nandini thanked Kadambari, and received a gruff noise in response. Then the latter picked up the pickle container, scrutinised it, and then meandered away, grumbling about foolish  maids.

Feeling browbeaten, Nandini looked at the person to her right. Prithvi was going through the sports section and simultaneously wolfing down a stack of parathas very smoothly.

Glaring at him, she dipped a piece of the hot paratha in the black gram curry, put it into her mouth, and lost her heart to its deliciousness.

No one spoke for the subsequent five minutes.

She was swallowing the last mouthful when Prithvi idly picked up a big green chilli from the small plate.

Nandini watched disbelievingly as he bit it. "Don't eat that! It's too spicy," she squealed, then grabbed a glass of water and held it to him.

He took the glass and kept it near his plate. "I like green chillies," he enlightened her. "The hotter the better."

She looked at him uncertainly as he resumed his perusal of the newspaper. Had she imagined the mischievous gleam in his eyes...

Once the plates were cleared by the servants and there weren't any potential eavesdroppers in the vicinity, Sumer Singh put down his coffee and looked indecisively at Prithvi.

"Whatever she told you is a lie," Prithvi said immediately without taking his eyes from the newspaper.

"It is not!" Nandini protested stridently.

"Prithvi, what did you do to that man?" Sumer Singh asked sternly.

Prithvi sighed and closed the newspaper. "I broke his face and stripped him in public," he said nonchalantly.

"What?" Sumer Singh asked, flabbergasted. "How – you really – oh dear God!"

"He was going to do it to a helpless woman. I wanted him to enjoy the experience firsthand," Prithvi shrugged. "You want the details?"

Sumer Singh winced. "No, no. No details please. Excuse me, both of you. I have to go to my room."

Prithvi grinned as the shaken elderly man rose and left the table.

"You – you did what?" Nandini asked in a strangled voice, appalled beyond measure.

He gazed ingenuously at her colourless face. "Yes, I tore his clothes into pieces in front of a crowd," he recalled self-admiringly, going back to the newspaper.

She yanked the paper out of his hands. "Why did you - You could get arrested!" she cried out.

He leaned forward and kept a hand on hers. "No matter how long I'm in prison, you'll wait for me, won't you?" he asked earnestly.

Nandini clenched her teeth, wishing she had the mental and physical strength to break a person's bones.

Prithvi chuckled and snatched back the paper.

She was glaring at him furiously when a frightening titbit from the previous night jarred her mind.

"Yesterday, you said – you said you would - why did you say that?" Nandini burst heatedly, going scarlet.

He looked up amusedly. This time, the wicked glitter in his gaze was unmistakable.

"Calm down. I'll be the only audience in your case," Prithvi assured, and then laughed at her horror-struck reaction

"It was not a funny thing to say!" she snapped, the crimson colour on her burning skin deepening by countless shades.

He gazed at her with a scorching intensity.

"You're right. It wasn't a joke. It was a promise," he said softly. Holding her petrified gaze, he lazily bit into the chilli.

*************************

Kadambari hurried to the dining area. A phone call from Rajeshwari had stalled her when she had gone to the kitchen to get the homemade mango pickle and yell at the maid who had kept the readymade one on the breakfast table.

She heard a low laugh and came to a standstill, wondering if her ears were playing tricks. Then she scurried along and paused behind a pillar to discreetly peek at the two occupants of the table.

The rascally mirth on Prithvi's features stupefied her. She had seen that look on him many times when he'd been a child and had found a gullible victim for his pranks. Armed with an extraordinary intelligence, wilfulness and all the mischief that God could put into one single child, he had made the smartest grown-ups in the palace run around in circles. A few malevolent staff members were the objects of his devious trickery so often that they had gone through neurotic breakdowns.

With time, however, the cheery brilliance on the child's face had lessened, and then vanished.

But she could see it now. That lustre was back on his fair face. And his grin wasn't perfunctory. He appeared genuinely happy, and at peace. So it had actually been his laugh, Kadambari thought in amazement.

He was murmuring something that was making Nandini look scarlet and panicky. The girl must be overreacting as usual. Prithvi wouldn't utter an indecent word.

Kadambari looked at the couple curiously. She had seen them together some time ago. But they'd been in the middle of a one-sided fight at that time, not sitting adjacently. Despite the contrast in their expressions, they seemed... right with each other. An extraordinary serenity filled her chest as she watched them.

Kadambari roughly stomped on her thoughts. The relationship was doomed. It wouldn't lead to anything. Nandini was a nice girl, but she wasn't meant to be a part of this society. Her ordinary antecedents couldn't be overlooked. And she was too fragile. The icy, aggressive undercurrents in the family would drown her.

As if confirming her sentiments, Nandini rose awkwardly to her feet while nervously staring at Prithvi. With clumsy haste, the girl scooted by the other side and ran to the stairs. Prithvi flung back his head and laughed soundlessly.

Tears swarmed Kadambari's eyes. She was seeing him laugh for the first time after their reunion. She wiped her eyes with the kerchief, and then advanced to the table.

Prithvi looked at her and smiled. "Choti maa, you're on time. I need to talk to you," he stated, tossing the paper on the table. He stood and walked over to her. Clasping her podgy shoulders, he guided her to one of the chairs at the table and sat her down.

He occupied the adjoining chair, and then succinctly explained the plan to leave for Daheer in the afternoon and the travel arrangements.

Kadambari listened religiously and nodded from time to time.

"And there's one more thing," Prithvi added, looking unusually discomfited.

"What is it?" Kadambari peered at him.

He sighed and caught her hands, sandwiching them between his palms. "Nandini is not used to being in the middle of unknown faces. And until she feels comfortable, she might not tell you or anyone else if she needs anything. So when I'm not around, be around her and do whatever you can to put her at ease. You won't have to try hard. It takes little to make her feel happy or scared or confused or angry," he shared drolly, reminiscing a few instances from their morning encounter. Then he quietly added, "Just take care of her as long as she's staying with us. And most importantly, don't let her know I said any of these things," he decreed intently.

Kadambari sat motionless in the chair, stunned by his words. If she read between the lines and went by the emotions in his tone, she would have a meltdown. He couldn't be in love with Nandini, because that would have disastrous consequences. Rajyavardhan Singh would murder the girl with his bare hands. Infatuation...it was an infatuation...nothing more. Regardless, this was the first time her child had asked something of her, and she would rise to the occasion. She was going to look after Nandini dedicatedly today onwards. In fact, from this second on...

"I will take full care of her," Kadambari assured him warmly. "And I think she will feel more at ease if she dresses better. Her clothes are very plain. I'm certain the palace at Daheer won't be as grand as the ones on our side. But still, people will expect her to be dressed elegantly. We should buy her new clothes today itself."

Brows knit, Prithvi brusquely said, "People can shove their – ," he stopped and calmly went on, "Everything about Nandini is fine as it is. She doesn't have to do anything to please anyone." Except him, of course. She would always need to do lots and lots of things to please him.

"What if she feels the need?" Kadambari asked astutely.

"In that case, call for some of those shopkeepers to come here with their merchandise," he said unhesitatingly. "I'll speak to Baba before I leave. He'll arrange it. Let Nandini buy whatever she wants. And you too will purchase stuff for yourself and for whomever else you want."

"Me! I don't need -"

"No arguments," Prithvi interjected shortly. "And listen...Nandini will insist on paying for her purchases. Keep a list of these lies ready..."

*************************

Slumped tiredly on the bed, Nandini stared at the spinning fan.

The phone call with Mrs Bhargava had been tougher than anticipated. The repeated questioning if she could trust Prithvi's family and constant allusions that Prithvi would turn out to be no different from his uncle had been hurtful, especially since the bully's terrorizing was fresh on her mind.

And the call to her home, which involved the usual lies, had also been emotionally taxing. How was she going to continue this pretence till Wednesday...

Nandini looked at the clock on the wall. Would Prithvi have left? He must have. She'd been in the room for an hour.

Encouraged by the assumption, she sat up in bed and reached for the dupatta near her. She draped it and looked at the large gold and blue paper that had been covered by the garment.

It had caught her eye as she walked along the banister on the way back to her room. The wrapping of the chocolate she had shared with Prithvi last night. She picked it up and ran her fingers over its wrinkled texture.

A knock sounded on the door.

Nandini quickly got out of bed, stuffed the wrapper in her purse, and hurried to open the door. A shy girl was waiting outside, requesting her to come downstairs.

**************************

Nandini stared at the six unknown men in the hall. They were unpacking dresses, sarees, and jewellery sets and organizing them stylishly on an oversized white cloth.

"You want me to buy dresses?" she asked Kadambari and Sumer Singh in a whisper.

"And artificial ornaments. You cannot wear these cotton dresses and this kind of simple jewellery in the palace," Kadambari repeated firmly but kindly.

Trapped in an unforeseen quandary, Nandini looked at them helplessly.

She was terrified at the thought of living in a palace, and was desperate for guidance. However, buying new clothes merely for fitting in with the crowd would be a waste of money. And the dresses on display looked highly expensive. She would much rather spend that money on a gift for Prithvi.

Nandini cleared her throat and diffidently said, "Aunty, I know you are right, but I can't afford to buy -"

"You will not be paying," Kadambari said, full of disdain.

"I will not buy anything if I'm not allowed to pay," Nandini said quietly.

"Nandini, these men are wholesalers," Sumer Singh said gently. "So the prices are low. They don't usually sell to retail customers, but they have made an exception for His Highness Uday Singh."

"I'm buying sarees as well. And some dresses for my niece. Does that mean I have no self respect?" Kadambari asked haughtily.

"No, not at all," Nandini negated, aghast.

"Then you shouldn't have any more objections. And you don't have to keep the dresses. I'll distribute them among the maids after you leave," Kadambari averred leniently. "You can ignore my advice if you wish. And then you will feel out of place and self-conscious in the palace. That will bother Prithvi. Would you want that?"

"She's right, Nandini," Sumer Singh said reluctantly, visibly distressed about conceding the fact. "He is concerned that you will feel uneasy in the palace. If he sees that you're stressed, it will upset him."

Astounded, Nandini looked from one fretful face to the other. If both of them had to concur upon an issue, it had to be serious. It was difficult to imagine a worried Prithvi. Though when she thought about it...he had been tensed in the morning until she had promised to stay till Wednesday.

This was wrong. She wasn't staying back to worsen his problems with her insecurities. He had enough on his plate. She would do her best to behave in a cheerful and confident fashion during her stay at the palace. She would do it even if it killed her.

"Okay, I'll buy new dresses," Nandini mumbled. She looked at Sumer Singh. "Uncle, can I speak to Uday grandpa later?"

Sumer Singh nodded warmly. "He too wants to meet you. For thanking you. He is on cloud nine at the moment because you got Prithvi's go-ahead. But first, you have to shop," he said apologetically.

Masking her discomfort, Nandini smiled.

*******************************

Nandini apprehensively gazed through the window as the air-conditioned car zipped past trees that flanked the sufficiently lit road. The prosperous and crowded town was behind them. Now shapes of houses were visible in the distance, but she was yet to see any sign that they were nearing a palace.

An unusually animated Sumer Singh had spoken to her about their destination when they'd just left Purvanagar. Tolerantly ignoring Kadambari's snide remarks and laughter, he had revealed that the palace was named Aadyabhumi.

AadyabhumiPalace. Named so because the palace in its current form, which was around three hundred years old, stood on the ruins of the very first fortress erected by Prithvi's forefathers more than a thousand years ago.

More than a thousand years..

It had made her brain spin. But she had not let her shock show. It was part of her preparation for whatever lay ahead.

The jeep with one set of guards was right behind them. Uday Singh's car and the other jeep had disappeared from sight an hour ago. When they had been leaving from the bungalow after lunch, he had expected her to sit in his car. Kadambari, however, had held her arm and had muttered something viciously to Sumer Singh, who had then unhappily proceeded to somehow persuade Prithvi's great-uncle. But when they had stopped for tea and snacks at a high-end restaurant on the highway, he had insisted that she sit at his table, Nandini recalled affectionately. And for the next forty-five minutes, he had regaled her with hilarious stories about his travels.

Then their vehicular procession, consisting of two alarmingly flashy cars and two sturdy jeeps, had resumed the journey, only to run into heavy traffic. According to Sumer Singh, if not for the bottlenecks, they would have reached the palace two hours back. Prithvi had apparently reached a long time back.

Nandini looked at the elderly duo in the car. Kadambari was adjacent to her, clutching a handbag that contained her phone and purse as well. Sumer Singh was in the seat next to the chauffer. Both were asleep. The lengthy journey by road had drained her utterly. It must have been gruelling for them and for Uday Singh.

She looked down at the mauve churidaar kurta that had been purchased hours back. It was the least pretty outfit she had bought today, but it was nonetheless very attractive. And though it was hurting her pride that someone else had paid for it, she had to admit it boosted her confidence.

It had been a unique shopping experience. Her enthusiasm had increased slightly on hearing the surprisingly low prices for gorgeous outfits. But it had not swayed her. She had intentionally selected the cheapest-looking dresses and artificial jewellery sets. For Kadambari, on the other hand, she had enthusiastically chosen the most beautiful sarees of the lot, and had felt thrilled when three of them were approved.

Kadambari had stepped in once her dresses were finalised, and had curtly asked the baffled sellers to throw them into the garbage and not display them to another customer again. She had proceeded to select ten dresses, six of which were for her niece. While the men were repacking their goods, Kadambari had asked her to go back to the bedroom and rest. She had obeyed without question.

After about ten minutes, Kadambari, accompanied by two maids carrying the purchases, had come to her room with a measuring tape. The elderly woman had taken her measurements like a professional tailor, and had asked her to try on the outfits.

The subsequent hour had been a tad mortifying, Nandini thought ruefully. She seldom changed her dress in front of her own mother. So even the maids' indulgent mirth and Kadambari's vexation had not dissuaded her from using the bathroom as a trial room, resulting in frequent and clumsy exchanges of clothes through a thin gap in the door.

The dresses had seemed to fit perfectly. But Kadambari had found the need for alternations in all dresses except the mauve one, and had notified that she would work on the green and brown one first since it would be worn tomorrow.

The chubby woman was like an extremely stern teacher whom students respected and loved because they knew she had their best interests at heart, Nandini mulled lightly.

She sat up straighter. The car had begun ascending a slope. The streetlamps offered adequate light for her to see that they were progressing on a gracefully twisting broad road, climbing higher with every turn.

Sumer Singh had said the palace was situated on a low hill. So this must be it...they were getting closer...

She saw the stone walls first. Towering to the sky, they appeared to be the walls of a major fort rather than a palace, concealing and protecting the edifice that lay within. Then towering gates showed up, illuminated by brilliant lights on both sides as well as the headlights of the cars. They were open, and uniformed guards were bowing. She heard mutters that indicated Kadambari and Sumer Singh had woken up, but stomach-churning anxiety kept her eyes focussed on the outside

The car kept going for a long distance on a slightly zigzag road that had thickly foliaged grounds on both sides. The cluster of trees gradually gave way to gently lit, exquisitely landscaped gardens that sported an array of lovely fountains. Then a final curve...and the palace came into view

Dizzyingly beautiful... colossal... awe-inspiring...

The car halted at the ornately designed entrance, which was dimly illuminated. An entourage of people was waiting outside, and she could hear voices issuing instructions about the luggage.

Kadambari was getting down and urging her to disembark as well, but she didn't want to step out of the car. It was safe inside. Once she got down, she would have to face the inhabitants of this majestic citadel. She would feel like a trespasser in their midst.

Feeling vulnerable, Nandini closed her eyes and prayed for help. She had to do this for Prithvi. She would get out of the car, and without looking at the palace, she would quickly go inside and join the others.

The door on her side opened.

Nandini took a deep breath and anxiously smoothed her dress one last time. Then she slowly stepped out of the car, and found standing toe-to-toe with Prithvi.

A smile broke out on her pale face, and courage flooded her chest.

Prithvi looked at her steadily as the car took off. A cool wind rustled around them as he gripped her slim shoulders and firmly spun her around, compelling her to gaze at the mammoth complex.

With the murmurs of the water fountains in her ears, Nandini unwillingly looked at the three-storied structure. Its width probably ran into kilometres, and she was scared to think of the length. She stared at the splendorous grandeur of the entrance – it had become deserted all of a sudden, the magnificent, enclosed stone balconies jutting from the walls, and the arch-roofed pavilions at the top.

The edifice wasn't lit garishly. But artistically placed floodlights gave it a hypnotising golden hue. The whole building was straight out of a fairy tale. If she had seen it as a five year old, she would have easily believed it was the residence of heavenly beings.

Slowly, an odd emotion mushroomed in Nandini's heart. She felt she was back in Shamli, standing in front of the old temple. The structures were categorically dissimilar in terms of purpose, architecture and size. But the same emotions were rising within her. A haunting awareness that she was in the presence of something ancient and powerful. And that it was a blessing to be allowed to see it...to stand on this land that was pulsating with the energies of a long-gone era...

Prithvi looked tentatively at her engrossed profile. "We don't have to stay here if you're not comfortable. We can go elsewhere right now."

She remained motionless for a few seconds, then swivelled to look at him

"And why would I want to go elsewhere?" Nandini enquired pompously, nose in the air. "I'm getting a chance to stay in a beautiful palace for a few days. I'm not going to give it up."

"You don't mean a word of that," he said sceptically.

She jabbed a finger into his chest. "This is my reward for putting up with your meanness. So I'm not going anywhere. You can go live elsewhere if you want to!" she offered impishly, curling an arm around his elbow. "I'm starving. Can we go have dinner?"

Prithvi cynically assessed the performance. He could take it apart, but she was visibly fatigued. "Alright," he muttered.

She nodded cheerfully, but her clutch on his arm tautened. They silently moved forward to ascend the short flight of steps that led to the entrance, and then crossed the threshold to enter a gigantic lobby.

A lushly carpeted floor, a high, gilded ceiling with beautiful paintings, intricately sculpted pillars, marvellous murals on the walls, and elegant artefacts helped the indoors match the beauty of the exteriors.

Nandini gazed around with wonder, forgetting fears and insecurities in the face of the enthralling loveliness. And the absence of unknown faces was also immensely calming.

The halls and passageways that followed maintained the tradition of splendour, with mirrored mosaic walls, golden artwork on the ceilings, fabulous murals and frescos, gargantuan crystal chandeliers and gilded mirrors. Everything, including the furniture, seemed to be made of silver, marble or crystal.

They were heading towards a room from which she could hear sounds of cutlery and Kadambari's vociferous orders.

She let go of his hand, and shuffled to a distance. He looked at her derisively but didn't comment. She waited for him to go ahead and trailed his steps, peering around him to see what lay ahead.

The dining room appeared reassuringly small and private. However, it was no less grand, with crystal and silver cutlery shining in the bright light of lamps. The white-gloved staff – including two young women in western wear - halted in their service and bowed as Prithvi appeared at the doors.

Sumer Singh rose from his chair at the long table. Kadambari turned her focus to the new arrivals.

Within a minute, Nandini was seated at Prithvi's left, and she was confusedly washing her hands in the tepid water being poured out of a silver jug into a silver bowl in front of her. As Kadambari fussed over Prithvi's plate, the other ladies smilingly attended to her. Uniformly clad in grey and white skirt suits, they looked smart and pretty. Coiffed hair and carefully done make-up gave them a sophisticated air.

Nandini's heartfelt gratitude towards Kadambari and Sumer Singh soared. If they had not persuaded her to purchase new dresses and jewellery, she would have had to stay hidden in her room for the duration of her stay.

Then she saw the food, and suddenly felt famished for real. Steamed rice, dal tadka, fried lady's fingers as well as bitter gourd, curd, pickle, roasted papad... items featured regularly on the menu at home. It was the most comforting set of dishes. Unaware of being watched tenderly, she happily accepted servings of everything. The taste was naturally different. Yet, the sheer familiarity made her feel she was being hugged by her mother.

Once dinner was over and hands were cleansed, Prithvi rose from the chair and spoke in a low voice to Kadambari.

Nandini suspected she was the subject, because before she knew what had happened, Kadambari was robustly leading her out of the room, insisting that it was time to retire for the night. The female staff members were deferentially escorting them.

She glanced confusedly at Prithvi. He wasn't smiling. However, there was an inexplicable sweetness in his gaze that was tremendously reassuring. Then she was out of the dining area. Too exhausted to figure out the direction, Nandini mutely trailed behind Kadambari as they proceeded via broad, ornate corridors that ran alongside exquisite inner courtyards, stone stairways and several charming lounges and foyers.

On the first floor, a dazzling foyer led to many rooms, and one of them was opened for Nandini.

It was an opulent suite. Traditional cusped arches separated the ravishing sitting area from the ultra luxurious bedroom and huge balcony. The whole room was decorated aesthetically with antique furnishings. The curtains were made of silk. A big swing with brass chains occupied a portion of the balcony. The room contained an air-conditioner, landline and an intercom. An enormous flat TV was hanging on the wall opposite the king-sized bed. The bathroom was laid in marble and it had sparkling faucets, accessories and fittings, a bathtub, and a shower cabin.

Nandini detachedly mused that this would be the right time for her to faint out of shock. But her ability to feel astonishment had died temporarily. She would swoon twice tomorrow to compensate for tonight.

When the friendly – and frightened - girls had left, Kadambari started unpacking her luggage, which had increased by a small bag that was on loan from Sumer Singh, and arranging the clothes tidily in a humongous wardrobe.

"I'll do it, aunty," Nandini said quickly, hastening to take over.

Kadambari stopped and looked at her strictly. "Go to the bathroom and freshen up. You'll find towels in there. Here...change into this nightdress, and go to sleep."

Alarmed, Nandini took the proffered nightdress.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll bring tea for you at seven o clock," Kadambari went on. "I'll knock and announce myself. Don't open the door for anyone else, not even for those useless tarts who think they know better than me because they're showing off their scrawny legs."

"Okay," Nandini nodded heartily, and then fearfully said, "This bathroom...there are many knobs and handles and some electronic settings. I don't know how to operate any of it."

Kadambari looked at her with weary frustration. "Come with me..."

***************************

Standing in front of a stucco mirror in the bedroom, Nandini ran unsure hands over the satiny material of the embroidered bottle-green kurta. The churidaar was a dark brown. She had pinned the edge of the elegant brown dupatta to one side of her dress as instructed by Kadambari. The earrings and necklace too had been chosen by the older woman for this particular outfit. But the bangles and anklets were the same ones she'd worn yesterday. They were not going to be exchanged for more flamboyant and expensive pieces.

Did the dress suit her...would Prithvi like it...

She halted in the midst of adjusting her necklace, and darted out of the bedroom to open the suite's door in time to interrupt his first knock.

Prithvi stared at her. "You are one creepy woman."

She chuckled, and then gasped as he seized her hand and drew her out of the suite.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll find out soon," he replied evasively.

"Wait, wait!" she yelped, pulling her hand away in the middle of the foyer.

Prithvi irritably stopped and turned. "What?"

"How do I look?" she chirped, battling a crippling shyness to twirl for his inspection.

Enchanting. "Like a forest vomited on you," he commented.

Her smile vanished and she stiffly headed back to her room. But hard fingers clamped around her wrist and determinedly tugged her along again. She struggled briefly, then gave up.

"Why can't you give me a compliment?" she burst, glowering at the back of his head.

"Why can't you appreciate my insults?" Prithvi countered blithely, without a break in his stride

Shunning an urge to giggle, Nandini bit her lip and maintained a sulky air for precisely three minutes. Then growing amazement and curiosity drove out annoyance.

As he hauled her up stone stairs and vaulted corridors, she could see glimpses of beautiful courtyards, pavilions, lotus ponds, and gardens with fountains.

She wished she could get an interval to stop and breathe. To figure out how she had arrived at this juncture. This crazy juncture in which she was being dragged by the love of her life through the bewildering layout of an astounding palace.

"Wait! I want to look at the scenery," she requested as they hurried through an elongated balcony that overlooked one part of the valley below the hill.

"I'll save you the trouble," Prithvi retorted implacably. "Trees, hills, houses, temples, people, animals – that's the gist."

"Wonderful. I don't have to ever look out the window again," Nandini rolled her eyes.

He turned to grin at her but didn't halt. Now they were striding through sparsely furnished sections. There were no signs of luxury in this part. Just the harsh beauty of stones, aged wooden furnishings, and to her disbelief, old weaponry.

They walked into a dim passageway and Prithvi finally stopped in front of a scarily steep and narrow flight of steps, meant for one person at a time, that evidently led to the roof.

"I'm not climbing those stairs," she put her foot down.

"You'll fall only if I push you," he said unconcernedly, yanking her hand adamantly. "And I'm saving that for a special occasion."

Nandini submitted unenthusiastically and ascended the stairs in his wake, staring obsessively at each step. She had just exhaled with relief on reaching the windswept terrace when she saw that the trial wasn't over.

They were at the foot of a tower that was about ten meters high. The same kind of frightening stairs twisted around it, leading to a breathtaking, circular pavilion at the top. It had an arched roof and four slender pillars.

Clasping his hand more tightly, she climbed up the steps whilst muttering that he would be responsible for her death.

Her resentful grumbling went on nonstop till she was safe within the pavilion and he freed her hand. She raised her eyes from the floor to glare at him and then forgot why she was angry.

In the alluring light filtering through dense grey clouds, she saw a range of green hills, with grey clouds suspended on the tops, and the fading but clear colours of a rainbow on one of the crests. There was a lake encircled by lush green woods in the middle of the shallow valley. There were big and small villages. A temple was perched on top of one of the hills opposite the palace. Was it the one described by Uday Singh? It had to be. It was the only shrine on a hilltop that was opposite the palace, which was spread across the summits of an entire ridge of low hills. She turned on the spot. On the opposite side of the palace, she could see the vast expanse of the beguiling palace grounds, the main gate and walls, and beyond a patch of greenery, a big and crowded town. She turned back to the area with nature's bounty.

Strong winds were making her hair flutter madly. If the dupatta was not pinned to her dress, it would have flown away.

Muscular arms curled around her waist from behind. She leaned back into him. He embraced her cosily, placing his cheek against her glossy hair.

It was a bird's eye view of the whole picturesque region, Nandini thought. And in an echo of last night's experience, she felt grateful and privileged for the chance to behold this blend of natural and manmade majesty. She had not opened the door to her room's balcony in the morning. If this was the view outside her room, she wouldn't want to close it.

"This is the most beautiful place on earth!" she said huskily.

"It's okay I guess" he muttered.

She looked up at him and teased, "You dragged me till here to show an okay place?"

His skin turned red. He gently caught her jaw and turned her face back towards the scenery.

She laughed and tilted her head back, resting it on the sturdy breadth of his chest.

He gazed unseeingly at the panorama. Her words had struck a nerve. In the past, he had seen similarly stunning vistas countless times. He had found most pleasure in them when he was alone. Content with his own company, he had dispassionately studied the loveliness of his surroundings.

Then today morning, in the course of explorations that had begun at sunrise, he had stood in this spot and witnessed the appealing beauty of the landscape. And the first and only thought in his head had been that she would love to see it, especially in this mesmeric light.

He'd gone through similar thoughts in Shamli, but they'd not felt so forceful.

The brilliance of the scenery had seemed artificial when he'd been by himself. But now that she was here, the wild loveliness of the land had become real all of a sudden.

She swivelled in his arms. "Do you have some time before you need to leave? Can we go for a walk?" she asked hopefully, bouncing on her heels in excitement. "We'll return in time for breakfast."

The exuberance in her eyes could probably have persuaded him to go on a mission to find unicorns. Gazing at her luminous features, he absently murmured, "Sure, we can go..."

****************************

They had landed on the first floor again and were on their way to the ground floor when they heard a gasping yell.

A sweaty Sumer Singh had jumped up from an antique wooden chair in a nearby lounge and was rushing towards them, holding a black blazer in his arms.

"A guard said he'd seen you coming to this section. I didn't find you, so I thought of waiting," he explained, wheezing. "You're going outside, my lord?"

"For a walk," Prithvi said, frowning at the blazer. "Why are you carrying that around?"

Sumer Singh gulped and held it up respectfully. "Please wear it."

"I was hoping we had two or three years left," Prithvi regretted, reaching for the buzzing phone in his pocket and looking at the number.

"Two or three years?" Sumer Singh asked, perplexed.

"Before you went senile," Prithvi clarified nastily, striding to the stairway while answering the phone

"Nandini, please convince him," Sumer Singh beseeched, speaking rapidly. "People in the palace and nearby villages expect to see him in formal wear every day. We'll have to beg him to don a proper suit on Tuesday. But on other days, if he could at least wear blazers like these over his shirts, that would be sufficient. I didn't have the courage to ask him in the past. And I dared to make the request today only because you're with him," he said with a pleading note in his voice.

"I don't think he will listen to me either, uncle, but I'll try," Nandini said doubtfully, still processing everything she had heard.

Thanking her profusely, Sumer Singh gave her the heavy blazer. She smiled and offered him a reassuring nod, and then proceeded to the stairs.

A suit? Prithvi would wear a business suit? Like those men in movies and magazines?

"Is the blazer flirting with you?"

Jolted out of her daydreaming, Nandini looked up from the bulky piece in her hands. She had reached the ground floor and was standing in a high-ceilinged, sprawling marble foyer.

Standing right in front of her, Prithvi was studying her bemusedly.

"No – why – what do you mean?" she asked in confusion.

"Why is your face red?"

"It's not," she denied quickly, embarrassed at the almost uncouth thrill that had raced through her moments ago.

"I can dab a brush in your face and paint a wall," he scoffed. "Anyway, throw that thing and let's leave."

Staunchly discounting both his comments, she took a step ahead and held open the blazer with a dazzling smile.

"Don't waste your time and mine," Prithvi said flatly.

"You won't do it for me? Even though I love you so so much?" she asked woefully, injecting as much pathos as possible in her expression and voice.

His glare readied her for being smothered with the blazer. But then, with a livid snarl, he grabbed the garment.

She beamed with surprise as he roughly dug his hands into the sleeves. The black blazer went perfectly with the white shirt and blue jeans. And in the understated ensemble, he looked more spectacularly attractive than usual, she marvelled with a strange tightening in her chest.

"Any more dumb demands?" he growled.

"Yes. Please don't look so handsome," Nandini beseeched, batting her eyelashes theatrically. "My heart cannot take it."

He looked at her with mingled amusement and irritation.

She chuckled and wrapped her hand around his. "Thank you," she said lovingly, urging him to begin walking.

"No big deal. Just being kind to the sacrificial lamb," Prithvi responded with a brutish glimmer in his eyes.

"Sacrificial lamb?" she repeated indignantly as they sauntered through a matrix of empty corridors and halls.

"We'll use the staff gate," he diverted breezily. "It's at the back of the palace."

Ruffled by his comment but genuinely afraid to investigate, she tried to think about other matters.

"You said you haven't been to this palace before. How do you know its layout so well?" Nandini questioned.

"I went through its map yesterday."

Nandini chortled.

"What's so funny?" he asked testily.

"You need a map to move around your home," she grinned.

"This is not my home," he corrected tetchily. "It is a gaudy relic owned by an old degenerate who unfortunately is the only tolerable relative in my life as of now."

"Don't insult him," Nandini rebuked severely. "He is your grandparent! You should respect his age, if not the relation. I think he is a wonderful person. And he loves you very much. You should -"

"I'm starting to miss your imaginary version," he sighed. "She wanted to do everything but talk."

She smacked his arm.

"Imaginary Nandini wouldn't have done that," he said wistfully.

"Then you should go for a walk with her," she recommended perkily.

"I would. But she doesn't go for walks," he revealed. "She sticks to exciting indoor activities."

"Will you please stop saying these things?" Nandini said crossly.

"I was referring to chess," he grinned. "But I'm pleased you have a filthy mind."

With deepening colour, she vehemently said, "I – do – not!"

As two guards came into view, she nimbly relinquished his arm.

"We shouldn't hold hands in front of others," she whispered when he frowned at her.

"You're right. Everyone knows that is how girls get pregnant," he remarked sarcastically.

Flushing, she maintained a stately silence.

They were coming across more staff members now. Each one of them - men and women - froze upon seeing Prithvi for some reason, and then came the deep bowing and reverential salutations. She knew it was meant for him; nevertheless, just walking beside him was making her feel like a pitiful fraud.

Then they were in an open courtyard and guards were rushing to open the huge gates. Prithvi impatiently signalled that he would use the small entrance. If the men were surprised, they hid it well and swiftly opened the indicated door.

The eyes of the guards were lowered. Nonetheless, Nandini felt miserably certain that she was under a spotlight. When they finally passed through the gate and ended up at the side of a concrete road, a sense of liberation suffused her.

He clutched her hand obstinately, and she didn't protest. Outside the palace, they were unlikely to run into acquaintances.

"How does it feel to step out of prison?" Prithvi mocked.

She looked at him with twitching lips. "Not very good because the outing is with my jailer."

He grinned at the cheeky response. "It's already on my mind. Don't encourage me."

She laughingly shushed him, and obeyed his lead as they crossed the deserted road and set out on a broad path that ran between delightful green foliage dotted with yellow and purple flowers. The unpaved but smooth track meandered gently across a long distance before disappearing behind an outcropping of rock.

Neither of them spoke, and they gradually fell into an intensely tranquil and restful silence. Holding hands securely, they strolled down the charming trail, privately savouring a happiness that they couldn't explain or describe to the world or even themselves. Outwardly absorbed in their individual thoughts, inwardly conscious of every breath taken by the other...

They reached the rock outcropping and saw that the path zigzagged into the distance, clusters of tress at the sides. Acting on an unspoken agreement, they resumed the walk. They had ambled on for around ten minutes when they came across a tall shelter of corrugated sheets under one of the leafy trees lining the trail. Within the makeshift structure was a stone idol on a raised concrete platform.

The idol of a Goddess was covered with marigold garlands. Lamps and incense sticks were burning at Her feet. There was a deep cavity on one side of the idol, and a full-size metal trident was lying on the ground behind it.

Nandini walked forward to offer prayers, and her hand was immediately released. She looked at him expectantly, but his unyielding features asked her not to try. It was alright. She would pray on his behalf.

She moved to stand reverentially in front of the idol with folded hands and shut eyes, and prayed hard. Then she went down on her knees and prostrated. Feeling content, she rose to her feet, and turned to him.

Prithvi was staring at the trident with preoccupied eyes. His gaze transferred to her, and then to the other side of the track. She followed his eyes and saw them.

Two old men in clean clothes and turbans. They were sitting on their haunches on the opposite side of the pathway, facing the idol and looking completely at peace with the universe.

Startled, Nandini gaped at them in mystification. She hadn't noticed them. Were they from one of the villages she'd seen from the terrace? Even if they were, they couldn't be expected to know that Prithvi was part of the royal family. And their general attitude was so complacent that she doubted they would behave differently if they found out.

"Why is the trident lying there?" Prithvi asked them abruptly, slowly walking ahead.

The man on the left placidly answered, "A black magician plucked it from that hole and threw it down. He left a curse. Anyone who puts it back will die horribly within three days."

"Not true," the other man contradicted just as peacefully. "Some enemy of our village spread those rumours. There is no curse. Whoever puts it back will be blessed and will live a long and glorious life."

"Lies," the first speaker announced meekly.

"Your story is a lie," his friend said affectionately.

Nandini exchanged a glance of amused astonishment with Prithvi.

"I think we've found the greatest love story on earth," he muttered.

She giggled.

He grinned, and then looked at the trident.

Why was its condition disturbing him? There were no associated memories or emotions. Yet, when he had seen it, agonizing images of his mother had ambushed his mind. Frail, alone and defenceless...just like that woman yesterday...

Nandini uncertainly observed the altered emotions on his features. She had seen that troubled look on his features in the past. He was thinking of his mother.

Then he was strolling to the idol, and she instantly knew what he meant to do.

Prithvi paused on reaching the trident. He looked at it for a second, and then lifted it from the ground.

Soft fingers arrested his hand.

Expecting a futile argument, he regarded her irascibly.

Using one end of her dupatta, Nandini silently began cleansing every inch of the trident with devotion.

He gazed at her, feeling deprived of the ability to speak.

After the task was completed, she grasped the trident with both hands. His left hand too closed around it, so their grips were in an alternating sequence. She smiled at him. He smiled back.

They lifted the trident together and reinstated the divine weapon in its rightful place.

"You both will live a long and happy life," the man on the right said impassively.

"You both will die painfully within three days," the other man serenely apprised them.

Prithvi and Nandini looked at each other. They started laughing simultaneously.

Clouds hovering above the valley shifted lazily to create a path for sunrays. Beams of light fell upon the blue surface of the lake, making the waters shimmer entrancingly.

******************************