Part 42 fun?

Arnav broke the kiss and looked at Khushi giddily. He closed his eyes when Khushi wiped his lip with her thumb. She pecked his cheek with admiration. Arnav felt it. He opened his eyes gulping down. Khushi brushed his hair with her fingers fondly. Arnav smiled at her lovingly.

"You are making me crazy about you," he tucked her hair.

"you are much better than me"

"Means?"

"Because I becoming MAD about you"

"So?"

"It feels like I want to be with you all the time"

"If it is so, my condition is also the same. So, I'm also mad"

"You know what, If I had not come to the Maurya Empire, I would have been roaming somewhere else in India" Khushi sighed,

"Where would you have roamed?"

"At some temple, or, at some Museum, or, at some waterfalls, or..."

"Do you want to go to a waterfall?" Arnav asked.

"Does your Kingdom have a waterfall?" She asked excitedly.

"Many... but there is a waterfall outside our fort"

"Is it? Will you take me there?" She pleaded cutely.

Arnav nodded ok.

"When?"

"Now"

"Now? Really?" she was so eager.

"Mmm"

"Don't you need the King or Queen's permission?"

"It's not necessary because we will come back within a few hours."

"Won't they say anything?"

"No... let's go"

"Wait, I will bring a spare dress"

"Are you going to take a bath in the falls?" Arnav asked.

"Should not I?" She pouted.

Arnav bit his lip raising his brows. If Khushi asked him to take a bath in the falls with her and played with him in the water, what would be his condition? She was definitely going to put him on fire. He supposed.

"Ok, I won't take a bath..." She said sadly.

"Ok, take a spare dress but I won't take a bath. Ok?" Arnav sighed.

Khushi frowned and nodded ok. Taking a spare dress, she stuffed it in her bag.

"Let's go"

They came downstairs. Arnav signaled a guard. He bowed and left the place. Within a few minutes, he came with a chariot. Stopping it in front of Arnav, he got off. Arnav hopped on it and Khushi climbed the stairs of the chariot. It was not like a WAR chariot but with two stairs as it was for Royal ladies' usage. Arnav flicked the whip and the horses moved out of the palace dragging the chariot.

Khushi stood next to Arnav even though there was a seat too. She noticed a change in people's LOOKS. Respect was visible in it. A few people greeted them with joining hands. It seemed their wedding news spread in the fort.

"Arnav..."

"Mmm?"

"What I think is true?"

"What?" He asked smiling as he guessed what she was going to ask.

"Do people know about our wedding?"

"They would have known..."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course... they were waiting for their Prince's wedding. When it declared, it would spread all over the kingdom"

"Are they fine with this marriage?"

"Why won't they?"

"Because according to them, I'm a foreigner"

"So what?"

"Marriage is not a personal matter of a Prince. It's about the future of the Kingdom"

"When the King and the Queen are fine with this marriage, why do people have problems?"

"That's the position of the Prince. He should consider every person of his kingdom, right?"

"No King can do that, Khushi... because satisfying every person of the kingdom is not at all possible"

"Maybe, but you can reduce the opposition as much as possible"

"I know how to do it"

"How?"

"Will show you a demonstration soon"

"Why not now?"

"We are going to the waterfall now. We have only accurate time. That's why"

Khushi nodded ok.

Their chariot came out of the fort. Arnav rode it towards the north. Within a few minutes, a beautiful waterfall fell into her sight. She became excited as it poured from a great height.

"I thought it would be a short waterfall," Khushi said and Arnav smiled.

"From where this water comes?"

"There is a place on the peak"

"Could we go there?"

"Yeah, there are stairs made up of rock"

"Shall we go?"

"Yeah... but be careful"

"Ok..." she was thrilled.

They went to the peak. They saw water coming from the mountain forcefully and created a pond on the top of the hill. Water poured down from the pond creating the waterfall. Khushi got down the pond and felt its force. She carefully moved to the edge.

"Be careful Khushi... it would be slippery"

She slowly looked down from the peak and saw water falling down.

"Wow... it's so superb"

After admiring the place, Khushi started swimming in the pond. As Arnav already told her he wouldn't take a bath, Khushi didn't call him but enjoyed the water alone.

That was when Arnav called her.

"Khushi..."

Khushi raised her brows.

"I will just come"

"Where are you going?"

"There is a banana tree. The mountain banana tastes good. I will bring it for you"

She nodded ok. Arnav headed to the banana tree. A naughty thought came into Khushi's mind. She decided to play with Arnav. So, she came out of the pond. Throwing a big stone into the pond, she screamed as if she had fallen into the waterfall and hid behind a tree.

Hearing her scream, Arnav ran towards the place where she was swimming. As she was not there, he became nervous and shouted.

"Khushiiiiii... Khushi, where are you? Khushiiii"

His eyes pooled up instantly as his mind thought unpleasantly. He jumped into the pool and searched her in the water. He looked down wiping his eyes but he didn't find her anywhere.

"Khushiiii..." he shouted.

Coming out of the pond, he was supposed to go down, but he heard Khushi laughing. He saw her coming from behind the tree. He closed his eyes sighing, seeing her.

"Are you scared?" She laughed.

Arnav sat on a rock saying nothing. Khushi saw him looking down. She felt it odd. She just did it for fun. She walked to him slowly as she felt something wrong.

Arnav was sitting on the rock with a rocky expression. Khushi regretted what she did. She didn't know Arnav would take it seriously. She slowly went to him and touched his shoulder. Arnav stood up, not looking at her.

"Let's go" saying in a low tone, he walked.

Khushi clutched his hand and said,

"Arnav..."

"Khushi, I don't want to talk about anything now... let's go" his voice was croaky.

"I'm sorry Arnav..."

Arnav looked at her painfully.

"Not all the feelings can be consoled with a word SORRY, Khushi. Some feelings can't be narrated... You saved me from the poisoned arrow. That day, I didn't feel anything about it because warriors like me are always expecting our death. But, after I started feeling for you, I think it's a second chance for me, not to relish my life but to relish my life WITH YOU. I think it's God's gift for me. I always wondered why people waste their time on loving someone and dying, falling in love. But after meeting you, it feels like, I can die hundreds of times for your love. I don't think, without you, I have life. My breath stopped for a while hearing the water splashing sound. I thought I would die not finding you. But... You are playing with my feelings. Do you want to see me crying, Khushi? Or, do you think I will not feel bad for you? What did you think Khushiiii...?" He raised his voice.

"I just..." Khushi stammered.

Arnav gulped down.

"I'm really sorry Arnav... I didn't expect you would feel bad to this extent. I thought you would feel happy seeing me in front of you"

"Let's go, Khushi," He said firmly and walked.

Khushi stood feeling bad. She cursed herself for playing with him in such a way. Didn't she know Arnav was not like HER era boys? Why did she do the blunder?

Arnav waited for her in the chariot. Khushi climbed in it without Arnav's help as it was a palace chariot with steps. Khushi wished it would have been a war chariot. So that Arnav would help her to climb on it.

Arnav was rigid all the way to the palace but Khushi was not silent. She purposely talked to him but he didn't respond to her. Khushi felt a tug in her heart. She could not tolerate his avoidance. She thought to console him after reaching the palace.

But, to her disappointment, Arnav jumped off the chariot and walked in the opposite direction of his room. Khushi stood helplessly. Her eyes tear up. She could not bear Arnav's silence. She went to the first floor and waited for Arnav, standing on the balcony but Arnav didn't return.

It started getting dark. The servants of the palace started lighting lamps. Khushi lost hope. She understood the depth of Arnav's anger. He was not angry with her but disappointed. Khushi didn't know what to do. She could do anything only if he came to his room. She didn't even know where he went. Then what could she do? Her legs ached standing for long. She went to her room and pressed her foot.

Kiran saw that and rushed to her.

"Let me press your legs"

Khushi pulled her leg, nodding no.

"Let me know if Prince Aparajit comes to his room," She said.

"I saw him just enter his room," Kiran said.

"Is it?" Khushi jumped off the bed and rushed to Arnav's room.

To be continued...