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Nandani POV

"Turn around,"

He said and I looked at him with the confused eyes.

He opened the cap of the bottle and took out oil in his palm. Rubbing his palm lightly he asked me again.

"Turn around, Nandani,"

My name from his mouth suddenly sounded so different. His face was emotionless, no expressions and I slowly turned to the opposite side.

"Pull the Shaul low,"

He said I removed the shaul off my body.

"Pull your duppatta down too,"

He said in a slow voice and I pulled my duppatta off my head. Pulling the wet braid forward, I let him see my revealing back.

"Open it,"

He said further and I gulped.

Taking my hands back, I pulled the strings of my blouse and loosened it for it.

I felt him coming closer and he asked.

"Where is it hurting exactly,"

I took my hand behind me and placed my finger roughly over the end of my spine. The place where the band of my skirt was tied to the middle back.

"Here,"

I inhaled a sharp breath and then slowly I felt him touching my lower back with his fingers.

He softly moved his fingers over that spot and then slowly increased the impact of his finger over my skin.

I closed my eyes as he slowly messaged my back for some moments.

He made his thumb move over that place taking the complete care to not make me feel uncomfortable.

He brought his hands back in some time and asked in a slow voice.

"Tie it back, you will get relief in some time,"

I turned to look at him and held the strings of my blouse behind my back. I pulled them to tighten the blouse but it was a unique criss cross design which was seeming pretty difficult to tie with my own hands.

He saw me struggling and I slowly turned back to him again.

I felt his fingers unknowingly touching mine when he held the strings together and started tying it.

"Tighter,"

I said and suddenly he pulled it tighter and an breathful cry escaped my mouth.

"Ahhhhhh,"

"A little loose,"

I said and he loosened it.

"No, a little tighter,"

He pulled it slowly this time and he asked.

"Is it good now?"

I nodded and he tied the knot.

I turned to look at him and pulled the duppatta back on my head, I said.

"Thank you so much,"

He rubbed his hand against my duppatta cleaning the excess oil and I tried to hide my smile.

"And, you must sleep in bed tonight,"

I shook my head, pulling the Shaul to cover my wet clothes.

"I will sleep wherever you will sleep. Be it the bed or the floor,"

He looked at me with a little frustration and said.

"If I do not come in the chamber tonight then how will you sleep on the floor alone,"

I gulped and held his hand to stop him going away from me.

"I will wait for you, Rudra. There is no one here who I know. You must remember, I came here with you, for you,"

He looked at me silently and I left his hand.

"You should go back to the chamber. The attendees must be waiting for you,"

I nodded and stepped forward to leave but then stopped.

"There must be something that is your favourite,"

I asked and he looked into my eyes.

"There was someone, my favourite,"

I felt a little hurting that he referred me with a 'was'.

"Seems like the someone is no more,"

And suddenly he pulled me closer and snaked his arm around my waist with anger.

"Do not you dare?"

I looked into his eyes and I could see him getting angry.

"Till when you are about to stay angry with me? And, how long am I supposed to be angry with you?"

I asked and he kept staring into my eyes.

"I am not angry,"

I lowered my gaze and muttered in a slow voice.

"You are not happy either. You did not have to marry me if you hates me so much,"

I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down. But, suddenly I felt him cupping my cheek and making me look into his eyes.

"Neither did you have to cooperate with me,"

My heartbeats raced hearing him and I immediately tried to push him away. Correcting the Shaul over my body, I muttered.

"Of course, But I was getting married to the old King. It was you who came to marry me,"

He looked at me and muttered back.

"Ofcourse, everything is just my fault. You are such a good girl,"

He walked away from me and scanned the almirah to take out his clothes.

I also did not reply to anything as I did not want to explain anything to him.

He had to understand himself. Be it me or himself, he had to break the old believes and seek the truths.

I walked out of the quarters and made my way back towards the chamber.

After going a little far, Suman and other attendees also joined me and suddenly Suman asked to me.

"Why you got wet?"

I blinked and lowered my gaze to look at the Shaul I was wearing.

"I slipped into the pot,"

And, she asked in confusion.

"What???"

I did not reply anything and came back to the chamber. Removing the Shaul, I made my way towards the bathing area.

I took a quick bath and changed into fresh air of clothes. It was a beautiful orange dress with the matching duppatta. It was not heavy but elegant. Perfect for the newly weds.

My back pain was relieved a bit now.

After getting ready I went with the attendees to the royal kitchen.

There I looked at the kitchen staff standing aside with the huge and big utensils over the fireplace, already washed and dried.

"What is the in the menu, Rani-sa?,"

One of the cook asked and I looked at him.

"Khichdi, Daliya, simple chapatis and mix-veg and plain dal with less spices and light consistency. There will no royal serving of food until the soldiers get well again. I will cook for them. And take care to send turmeric milks two times a day,"

I exclaimed and they looked at each other.

"But, Rani-sa, all these food is for soldiers and attendees. What will the high ranks eat,"

I looked at him and answered back.

"The high ranks eat what Ranaji will eat and Ranaji will eat what soldiers will eat. So, until Ranaji will not touch the royal cousines, it will be served,"

They nodded and I stepped forward to cook the food for thousands by myself. Tying my duppatta tight, I cooked the food.

It almost turned the afternoon by the time I finished it.

I sighed and washed my hand after finishing it.

"Serve the food to the soldiers,"

And, one of them again stepped forward.

"But, Rani-sa, no one eats before Ranaji eats,"

I looked at him with a slight smile.

"Just do what I am asking,"

He nodded and they started transferring the food to the small vessals.

And, I looked at Suman.

"Suman, can you please take care that they feed the soldiers well and go, pay a visit with the other attendees?"

She looked at me with confusion but then nodded.

"Ofcourse,"

I nodded and turned to make a plate for Badi Ma-sa.

Taking it and with the help of an attendee, I went to meet her in her chamber.

The announcer announced my presence and I stepped forward inside her chamber.

I looked at her resting in the bed and she lifted her eyelids to look at me.

"Nandani, you here? Come sit,"

She welcomed me with a warm smile and I took the plate close to her.

"I brought you the lunch,"

She looked at me holding the plate and asked.

"You cooked?"

And, I nodded.

"Come sit,"

She said patting the bed beside her and I carefully sat beside her.

She looked at the food and asked.

"Khichdi, daliya or roti?"

I lowered my gaze for a moment and exclaimed.

"You were seeming unwell yesterday. Also, Ranaji is wounded too. I thought the simple food would be good for everyone, for soldiers too,"

She smiled suddenly and held the bowl.

"So thoughtful of you, God bless you,"

She started eating and suddenly asked.

"Has Rudra eaten yet?"

I shook my head lightly.

"No, not yet. He said he will eat when all the soldiers will be given medication,"

She nodded.

"Yes, he has always been like this. You know whenever he used to go on some mission and even in the wars, being a soldier or being a commander. He always put his soldiers first before himself. He will not eat, sleep and get medication for himself until all his soldiers will be attended. Moreover, he will dance on the head of physicians to see how are they treating the soldiers. He is very strict when it comes to that,"

I listened to her and I did not know but all the hunger I got after working this hard was suddenly vanished knowing how much he cares for them.

And, now it was hurting me deeply to know that he had to lift the swords against them, maybe just for me.

"Have you eaten yet?"

She asked and I lifted my gaze back to her.

"Not yet, Badi Ma,"

She finished her bowl and picked up the dal to eat.

"You should eat. Do not worry about him. Many a times, we do not even know where he goes, what he does and what he eats. He loves his solitude, never let anyone intrude,"

I lowered my gaze back and did not say anything.

"You cook really well,"

I smiled lightly.

I waited till she finished and brought the empty plate back after she was done.

I came back to my chamber and laid on the bed.

Suman had not came back yet.

I wanted to meet him, wanted to ask him to eat, get his wounds dressed but I did not know where he was.

But, laying there was not a option either. I had to find him or make him come to me.

I got up from the bed and walked to the soldier standing outside my chamber.

"Can you tell Ranaji that I asked for him?"

I asked to him and he nodded.

"Yes, Rani-sa,"

He went from there and I came inside to the bedroom again.

But, before that I asked an attendee to bring a plate of food, medicine and bandages.

I waited till she came back and asked her keep them in the table.

She left and after waiting for long, finally he arrived.

He entered into the bedroom and I looked at him wearing the maroon kurta. He was looking really, really handsome and hot.

"You called me, Rani-sa,"

He teasingly called me and stepped closer towards me.

I looked into his eyes and nodded lightly.

I did not know but something had changed between us. I did not know what it was but now everytime I was meeting his intense, I could feel my stomach twisting and goosebumps over my arm. Like, with his eyes he was tearing me, looking beyond with shamlessness and was about to come close.

"Why? Everything alright?"

I lowered my gaze and muttered in a slow voice.

"Have you got your wounds dressed?"

I asked and I lifted my eyes back to him.

"Not yet,"

I stepped forward with courage and said.

"Let me do it,"

He took a step back and looked at the food and medicine kept on the table.

"I have so much work to do,"

He said and about to leave but I stopped him holding his wrist.

"Rudra, aap lad lijiye, bol lijiye, rula lijiye lekin apna hak to jataiye humpe. Hum nahi kehre humse pyaar kijiye, magar Hume apni patni to samajhiye na,"

"Rudra, you fight, speak up, make me cry, but at least express your rights to me. Do not love me, but consider me your wife, at least,"

I said and he turned to look at me.

"Everyone calls you Rani-sa, that means you are my wife,"

He said and pulled his hand back.

I stepped forward and shook my head.

"No, that does not mean I am your wife, until you treat me like your wife. You know what leave it. Yes, I am your wife. They all call me Rani-sa. Now, please take off your kurta and sit here,"

I said and a tear fell from my eyes and he sighed looking at me.

And, after staring at me for few good moments he finally pulled his kurta off his body and sat on the couch.

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