Devika :

I WOKE UP to the scent of sandalwood and roses. I curled up a little more, edging a little closer to the source.
My husband had a taste for such organic scents. He'd wake up early for his morning puja, apply the perfume and then head towards the puja room.
I had woken up to the scent several mornings, but from afar. Today it felt close.

"Leela..", I heard his voice, laced with endearment.
"Ram.. Let me sleep..", I mumbled, edging a little closer to him, I rested my hand on his bare chest. It took me a moment to realise his chest was bare.
I immediately opened my eyes, sitting up.

Feeling embarrassed. I immediately looked away.
Somehow, despite being this highly educated modern girl, the dormant shy woman of a small town had started taking over me.
Ever since I had started accepting him as my husband, and loving him, somehow I could not help it.

"What happened?", He asked, looking amused.
"No.. you.. I mean.. you are always in clothes.", I mumbled, feeling the warmth of my cheeks.
He sat up and bent towards me.
"Why? You are feeling shy seeing me shirtless?", He asked, smiling mischievously.

I glanced up at him momentarily, and then looked down again.
My heart pacing a little faster, I could feel butterflies in my stomach.
"Haww.. look at my fierce lioness shying away and blushing. If anyone saw you this way today, they would never believe that you're the same girl you placed a sword at my throat.", He said edging closer towards me.

He gently placed his hand on mine, sending warm shivers throughout my being. I drew in a deep breath, feeling his touch.

"You are making me this weak. It's your fault.", I said pulling my hand from under his, blushing deeper than ever.
He gently placed his hand on my cheek.

What is his touch doing to me? Why am I feeling this drawn, this breathless, this joyfully restless? Devi maa what is this sorcery?

He turned my face towards his.
"Well if making you feel loved is my fault, I shall carry that on my chest with pride.", He said.
I finally looked up at him.
"I love you..", I whispered, the words that I meant from my soul.
He softly kissed my forehead.
"I love you too.", He said, looking into my eyes.

The eyes I truly fell in love with.
He slowly edged closer, aiming at my lips this time. I shut my eyes, ready to feel him against me.

"Rajaji!", We both snapped out instantly, edging a little away.

"What is it Santosh?", He asked rather harshly.
"There is someone here to meet you.", He said.
I sighed and nodded.

"I'll be back in a moment.", He said, looking almost apologetic.
I placed my hand on his cheek.
"Soon, please.", I said, breaking into a smile.
"Anyways I can't stay away from you for too long.", He replied with a beaming smile.

•

Aviram :

I wore my kurta over the dhoti as I walked out of my room.
"Who is it?", I asked plainly.
"Akhilesh Vohra."

I raised a brow.
"He is in the arena. Practicing with a sword."
"And who let him there?", I asked.
"Rajaji, I apologise.. but he headed in himself. The guards stopped him but.."

"I get it.", I replied as I headed down to the arena.
It was usually isolated.
When I was younger, I was taught swordfighting and archery here. Sometimes I had friendly fights with Vinay, wherein he had always lost.
I reached there to find Akhilesh practice with a sword.

He wore a suit, barefoot on the sand. The guards looked at each other disappointed.

"Leave.", I announced as everyone left.
Akhilesh turned to face me.
He picked up another sword and threw it towards me. I immediately clasped it.
"How about a fight, Rajaji?", He asked, with a smirk.

"Fight with you?", I asked, half amused.
"I had heard you were defeated by a mere dancer at the temple. She drew blood from your neck. Fighting you isn't a bad idea from that record.", I could hear the tone of mockery.

It would have triggered a man of ego like me.
But I had lost to the woman I loved, such a loss was, after all a win.

I nodded as I took a step into the arena.

"The first to draw blood wins.", He said.
"Sure.", I replied.

And he attacked at once, aggressively.

•

Devika :

I dressed and walked out of the room. I wore a saree, like usual. But I wore jewellery too today, light gold jewellery. After all a queen should look like one.
I had decided clearly that I wasn't going back to Vohra.
It wasn't about me, it was about the man's intention. He was hurting my husband, and I was supposed to believe he would give me better opportunities?

"Ranisa!", I heard a panicked Santosh.
"What happened?", I asked immediately.

"Rajaji is fighting with that Akhilesh.. he is getting tired.. and Akhilesh is attacking aggressively. Rajaji is playing defensive but he won't stand too long.", He said.

I immediately rushed to the arena.
Aviram fell onto the sand, pushed by Akhilesh.

"Accept defeat.", Akhilesh said with a victorious smirk.
"Not until I die.", Aviram said immediately standing up, dusting himself. He looked terribly exhausted. There were no injuries yet, but by the way Akhilesh stood, he looked like he was here to kill.

"Stop!", I shouted.

Both the men paused.
Akhilesh looked at me, abruptly turning emotional.
"I apologise to barge in this way Devika.. but, I have good news.", He said.

Aviram gulped, he did not look glad.
I walked down to him.

"The stage is set. Your dream of having your own academy is absolutely ready. You can head to—"

"Mr. Vohra, thank you. But I require nothing from you.", I said immediately.
Somehow he was on my nerves. His excessive niceness to me did not fit right.

"Devika, why would you push away such a life changing opportunity? And you are siding with this man—"
"This man is my husband!", I snapped at him.
"You know what he did! He killed my parents! He is a tyrant!", He said immediately.

"I apologise for whatever happened with your parents on his behalf. Okay? Now leave.", I said coldly.
"I thought you were virtuous. A woman who stood for the right! And you choose to defend a man you literally physically hurt you and forcefully married you?! You are absolutely spineless!", He shouted, the rage was evident.

I words stung. They questioned my beliefs and righteousness.
I glanced at Aviram who looked down. The grip on his sword loosening.

I clenched my jaws, drawing in a deep breath.

"You have been asked to leave by the Queen of this Palace, Mr. Vohra. Instead of belittling me like the pest that you are, get out!", I shouted back at the same decibel.

Vohra looked like he had lost.
"You have made a terrible decision by loving this evil man. He is vile—"

"And what the heck are you?! A shameless backstabber who's business tactics evolve snatching and harming other people. Do not give me or the famed philanthropist Aviram Raghuvanshi a lecture of morality please.", I shot back.

He fell silent.

"You are the spineless one here who steps into someone else's palace, with half baked knowledge and gives a lecture. I understand you lost your parents. Tragic. But they were at fault as well! According to the rule book of this estate, only the rules has been followed. They had been punished for what they did! If they could not fend for themselves, it cannot be the King's fault! He was just doing his duty!", I said clearly.

Reminded me of the good old days of debate and speeches.

Akhilesh clenched his fists in rage.

"You are pushing away your saviour for the one who caged you.", He said coldly, "The price will be hefty."

"Sure. I shall wait.", I stared.
His lips curved into a devilish smirk.
"When the good turns evil, I doubt you would be able to withstand the storm.", He said.

"I will see. You don't have to worry about it.", I folded my hands before him in a namaste,
"Hope we never meet again."
"You cannot deny destiny.", He said before striding off.

"My behaviour will always haunt us, won't it?", I heard Aviram's hollow voice.
I looked at him, drawing in a deep breath.

"Whatever happened was between us, Ram. And I have forgiven you, infact I have absolutely moved on from that. You might have been wrong, but you are not a bad person.", I said, holding his hand. He looked down.
"And there is no one who can love me like you.", I added with a smile.

His lips curved into a soft smile. I edged away from him, turned to my left and bent down.
I picked up Akhilesh's sword on the sand.

"How about a duel, Rajaji?", I challenged placing the sword to his throat.
"Have you ever picked that before?", He asked, amused.
"I can, for my Rajaji.", I said simply.

His smile grew wider.
"Fine, duel if you want.", He said taking his stance. I clutched onto the sword tightly, raising it against him.

"Attack!", He said.
I charged at him, but of course, the sword was heavy and I was terrible with it so it instead of just slicing through the air past him, it struck against his arm.

"Oh no!", I exclaimed as he hissed in pain. It was a superficial wound but blood tricked at the edges.
"It's bleeding.. Hey Devi maa, why am I like this? I.. I am so sorry.", I mumbled in distress, tearing off a piece of the end of my saree to tie it.

"Look.. you've defeated me. You drew blood first.", He said, looking absolutely unaffected by the wound.
I looked up at him with narrowed eyes.

"I don't want to defeat you.", I said as I tied the wound.
"But I like to get defeated by you. To get defeated by his lady love is an honour for a man.", He said simply.
I felt the warmth in my cheeks again. I knew they turned a bright red already.

Stop making me feel the butterflies!

"Now go get this treated.", I said, trying not to let him see my senseless blushing.
"You tied the wound. That's enough treatment.", He said, grinning. Definitely enjoying the effect he had on me.

"Stop trying all those pick up lines on me. They are not working.", I lied, of course.
"But I will keep trying until I impress my Lioness.", He said, with his beautiful smile.
"Lioness.. is that my new nickname?", I asked.
"It is.", He said as he took my hand in his and gently kissed it.

Not another rush of insane teenager hormones!

•

It was late at night. A stormy night it was. The constant hitting of the sharp rain drops at the window pane, the sound of the wind howling outside.
I lay awake, Aviram was asleep beside me.

Somehow I felt extremely uneasy. As if something wrong was going to happen. I buried my head in his chest to comfort the tempest within me.
But nothing helped.

Just then there was a sharp knock at the door.
"Rajaji!", Santosh it was.
I immediately sat up.
Aviram woke up too, sitting up.

"What happened?"

"You must come and see yourself.", The tone of his voice was grave.

Aviram immediately got off the bed. I followed him out.

We turned towards the doorway.
I froze, feeling my breath leave my lungs.

"Chutki?", I asked, stumped at her sight.
My sister stood with a garland around her neck, her hairline lined with vermillion.

And the man beside her.

"The storm came too soon, didn't it, Rani sa?", Akhilesh Vohra stood, beaming beside her.
I heard Aviram draw in a sharp breath.

I glanced at him, gulping nervously.
He looked back at me, helpless.

And thus, the storm had started.

•••