Aviram :

I stood in silence, before the hospital door.
Staring at it, thoughtlessly.

I had set out to drop Nayantara to the airport. She had been assured that her Maa was perfectly fine and there would be no problem anytime soon. She boarded the flight with Santosh.
Just then I had received a call from the hospital.

The doctor stood beside me, drawing in a deep breath.
"Vinay refuses any treatment, Rajaji. He says he only wishes to meet you.", He said.
"He'll die.. won't he?", I asked softly.
"If he doesn't let treatment be done, he sure will.", The doctor stated plainly.

I dragged my feet into the room.
I had the one who had hit him, so much so, that he was now here.

He was awake as I walked down to the hospital bed.
"Ram..", He mumbled.
I could see the cuts and bruises, clear in the hospital lights. His lower lip had a cut that constantly bled.

My heart wrenched.
Even after whatever he had done, he was my brother.
Step brother, but brother.

I inhaled a deep breath.
He slowly sat up, using all the strength he had.
"You can lie back.", I said in a whisper.

"You are too kind, aren't you?", He asked, breaking into a painful smile.
I felt my throat go numb.
"Am I?", I asked, softly.
"Yes.. you are a good man after all.", He said.
"Let them treat you.", I said getting to the point.

"I can't.. I deserve this Bhaisaab..", He whispered.
"No one deserves death, Vinay.", I said finally unable to hold myself back.

Being stone hearted and punishing people was truly difficult.
I placed my hand on his bruised hand, on the edge of a break down.

"You still have sympathy? You.. you still want me to live..? Why?", He asked, speaking through his pain.

"You were my brother, Vinay.. I trusted you. I-I loved you.", I mumbled finally, feeling tears itch my eyes.
There were good old memories with him, times when we didn't have a care about the throne, times where we were truly brothers.
There were moments when my father had abandoned me in the dark edge of the palace for the sake of punishment and he had come to rescue.

"Ram..", He whispered, "You must go back to Devika."

I looked up, taken aback.

"Anamika has something in mind.. it's not a physical attack or anything. It's a person. She had called him, I heard her.", He said.

I raised a brow.
"But—"
"I regret everything I did, but I deserve no apology, Ram. If you insist I will undergo treatment.. but let me suffer in the prison.."
"Regret is the greatest punishment, Vinay. You don't need to—"
"Please.", He whispered.

I drew in a deep breath and nodded.
He shut his eyes, almost giving up.

"Doctor! Check on him!", I shouted as I stood up.
The doctors rushed in.

I drew in a deep breath and walked out.

A person? What is Anamika even up to?

•

Devika :

I slowly opened my eyes.
"Hey Devi.", I heard. I immediately sat up.
"No.. you can't be here!", I said.

"Of course I can!", She said grinning widely.
The same childlike charm intact.
"Naina!", I snapped at her grinning back.

She was my bestie from college. She was into western dance while I was into classic. Nevertheless we went along crazily well.
She wore a crop top with jeans, hair with a blue highlight and a tattoo saying "YOLO" on her wrist.

"Girlie you've got such a huge palace! I can't believe you actually became a queen!", Naina said standing up.
I narrowed my eyes,
"Huh! Don't be jealous, okay?"

"Haww.. of course I am.", She said sticking her tongue out.
"Huh!", I said slowly turning to get off the bed.

"Came here to invite you for our lunch with friends.", She said.
"In Jodhpur? Wow.", I said amused.
"Thank Akki for that. He's starting a project here so he invited all of us for lunch next week. ", She said.

"Akki?", I asked, confused.
"Akhilesh Vohra.. the hottie from B.Com. Come on ya Devi! The same guy who proposed you!", Naina said dramatically.

I drew in a deep breath remembering him.

Oh yes. How could I forget?
I heard a vase topple outside the room.

I stood up, and the pain shot through my whole being.
"Ow!", I shouted immediately as I sat back on the bed.

The door opened immediately and he rushed in.
Aviram Raghuvanshi it was, evasdropping on his wife.

"Why do you have to do such things Leela?! There's legit cuts under your sole and you have to pull off such stunt! Nayan is more mature than you!", He said half annoyed as he knelt down before me, looking down at my feet.

He was about to touch my feet to check the bandages when I immediately pulled them up on the bed.

"Let me check—"
"You can't touch my feet, Rajaji. If my Babuji hears of it he'll have a heart attack.", I said immediately.

Aviram exhaled in annoyance.

"Umm.. Hi, I guess.", Naina said awkwardly.

Aviram looked at her, even more annoyed.

Did I mention he looks extremely hot when he's angry?

His jaws were clenched, the look of annoyance in his eyes somehow made his features even more prominent.

"How irresponsible are you? Can't you see she's got hurt? You're supposed to be caring!", He said irritably.

Naina stared at him awkwardly.
"Naina, we'll talk later, okay?", I said finally.
Naina gulped nervously tearing her gaze from him to me.
She nodded and walked out of the room.

I looked at Aviram with narrowed eyes.

He turned to look at me.

"What? Why are you giving me that look?", He asked, as if not understanding anything.
I drew in a deep breath.

The King of Jodhpur, the sole heir to the Raghuvanshi lineage behaving so dumb was lowkey humourous.
And cute.

"You shouted at my friend.", I said.
"So? I mean she should take care!", He said almost enraged.

I sighed as I sat back on the bed, my back against the backrest.
He looked at me for moments and then went and sat near my feet.

"Now don't touch my feet, Ram.", I said sharply.
He narrowed his eyes.
"I am the king of Jodhpur and your husband.. I will do whatever I like.", He said.
"Haw! You'll not listen to me?", I asked dramatically.

He said nothing as he edged closer and carefully placed my heels on his thigh.
"If Babuji has a heart attack don't blame me.", I said sighing.

He smiled softly as he carefully removed the bandages.

"You know all these orthodox thoughts about men not touching women's feet and women being inferior is created by us humans? No scriptures ever said any of that. In fact..", He placed the bandage on one side and pulled the first aid box kept at the corner of the bed.

"There are actual idols and pictures with Lord Krishna and even Mahadev, washing their wife's feet.", He said.

I blinked twice, taken aback.
"But my father—"
"He's still among those who read the scriptures with so much reverence but learn nothing.", He said simply.
The smile on his lips was beautiful, as if he was living a beautiful dream.

As much as I admired his knowledge, I admired his serenity more.
A while ago he was behaving so panicked and now he peacefully sat changing the bandages.

How am I not supposed to fall in love?

"Where were you all this while, Ram?", I asked softly.
He drew in a deep breath.
"Vinay is in the hospital.. thanks to me.", He said.
"It's not your fault, Ram. I still remember what he did to you.", I said sharply.

Ram looked at me, with a tragic smile.

"He's still family.", He said softly.
The bandaging was done.

I nodded, knowing this was who he was. Ever so forgiving when it came to his family.
Although I did not approve of it, I accepted it.

He placed my feet back on the bed and stood up.

"Don't leave..", I mumbled.
He smiled, a little wider.

Somehow, for the first time, his eyes didn't match his lips.
They spoke of an unsettling fear.

"Are you okay?", I asked softly.
He said nothing as he walked down to me. He sat right beside me, his hand on mine, tightly.

"You won't leave me, right?", He asked. I somehow heard the subtle tremor in his voice.
"Why would I?", I asked softly, "You are my husband, the man I have finally fallen in love."
He looked down.
"No.. just.. if there is anyone better—"

"There can be several Prince Charmings, but the Beauty will always choose her Beast.", I said with a soft smile.

He looked up, looking subtly hopeful.

He just wrapped his arms around me, resting his forehead on my collar. His nose just under my throat, I could feel his warm breath on my skin. I wrapped my arms around him too, holding him tight.

I did not know the reason behind his fear.

It was just too early for me to realise, this time the Prince Charming was too deceptive to decipher.

•••

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