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Abhinandan POV

"There is no future for Mahabaleshgarh," I said, and he coughed even harder.

"Abhinandan Mahabalesh, do not speak like that," my mother's voice caught my attention. I immediately turned to look at her, her face a mix of anger and tears. "This Kingdom is not a silver spoon to be used until you grow up and decide to throw it away. It has its value, its people, who look after a King for their betterment," she said, and I lowered my gaze.

"It is not an option. Through my womb, you are born with an inescapable duty to wear the crown. You cannot overlook it," she declared, her words like a heavy cloak settling on my shoulders. I inhaled deeply, feeling the weight of her expectations and the gravity of my decision, trying to steady my racing heart.

"Is that what you are concerned about amid all of this?" I asked, and she looked into my eyes as I stepped closer to her.

"I know you are upset with us, with your father and broken knowing that he is suffering, but all of us are suffering too. Your grandmother, the people and I. We are suffering too. It does not mean we will not look upon our responsibilities and weigh them with our moods," she exclaimed, and my grandmother held her hand. "Calm down, Abhishree; give him a little time to decide," she suggested.

"How can he say that there is no future for Mahabaleshgarh? Maa Saheb?" she asked, and I gulped, lowering my gaze.

"I am sorry, Maasa," I immediately apologised, realising she had done too much for the Kingdom and us.

"Abhinandan, please, my son. I am sorry for whatever happened. But, please fulfil my last wish," my father's breaking voice caught my attention, and I looked away.

"I do not want to marry now," I said, and suddenly, my grandmother looked up at me.

"But, you said you wanted to," she said out loud despite my sight's warning.

"I have changed my mind," I declared in a slow voice.

"What changed your mind?" she asked, and I turned around.

"She lied to me twice, Daadisa. First, about her meeting with Baapusa, she hid his health from me," I could not stop myself from saying, and my father asked.

"Who? Trisha," he asked and added. Why does she matter here? Her wedding went well?" I could not believe he had forgotten about the girl who had risked our friendship for him in a matter of days.

"Unbelievable," I cursed out.

"She is the girl he wishes to marry," My daadisa spoke before I could, and a slight pause of silence followed.

"You will not marry her," he said, his voice now determined.

And, I thinned my brows. He was on his deathbed, but he could not keep his political opinions away.

"And why not?" I asked in anger.

"She is unfit to be married to a Prince. The crown and the people will never accept her as the Queen and the heir's mother," he said, and I chuckled.

"But, the King can beg her to bring his son back," I said, and he coughed harder.

"It was a different matter, Abhi," he said, and I shook my head.

"You are unbelievable. You can accept a slave's son as your son-in-law but cannot let a commoner sit on the throne beside your son. Why? Because Rudra became a King, and she is not a Princess," I pointed, and he inhaled sharply.

"Because Rudra earned it. And she is nothing. What does she know of being a Queen?" he asked, and I could feel his fever lowering as his voice rose.

"And, after all, it is Mahabaleshgarh. We only marry Royals by blood," he added, and I looked away.

"You are such a hypocrite, Baapusa. Nandani can marry whoever she wants, but I cannot,"

"Yes, because she is the daughter meant to belong to another home, and a son is the true lineage. Your heir will sit on Mahabaleshgarh's throne, not hers. Come out of this weird obsession of always comparing yourself with her. She is gone," he said, and I lowered my gaze.

"We have high expectations from you, Abhi," he finished, turning softer, coughing harder.

"I am afraid, but the King's situation is getting worse. He must rest," the physician interrupted. I glared at him, and he immediately looked down.

"Raj, let him," Daadisa said, and he shook his head.

"Very well. I am not even going to marry her after all. She is just a liar," I said and closed my eyes. How could she hide such an important thing from me?

It was fucked up.

I was hanging between betrayal, duty and desire.

I did not know which blade cut me deeper. I could not comprehend which wound was dangerous. Knowing about my father's health or knowing that I wanted to marry a girl about whom I knew nothing. She did not speak her heart to me. She did not tell me things she knew that would concern me.

"Abhinan," my mother placed her hand on my shoulder as I sat beside my father. I could not help but hug her tightly. She placed her hands on my head and gently caressed it.

"The life of a man is as difficult as privileged it sounds. I know you are confused and upset, and it is not the right time to make decisions for your life. But if you do not act sooner, it will be late. As your father, I also wish the same. What would I do after him?" she asked, and I closed my eyes, sobbing silently.

"Whoever you want to marry. I am with you. It is not the blood that builds the throne; it is the power required to make it survive. And, given the option, she will learn to be a Queen. Once a person sits on the throne, he learns how to be comfortable on it," she said, and I pulled away from her.

"But she lied to me, Maasa. I cannot trust her enough," I pointed out, and suddenly, my father interfered.

"I will never rest in peace if you marry a commoner. I do not hate her. She is a perfect girl, but my dear son, questions about the heir's fitting on the throne will be raised. The people will not accept it. It is the fear that has run the Kingdom for centuries. The fear we build among the enemies, among the people to keep ourselves tight in the positions by establishing relationships with the other Kingdoms through marriages and alliances," he said with a broken voice, and I shook my head.

"You have proven yourself a great King, but as you said, you are a terrible father," I said, standing up from there to leave already.

I returned to my chamber and sat on the couch, palming my face.

I hated everyone. And, primarily, my father and Trisha.

For the next few days, I could not help but stay beside my father until his fever broke, and he looked well. I talked to the physicians, and they said the same thing. His disease was different, and with time, he would keep losing his ability to fight with it and would have a slow and painful death. Even after I had a different opinion than his, these words slit me sharper than the swords.

He was my father, after all. I hated him, and that did not mean I wished him to die.

It was another day, and he spoke again about my marriage. He stopped sitting on the throne and began caring for the matters through his chamber only. My mother was always beside him, weakening herself as always for him. She had grown silent over the days and spoke less to me.

"Abhi," suddenly, my grandmother's voice caught my attention, and I stood up from the couch to help her walk in.

"You should have called me Daadisa," I said, and she smiled weakly when I helped her sit down on the couch and sat beside her.

"It's Trisha's wedding today," she began, and I immediately looked away, inhaling deeply. "I know you are upset with her, rather angry, and if I chose the right word, you might hate her. But it was not her fault. We learned about Raj later, too. He did not tell us either," she said, and I palmed my face.

Placing her hand on my shoulder, she gently caressed it.

"After today, it will never be possible," she said, and suddenly, the soldiers announced my mother's presence, too.

I heard her footsteps as she walked in, and I looked up at her.

She smiled weakly, looking at me, and kissed my forehead.

"Take me to Guruji. I will talk to him," she said, and I shook my head.

"Why marry a girl who cannot even tell things of my concern?" I asked, and she sat beside me.

"It was not her place to tell you," she said, and I looked at her.

"But, she could have," I said, and my grandmother held my chin to make me look at her.

"After today, apart from your anger towards her, you will have the guilt of not stepping up for yourself," she said, and I shook my head.

"It's her wedding today, Daadisa. She will never like it," I said, and my mother turned my chin towards her.

"Did she deny marrying you?" she asked, and I lowered my gaze.

"Not clearly," I spoke, and she said again.

"I will talk to Guruji. Maybe he will stop her wedding,"

I shook my head. "You do not know him, Maasa. And why should I marry her?" I asked, and she stared blankly at me while shaking her head.

"This war of finding the answer to the 'Why' is only yours. We cannot help with that," she said, and my grandmother nodded.

"It is not like there is a drought of girls in the Kingdom. Abhinandan is right, Abhi. Why marry her? He does not love him, not even like her. And, now, he hates her too. So, why to marry her," she said, and I thinned my brows with confusion.

"I am with you, Abhinan. Do not marry her. We will find a better girl for you," she said, and my mother suddenly nodded.

"Yes, it's better. A girl who will tell him everything like a raven," she said, and I shook my head.

"Both of you must leave now," I spoke out and sighed deeply with frustration.

"You are not helping me," I said, and they stood up.

"Okay, by the way, Kheer is in lunch," my mother said, and I shook my head.

"You know I do not like sweets," I said, and she chuckled.

"But, I have heard that someone ate two pots of Kheer in the Pratapgarh," she said, and my grandmother interrupted.

"It must be someone's ghost, Abhi,"

I palmed my face and watched both of them leave.

Why were her thoughts even bothering me? It was her wedding today, and she should get married to Shantanu as she wanted. It was not like she said 'Yes' to my proposal.

But she did care about me and my family. Well, my father most of all.

Yes, she cared about my father; he wanted to see his grandchild. That was why I wanted to marry her.

I smiled as I figured out the 'Why'. She was worried about my father more than me, and she must fulfil his last wish.

Yes.

Yesssss.

I nodded and stood up from the couch. Grabbing my overcoat, I collected all my courage and walked out to the stable. Greeting my horse, I climbed over him and ran out with the small troop of soldiers.

She asked me the 'Why'.

Now, I had it. And, she must marry me.

I was very late. The sun was about to set, and by the time I reached her home, the Baarat had arrived, and the groom was waiting for her at the Mandap.

Shit.

I immediately stepped down my horse.

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