The cool evening sweetened by Charu's low humming while she moved around Abhijishya's chamber spreading the smoky fragrance of incense soothed Abhijishya amidst her tremulous thoughts. Parnika had been asking for her. She could see Reva's pleading eyes in her mind as Reva urged her to visit Parnika. How could she? With what face would she go? If only she hadn't asked Parnika to go investigating that day, she wouldn't be suffering such now. The least she could do is make her medicines personally. Adding a few leaves of marigold, Abhijishya continued rolling her pestle on the mortar.

Footsteps sounded against the marble floor of her chamber. Abhijishya didn't have to look up to know to whom those belonged but she was thrown slightly off the balance. She wasn't expecting Nakul in her chamber anytime soon.

His feet halted. Abhijishya heard Charu greet Nakul before continuing to spread the incense around. This time she was not humming. Her pestle grinded away on the mortar. That sound seemed to be speaking for them enough and neither greeted the other.

Some tense moments slipped by before Abhijishya heard him speak, "Would you like me to finish making the medicine? You must be doing so for a while."

In the next moment, Abhijishya looked up at him, anger climbing from the pit of her stomach as a mocking laugh escaped her. "Rajkumar Nakul's words have merit. Afterall, I am too incompetent to even make a wound healing herbal paste, aren't I?"

His eyebrows furrowed as the significance if her words dawned upon him. "Is this about what I-" He cut off mid sentence realising Charu was still present in the room.

"Privacy," Nakul declared stiffly.

Charu appeared hesitant then glanced at her.

"She won't be leaving until I say so," Abhijishya answered back then went back at her task.

She heard Nakul huff, feeling a slight petty pleasure in testing his patience.

"Gods, you are being so childish," the comment was spoken in a low tone but it reached her ears. Abhijishya clenched her jaw to avoid snapping back at him as she transferred the last of the freshly made paste into a granite saucer.

"Charu, here," she handed over the article. "Apply this gently on Parnika's wound as you always do. Be liberal with it's use and don't let the paste dry over the injury. Now, you may leave."

Charu looked worriedly at Nakul then back at her but nodded nonetheless. Holding the saucer carefully, she hurriedly walked away.

"I wasn't being childish, Arya. It is called understanding one's priorities. I thought the healer in you was capable of discerning that but again I could be mistaken given your current actions," Abhijishya remarked taking an intentional dig at Nakul.

Having placed his crown on the dressing table, Nakul turned around to face his wife. His breaths were coming more deeply as if regulating his emotions. In a controlled voice, he said, "Oh? And what actions might those be, Rajkumari Abhijishya? Please enlighten me."

Abhijishya bristled inwardly at his composure as a scoff passed her lips. "Truly you do not know?" She raised her eyebrow then seethed, "Who in their right mind orders a cavalry to surround an infirmary? There were patients, some of their families. There were handicapped people, elderly folks, women, a few children. Your decision started a fire which almost completely demolished the infirmary."

Nakul tensed at her words, his eyes now mirroring her anger. "We were holding the short end of the stick. There was no time because the news of us being aware of the misdeeds inside the infirmary was leaked. So don't spew nonsense when you don't know all the facts."

Abhijishya gasped out an incredulous laughter. "Brilliant, truly brilliant Rajkumar. Your failure to inform me now is also my fault. Hadn't I informed you the moment I had an inkling of the happenings inside the infirmary? Why didn't you tell me anything then?"

"I don't answer to you. I did not deem your involvement necessary therefore I didn't inform you," the words were said quietly carrying a warning which Abhijishya dismissed with a huff.

"Right. You didn't deem it necessary," Tears sprung up to her eyes as her heart quivered but her fury was greater. She now stood before him with her eyes ablaze, "Did. Not. Deem. Necessary. You didn't deem necessary to inform me when you knew! You knew I had sent Parnika to gather information. She has paid the price of your whimsical decision by losing her voice."

Nakul faltered at her words, almost reached out for a second but retorted defensively, "She is a civilian, Abhijishya. You should have asked me to send a spy. It was sensitive situation so collateral damage-"

"What is wrong with you?" Her voice was bordering on a shout. "First, you didn't deem it necessary to tell me anything. Then your soldiers didn't deem it necessary to attend to a civilian that was lying in a pool of blood with her throat slit open. If Rachit hadn't brought her back when he did, then she would have died."

"Lower your voice," Nakul snapped. Perhaps some other day Mohini would have read her Nakul's guilt and seen the burdens which weighed him down but today Abhijishya only saw his blame on her. "Everything could have been avoided if you were not avoiding me. I needed your counsel but you weren't available. Go on, deny it. I dare you."

"Don't put this on me," her mouth felt dry as her breath hitched. "Don't you dare put this one me. I have been preoccupied looking after the infirm-"

Nakul rubbed his face, letting out a derisive snort. "Yes, ofcourse. You were busy looking at forged documents so sincerely that you missed miscreants carrying away opium right under your nose. You were so busy that you didn't even know about Ahim until a few days. I wish you wouldn't have been so busy because now I have to shoulder all the blame."

"So it is about me tarnishing your name," she felt disgusted.

He let out a frustrated noise. "I did not mean it that way and you know it. All your achievements and failures are mine while mine are yours. I cannot just excuse what happened under your supervision. So it is best that you stay removed from everything related to the infirmary from now on."

"I can't just close my eyes and pretend that the infirmary doesn't exist," Abhijishya protested. "It is my duty-"

"Then I relieve you of your duty. Jyesth has placed the responsibility for watching over the reconstruction work on Ratnagir and I am investigating the happenings," Nakul levelled her with a piercing stare.

Abhijishya defiantly stared back.

"It was not a request," Nakul grit out. "Every other minister is now doubtful about the finances because you are looking over that as Panchali is preoccupied with Nika. The matter of the infirmary needs to be handled firmly. You being the head of the reconstruction, will cause the criminals to try their hand at something again."

"I am not lackadaisical towards my duties. I have been sincere," her lips trembled but Abhijishya straightened her posture. "I can handle it efficiently and firmly. And you know it." She accused, her eyes narrowing into blades.

"Do I?" came his quiet reply. Abhijishya had to stop herself from staggering back. "I trusted you for the same but..."

'You failed me' he didn't say but she heard his voice in her head. There were a hundred denials on the tip of her tongue and a thousand apologies stuck in her throat but all that came out was a plea.

"Give me this chance then. I need to make everything right. I just-" a sob passed her lips and Abhijishya bit them forbidding herself from crying. She felt like she was shrinking within herself. There was also disbelief. Had she been reduced to begging?

His eyes were pained and almost pitying. Nakul spoke gently, his hands encircling hers and drawing her in. "Don't be like this. Pleading doesn't suit you. What I am doing is for your best. Focus on Anvi instead. You haven't been spending time together. For once just listen to me-"

Abhijishya wrenched herself away from his arms. "Don't bring our daughter into this," she spat furiously. "I have been acting as both her parents when you are too busy to even remember the last time you spent time with her.  You always remain neck deep in your duties even with Sahadev's help. I help you with more than half your responsibilities but you still don't get enough time to teach her horse riding as she had been asking you for more than three months. You know why she stopped asking? I bet you don't. But I know. She told me that her father doesn't have time for her so she might as well start to learn things on her own. Atleast I would be there to help her."

She took savage pleasure in seeing his expression shutter. Nakul shook his head, his voice trembling with disbelief and denial, "You are making this up because I supported Minister Atulya's remark. Gods, how can you be so petty!"

"You think I would lie about our daughter?! You think-" tears rolled down her face. Abhijishya wanted to shake her husband, make him look into her eyes and see the truth. "Do you want to hear that it stung when you supported Minister Atulya? Yes it did. You made me question my worth, my sincerity and my work ethics. But I am not weak. I know when something is not my fault. And no one can make me believe that I was negligent towards my duties. Not even you. So I will speak to Maharaj and I will look into the matter of illegal opium transport in my own way."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Abhijishya faltered at the rage that bloomed in Nakul's face. His voice started soft and with every word volume increased, "You would go against me when I publicly made it clear I didn't want you in this matter. I see how it is. You think you know better that your husband who has been brought up being drilled politics, battle tactics, law and administration all his life. Could you be any more insolent? If you had been born in a Kshatriya family like Panchali or any other Kshatriya blooded woman of Aryavarta, you wouldn't be so delusional about your capacity and have trust in mine."

The last words came out as a shout. Abhijishya flinched hard, her eyes blurry from tears falling down her cheeks. Her head hurt as her breaths came faster and shorter. It was like all her fears were being realised in one day and she felt herself struggling to not crumble. Her husband who had so easily thrown everything she was insecure about at her face stood before her breathing hard with his eyes closed. She didn't know whether he regretted what he said and didn't want to discern any reason of his speech.

"Matashree?" an uncertain voice called from the threshold of her chamber. Anvi stood there, peeking through the parted door, fear and worry clear in her face, the cloth bag containing her dance anklets still on her shoulder.

Abhijishya turned around, hastily patted her cheeks dry and smiled, beckoning her inside. "Come in dearest. How was your dance lesson?"

Anvi ran into her arms, glancing briefly at her father then buried her face into her mother's chest. Abhijishya embraced back with a ferocity she wasn't able to control. "Sweetheart, what is wrong? Why didn't you freshen up first and have some snacks?"

"Rajkumari! Rajkumari- Oh, forgive me Rajkumar, I told little Rajkumari to not come here but she came running," Reva stood near the doors, panting from chasing Anvi.

"It is fine. Anvi is always welcome," Nakul spoke up, a tad bit awkward. "You may leave."

Reva murmured a few more apologies and left.

"Anvi?" Abhijishya nudged her daughter, her heart sinking at the dawning realization that perhaps Anvi had heard their argument. Anvi didn't make a move to loosen her hold but mumbled something.

Nakul came closer and placed his hand on their daughter's head. His previous anger was now replaced by worry for Anvi but Abhijishya stiffened at their proximity. "Won't my sweet daughter tell her Pitashree who happened to upset her?"

"I heard you shouting at Maa," Anvi pulled away from Abhijishya to avoid Nakul's touch while grasping on Abhijishya's veil. Anvi's young face was uncertain but her eyes shone with determination. "Maa doesn't shout at me while scolding," she accused her father. "But you were yelling. Everyone outside could hear you and they were whispering among themselves. I heard the dasis saying bad things about Mata. They were saying you don't love us anymore-"

"Anveeksha," Abhijishya rebuked her daughter as she watched Nakul's expression crumble with shame and hurt. "You will not speak to your father this way. Your father and I just had a disagreement." It hurt. It hurt to pronounce each word pouring in her resolve and belief. It hurt to expand her lungs and not break in front of her daughter. It hurt because she struggled to keep her daughter safe from her insecurities, her doubts and her faults. It hurt because Anvi was looking at her with so much hope as if wishing for her to keep her world intact, as if wishing for her to tell that her beloved father was not in fault.

So Abhijishya did exactly that. She swallowed her hurts and spoke strongly, "I know I have always taught you to stay quiet in your anger then speak once you are thinking clearly. But today I and your father were very tired. There are things going on in the kingdom which are quite difficult for us to deal with. So both of us lost our tempers. If you would have arrived earlier then you would have heard me yelling. You should have seen your father look like a kitten then." She smirked- fake- to wipe away any doubt Anvi had. Her daughter still looked unsure but seemed to accept her words and smiled a little.

Nakul had composed himself by then. He knelt down, took Anvi hands in his and said sincerely, "I apologise for scaring you. I didn't mean to raise my voice as such. I love you and your mother more than anything. Never doubt that. And I apologise to your mother as well for my behaviour."

He was looking at her but all Abhijishya heard was- apologise for my behaviour but not my words- apologise to your mother but not my wife- why do your words sound parroted, darling?- she wanted to demand but she smiled, laughed softly- so fake- and said, "Apology accepted, dear. Now, wouldn't Rajkumari Anveeksha pardon her parents for squabbling like children?"

Anveeksha giggled, then lifted her chin to pose as an arrogant princess, "Rajkumari forgives you." Her hands found both her parents' and she implored, "But promise me, you both won't fight like this ever again."

Nakul stood up and placed a kiss on Anvi's forehead, adding, "Anything my princess wants." while Abhijishya nodded and said, "Ofcourse, my sweet."

"Now, you are sweaty from your dance lessons. Be a dear and get yourself freshened up," Abhijishya added sternly. Anvi blew her reddened cheeks, vehemently denying her claim," I am not sweaty. But I am hungry. So I will go bathe because one should always be clean before meals." Saying so, she marched away towards the door. Before leaving, she turned to look at them again and Abhijishya smiled back reassuringly. Anvi smiled wider and left.

Abhijishya slumped her shoulders feeling drained. She shook as sobs passed her lips, wiping at the tears that now came freely.

There stood Nakul beside her, so close yet so infinitely far. His face- a myriad of emotions which Abhijishya was too tired to decipher. He opened his mouth as if to say something but Abhijishya was just so tired.

"Go," her breath hitched but she cleared her throat enough to string another sentence. "Take Anvi to the kitchens and share some snacks between the both of you. Spend some time with her."

He gulped- a million unsaid words, explanations, perhaps apologies and desperate declarations of love- and remained mum. He looked tired too.

Abhijishya closed her eyes, turned away not wishing to see the same tiredness of hers mirrored in him, "Go." Please- she didn't say but this he heard all the same.

Nakul left.

A.N. - Wow okay... that a lot to upack in this chapter.

Vote if you liked this chapter and let me know in the comments below what are your thoughts regarding this part of the story.

Bet none of you expected an update this soon :"P

Until the next time,

Byeee :")