“Nandani, seriously, I’m not feeling up to it. There’s so much work, and I’m menstruating too,” I tried to lie, but she stopped to look into my eyes.
“Oh, I didn’t know,” she muttered.“Um… take a rest then. Don’t work,” she said, and I immediately regretted saying it.
“No, no, I’m perfectly fine. It’s the Princess’s birthday. I want to be part of it. Plus, the palace is flooded with guests, you know,” I inhaled deeply, and she gulped.
She smiled and cupped my cheeks to make me look at her.
“You’re trying to escape him,” she said in simpler words.
I tried to shake my head but eventually closed my eyes, agreeing.
In direct terms, I was doing precisely that.
“But why? It’s not like he will eat you,” she said, and I opened my eyes to look at her.“Trust me; he’s busy with Rudraja, Rudra, Prince Ranvijay, Nandan, and the guests. He hasn’t even had time to talk to me properly. They’re discussing politics. So, calm down,” she said, gently patting my hands.
I tried to nod.“Alright,”
“Now, get ready. What will I tell Rudraja once she gets older? What were her Maasi-maa AKA Kaaki-sa doing on her first birthday, hiding from her Kaako-sa?” she said, and I couldn’t help but chuckle slightly.
“Please, Nandani,” I whined, holding her hands.“You know I’m not family and never will be. Please don’t make me see dreams I’m trying to forget. I messed up, and he doesn’t want me anymore.” I explained, pleadingly, and she stepped closer.
“Tumhe bada pata hai unhein kya chaahiye or kya nahi. Pichle ek varsh mein aath rishte thukra chuke hain wo. Jab se Mehrangarh ka yuddh jeeta hai tabse aath rishte, samajhti ho kitne hote hain. Sabke liye mana kar diya hai unhone,”“Oh, shush you. What would you even know? He has rejected eight marriage alliances in the last year. Ever since he won the war of Mehrangarh, he has rejected eight girls. Do you understand how many of those are? He refused them all.” she said, and I bit my lip, lowering my fluttering gaze.
“But I might hurt him more, or what if he doesn’t want me anymore?” I asked, but she inhaled deeply and made me look at her.
“Rudra bhi yahi soch lete na ki, kya pata Nandani ko me chaahiye bhi ya nahi aur humein peeda denge to aaj wo Ranaji bhi nahi hote, humaare pati bhi nahi hote, aur Rudraja ka bhi janm nahi hua hota,”“If Rudra had also thought like you that maybe Nandani doesn’t want me, or he might hurt me more, then perhaps he wouldn’t be the king, nor would he be my husband, and Rudraja wouldn’t have been born either.” she explained with an example.
I lowered my gaze, feeling a mix of emotions.
She placed her hand on my chin and made me look at her.“Do you know what you want now? Do you have that clarity with you, Suman?” she asked.
I blinked at her face for a few moments and nodded slowly.
“What is it?” she asked, and I bit the inside of my cheek.
“Him…” I whispered.“I want him, and I think more than wanting, I need him, Nandani. He is the one who can handle me and hold me together. I mean, imagine he made me insane for him. What kind of power does he hold over me?” My voice came out slowly, and she smiled at me.
“Do you love him?” She asked, and I nodded immediately.
“I do, and now I know why it happened. It’s because I love him,” I drawled.
She kissed my forehead and caressed my cheek.
“Then it’s worth fighting for, Suman. All he wants for you is to be happy and healthy. Prove to him you are happy and healthy with him, not without him,” she suggested.
My voice was hoarse, and a lump formed in my throat as I asked,“How can I prove that to him, Nandani?”
She smiled weakly.“When you’ve figured it out this much, you’ll know that, too,” she answered.
“Bhabhi-sa!”
Hearing his voice from outside the chamber made butterflies flutter in my stomach.
I lowered my gaze and adjusted my dupatta as Nandani replied.“You can come in, Devar-sa.”
I shook my head at her, and she just smiled at me.
I turned around, hiding my face, and acted as if I were fixing the misplaced items when I heard him say,“It seems like Papaya needs her meal. She is crying and seems annoyed.”
