ROYAL AFFAIR
★ 8/9
CHAPTER EIGHT
Vidyut’s POV
“Son, plea-se you have to come back to me. I’m your father. ”
“Are you really that desperate that you can actually beg and say plea-se to me? Wow that’s an accomplishment, “he smiled then frowned.”I have told you that I nee-d time and space. ”
“Vidyut we have given you all the time you nee-d to forgive us. ”
“I wasn’t talking to you my queen, “he said the word in a disgusting manner. “Don’t forgive that it is all because of you. Don’t make me forget what my mother taught me. ”
“Son, I have told you that whatever happened in the past is not your mother’s fault. ”
“She’s not my mother! And never will. To me she is nothing but a husband snatcher and the destroyer f my life. ”
“Vidyut! “dad raised his voice at me. “Don’t ever talk to her like that again. ”
“Or what! ”
He sl@pped me. Twenty four years of my life he never raised his voice at me or sl@pped me and just for this queen of his he sl@pped me. I don’t believe this. I gave her a deadly look.
“Just because of you he sl@pped me, “I scoffed and looked at him. “I will never return back to you. I hate you all! I hate what you did to me. I was just a boy back then now I am a grown up man just wait and watch how I set this so called kingdom to ashes. I know that you want an successor to the throne and all your wife’s sons can’t rule because they don’t have those qualities and the capabilities to be king. I am my mother’s son, soft hearted but ruthless when upset. You just wait and watch how I won’t come to your rescue just like you never c@m£ for me and my mother. This is my revenge, “I said and walked out. I dumped into the last person I wanted to see. Not in this state. Not when I am in pain and tears. I turned my face away and made an attempt to pas-s by her which wasn’t a good idea though. She blocked my path ma-king me stare at her.
“I’m in my worst state now so plea-se just step aside, “I pleaded.
“So am I, “she said coldly. “I heard everything and I think you are seriously rude. ”
“Then st©p following me! I have no time for you okay. I hate you because you are an nuisance in my life. Just do me a favor and stay away from me, “I started to walk away but she blocked my path yet.
“I’m not done yet, “she said. “You hate me that’s cool, I am here to plea-se you but to get married to you, “she pointed at me. What she said cracked my funny bone.
“Well too bad because I don’t like you let alone loving you. I won’t get married to you or any other girl for that matter. I hate women, my S-xual feelings towards women are dead. ”
“I don’t care Vidyut. You have said what you wanted to say now listen to me, “she c@m£ closer. “I think you don’t want to reason with anyone. You think you are always right. Your father shouldn’t have sl@pped you he should have murdered you instead. ”
I shockingly looked at her.
“Yes he should. A son who can threaten his own father is not worthy of life. He should die instead. What you know is your side of the story there’s another piece which you know nothing about what you have completely shut up your ears. Vidyut, your father said that whatever happened in the past wasnt his fault or your mother’s. So just beat it and face the truth. ”
“I know everything! I know it all and I have seen it all. Do you even know what I had to go throu-gh just to be the prince of Rajasthan. Hell and I don’t think you know what that means. Have you lived in fear of your father and what he might do to you? I doubt it Anami. The man you’re defeating right now is not who you think he is, I went throu-gh so much pain just because of him. He r!pp£dme off my rights just because I was in love with someone else and not the girl they chose for me. You know nothing and you still defend him? To prove what? That you are the best daughter in law he will ever get. ”
“No, I just want to help you settle with your family and forgive them. I will help you find the truth. ”
“I don’t nee-d your help, “I turned to the other side and she blocked me again.
“Whether you like it or not, “she smiled at me.
“What is it that you want? ”
“To set you free and set off the burden on your shoulders. I know you won’t let me but I will go in by f0rç£. Maybe you haven’t heard but let me tell you that the girl you got betrothed to is a crazy girl who does whatever she wants and whatever she wants, she gets. She is as calm as a morning dew and angry as a storm when she is upset. I am not upset yet I will enter your life like a storm to then leave everything settled,”she raised herself on her toes and k!$$£d me on thel-ips which shocked me. I tensed as she cu-mpped my face and k!$$£d my forehead. She smiled and walked away leaving me still stunned.
What is she made of?
Anami’s POV
“She is my life and my heart. The beautiful maiden my heart melted to and her name is Love, “I re-ad the diary I found in the king’s room. “Chitruli gave me this special rose I will cherish forever. ”
Chitruli?
“This must be the place where the king met Vidyut’s mother. That means I have to go there. In order to find out the truth I have to start where the story began, “I wore my garment and rushed out of the house.
“Where do you think you are going? “a voice asked the moment I stepped out of the house. I li-cked myl-ips as I turned around.
“To find the truth. ”
“I have told you to stay out of this, didn’t I? ”
“Yes you did. ”
“Then why aren’t you listening to me Anami. ”
“Because when I set my mind on something is ha-rd for me to budge my mind of it. ”
“The king has chos£n a thorn instead of a wife for me, “he shook his head.
“Vidyut are you done with your catch up chat? ”
“Come with me, “he took my hand.
“No! I’m not going back on my decision so let go of ______. ”
“Shhhhhh! “he c@m£ closer to me with his f!nger on myl-ips. “Shut up, “he carried me in bridal style and took me to his car. He helped me put on my seat belt and he drove away.
“Where are you taking me? “I asked.
“I’m abducting you because it’s the only way to make you stay off my life. You have pricked me enough. ”
“WHAT! How can you even think like that? St©p the car now or I will jump off. ”
He locked the car doors and smiled.
“Vidyut, they will start looking for me and you’re the last person they saw me with. ”
“Who? As far as I remember no one know you are with me and my car windows are black tinted no one saw that you are inside. So who will they suspect? No one. ”
Tears clouded in my eyes. “Can you really go to that level just to keep me away from reaching the truth? Vidyut can you really be this heartless? ”
“Yes I can, “he replied.
I sighed and slumped my back on the seat and closed my eyes. I can’t believe he could be like this. I can’t believe it.
THREE HOURS LATER
“What is this place? “I asked him.
He smiled. “Your prison of course. ”
“Vidyut plea-se don’t do this to me. ”
“Anami, st©p thinking too much. I would never abduct you. You’re not that beautiful for me to abduct you, “he scoffed.
“So what are we doing there and what is this place. And whose house is this? ”
“Not Chitruli but Pathankot. He didn’t know the name of this village so he called it Chitruli so weird. You would have gone lost had I let you go alone. ”
“Thank you, “I smiled.
“Not welcome. ”
“Is this where you lived? ”
“Yes. ”
“Going in or not? ”
He looked into my eyes. He was scared, I saw the little boy un-der the be-d hiding himself from the monsters around him in his eyes. All he nee-ds is a hand to help him. I intertwined our hands and walked in with him
He looked around and smiled faintly.
“Still has her fragrance, “he said.
“She was beautiful, “I said looking at the ph0to on the wall. “You look a lot like her. ”
“That’s what people used to say. ”
I walked around the house trying to find clues.
“How did she die? ”
He looked up the ceiling and I traced his eyes.
“Oh my god! “I exclaimed looking at the rope hanging on the roof. “She committed suicide. ”
He shut his eyes and ran out of the house.
“Aaaaaaaaah! “he screamed.
“Vidyut control yourself. ”
“Leave me alone. I did tell you to not do this. This place haunt me because I saw my mother hanging down there lifeless Anami. ”
“If you don’t want this to hurt you til death you have to let go of the pain. Tell me what really happened so that I can help you. ”
“She committed suicide because of my father. He had left her with a promise that he will come back. First he lied to my mother that he is a common man, he didn’t tell her that he is a prince of Rajasthan, the crown prince. He fell in love with her, secretly got married to her. He left with a promise to come back to her but he never returned for her and me. Then one day she got sick that she scared me to death. My father’s dep@rture left her in pain with no measures. To make matters worse the villagers made fun of her every hour of the day. I lived my life as a stigmatized child not knowing that I have royal blood running throu-gh my veins. One day she c@m£, said some things to my mom and after that my mother did that. ”
“Who is she? ”
“Divya, the queen. ”
“So you don’t know what she told her? ”
He shook his head. “I can’t stay here. It makes me sick, “he walked away.
I walked back into the house and went into what seemed to be his room and searched the entire place but show nothing. I went to her room. I searched throu-gh the drawers still no clue.
“No one commit suicide without a reason . She must have written a letter or something, “I looked around. Accidentally my phone fell down, I knelt down to retrieve it andmy eyes fell on a white paper sheet un-der the be-d. I retrieved it and unfolded it. No writing, I ran my f!ngersalong the paper then picked up a charcoal on the drawers, sprinkled a little on it. That when the letters bec@m£ visible. I quietly re-ad the letters. I couldn’t believe it. I folded the letters and put them in my bag then walked out.
Vidyut’s POV
She walked out looking like she has seen a ghost.
“Are you okay? ”
She just stared at me and shook her head.
“Anami, what happened? ”
“Nothing, “she replied. “Let’s go back home everyone must be worried for us. We had long left home. ”
“Anami, you_________”
“Let’s go home! I’m tired okay. ”
“Okay, okay you don’t have to shout at me. Get in. ”
“Thank you. ”
The journey back home was awkwardly quiet that I thought one of us is mute. ”
Anami’s POV
I rushed over to the king’s study and I found him behind his desk working.
“Anami, what brings you in here dear? ”
“Why? “I asked.
“What are you talking about? ”
“Shivanya Singh Gill, “I replied. “Why? ”
He just stared at me shocked.
CHAPTER NINE
“Why? “I asked.
“What have you found out? ”
“You tell me everything. I think he deserves to know the truth. I found this letter at Pathankot in her room, she had hidden it or may lost it. But I want you to tell me everything. ”
“Yes I was in love and I got married to the most beautiful maiden in Pathankot. ”
“But I thought you didn’t know the name of the village that’s why you called it Pathankot. ”
“I wrote Chitruli to mislead my father. He would go to any extend to make sure that i was separarated from my love. He won’t have hesitated to take her life. Whatever I did was to protect her. I left with the hope that I will talk and reason with my father but he didn’t listen to me. I tried going back but it was impossible. I swear I never knew she was pregnant til Divya went there to talk to her and ask her to come to Rajasthan with her to be her royal personal advisor. There she saw a little boy and suspected that he is my son. As a good wife with a mother’s heart she asked me to go back and take her as my first wife. We went there, Vidyut was at school and she was alone. We found her in her worst state. She was sick,she had lost her mind. We forcibly took her to the hospital and there we found out that she was slowly losing her right state of mind meaning that at some time and point she would hurt anyone including her son. I had to protect my son from her. Somehow she c@m£ to know about her condition and I don’t know what c@m£ into her mind that she took that step. It was so sad watching my son cry like that. I took him in but he has never been able accept me as his father. He thinks I am the reason his mother committed suicide. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the reason his mother took her life. I love him so much to tell him that his mother was losing her mind not because I was the reason but because it was just a disease that c@m£. I didn’t kill her, “he wept.
“Why don’t you tell him? ”
“He really loved his mother . If he finds out the truth he will be broken Anami. ”
I moisten myl-ips. “But still he has to know the truth about what happened to his mother. Do you realize that your kingdom will be burnt down for ashes if he doesn’t take his position as the prince. What is Rajasthan’s future without a king? ”
“He has vowed to destroy his father so shall it be. ”
“Father I don’t un-derstand why he hates you. Did you really put him throu-gh hell like he say. ”
“Maybe I did without realizing. I was raised up by an orthodox father, I tried so much to change that attitude and mentality. I agree that I didn’t like the girl of his choice because he was alre-ady betrothed to you. I wanted him to get married to the girl of my choice. I had thought he would let her go the moment I took his right as a prince but I had forgotten that a young person in love is like a mad person. He is my son and he is stubborn just like me but I was not that br@ve like him to stand by my love. He showed ne what a real man can do for love, I finally gave in to him and allowed him to d@t£ and marry any girl he wants. It’s unfortunate that the girl fell in love with the other brother and left him. He cursed me and said that I wanted that to happen. Why would I wish bad for my son Anami? There’s nothing I can do to make him my son again. He hates me and his family so much. ”
“Don’t worry I know what to do. I believe I c@m£ here with a reason and not just to get married to your son. As his wife to be I will perform my duty. ”
“What are you going to do? ”
I smiled at her. “I know how to handle him. By tomorrow morning your son will dine with the rest of the family that’s my promise to you. ”
“I have an interesting story to share with you, “I said looking at him.
“What? ”
I took out my phone and pla-yed the voice recording. After listening to it he had nothing but say. All he could do was shaking his head and cry.
“I have revealed everything to you but you do with the truth is your call Vidyut. This is the truth behind your mother’s death. Your father whom you have been insulting for years is innocent, that mother you have been disrespecting is innocent. She tolerated everything you said and did to her without saying a word. You never appreciated her love, she loves you more than her own flesh and blood. Where have you seen a step mother love her step kids like she loves and cherish you huh? Ponder over what I asked you and you will find all the answers you nee-d, “I said coldly and left him to think things throu-gh. I know I was harsh and he deserves it. Not everything he says and thinks is the truth. I have solved the problem what he does is up to him but I won’t let him take the wrong step again. He has to come back home, he has been a stranger for quite a long time.
They kept looking up the stairs for him but he didn’t show up. Father sighed and glanced at me.
“It looks like your plan didn’t work out dear but it’s okay, “he plastered a smile. He was hurt and trying to hide his pain. I nodded and looked up the stairs. Come on Vidyut make me proud. I have promised your parents that you will have breakfast with the whole family today so you have to come.
“Let’s eat, “he ordered. Everyone set their eyes on the plates except me. I couldn’t digest the fact that I didn’t make an impact in his heart. Doesn’t he believe it, doesn’t he trust me?
“Anami, why aren’t you eating? “mom asked me.
“I’m eating, “I f0rç£d a smile and got hold of my spoon. I once again looked up.
“He is never going to come, “Akash whispered in my ear ma-king me want to cry.
“I know, “I said softly.
“Don’t you guys know it’s wrong to eat when the family is not complete? ”
We all looked up to see him at the stair case looking at us. His mom and dad shockingly stood up not believing their eyes. It wasn’t him or was him?
“Vidyut? “they chocked up as they scanned him out. He was wearing a violet and white royal shewarni with a crown on his head. He was smoking h0t. I have seen his handsome side but not this side. This time he had a smile on his face, no frown and angry eyes. Everyone technically st©pped whatever they were doing even the royal servants. We were all shocked to see him. Well not me I was mostly shocked by his beauty. This guy is the embodiment of male beauty. Is he even human or is he a vampire? Or a Greek God? No! No he is more than that. His shoulders are so broad and his physique is worth dying for!
“Anami what are you doing? ”
That question snapped me out of my thoughts only to wake up to find myself holding his shoulders and looking like a fool. I turned around to see everyone staring at me weirdly.
“Ummm ____I was trying to check whether he is real or it’s his ghost, “I said nervously ru-bbing my n£¢k.
“Even that’s what we want to know, “Amit said.
“Come guys if I was a ghost you won’t have been able to see me or t©uçh me. I would have freaked out all of you. I’m really here and plea-se don’t embarras-s me by looking at me like that because it wasn’t easy for me to come down here wearing this. ”
We all looked at each other.
“I don’t think taking a bath, dressing up would take you ages to come and eat your breakfast,”I said with a smile. “The right words should be apologizing isn’t an easy thing, “I whispered in his ear and he sm-irked.
“Precisely, “he replied back ma-king me crack up with laughter.
“Son, come let’s have breakfast, “the king said with a nervous smile.
“Okay. ”
“I can’t do it, “I complained putting down the paint brush.
“What’s this? An ant? No it can’t be an ant, it’s too ugly and small to be an ant, “he said examining the painting. “As a painting expert I would give this million zeros. ”
“Ha. Ha. Ha very funny, “I rolled my eyes. “Now tell me when are you going to address him as da? ”
“Anami, do you think it’s that easy. After so many years without addressing him as dad do you frankly it will be easy . ”
“Wow! A painting expert and an artist who knows almost everything can’t even utter a single dad. A word that a two year old can say.
“It’s not funny Anami. ”
“Sorry but you have to keep trying. Come practice. ”
“Now? ”
“No after you have turned into an ancestor. Of course now Vidyut. Come on practice, you have to address him as dad tomorrow. No more as address him as my king and my lord. ”
“Okay I will practice, “he smiled adjusting himself. I kept looking at him to begin. “Why are you looking at me? ”
“For you to start practicing. ”
“Okay, “he nodded. “D….. d…. d… ”
“Okay st©p. How long does it take to say the word dad? D. A. D, dad. Come say it. ”
He narrowed his eyes at me.
“What? ”
“You think this is funny. ”
“No, no, “I paused. “Yes! ”
He urged closer. “If I get my hands on you Anami you will be dead! ”
“I’m bur-sted, “I turned around and started to run away. ”
“Oh no you don’t!
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