Aradhya ||Indian historical fiction||

07| HATEFUL COMFORT.

"Remember, Aagneya, you promised your firstborn to our kingdom ages ago. A King should know to value his promises." Chitrabhanu thundered in the assembly as Aagneya refused to go any further with the thought of Aradhya marrying Vihaan, though he knew the promise he had made when he and Panchasheel were inseparable. 

Amar and the king of Dharini kingdom waited for the spark to lash out at Ashokdhar so they would have a reason to have a feud between the two kingdoms. And Aradhya being talked about being wed to Vihaan was quite the reason after she was to marry Amar. They stood in the corner of the room pretending to be angered by the scene but celebrated within as their plan unfolded the way they wanted to.

"I won't live up to that promise, an--" Aagneya declared but was cut short as another voice came in a lot more certain and morale than his.

"That won't be necessary. Should have thought of that before trading me off at birth." Aradhya said as she walked up beside her father and stood with her chin up. "I, daughter of Aagneya, with my agreement, am here to accept the proposal of marriage from Maharaj Vihaan."

"This is humiliation!" Amar's voice broke out of the crowd his gaze, infuriated and his tone, cold. He caught the eyes of Vihaan and found him concerned. He walked up to the centre of the court and stood still.

"If you wanted to humiliate us in front of all these people, Maharaj Aagneya, then why did you invite us here? Rajkumari Aradhya was to be wed to me and now everything's changed." Amar looked at Vihaan and sound his brows tangled.

"And you, Maharaj Vihaan, I thought we were allies and I spoke to you about the day I'd be here and you decided to ruin everything. I swear revenge on both of your kingdoms. I swear." Amar screeched and walked out of the court with his father and his family following close behind.

Aradhya feared the worst and was about to speak up when the thought of revenge glued her mouth shut. She smirked inside as Guru Chitrabhanu nodded and walked out of the council.
"Soon, Vihaan. Soon, I will get revenge on you. I will."
.   .   .   .

Vihaan stood in the chambers, Sadhana lay on the bed resting in the palace of Shiladhika. Wondering about what Acharya said. It was funny how Aagneya had promised his firstborn to Panchasheel. It was bizarre to him that the most inseparable kings of the time broke up just because of greed. Because of hate. He eyes Sadhana as she lay on the bed.

Sadhana and Nandini had arrived in Shiladhika just a free hours after Vikram's funeral. The latter had also paid their respects.

Vihaan stood wondering about the events of the day Aradhya found out that she would be marrying him.

Aradhya stormed into the room, her anklets thundering and her eyes, moistened. She looked like a mess. Ruffled hair and dark circles under her eyes. Fatigue was evident in her figure and yet her steps were filled with morale. She stood only a couple of feet away from him. Scared or insecure. Or maybe disgust.

"What makes you think, you have the right to force me into marrying you?" Aradhya said in a low voice. Cracking voice. She took another step closer to him.

Vihaan sensed her fatigue and her words too. He sensed the fact that she hadn't slept that night. He could tell her sorrow through her tear-stained face.

"Tell me!" Aradhya exclaimed, "why are you doing this? Isn't what you've done enough?" Isn't it enough that you've killed off my only hope in this palace?"

Vihaan kept quiet. He was furious too. Aradhya didn't know why he accepted to marry her. All she knew and saw was that he was a murderer. He was a criminal to her. But Vihaan knew what he had done. How he had to tell the news to Sadhana and how openly Sadhana agreed to him.