MANAN FF: THE PROMISE

Chapter Two

Nandini ran away from Manik as soon as he freed her, she was indeed afraid of his uncontrollable anger. It was true, he can never bear the idea of her going away from him. She went in the dining area and apologized for coming late. She was serving herself when she felt Yuvraj's presence beside her. The latter apologized too and sat beside Yuvrani .  Nandini started serving him as he always loved it in that way. Whenever they had dinner in their chamber, they fed each other.

Yuvrani's hands were trembling out of nervousness but, she managed to serve him. Manik felt sorry for being impulsive and for yelling at his ladylove. He leaned towards her. "I am sorry for yelling at you Nandini...there was something me troubling my mind and when you told me to let you go, it triggered me. Please forgive me."  Yuvraj whispered in her left ear and kissed the side of her head which made her blush as they were in front of their family. Yuvraj smiled on seeing his blushing queen, he joined his right hand with her left hand and put it under the table, on his lap.

Everyone in Jodhpur Kingdom knew that their Yuvraj is madly and deeply in love with their Yuvrani. This act of Yuvraj was seen by Rajkumari Navya who was looking at both with a weird expression on her face but she immediately looked down when she was caught by Yuvrani Nandini. Nandini thought that maybe Rajkumari was feeling awkward  to eat among strangers."Rajkumari do not feel shy please be comfortable...as from today we are all your family and we are friends right." Nandini said with the brightest smile but she felt that Yuvraj held her hand more tightly. She ignored it and started talking to Rajkumari Navya to make her feel more at ease. After a while, she left Yuvraj's hand and got up to serve him the kheer she had prepared for him.

Maharaj looked at Yuvrani who was happily serving her Yuvraj. "Yuvrani I am glad to see you glowing is it because of the return of your yuvraj?" Maharaj teased his daughter in law who looked down while blushing and everyone laughed at her cute doings. "Looking at how you befriended Rajkumari Navya and made her comfortable, you just made me proud and I hereby announce that Rajkumari Navya is soon going to marry Yuvraj Manik." Maharaj disclosed and there was a complete silence in the hall. Everyone turned towards him except Yuvraj. "Maharaj what are you saying? Yuvraj is already married to Yuvrani ." Maharani Nyonika said breaking the silence and she looked at Yuvrani who seemed to be in deep shock. "I know Maharani but I promised my friend Maharaj Arjuna that I would marry off her daughter to my son." Maharaj explained.

"Maharaj. Yuvraj had made a promise to Yuvrani and it would be unfair to.." Maharani Nyonika tried to explain but she was interrupted by Maharani Deepti. "Didi Maharaj has already made a promise to his friend who died recently. If he does not maintain the promise, then it would be considered as a betrayal  which will tarnish Maharaj's reputation. Yuvrani will have to accept that this is the way of living of every King, some marriages are done out of love while some out of compromises and Yuvraj is the future king of Jodhpur. Even you accepted me wholeheartedly didi...I am sure our beti will accept Rajkumari Navya as she already befriended her." Maharani Deepti completed with a smile on her face while looking at Yuvrani and Rajkumari.

Yuvrani Nandini looked at Rajkumari Navya who was looking down and she looked at Yuvraj who was also looking at his kheer maybe he could not face her after all this. "Yuv Yuvraj what about our promise?" Yuvrani asked in a broken voice, she was almost on the verge of crying. "Yuvrani Maharaj made a promise and he cannot break it now please adjust..." Maharani Deepti explained to her but Yuvrani was only looking at Yuvraj expecting him to either say anything to stop this or to look in her eyes but nothing happened.

Suddenly the atmosphere felt suffocating for Nandini as the feeling of betrayal filled her senses. She could not even controlled her tears that were pouring out due to the stab she got in her heart by her own family and husband who broke her promise."Please excuse me." She finally said and left the hall with her maids following her.

Nandini started running while palming her mouth with one hand and putting the other one on her heart. Her duppata fell from her head but her maid grabbed it and ran behind her. She did not go to their chamber instead she took the direction of her personal chamber. On reaching there, she went near the mirror, she looked at her reflection and cried harder. In anger, she started removing all her jewelleries and threw it on the floor.  She had dressed like a bride to surprise her husband but instead, she got the biggest shock of her life. She might be the future queen of Jodhpur but first, she was a woman and how can she share her husband?

She felt a presence behind her and she knew it was Yuvraj but still, she looked in the mirror and saw him looking  at her jewelleries lying on the floor with some broken parts. "Yuvrani I can exp..." Yuvraj said while coming near her but she moved away. "I am sorry Yuvraj but please leave from here I am not in my senses." Yuvrani said while moving to her balcony. They have been married for two years and it was the first time that Yuvrani walked away from Yuvraj without even turning to look at him. This let Yuvraj aware of how hurt his ladylove was. Manik ordered all the maids to go out and followed Nandini. "Nandini talk to me I want to explain everything to you." Yuvraj Manik said but Nandini remained silent and kept looking at the sky.

"Nandini atleast look at me." Yuvraj again said because he could not tolerate her silence. He came towards her and pulled her to him. "TALK TO ME NANDINI." He ordered but Yuvrani smiled at her. "I was expecting the same from you back in the dining hall. You neither looked at me nor refused whatever was decided." Yuvrani said and tried to removed herself from his grip but he hugged her tightly hiding his face on her neck...maybe he was afraid of losing his ladylove.