Aradhya ||Indian historical fiction||

21| IN THIS WITH YOU

Aradhya slowly stepped into her room where sobbing resounded. She wiped away her tears and looked around. She spotted Vihaan sitting on the floor beside the bed, curled up with his face in his hands.

She sat knelt before him and gripped his arm. Vihaan looked up with bloodshed eyes. His face had gone red. He looked at Aradhya and scoffed.

"Laugh at me, Aradhya," Vihaan spoke.

Aradhya denied it by nodding. She took his hands in hers and sorrowful comfort encircled Vihaan.

"Laugh at how pathetic of a king I am. How am I a king when I couldn't even save my wife? My friend. My Sadhana." He spoke.

"It was not your fault. You have already punished the maid who poisoned Sadhana. You've done everything you can. Don't beat yourself over it."

"How can I not? I was supposed to take care of her. I was supposed to protect her. I was supposed to keep her happy but I couldn't do any of that."

"I understand, Vihaan. I know what you're going through. Just get this sorrow out of your heart. Then you'll be able to think properly."

"She is gone, Aradhya. She isn't coming back. Please...tell her to come back..." Vihaan buried his face in Aradhya's palms.

Aradhya felt her emotions pull through. She found her heart breaking into pieces when she saw Vihaan like that. She brushed her thumb across his face, wiping away his tears while he still sobbed.

"You can cry all you want, Vihaan. Get it out of your heart. I'll be here with you. We're in this together." Aradhya and Vihaan sunk into her.

He wept on her shoulder, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He let all his sorrow burst through him as he wailed in Aradhya's arms. A strong firm grip for him to be vulnerable in. Aradhya held him as she felt his tears trickle down her arm. She looked up not letting her tears fall from her eyes.

.   .   .   .

Everyone was gathered in a room of the palace. Vihaan was there with a composed mind now. He was there with a strong mentality. Aradhya stood beside him. Nandini stood beside Rajmata. Rihit also stood by Vihaan, trying to meet Nandini's eyes but couldn't. Tamasvini stood proudly beside Rajmata with a false expression of sorrow on her face.

"On what basis did you punish that maid alone?" Rajmata asked. She was furious.

"The medicine given to Sadhana by the maid had poison in it which is what killed her." Vihaan spoke confidently.

"Do you know on whose account she gave the medication to Sadhana?" Rajmata's eyes immediately shot at Aradhya, "Tamasvini heard the maid say that it was given by Aradhya to Sadhana. Did you ever question her?"

Vihaan raised his gaze to look at his mother with eyes almost ready to fume. He stood up from his seat. He sensed Aradhya getting tense beside him. He sensed her discomfort. He turned around and nodded to Aradhya and walked a few steps to the centre of the gathering.

"I won't hear a single accusation against Aradhya again. She was with me the entire day. I heard her blame herself for not giving Sadhana her medications. How is it her fault is she didn't even give her any medication in the first place? How is it her fault if someone else delivered poison on her account to Sadhana without her even knowing it?" Vihaan defended.

"That...that blind trust of yours will lead to horrible things, Vihaan. That blind love will result in you a hefty loss." Rajmata walled out of the room, offended at his words. His son was against her and that was the worst that she could have imagined.

Aradhya now was confident that Vihaan trusted her. She was sure that we were the safest with him. She was the most secure with him.

Vihaan turned around to her with eyes still mourning. With his eyes still puffed. He cupped her face with one of his hands. He stayed for a moment before walking past her to the room's exit.