Prince's Hidden Page: A Forbidden Romance

52 • Father's Order

After one year

Veer

My eyes couldn't believe the sight. Was i dreaming? It could not be true. Stavya could not be here. How did he find me?

"Swagat nahi karenge bhai?"

("Won't you welcome me, brother?")

His voice rang in my ears. I stepped back automatically letting him come in my cottage. The corner of his eyes were shinning with tears maybe. I also couldn't help but felt the wetness in my eyes as well.

" Pranam Bhabi " he directly went to Payal and took blessings from her. Payal also looked same shocked as me.

And then Stavya's eyes returned to me. "Pranam Bhai" he spoke and coming towards me. My heart was running fast. I was still trying to believe it. It had been more than one year. And now something which i never hoped was happening.

" Stavya "

He returned that same smile. That same mischievous grin. His eyes still held that mayhem.

I couldn't stop myself from pulling him in a hug. I hugged him tightly rightfully.

" So you were here Bhai...I missed you so much" he muttered in my ears and I smiled.

" How are you? How did you find me?"

Breaking the hug, he replied. " Took one year... but it didn't go in waste "

I smiled to him. Maybe he truly wished to see us and that's why it didn't go in vain.

" Come and have a seat in my broken cottage" I said making both of us settled.

He looked at the cottage carefully and then said, "Chandrapur ke rajkumar ese kaise reh raha hai?"

("How is the prince of Chandrapur living like this?")

I chuckled and then my face became serious, "hum rajkumar nahi rahe aur .. Chandrapur se sare rishte tod ke aye hai "

("I am no longer a prince and... I have severed all ties with Chandrapur.")

He acted like not listening to me and called payal, "bhabi ayiye na...itne lambe safar ke baad aye hai ....aj devar se baat kariye "

("Bhabi, please come... after such a long journey... talk to your devar today.")

Payal smiled to him but was still hesitant. I could feel that in her expression. She wasn't used to with it. She didn't get time to know my brother, sister. We left Chandrapur at that time so she was never introduced properly to them.

But when I nodded to her, she came to sit beside me.

" Par Bhai, apne humse toh rishta nahi toda na?" I raised a brow hearing Stavya's question.

("But brother, you haven't severed ties with me, right?")

" Fir ghusne nhi dete ghar pe"

("Otherwise, I wouldn't have let you enter the house.")

We both broke into laughters. I started to recall my old days with him. It's been one year without them, hard to believe. If I didn't meet him, i could never understand that i really missed our banters.

" Sab kaise hai? Tum? Chahat?" I asked then, slowly catching my breaths.

( How are them? You? Chahat?)

" Hum sab thik ..." He stopped for a second, and then stated,

" Chahat ki shaadi ho chuki hai bhai "