MANAN FF: THE PROMISE

Chapter Eighteen

Yuvraj Manik was in his chamber pacing around back and forth finding ways to talk to Nandini. Nandini has been giving him a tough time. She had clearly denied his access to her chamber unless he cancelled the wedding or he let her go. He was brought back to reality when he was informed about someone's arrival at the palace. He hurriedly walked toward the main entrance of the palace to welcome the one who would be saving him from his downfall. He got more enthusiastic on the mere thought of getting a relief from his current life situation. Manik clapped his hand making the maid alert to welcome his special person.

On the other side, Nandini refused to perform her duty as Yuvrani or daughter in law. She even gave up on the heavy clothes and jewelleries. She started wearing her normal clothes just like a simple village girl she was. She neither engaged herself with the royal family nor with her husband who had been finding invalid reasons to enter her room but he was not allowed to do. For her, she thought that she would be disrespecting herself if she still chooses to adjust and bear the taunts of people. Nandini had even dismissed her maids but they were not willing to leave her side. They even decided to leave with her if she exit the palace.

"Yuvrani Nandini, Rajkumari Navya is here to talk to you." The maid informed her making her nod her head in approval. "My warmest greetings to Yuvrani." Rajkumari said  and looked around to see the room which Yuvraj prefered to stay in. Nandini noticed her gaze but brushed it off, she greeted her and asked her to take a seat. "May I know the reason for your presence here?" Nandini asked her politely after serving her a cup of tea. "I am here just to ask you if you are angry on me because you clearly refused to assist in any gathering." Rajkumari Navya said.

" I am telling you for the second and last time, I am not angry on you but I am against this marriage. You might not understand it but it's not easy for me to digest the fact that my husband and family disregarded my promise and now, everyone is forcing me to engage in the preparations and some are taunting me for not being able to match the standards of being Yuvraj's wife and yuvrani of this kingdom because I could not conceive  a child for them or because I am a common girl. " Yuvrani Nandini explained her.

"Yuvrani...I know your life got messed up because of my father, I am sorry but I have no other choice but to accept what they decided. I have noone, my family is willing to kill me for the sake of the throne. So, I was obliged to come here and marry Yuvraj. It was nothing of my decision but rather that of the elders. Maybe a princess or a prince does not have the choice to make. I really wanted you to accept me and not holding grudges against me for the rest of our lives." Rajkumari  said lowering  her head.

For a moment, Nandini realized that it was true that royal sons or daughters were most likely to accept  whatever the elders decide on their behalf since they were bounded by duties. She felt more lucky to be a common girl where she had the freedom to decide for herself and do things she liked despite others disapproval. What if she was a royal princess and she would be forced to live with her father who indirectly murdered her mother. "Yuvrani where are you lost?" Rajkumari Navya asked Nandini who appeared to zone out.

"My apologies I got lost in my thoughts. I understand that you had no choice but still I cannot accept this marriage. I do accept you as someone dear and rest assured, I do not have any grudge against you. If the marriage takes place, I would leave the palace." Nandini told her but Rajkumari let out a small laugh out. "Do you really think you would be able to go from here?" Navya asked Nandini.

"What do you mean?" The latter asked furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. "I mean Yuvraj is obsessed about you and love you. He will not let you go. In fact, he told me from the first day itself that he would not marry anyone because he is in love with his wife. I am sure he must be finding ways to keep you close to himself." Rajkumari said making Nandini amused.

"You might be saying this because you saw his possessiveness but he cannot win against my stubbornness. If I have decided that I will leave from here the day he marries another lady, no matter what he does to prevent me, I will slip from his hands. You know initially I was not ready to accept him, he had to take the help of my friend to bring me here. To have me, he has to sacrifice the idea of getting married for the second time be it of any reason. He cannot have  his ways all the time. I am his wife and not his concubine to tag me along." Nandini said with a smirk. She felt she was becoming her old self ever since she stopped caring about the family and the people of this kingdom who pretended to love her.

"I ask for your pardon for interrupting, Yuvraj Manik has requested the presence of both Rajkumari Navya and Yuvrani Nandini in the courtroom." A maid said and left the chamber immediately.  Both stood up to proceed and it was then that Rajkumari noticed Yuvrani was wearing simple clothes and she was not wearing any jewellery or makeup except her kajal,vermillion and nuptial chain.

"Yuvrani why are you not wearing your usual attire and jewelleries?" Rajkumari could not stop herself from asking. "This is my usual attire, I always used to dress like this just like a common girl. After I realized that the people loved me only because I was Yuvraj's choice and not for the things I did for them, I felt that these attires do not belong to me. I should stay the way I used to be and stopped trying to fit in their expectations of a Yuvrani." Nandini said and adjusted her stole. "But Yuvrani...Maharaj and Maharani consider you as their daughter." Rajkumari asked but Nandini chose not to reply her. "Let's proceed to the courtroom and see what has been decided for us." Nandini said. "You're right." Rajkumari agreed to her.