The prospect of becoming an Empress seemed blissful, yet the reality proved to be more cursed than she could have imagined.
Every day, Nayantara's whispered prayers reached the heavens: 'Would it not have been better had I embraced death's embrace...
This chapter is dedicated to @soniasoni7007 and @tajran4ever for becoming my first source of motivation.
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'I waited so long... not for you'
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" Yuvraj is coming back." Maharani Nandani informed me.
Nervousness washed over me. I haven't seen him in years. Even in a situation like this I couldn't help but feel excited and nervous about my husband coming home.
OMG!!!! he is coming here...
My heart throbbed, blood rushed to my cheeks and hands turned cold.
"And it would be better if you would change your clothes to something more presentable." She gave me a sharp look.
Oppps... I was still in Vimla's saree.
I bit my lips in nervousness. I don't expect her to pick me up on this, not in this situation especially. I made an innocent look and left without messing up things, by choosing the wrong words.
Lying to Maharani Nandani was a sin, she catches the lie before a blink.
Entering my room, I was feeling multiple emotions, a lot had happened in the meantime. Me sneaking out, Maharaj being poisoned, Yuvraj coming back.
Vimla and other maids silently got me changed and dressed while I was deep in my situation analysis.
It was serious. King got poisoned, and someone from the royalty is conspiring and this leads to even Yuvraj being unsafe. I ordered my personal secret informers to get me the full information of the whole happening the soonest as possible.
The day left a blur, the only good news was Maharaj was finally responding after continuous treatment for straight eight hours.
Suddenly, The sound of horses tapping filled the palace ground.
Yuvraj was home.
I stood up from my bed and ran towards the window to get his glimpses of the one who completes me, but to my dismay, his convana was too fast and they entered the main gate straight, leaving behind a huge cloud and dust.
I rushed towards Maharaj's chambers as I knew he would directly go there.
" Virat..." I heard a barely audible voice, it was Maharani.
" Maa.. how?" he asked, the voice was calm yet anguish. His voice was deep and..... familiar. I shivered with just two words of his mouth. I would I face him. But I have heard this voice before. I went more into the corridor to see him.
" As rajyavaid had predicted, He was been given a very small dose of poison for a very long time," Maharani informed him.
"Will he survive?" he asked.
"I don't know.." she mumbled more to herself. Only I know how much she wanted to cry, to scream for her husband but she knew she cannot, not now, not ever. Her position comes with responsibilities, she can't let herself be portrayed as a weak queen, which she never was. Especially when kingdom's stability is shaking.
"Go to your room. Meet your wife. She is waiting for you." She asked him, I blushed. I could his well-built back. He was tall.
"This is not-" he retorted.
"Yuvraj... Go to your room. You will be called when required." She ordered, her voice dare disobey.
"Maharani... Maharaj is calling you inside..." The vaids said. Her eyes sparkled was an understatement it felt like someone let her soul return to her body. She took a deep breath of relief "He will recover. He will be fine."
"Virat take rest... it's late at night. Come again to see your father in the morning. He will be fine." Rani Urvi said, in her soft milky voice.
Rani Urvi was Maharaj's second wife. She happens to be a very kind, sweet, and down-to-earth woman. Where Maharani Nandani kept her tough exteriors and unapproachable look, Rani Urvi was exactly the opposite of her. She loves everyone, one of the reasons even after being the second wife, everyone loves and respects her a lot.
" Can I meet him? " He asked.
His voice... His voice was so similar.
" Not right now...go to your room," Maharani said, he sighed.
"Ji maa," he said, lacking in choice. He turned to leave, his face was finally in my sight.
My excitement died, my heart dropped to my stomach, face lost its colour, and my brain was beyond confused.
What was he doing here? Who the hell was he?
I silently went towards my room.
The light in the room was dim, I was sitting on the swing, and as it was slowly moving to and fro as my mind was running with horse speeding.
Analyzing the situation wasn't too hard.
I heard heavy footsteps entering the room. I was ready with my weapon. I turned to see him standing pretty close to where I was sitting.
My head is covered in a veil, blocking my face view.
" Privacy..." I said, and the very next second the whole chamber was empty leaving the two of us alone with the sound of the chilling wind which was blowing the curtains.
"Who are you?" I asked. My voice wasn't anything near soft. I felt anger rushing in my veins just thinking of him being someone else and having the audacity to enter my chambers.
He remained silent only to see me picking up a sword and pointing it toward him.
"Who are you?" I repeated.
"Do you not know..... you could be hung in the middle of the city for this audacity?" His deep voice boomed in the chamber.
"Who are you?" I asked again, completely unaffected by what he just said.
"Yuvraj Virat-.." he said.
"Don't you dare lie to me. Yuvraj was in the South. There is no way it would just take him a day to say more, to reach the capital." I stated as a matter of fact. Still not making it obvious that I know something just more than this.
I moved a step forward, and the sound of my anklet filled the silent room again. My sword's tip touched his neck "I am asking for the last time... who the hell are you?"
And in the very next second, I found myself in a caged position, my back pressed against his chest and my sword on my neck.
"Then you tell me who am I?" he asked, challenging me.
I hit his abdomen with my elbow but it didn't affect him at all yet he let me go out of his grip only to pull my veil down.
My veil slipped for my head just to leave him beyond shock. His face screamed his game was over.
