ENCHANTED- BY LOVE (completed)

23

**** Adinath ****

"You want to see me, your highness?" the general asked stepping into my meeting chambers.

"Yes," I replied, "Regarding the inventory report of our weapons."

"I predicted you would ask," the general said sitting down on the opposite chair and placing some papers infront of me, "It took me a while to get the details from the north side. Apologies for the delay."

"Just apologies? No flowers?" I asked raising my eyebrows.

"Right...." the general immediatly figured out what happened. "I apologized because Naina refused to talk to me if I did not and the flowers were the queen's idea," he explained.

So his both sisters are involved too. Good to know!

"If I may add, your highness, I regret both of those decisions," the general continued, "All I got in return was disrespect and erratic behavior."

"Exaggeration," I commented.

"She was disrespectful to you too, your highness," the general argued.

"She only commented that I need to be in my wife's dreams which I very much intend on doing, " I replied. "The only concerning fact is her being alright with your presence in her dreams. Surely must mean something."

The general fell silent.

"Thoughts, general?" I asked raising my eyebrows.

"No, your highness," the general said respectfully.

"Thoughts, Nandu bhaiyya?" I rephrased my question.

"She is a crazy women Adi-" the general paused and corrected himself, "Your highness."

I rolled my eyes. 

I hate when he does that, but atleast he continued to speak his heart out.

"I know what you are thinking," he added, "but we both hate each other and there is no way I would want to be with a women like her."

I did not believe a single word he said. I know him enough to recongize when he lies, but he does not have to know that.

"Okay," I nodded, "Let us get back to work then."

"So the report, your highness......" the general continued.

**** Vaishnavi ****

"I thought you would be in the library, Vaishu," Adi asked surprised when he found me in our chambers.

"Am working on..." I paused and started over to provide the context. "I am scared that the more I delay the gathering, the more I will fear. So, can I have the gathering tomorrow?"

"Does it require my presence?" Adi asked walking my way.

"No," I answered.

"Then it does not require my permission either," he smiled and picked up the paper I am working on. "What is this?"

"My speech for tomorrow," I answered, "I actually wanted to ask if you could go through it and see if everything is alright."

"Let us go through it together," he said and spinned me around so that he could wrap his hands around me and read the paper from across my shoulders.

I shifted my eyes from him to the paper and back to him to decode his reaction.

"You cannot say any of this, Vaishu," Adi said the moment he finished reading.

"But why?" I asked turning around to face him.

"Because it sounds so ordinary and does not reflect the power and influence you have," he answered.