Royally Paired

Chapter 9

Nandini was pulling Manik through the halls when she saw Ranveer walking.

"Ranveer Bhaisa!" Nandini called out. She walked over to him. "Aapke saath baith ke baat karne ka toh mauka hi nahi mila humme..."

Hearing Nandini, Ranveer turned towards her voice. 

"Mewar ki choti rani humse baat karna chahti hai? Kyun?" He asked in a taunting voice.

"Aap...aise kyun bol rahe hai? Aap humare devar ke saath saath humare bhai bhi toh hai...." Nandini said.

"Pehli baat.....tumhare pati ko hum bhai mante nahi hai. Dusri baat.....tumhari parivaar ne jo humare maasima ke saath kiya, uske baad hum tumhe apni behen bhi nahi mante. Toh tum jitna  ho sake utna door raho humse." Ranveer said rudely. Manik was used to this behaviour from Ranveer so he didnt say anything but noticed Nandini felt bad and her eyes got teary.

"Rajkumar Ranveer!" Manik yelled. He walked upto his brother. "Nandini ko behen nahi mante, bhabhi nahi mante...thik hai. Par woh yahan ki Rani bhi hai...iss liye agar phirse humne tumhe Nandini se aise baat karte hue dekh liye toh bilkul acha nahi hoga tumhare liye."

"Maharaj...." Nandini protested but Manik didnt listen. He grabbed Nandini's hand and walked away, leaving Ranveer where he stood. Finally, they reached Manik's room and Nandini released her hand. "Aapko aaj ho kya gaya hai?"

"Kya?" Manik asked.

"Wahan bahar sainik ko dhamki de diya...yahan Ranveer Bhaisa ko! Dono baar, humare liye. Kyun? Aapko humari itni fikar kabse hone lagi?" Nandini asked.

Manik opened his mouth to reply but couldnt come up with anything....because even he didnt know why. All he knew was that he didnt like seeing Nandini cry and he most def didnt like anyone saying bad things about her. Of course thats not what he said to her though. "Woh....tum Mewar ki Choti Rani ho na....tumhari beizzati matlab Mewar ki beizzati. Iss liye."

"Bas?" Nandini asked, looking Manik in the eyes.

"H...Haan..." Manik replied, looking away. "Aur kya?"

"Hmm....aur kya...." Nandini nodded.  "Acha...abhi aap aaram kijiye."

"Mujhe nahi-"

"Shart!" Nandini reminded him & Manik gritted his teeth. She pointed to the bed & Manik reluctantly walked over to lay down. She smiled & then turned to leave when she felt a tug on her dupatta. "Maharaj! (gasp) Yeh...yeh kya kar rahe hai aap?"

"Nandini....piche dekho." Manik replied. Nandini turned and saw her dupatta had gotten stuck on the table while Manik was nowhere close to touching it. She turned red with embarrassment as Manik couldnt help but laugh. 

"Woh...humme laga...." Nandini couldnt complete her sentence.

"Haan haan....Hum samajh gaye, tumne kya socha!" Manik smirked. 

"Hum....humme shayad Ranima bula rahi hai!" Nandini came up with an excuse & ran out. She was walking down the hall when she heard something break. "Arre...yeh toh Rani Elian ke kamre se hai....woh thik toh hai na?"

Nandini started towards Eliana's room when she saw through the window that Eliana picked up another vase and threw it against her wall in anger. " Argh! Humne itna sab kuch kiya par baar baar woh Nandini jeet rahi hai! Woh saap...usse Nandini ko dasna tha par usne humare Manik ko das diya aur Rani Nandini....woh sabke samne mahan ban gayi, Manik ki jaan bacha ke!" 

Eliana thought she was venting alone in her room but didnt realize Nandini heard everything from the window. 

"Kya....matlab, Maharaj ki jaan Rani Eliana ki vajah se khatre mein they? Uski itni himmat...usne humme maarne ki koshish ki?" Nandini thought to herself angrily. "Nahi....isse sabak toh seekhana hi hoga....Rakshika style."