Beyond Destiny ~ A Saga Of Timeless Love

14 ~ Jealousy

"Jealousy is like a hot pepper. Use it mildly, and you can add spice to the relationship."

Ruhanika

He was standing in front of me, and after a month of separation, I could finally see him without distance. This made me realize how much I missed him.

His olive-green eyes stare blankly at me. His face is devoid of any emotion. My heart began to grow heavy. His eyes were telling me that he was angry with me. I want him to give me a gentle glance. His expressionless eyes are piercing my heart. I should be content, am I not? This is what I wished for: him to oppose me. So, why is it hurting me now? He said nothing at all to me.

My soul longs for him; I never thought I was capable of loving. For me, love was a misconception. I used to believe that there was no concept of true love. I used to cringe whenever I saw couples doing PDA.

What did this guy do to me? I do not even recognize myself anymore. All I want is him and only him. To be with him, I would trade everything. He made me a love-sick puppy. I was a feral, badass girl who could not shut her mouth. When he is near me, I am unable to even form a single sentence.

It is not as though he did anything to earn my affection. He did not do anything at all. I used to get approached by boys in college, but I never felt a connection with them. This man here does not even speak to me without mocking me, and I am completely smitten with him. Something is not right with me. How could I possibly love an uncle like him?

I was lost in thought, still staring at him. He drew me closer to him while still twisting my hand. The warmth of his breath fell on my face, we were that close. My heart was pounding hard. He leaned down and nestled his face against my neck. I shuddered as his stubble tickled my neck. My breathing became erratic; I cannot handle this. My knees felt weak, and I began to feel lightheaded. There is something insane about this man. My stomach was exploding with butterflies as his lips brushed the skin of my neck.

"What..t a..re y...o..u doing?" I struggled to say these words. I could feel the dryness of my throat and the gradual loss of my sense of self. My senses were overwhelmed by him.

"Shhh, do not say anything now. You have a lot to say, but not now. Let me hug you," he said in a gruff tone.

He released my hands and hugged me tightly, bringing me closer to his chest. We stood there, silent. His face was still nestled against my neck. His fingers were lightly brushing against my arms, back, and shoulders. He took both my arms and drew me in even closer, our bodies pressing against each other. The proximity made me gasp. He softly murmured in my ears,

"Why did you avoid me for a whole month, Rooh? Why did you agree to be Nandita's handmaiden?" His thumb was grazing my arms.

"I...I did not have any options," I tried to say between his tortures.

"Why did not you come to meet me?"

"I was preoccupied with arrangements, Your Highness."

"You were too busy to meet me, but you are available to spend time with Arjun, right? You were busy pulling his cheeks." His tone was accusatory, which I did not like. I used all of my strength to push him away so that we could get some distance.

"Explain what you mean?" I glared at him as I asked.

"I noticed both of you in the garden. There is no reason to hide it or justify it," He said, and I was furious.

"Bold of you to assume that I need to give you justification for anything. I have nothing to tell you; you are nobody. For me, you serve only as my employer and Crown Prince."

A brief flash of hurt appeared in his eyes, but he quickly covered it up, but I knew the damage was done. I was the one who told him I cared about you but then denied it right now.

"Get out," he said with a hoarse voice.

"Gladly," I am not going to back off. Yes, I love him, but I will not listen to whatever he says. I returned to my room, slamming the door shut with a loud thud. I ended up crying myself to sleep.

I should be angry with him, but instead I am worried for him. The hurt in his eyes bothered me more than anything else.

The next day, even when I was working, my attention was elsewhere. I wanted to go meet him. Where is my self-esteem?

The Mehendi function is currently taking place. It is quite different from modern-day mehendi functions. No males are permitted here. They are holding their party somewhere else. Princess is sitting on a small sofa, with attendees applying henna to her hands. All the ladies present at the function are doing the same.

Princess Nandita made me put henna on my hands. It looks stunning. I love the smell of henna. Some lovely memories are evoked by it. Every time my mother applied henna, I would follow her behind to apply the art. I miss my parents, I miss them so much.

I cleaned my hands because I had Princess's stuff to organize. The wedding is scheduled for tomorrow night. The celebration stretches throughout the entire palace. The princess was led back to her chamber by us. While others helped her change, I arranged her night clothes. She gave the order for the other attendees to leave, so they did. She is nervous about the wedding.

"Ruhanika, how do you think I will fit in there? What if I cannot win their hearts? What if they don't accept me?" She asked me in a meek tone. I felt a twinge in my heart. She was only a teenager. She merits every ounce of joy. In the modern world, girls at this age barely complete any work on their own.

With my hands clasped around hers, I knelt before her.

"I know you will adjust there; you are a very brave princess. Regarding winning their hearts, nobody can turn down a lovely and compassionate girl like you. Your charm will enchant everyone. Simply be yourself, and watch them fall in love with you." I attempted to comfort her. As I finished, she hugged me tightly; I was surprised, but after a few seconds, I hugged her back. I was feeling like an older sister right now.

I assisted her in eating because her hands were not free. She finished her meal while talking about various topics. She is a very talkative girl. We talked for a while before I left, leaving her to rest.

I entered the kitchen and ate my dinner alongside Janki Amma and Maya. It was a fun experience. I was walking back toward my chamber when someone called my name; I turned to see it was Reva. She is also an attendee. She had a plate in her hand.

"Ruhanika, could you please give the food to the prince? Actually, it was my turn, but my baby is crying because of fever." She pleaded, and I could not refuse. So here I am, walking to the prince's chamber.

I entered the living area, but it was empty; he was not present. I left the plate on the table and went inside to look for him. After looking all over, I eventually located him. There he was, in his own garden. It is comparable to a balcony encircled by lush vegetation. He was lying there on the carpet, staring up at the sky. His face appeared calm as the moon shone on it. Although I did not want to bother him, I had to.

"Your dinner is ready, prince. Should I serve you?" I asked, but he did not respond; instead, he gave me a puzzled look. He seems to be experiencing some sort of issue.

He stammered and tried to stand up, saying in a slurred voice, "Rooh, you are here, or I am dreaming again." I sprinted in his direction and grabbed his arms.

"Rooh, you are here, but why? You should be with Arjun; I am not good, right? I hurt you; I apologize, Rooh." He spoke as his hands lightly touched my cheeks. He resembled a cute child. I did not say anything, so he started again,

"Rooh, do not leave like maa; I will never hurt you again. I miss you so much."

AUTHOR P.O.V

Dev is jealous and hurt.

Princess Nandita is lovely.

Small things matter, read carefully.

I have not gotten good responses since the last two chapters. I am highly disappointed.

I will probably give 3 updates a week. Let's see how it goes.

Keep voting.