Fuck you...Your Majesty!

17

"So you're telling me... that Salil did not die?" asked Atharva as soon as Samartha finished explaining to him the entire Salil faking his death to escape from the Antharv fiasco for the seventh time, making Samartha want to bang his head on the wall.

"Yes brother, yes! Your beloved wife is alive & breathing and very much pregnant! Is that all you care about?!" asked an exasperated Samartha, massaging his forehead. He could feel a headache coming his way.

"Yes. That is all I care about. Now help me up. I have a very pregnant wife to care for." said Atharva extending his hand towards Samartha asking for help. With a tsk Samartha pushed himself off the pole he was resting his back against and stepped forward to help his smitten brother-in-law.

"You do understand that the very same wife of yours faked his death to get away from you," said Samartha, bursting into laughter when he noticed the glare the injured king was passing him.

"I mean where is the lie in that sentence? You do realize that your pregnant wife doesn't want any of your care, King Atharva. Not that you look in any condition to be providing any care to my brother. " another amused voice from the entrance made King Samartha double up in laughter and Atharva grumble in annoyance.

"On my God, Yagni you are too good with your words sometimes." snickered Samartha as he helped the injured King stand up who now looked empty, eyes lost in his world.  Samartha had to shake him more than twice to break the chain of whatever thoughts he was lost in. Even Prince Yagni got worried about the King's well-being for a moment. He too knew that even a single scratch on this idiotic king would nearly break his beloved younger brother, Salil's heart into a million pieces.

Still worried that their joke might have gone too far, Prince Yagni and King Samartha helped King Atharva to Salil's cottage.

They were just a few steps away from Salil's cottage when they heard Salil's anguished cries. Alarmed, the three of them hurried inside without wasting a single minute.

" Ma- Maa... H-He woke up na? I wasn't dreaming, was I?" asked Salil sobbing uncontrollably in his mother's arms. Shakuntala Devi Malvan, the strong & stoic woman who didn't lose her calm in the most adverse situations, was also having difficulty controlling her hysteric son while King Hrishikesh Malvan was trying his best to blink his tears away. Each tear that fell from his beloved son's eyes made him feel more powerless than before.

" Shh... my child... Don't cry. Of course that pest of a husband of yours is awake now. Don't worry... He won't die so soon. He has debts to pay, to you, to your child and the entire Kingdom of Kaveri for making our beloved Prince cry." mumbled King Hrishikesh, gently patting his now hiccupping son's back. " Yeah! Believe me. I won't let him anywhere near you before he falls on his knees & begs for forgiveness for all the pain and misery he put you through." he continued making Salil chuckle. King Atharva Rajvanshi, the king of the Kingdom of Antharv fell on his knees & begged for forgiveness, the image was too absurd to even imagine for Salil.

"Salil..."

"Salil!!"

"Salil..."

As if on cue, the trio burst into the cottage frantically calling out Salil's name giving all the people inside a jumpscare. And without wasting a single breath, they continued.

"What happened?! Are-"

"Why were you crying?!"

"Are you okay -"

"Oh God! Keep quiet. All three of you." interrupted Shakuntala Devi before the panicked trio could even complete their words.  The situation right now had already messed up her son's emotions to a huge extent. She couldn't let the panicked trio of idiots mess it up more than it already was.

"But-" King Atharva tried saying something but was interrupted by a very frustrated Hrishikesh Malavan, his father-in-law.

"Just stay quiet," muttered Hirishikesh, pinching the bridge of his nose he continued, "May I know the reason why the three of you broke into my son's quarters? What kind of catastrophe was it that you couldn't wait until you got permission from him to come inside?"

"We-We...heard Salil cry... so..." stuttered King Samartha fidgeting, now scared of his father's anger.

"I understand your and Prince Yagni's concern but King Atharva... Why are you here? If my memory serves me right you never cared for my son... So why now? Why show concern now? Is it because of the unborn Prince? Is it because Antharv needs an heir?" asked Hrishikesh now standing face-to-face with a confused Atharva. The confusion soon changed into stubbornness making Hrishikesh lift a questioning brow at him.

"I think you got something wrong, father-in-law. I am no royal anymore. What goes on in the palace of Antharv has no relation to me. I came here because I was worried for my husband Salil after hearing his cry." said Atharva looking at Hrishikesh and Shakuntala Devi. His body was now shivering due to pain and exertion but he refused to go back and rest. taking a step towards his husband he continued," I may have failed in showing my care sooner but I do care a lot. The circumstances in which we got married made me act aloof initially. The marriage promise made by my grandparents made me feel like I had no freedom to love anyone. But eventually, you made your way into my heart. The more I got to know you the more I began liking you. Unfortunately, I was surrounded by greedy people who did everything they could to make us fall apart. I was a fool to have believed them on certain occasions. I should have believed you, my life partner but I was a fool. I sincerely apologise for that, Prince Salil. But I wasn't a fool for very long. I did realise my mistake. I tried to make amends but I think I failed to show it to you. I l-"

And with a thud, Atharva fell even before he could confess his love. The fall shocked everyone present there. Panicked, King Samartha rushed to his aid. he quickly placed him on Salil's next to a now very worried Salil while Prince Yagni rushed out to get the royal physicians. On the other hand, King Hrishiesh and Shakuntala Devi rushed to a now panicking Salil's aid.  

Whereas Salil looked like he had seen death itself. He called for Atharva, trying to wake him up but got no response. Did he lose Atharva as soon as he got him, what kind of twisted game was fate playing with him? His parents held him, trying their best to console his hysteric crying.

Soon the army of royal physicians rushed in and started checking up on the now-unconscious Atharva.

"The pain and exertion were too much for his already injured body. His Royal Highness needs to rest and recuperate from his injuries before he goes running around." reported the head royal physician to the royal family while the rest of the physicians reworked the bandages of Atharva's wounds.

Hearing this, all the people in the room let out a sigh of relief. 

"I will take him back to his quarters to rest," said King Samartha moving forward to pick up the unconscious king only to be stopped by his brother.

"Let him be here... Or he would again run around. Let him be here. I'll keep checking him up. I think... we have a lot to talk about once he wakes up. " 

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