ᴅɪʟ ᴋɪ ɴᴀʏɪ ᴅʜᴀᴅᴋᴀɴ

c h a p t e r 15

"The farmers are still protesting" Vaibhav remarked to Vikram as they strolled through the palace corridors, their conversation interrupted by a sudden halt in Vikram's stride.

"What?" Vaibhav inquired, puzzled by Vikram's sudden pause, following his gaze to where Rajkumari Parwati stood, embracing her personal guard. To an outsider, their closeness could easily be misconstrued as that of a couple sharing a tender moment. Vikram's gut twisted uncomfortably at the sight.

"They seem pretty close for a princess and her guard" Vaibhav observed, voicing the unease that lingered in the air.

Vikram could only offer a noncommittal hum in response, his gaze fixed on Parwati despite his inner turmoil.

"I wonder if Ajay knows about this?" Vaibhav mused aloud, his discomfort palpable.

"Ajay? What does he have to do with this?" Vikram inquired sharply, his voice laced with a hint of suspicion.

"Well, I saw them together, Ajay and the Rajkumari—they seemed quite... familiar with each other" Vaibhav explained, his unease evident as he recalled the unexpected encounter.

"Are you sure?" Vikram's tone darkened, his mind racing with unsettling possibilities.

Vaibhav nodded, his expression reflecting his own surprise. "It caught me off guard too, especially after all that happened" he remarked, alluding to Parwati's attempt at the general's life. "And now this" he added, shaking his head in disbelief.

Vikram's frown deepened, his thoughts drifting back to a moment shared with Parwati on the balcony, a memory now tainted by doubt. If what Vaibhav suggested was true—and Vikram had no reason to doubt him—then it painted a damning picture of Parwati's character.

Disgust churned within Vikram as he struggled to contain his anger, his resolve hardening as he stormed away, Vaibhav trailing behind him, leaving behind a tumultuous atmosphere in their wake.

~✦✼✦✼✦~

Devi Ma, laden with trays of sweets, beckoned Parwati to join her, citing the impossibility of managing both trays alone. Reluctantly, Parwati followed her all the way across the palace.

Upon entering the study, Parwati noticed the Maharaj seated at his desk, engrossed in paperwork. Devi Ma wasted no time, delicately placing the tray on a nearby tea table before gesturing for Parwati to do the same.

"Vikram beta, I hope we're not interrupting" Devi Ma began, her tone conveying urgency. "But this cannot wait."

Vikram glanced up, his gaze shifting between his mother and Parwati, then settling on the trays of sweets. Rising from his seat, he inquired, "What's all this, Ma?"

With a hint of pride, Devi Ma announced, "Sweets for the celebration of your engagement, of course"

A sigh escaped Vikram's lips as he resigned himself to the inevitable festivities. "What would you have me do?" he asked, his tone tinged with a hint of resignation.

Meanwhile, Parwati fidgeted nervously with the ring adorning her finger, feeling somewhat out of place amidst the familial exchange.

Before Devi Ma could respond, a sharp knock interrupted, prompting all three to turn towards the door. A servant peeked in, delivering a summons for Devi Ma from an unknown source. Dismissing the servant with a nod, Devi Ma turned back to her son, a hopeful look in her eyes as she suggested, "Parwati here can assist you, can't you?"

Parwati nodded, meeting the Maharaj's intense gaze, her own uncertainty mirrored in his eyes.

After Devi Ma left them alone, Parwati with a nervous swallow, mustered her courage and addressed Vikram, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "Um, Devi Ma would like you to try these sweets and let her know your preference" she stammered.

Vikram, ever the epitome of calm assurance, briefly glanced at his hands before shifting his focus to the paperwork spread across his ornate desk. A hint of amusement danced in his eyes as he finally responded. "Well then, I suppose you'll have to feed me," he remarked casually, taking a seat on the plush couch beside the tea table.

Parwati's eyes widened in disbelief at his suggestion, a blush creeping onto her cheeks as she struggled to comprehend the situation. "What?" she exclaimed, caught off guard by his unexpected request.

Undeterred by her reaction, Vikram nodded towards the empty space beside him, wordlessly inviting her to join him.

Feeling a mixture of confusion and reluctance, Parwati hesitantly complied, lowering herself onto the couch beside Vikram. Despite her protests lingering on the tip of her tongue, the Maharaj's composed demeanor quelled her objections.

With trembling fingers, Parwati delicately selected one of the sweets and held it out towards Vikram, her arm extending tentatively as she prepared to feed him, her heart racing with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity.

As Vikram indulged in sampling each sweet, he couldn't help but notice the discomfort evident in Parwati's demeanor as he leaned in to accept each bite. The subtle tension in her movements perplexed him. How could someone so timid be entangled in romantic affairs with two men? Was this demure facade merely a guise?

Determined to test his suspicions further, Vikram seized Parwati's wrist, pulling her closer to him with a firm grip. Leaning in, he provocatively licked her sticky fingers clean, relishing in the shock and alarm evident in her wide eyes and gasp of protest.

"Maharaj, what on earth are you doing?" Parwati exclaimed, her voice laced with a mixture of shock and indignation as she attempted to retrieve her hand, only to find his hold unyielding.

As Vikram continued his brazen display, Parwati's breath quickened, her gaze unable to meet his as he shamelessly savored her fingertips as if they were more enticing than the sweets he had just sampled.

Finally releasing her hand with a nonchalant hum, Vikram observed as Parwati hastily distanced herself from him on the small couch, clutching her hand against her chest with a mixture of revulsion and disbelief. Her eyes bore into his, betraying a tumultuous mix of emotions swirling within her.

"Jalebis" Vikram announced decisively, breaking the tension with a casual remark. Catching Parwati's puzzled expression, he elaborated, feigning innocence as if he hadn't just been indulging in a rather intimate moment with her fingers. "I quite like the jalebis" he added, diverting attention away from the awkwardness of the situation.

Collecting herself, Parwati processed Vikram's unexpected declaration. His preference for the jalebis she had prepared momentarily lifted her spirits, yet her joy was tempered by a flicker of doubt. "But isn't Gulab Jamun your favorite?" she questioned, her tone tinged with uncertainty.

Surprised by her knowledge of his preferences, Vikram nodded in acknowledgment. "I suppose I have a newfound appreciation for jalebis" he admitted with a faint smile.

Though the Gulab Jamun he had ate was undeniably delicious, the taste of the jalebis lingered on his taste buds, leaving a lasting impression unlike any other he had experienced in his thirty-two years of life.

At that moment, Devi Ma reappeared, her keen eyes assessing the situation. "Have you made your decision?" she inquired, turning to her son for confirmation.

With a nod, Vikram affirmed his choice, prompting a pleased smile from his mother. "They truly are exquisite, aren't they?" she remarked, bending down to retrieve a tray. "And Parwati made them herself" she added.

As Vikram watched Parwati bend down to retrieve the other tray, her cheeks flushed with a delicate blush in response to Devi Ma's praise, he couldn't help but notice the subtle flutter in her demeanour, a perplexing reaction he couldn't quite decipher.

Later, Parwati's mind buzzed with confusion as she accompanied Devi Ma through the corridors. She couldn't quite fathom why the Maharaj choosing her Jalebis filled her with such giddiness, but one thing was certain—his acknowledgment meant more to her than she dared to admit.

____✼✦✼✦✼✦✼✦✼✦✼____

Make sure to follow me on
Instagram for spoilers/ teasers, edits & character art 🫶
ID : msmidnightwrites

ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠᴏᴛᴇ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ
ɪᴛ ᴋᴇᴇᴘs ᴍᴇ ᴍᴏᴛɪᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ.
ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ!