What would happen if you were appointed as a bodyguard for the person you were supposed to assassinate?
Adhiveer is a beloved king. Adored by everyone in his kingdom and beyond.
Shiva, a professional assassin, gets easily appointed as his royal gu...
Adhiveer reluctantly agreed to let Shiva move to her quarters. She had recovered substantially and insisted on going back. She said that she was a mere guard and he was a king. Her staying for too long in his chambers would be inappropriate. " I don't know. I feel like I am intruding on your space. These chambers are yours, my king." She'd said.
" And what about me? Shiva, who am I to you?" He'd asked. She didn't have any answers and stared at him. She looked as if she were in a trance.
The idea of her being away from him was impalpable and now even more so because her life was in danger. He had grown accustomed to seeing her in his chambers. Her presence there gave him a unique satisfaction which he couldn't explain. But then she moved, and he missed her.
Her broken arm healed and her head injury didn't cause pain anymore. Reva started spending a lot of time with her. They used to talk for hours while walking in the gardens. He didn't know why he felt jealous when she spent time with anyone except him.
Rajveer took him along to the port cities, to see the two new trading ports they had acquired. Then they had to meet the merchants regarding the trade of artefacts. These artefacts were the labour of artists from the earthquake-prone villages. They had decided that whatever trade takes place the entire returns of the trade will be given to the artists. Thus giving them a source of livelihood.
A week had passed and his eyes yearned for her face. On the way back, he visited the lake where they had been together. The feeling was not the same without her. The image of her in the silver pool of water, under the moonlit night had imprinted on him.
When they returned, he found out that she was not at the palace. She was in the city. The thought of her being attacked again in her vulnerable state agitated him. He paced in his room with anger and frustration. She was called to his chambers when she returned.
" I need seclusion," he told the guards who stood outside his door.
" Who permitted you to go out of the palace?" He roared.
"Uh?" she looked shocked. "Do I have to ask for permission from anyone else, if you are not present, my king?" She said.
He walked closer to her still livid. But when he stood near her, his anger melted, and all he wanted was to hold her. He gathered his thoughts and said. " Shiva, I cannot let you go anywhere. It's not safe. I forbid it."
"But why?" She asked with widened eyes.
" I cannot bear the thought of you getting injured again. The past few days were a torment." He was defeated.
"I am not a child to fall again like that." She said with a smile." It was just an accident and they often happen. Believe me, I have fallen from trees so many times that I cannot even count them on my fingers."
" It was not an accident." He said gravely.
"What?"
"Someone tried to ki- " he couldn't say it." Someone hurt you. And I'm not going to let that happen. You wouldn't believe what I went through in the past few days. And now you are still weak. I don't have the willpower to see you weak or hurt again. "
" But I am-"
Before she could complete he pulled close and embraced her. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her forehead. She turned into a stone. This was the first time he had kissed her. Exaltation ran through him. His hand moved past her neck to the small of her back. He pulled her in and kissed her cheek. Her skin felt cold and soft against his. His lips trailed to her neck. He felt her hands clench the garb at his waist. She held it for a while. Then, at once, she pushed him away and stared at him. He couldn't understand the expression she had. She seemed confused, sad and angry at the same time.
When he went closer to her she didn't move back but stood there looking at him. Her eyes were blank, engrossed in a distant thought. "Shiva l..."
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She snapped out of it. " I am not... ready for this," she said. And walked out of his chambers. The touch of her skin still lingered on him. She was upset with him, but she didn't push him away immediately. He wanted to know what was going on in her mind but he didn't dare to follow her.
The next few days were like a chase of cat and mouse. She dodged his presence as much as she could. His frustration got the best of him. That day, after they had lunch, Shiva was on her way to her quarters. He cornered her in the corridor.
"You have been avoiding me." He said.
"It's inappropriate for us to meet like this, my king." She said looking around at the guards. He waved his hands and the guards left.
"Now we can talk." He said.
"That's not what I meant. It's-" Before she could say anything. She saw Rajveer walking towards them. She put her head down and moved away from him.
" Brother, I have an-" he stopped and looked once at Shiva then continued. " We have got an invitation from Satjaya. For Lavanya's wedding." He said to him handing a scroll.
"Oh yes, it slipped my mind. It is in less than a fortnight. We do have a lot of preparations to do..." He said opening the invite.
" I will take your leave, my king." She was about to move.
" Where are you going?" he stopped her. She was trying to slip away again. " We have a lot of work to do. I want you with me for it." She didn't say anything; she simply nodded. She was avoiding his gaze, which perplexed him and angered him even more.
" I have already made a list of things that we have to take along and Reva can see to gifts and jewellery. I don't think she would be of any help to us." Rajveer said to Adhiveer." You may leave." He said to Shiva.
Without any hesitation, she bowed down and started walking towards her quarters. Adhiveer was infuriated. What is wrong with her? What made her behave like this?
That night, he visited her quarters, but she was not there; in a panic, he started looking for her in the palace compound. He found her near the pond, at the entrance.
She sat at the bank dipping her feet in the pond, alone and quiet. She looked the same as he had seen her that night at the camp. She was wearing loose clothes and her hair was untied. He stood there for a long time, looking at her. He took her image in his mind. Every detail of her face, the rhythm of her breathing, and the way she picked at the blades of grass near her. She was lost in her thoughts and didn't notice him. He didn't want her to notice him. Time went by gradually like a breeze. He didn't go to her.
Then she got up, dusted her clothes and started walking towards her quarters. She noticed him standing there and stopped. Her mouth fell open but not a single word came out. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. When he walked towards her, she put her arms around herself. She still didn't meet his gaze and that troubled him.
" I made you a promise remember?" She looked at him." That I will wait for you even if it takes an eternity." He took her hand in his. " But you have to promise me today that you are not going to leave me for as long as I live. Because I cannot imagine my life without you." He kept her hand on his chest." Can you promise me that?" Bending down to meet her gaze. Tears rolled down her face. She caressed his cheek.
