Agneya - The Unknown King

Chapter 23 - Ceremony

Agni answered back immediately, "I still don't understand why there should be a punishm-".  He stopped midway as he realised what she asked and then looked at her with a smirk and said, "I guess the punishment is necessary".  He pulled her in for a kiss.

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A few days passed and it has become a routine for them to kiss each other before going to bed.  Still their sleeping arrangement remains same.  Soon the second Sarvayogita competition of the year occured, marking the end of two months of the academic year for the students.  And it has been almost three months since Agneya entered this realm.  In the competition arena, Yuvraj Agneya took his seat below Samrat in the second row of the stairs, along with Meghnath and Dakshesh.  While the other Acharyas of the academy were seated beneath them in the last stair.

As Agni had predicted, Rashmi was called for a challenge by Apoorva, who is a princess of Jalpura with water power.  Agneya was also curious about the fight as he didn't see much scope for the space power to defeat water power but he himself knew that he was underestimating his soulmate, who had earlier defeated earth power in the very competition. 

Under everyone's curious glances, before Apoorva could start her attack, Rashmi created a bubble around herself, engulfing her whole body.  Apoorva directed her both hands to unleash water from both sides, to hit Rashmi with heavy force, expecting it to push her backwards and drench her completely.  She had plans to attack Rashmi further when she will be caught off-guard due to drenching. 

But much to Apoorva's and everyone's surprise, the water which came with heavy force, began to float as soon as it penetrated the bubble which Rashmi had created around herself.  Apoorva was infuriated and forced out more water towards Rashmi, who just enlarged the bubble to accomodate more water to float around.  Agneya noticed that along with the water drops, Rashmi too was floating within the bubble but she was able to control her motions and hid it well from the audience.  He deducted that she created a bubble within which gravitational force would be null.

Later, Rashmi broke her bubble when her opponent was distressed about her further action and swiftly used her lightning power to tie up her hands and pushed her to the ground.  When Apoorva tried to break free, Rashmi passed on some shock through the lightning which has tied her up and finally Apoorva accepted defeat.

The students of the space class cheered for her and Charu was forced to show happy smiles for her sister while all she wanted was for Rashmi to lose.  She thought to herself, "If she had lost then it would have brought me one step closer to entering the palace without her.  Anyways I still have my brahmastra to achieve that".  The Aacharyas were astonished at her show of power as it had been decades since someone from the Royal family of Akashpura could perform this technique.  Even her father was not able to achieve this for more than a few seconds whereas Rashmi had kept up for more than 5 minutes.

Samrat smiled at her direction and it made him stand firm on his decision that She should definitely enter the palace as Dakshesh's Primary wife.  He looked at Agni and saw his proud smile while looking at Rashmi and in turn saw her smiling at him in return.  Samrat was not sure if she was blushing while looking at him, as he was at a distance.  This made him frown as he was distressed about how to make them understand that they shouldn't be together.  Soon he left the arena.

That night, Agni came to her chamber and saw that Rashmi was in deep sleep already.  He went near her bed and sat beside her sleeping form and caressed her face slightly.  "Must be tired due to excess pressure on her powers", He murmured and kissed her forehead and pecked her lips.  He was about to leave when he felt a grip on his wrist.  He looked down to see her trying hard to open her eyes and she said in her sleepy voice, "Stay here with me".

Agni saw her patting the space beside her on the bed and said while removing her hands, "Sleep now".  As he was about to stand, she pulled him to lay down on the bed.  Agni was caught off-guard since he thought that she was sleepy and fell down on the bed, laying on his back.  Rashmi kept her head on his chest while hugging his waist and continued her sleep.  Agni tried to calm down his heart beat and tried to sleep but this new arrangement and the feelings evoked by the sleeping woman beside him.  He sighed and then wrapped his hands around her hesitantly and finally slept.

The next morning, for a change, it was Rashmi who woke up first and saw their position and was surprised for a moment but then remembered what she did last night.  She noticed that he was still asleep and kept her head back again, on his chest and smiled at the feeling.  She hugged him tighter around his waist when she heard him say, "Don't tighten more".  She gasped and looked up at him and then backed away from his chest but soon he hovered over her and locked her hands on the bed.  Her heart was beating faster and as his body came closer, she felt his member poking her thighs and looked at him wide eyed.  He chuckled at her reaction and swiftly moved away from her and left the chamber through his portal.

After that night, Agni didn't hesitate to sleep beside her every night and they end up cuddling eachother to sleep.  Although they kiss eachother, their intimacy is still restricted to that and didn't proceed further.

After a week of the Sarvayogita competition, Dakshesh and Agneya departed from the academy to attend the naming ceremony of the new prince of Akashpura.  Agni didn't feel like talking to Dakshesh so he just listened to whatever he spoke.  Although Agni could travel through portals, it wouldn't be ideal for guests to go like that.  So with an entourage of maids and guards, to help them with their food and other chores, during the day long journey to Akashpura, they departed.

As they entered the gates of Akashpura, they received a grand welcome from the people, who threw flowers on them.  Sitting in the open carriage, similar to a chariot, Agni looked around the place and smiled at their hearty welcome. 

As their carriage slowly moved forward, Agni sensed something and soon saw a sword held by a rope of lightning coming straight to his neck.  He immediately invoked fire in his hands but before he could attack the sword, he saw the sword getting slowed down when it came nearer.  It was almost as if it was floating.  After that, he hit back the sword with fire as it came out of that slow phase. 

Agni looked around to find her but he couldn't.  Dakshesh was also shocked by this bold attempt on the Yuvraj of Pranyakta and angrily shouted at the soldiers to leave the kingdom immediately.  Agneya agreed with him and then they left without attending the ceremony.  The people around them were also terrified due to this as they feared the response of Samrat.

Next day, After reaching back to the Academy residence, from the day long journey, they met Samrat who was waiting for them as he received the message from Dakshesh.  Samrat checked both his grandsons for any injuries and upon getting the satisfaction that they are fine, he told them, "I will personally investigate this matter and punish the culprit.  If the Royal family is also involved, then they will be punished accordingly". 

Dakshesh just wished that the royal family of Akashpura is not involved in such issue.  Then Agni reached his chamber and directly went to her chamber.  He asked Rashmi furiously, "Did you know this will happen?  Is that the reason why you prevented Meghnath Bhai from attending the ceremony?".

Glossary:
Samrat - Emperor
Samragyi - Empress
Rajkumar - Prince
Bratashree - Brother
Bhabhishree - sister-in-law
Acharya - Master/Teacher
Mamashree - Uncle (Mother's Brother)
Mamishree - Aunt (Mother's brother's wife)
Bade - elder or big
Chote - younger or small

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Precap:

When Agni and Rashmi were having an intense argument, Dakini walked in hurriedly and said, "Samrat is here to meet you, Rajkumari".

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Hi guys,

Hope you like the chapter.  Do vote and comment if you like the chapter.

Word count: 1400

Thanks,
SM.