Deceptive Queen

Ch 9

YAMIRA

"Rupa, take Yamira's plate. The newlyweds have to eat from the same plate. It strengthens their love." The empress orders a maid.

We have to eat from the same plate!?

Why, God Why!?

I don't want to strengthen anything, I'm just hungry and want some food.

But here we go, another tradition.

The huge plate is soon filled with all the dishes.

They look good.

I know I am good at cooking, I hope everyone likes it.

I don't want another headache.

"Vyaghra's dishes....but no meat?" Shiv raises his left brow in question as the maids blend into the background.

"Yeah, right. How is there no meat?" Radhika asked.

I knew this was going to happen.

"Um, yeah...I am allergic to meat."

There we go.

Everyone looks at me like they are seeing a ghost.

"A Vyaghra princess, and allergic to meat. That's strange." Keshav, for the first time, says something.

People can be allergic to stuff! C'mon!

"What's strange....is to have you join us for lunch for the first time, and particularly so to observe your presence not causing any disruption..."
Shiv answers before I can.

"Abb Bhai, Bhabhi ne itni mehnat se khana banaya hai, toh khana toh banta hi hai na. Aur fir, hum aapki shadi pr bhi nhi aa ske."

This is tense.

"Right. And exactly where was the puppy lost?"

"Enough both of you. No arguments during lunch." The empress warns.

"It's fine; of course, if you are allergic, then we don't need to have it."

I smile at her, fully aware of my husband's eyes on my face.

"Okay, let's eat."

If we are going to eat from the same plate, then he gets to eat first.

"Well, well, what do you say bhabhi? Shouldn't the couple feed each other? It's the first time they are having a meal together..." Radhika asked the empress.

Okay, this is too much.

Can't everyone see? We love each other.

Why do we have to feed each other now!???

This is torture!

I am sure he feels the same. He'll refuse.

"Yes! Right! Why not?"
The empress exclaims excitedly.

I look at Shiv meekly and he has no expression on his face.

I wait for him to refuse but his lips don't form any words but a soft smile.

He looks really good when he smiles.

Why doesn't he smile more often?

He totally should.

"Avantika?"

Completely absorbed in my thoughts, I failed to notice that he had brought a bite of food to my mouth.

Huh?

We are doing this?

And in front of everyone!?

Okay. Control your emotions YAMIRA!

Act like you are supposed to.

I fixed my eyes on him as he fed me slowly.

Everyone was smiling at us (well, of course, except one guy), and I just couldn't believe that THIS guy was capable of something like this.

He kept a hand below my chin just in case anything dropped on my clothes.

I wanted to bury myself alive when he wiped my lips off some curd using the back of his index finger and then brought his finger to his lips and licked off the curd.

I bit my lips trying to control my overflowing emotions.

What he just did....how can that simple thing be so sweet and so damn seductive at the same time!!

I am so embarrassed!

Why would he do that when everyone is looking right at us!?

Wait a minute. Why would he do that even when we are alone!?

"Avantika, your turn now," Radhika said excitedly.

I smiled at her and put some raita on the spiced rice, carefully making a bite with a full red chilli.

He was looking at me and did not notice what I did when I fed him the rice.

He bit my finger in the process earning a jolt from me.

He looked ahead, and I was waiting for a reaction, but that creature known as the crown prince of Sihn Rajya and my husband, freaking smirked!

Can you believe it?

He smirked!!!

I might as well plaster that smirk on his face at this point.

"Your Highness, the princess has exquisite culinary talent. Do have a taste. Her food is as high in flavour as her beauty is."

Like red chillies.

That's what he meant.

He does love to anger me.

Everyone tasted my made and praised me abundantly.

After Lunch, I was showered with gifts from everyone.

They all were so sweet.

The empress the most. Too much so.

She kissed me, praised me, and blessed me all the time.

Nobody knows this for sure, but from what we gathered, she should be a little more hostile towards her stepson and his wife.

I was expecting it to be honest.

But she's being so sweet.

There is still a fifty per cent chance that she is faking all of it, and, in reality, she is evil.

I'll have to be careful of her.

Who knows, maybe she's the one who kept the knife under my pillow?

She could be the one who knows about my true identity.

After that, Shiv had some work to do, so he bid his farewell and the other prince just vanished in thin air.

As always, they say.

Here's another chapter!
Hope you liked it 💗✨