The Last Princess (18+)

26.0 Royal Affection

"Aapni issi talwar se hi humne Hindustan ka naksha badla hai, Anika," Shivaay shared as he showed his wife his favourite sword. Anika traced the royal symbols on the sword as she held it in her hands. It was undoubtedly heavy, sharp and made up of pricey metal. Fit for a king, fit for her Samrat. (With this very sword of mine I have changed the map of India, Anika)

It had been just two days since she had been back to her home. She was weak from the journey and had taken a day to rest. Despite her weakness, her husband had been all over her since the moment she stepped foot in their castle. Seems like the man had really missed her a lot just like his letters suggested.

"Shastra chalane ke liye shaastra ki bhi zaroorat hai," (you also need wisdom to use weaponry)
Anika nodded as she gulped , entranced by his husky voice. His biceps which were well defined in his snug outfit. In a flash, he pulled her closer by her waist and nuzzled her neck. Feverishly tracing the tip of his sword along the most prominent vein of her neck.

"Sambhalke Anika, aapki gardan bohat kimti hai aur inn zevaron se zyada nazuk bhi," he mocked, lightly clinking his sword with her necklace. Anika gulped evidently. (Be very careful, Anika, your neck (life) is precious and more delicate than these jewels)

"Dhyaan dijiye, Rani sa," he continued, biting her shoulder lightly as she suppressed a moan, "Hum Rajput hai, kabhi bhi maat dein sakte hai," (pay attention, queen) (I am a Royal, I can beat you to your own game anytime)

Anika controlled her heavy breathing, she had been away from him for too long, now everything he did seemed impossibly attractive to her. He had probably casted a spell on her, she thought.
While he was enthralled by her floral scent, Anika managed to escape his hold in a flash, leaving the man stupefied.

"Hum bhi Rajput hai, Shivaay, kabhi bhi maat dein sakte hai," (I too, am a royal, Shivaay. I can beat you to your own game too)

Shivaay grinned, his little sparrow had learned how to fly.

"Manna parega aapko, Rani saheba" (hats off to you, queen)

***

"Deewana bana diya hai aapne hume," the mighty king of Mewar mumbled as he buried his nose in his wife's neck. His heavy body lying on top of her petite one, putting all his weight on top of hers as he caged her in his muscular arms, vowing to ever let her go. (You've made me crazy for you)

"Aapne bhi," she quaked shyly. The larger man chuckled, his little sparrow never failed to amuse him. The said woman trembled below his form, yet doing her best to match his ruthless passion. She ached for him, without knowing how to date that ache. (you too)

"Aapko andaza bhi nehi hai ki hum aapke liye kya kya kar sakte hai, Anika," he confessed, squeezing her waist as he peppered cold, wet, open mouth kisses on her warm skin. (You've no idea what I can do for you, Anika)

"Kya kar sakte hai?" She teased, slightly shivering as she tugged a few strands of his jet black hair with her fingers. Trust his queen to never leave a chance to tease him. (What can you do?)

"Kuch bhi, kuch bhi," he breathed, drunk off his wife as he softly bit her skin. (Anything, absolutely anything)

"Hume aapki bohot yaad aayi, Shivaay, aur aapko?" She whispered, overwhelmed, her words coming off brittle. (I missed you a lot, Shivaay, what about you?)

"Aap toh jaate jaate hamara dil bhi le gayi thi, Anika," he shared, his voice breathy. (You had had taken my heart with you too, Anika)
Anika became teary eyed, he always had a way with his words that always made her heart threaten to claw out of her chest.

"Aapko hamara tohfa kaesa laga?" she asked, tracing shapes on his broad, muscular back. Suddenly remembering the little gift she had brought him, choosing it himself. It was small, much to her maternal family's discomfort, yet it was significant. (How did you like your gift?)

"Haseen, aapki tarah, anokha," he whispered in her ear, making goosebumps appear on her exposed arms. She had brought him a pair of simple pearl earrings, her husband wasn't a big fan of jewellery himself but never failed to shower her with exquisite gems and gold. This time she decided to return the favour. (Beautiful, like you, unique)

"Humare dil ki har dhadkan chahti hai ki hum har waqt har pal sirf aap hi ke saath raahein," (every single beat of my heart desires to be with you, every second, every moment) he confessed, his love weeping in his confession.

"Agar hum aur ek pal aapko nehi dekh te toh shayad zinda nehi rehte," (if i didn't seen you for a moment longer, I would've probably died)

"Hamara ghar soona para tha, aaj phir se ujaala ho gaya, aur hamara dil bhi," (my house was empty, it got filled today, so was my heart)
Shivaay nuzzled her chest, slowly hinting towards his wanton intentions for the night.

Anika blushed, while the said man continued to nibble down her chest, casually nibbling on her peaks of her chest over her tight blouse. She held him by the waist tighter, the proximity doing unspeakable things to her nether regions.

His hold was strong, unbreakable, as if he never wanted to let her go. Anika shivered as his cold lips ventured southwards. It had been a month too long since she had felt him this close to her, and it felt like the first time all over again. No matter how many dusks and dawns she spent with him, both pairs of limbs entangled as they breathed the same air, she could still hardly deal with such intense proximity.

"Anika," her husband chanted, as if sending a sacred prayer heavenwards.

"Shivaay," she mimicked, breathless, as if acknowledging his utter devotion.

***

Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their small diyas now extinguished. Yet they twinkled in the sunlight, making the large room identical to a piece of heaven. The baby pink lotuses floated on the pond with reckless abandon. The entire room illuminated with warm tones of white and yellow, a true architectural masterpiece.

"Samrat unse aaese lipte hue hai, jaese do nehi ek ho!" The young maids of the castle whispered and giggled upon themselves, blushing furiously at the innuendo. (The king was entangled with her as if they're not two but one!)

Anika heard them as they gossiped among themselves. The girls were not as discreet as they thought themselves to be. She, too, blushed, mortified. The Samrat had been a bit too reluctant to let her go this morning, saying that he had missed her a bit too much and was deprived of his wife for too long and she needed to compensate for it!

Oh the irony! Anika thought. He had urged her to go to Singhall himself, now she was the one compensating. She stretched her sore limbs. Her husband had the stamina of a bull, not that she was complaining.

"Aap nehi thi baisa issiliye samrat ne ek bhi diya nehi jalaya tha, aur aap ke aane ki khushi mein unhone saare diye jalaye ko bola hai," a maid informed, while the rest confirmed, with teasing looks plastered on their faces. Anika hid her face in her arms as she turned to face the other way. (When you were not here, Queen, the king didn't let us light any candles, but upon your arrival , he himself ordered us to light every single one of them)

Trust her husband to always embarrass her with such gestures.

"Aur toh aur unhone dono mahalon mein rangoliyan bhi banane ko bola tha," (and he had also asked to make rangoli {traditional Indian decoration and patterns made with ground rice, particularly during festivals})

"Samrat ka aesa ka roop humne pehle kabhi nehi dekha" (we've never seen this side of the king)

"Unki aankhein taras gayi thi, Baisa, apace deedar k liye," (his eyes were yearning to see you)

The young girls giggles; their dreamy sighs concealed in their mirth.

"Aapka aana jaese unke liye koi uthsav ho, Baisa," they teased their shy queen even further, thoroughly enjoying her discomfiture. (It was as if your arrival is a festival itself)

Little did anyone know the reason behind the King's gaiety.