Vikram held Parwati's hand as they stepped inside the grand Paudhagarh Palace. The entire horse ride had been a torment for him; with Parwati nestled in his arms and the intoxicating scent of her hair teasing his senses, it was a miracle he wasn't sporting a hard-on.
He glanced at Parwati and noticed the tension in her posture, her eyes darting around the palace walls as if a monster might crawl out at any moment.
"Are you okay?" Vikram asked softly.
Parwati just nodded. It felt strange being back in this palace that had once been her prison, where every corner was tainted with bad memories. She had never thought she would ever willingly return, yet here she was.
"My grandfather" Vikram murmured, drawing her attention to the old man approaching them with a welcoming smile. She and Vikram bent down together, touching his feet in respect. He patted their heads, offering his blessings with a gentle touch.
"My, my, look at that face" Vikram's grandfather said, smiling at Parwati. "Beautiful"
"Thank you" Parwati blushed, glancing shyly at the floor.
"Congratulations, my son" the old man continued, turning to Vikram. "I hope I'll receive the good news soon."
Vikram glanced at Parwati, expecting some reaction, but her face remained impassive. His attention then shifted to a servant girl who stepped forward to guide Parwati to their chambers. He watched his wife follow the servant up the grand staircase, her figure growing smaller with each step, before turning back to his grandfather, who was regarding him with a raised eyebrow and a secret smile.
"It's not what you're thinking," Vikram said immediately.
"And what am I thinking?" his grandfather asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.
Vikram glared at his grandfather, who chuckled and gave him a gentle push. "Go freshen up, we'll talk later."
Vikram nodded, grateful for the excuse to retreat. He walked away, his mind already focused on the prospect of a much-needed bath, hoping the warm water would wash away some of the day's tension.
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Parwati paused in her tracks when she realized the servant girl was guiding her to the king's chambers—the very room that had been more of a torture chamber than a place of rest. Goosebumps erupted on her arms as memories of past horrors flooded her mind. Taking a deep breath, she decided that the bedchamber was the last place she wanted to be.
"I-I would like to wash up first" Parwati said, making up an excuse to avoid setting foot in the dreaded chamber for as long as possible.
"Oh, of course. This way, then" the maidservant replied, quickly changing course to guide her to the bathing chambers.
The moment Parwati stepped inside the bathing chambers, the maid helped her discard her clothes and handed her a white cloth to cover herself. Wrapping the cloth around her body, Parwati walked further into the chamber towards the pool, only to freeze when her eyes fell upon Vikram, lounging in the water while two servant girls washed him.
As if sensing her presence, Vikram turned his head to the side. "Parwati?" He said, surprised.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know—" Parwati began, flustered.
"It's okay, there's plenty of space in here" Vikram interrupted, gesturing for the servants to leave them alone.
Parwati swallowed nervously and walked over to the other end of the pool. She could feel Vikram's gaze lingering on her bare legs until she stepped into the water. Once immersed, Parwati leaned against the wall and met Vikram's gaze from across the pool.
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Historical Fiction"You can let go of me now" Parwati said softly, her lehenga now thoroughly drenched, though she couldn't say that the Maharaj was looking any better. "Why?" Vikram's voice was low, his grip on her waist tightening almost possessively. Parwati's bre...
