Lotus among the Roses

✨️ The Concubine ✨️

As Devendra and Abeera entered the royal chambers, the atmosphere was heavy with tension.

The Samraat sat on the main throne with a stern expression, while the Samragyi 's gaze was icy cold. Around them stood the members of the royal family along with others. The third prince, Raja Raghuveer, his wife Rani Pratyusha, Raajkumari Samyukta the second princes, stood and Crown Princess Amrosha, stood on one side, while Amar Simha, Devi Shakti, Devi Devsena, Vyom and Kumud stood at the other sides, their expressions a mix of despise and abhorance .

Abeera and Vikram came in and bowed down to the Samraat and Samragyi.

The Empress's eyes bore into Abeera as she spoke, her voice laced with coldness, yethem words were that of concern. "Abeera, do you feel well now?"

Abeera, trying to maintain her composure, nodded quickly. "Yes, Your Majesty, I am feeling much better. It was just a moment of weakness-"

The Empress cut her off sharply. "A moment of weakness? Do you think a moment of weakness justifies your behavior? You have brought shame and dishonour, not only upon you and your relatives , but also to this empress and our trust on you!  Your hysterical outburst and subsequent actions were utterly disgraceful !"

Abeera lowered hem head in annoyance as her eyes darted around the room, looking for an ally, but she found none.

She swallowed hard and began to speak in a trembling voice, while her , eyes filled with crocodile tears, attempting to manipulate the situation.
"Your Majesty, I am really sorry for what I have done. In that moment, I was overcome with emotions....... " she sand as she glanced lovingly at Devendra, " My love for Devendra.........  is boundless and true, and I was just expressing-"

"Enough!" the Samraat's voice boomed, silencing the room. His face was dark with anger. "Love does not excuse the chaos you have caused! Your actions tonight were unbecoming of someone in your position ! Do not forget that it was the Samragyi who had allowed you to attain this position of Gul Bahar, and you? What did you do? stomped all over her goodwill and extinguished all her expectations fromyou ? Is this the love you so desparately want the world to know about ?" The Samraat's furious voice made Abeera shiver in fright, get her eyes glinted with malicious intents.

The Empress continued, her tone relentless. "You have not only embarrassed yourself but also implicated Commander Devendra in a scandal ! Do you realize how big of a folly it is? Your behavior is unacceptable. You screamed and made a scene, disrupting a celebration meant to honor our bravest warriors. And to top it all, your actions and words have caused several rumors regarding your and commander Devendra's affair to come up......"

Abeera's eyes filled with tears, a mix of genuine fear and calculated emotion, tried to salvage the solution, "Your Majesties, please, I beg your forgiveness. I was not in my right mind."

Completely done with Abeera's great act, Princess Samyukta stepped forward, her voice calm get sarcastic. "Your Majesties, Abeera's actions tonight, completely undermines her position as the Gul Bahar, were more than just a momentary lapse. It was a display of her true nature. Her outburst and the things she said-about commander Devendra, may be out of love, but did she ever consider about Devi Padmini? And what about their late son Aarav?" She turned around to continue saying, " My questions ame for you as well commander Devendra ..... Is it true that you were indulging in presentaries of life during the time, Devi Padmin self immolated?"

Devendra stood rigid, his mind replaying Princess Samyukta's venomous words. The memory of Padmini's soulless eyes when he confessed his love for Abeera haunted him, and now with what Abeera had confessed, his disgust for Abeera now was palpable.

Kumud standing beside the empress was carefully observing Abeera's actions and expressions. Abeera's still ongoing act of selfless love made her blood boil in anger, while her stomach turned in disgust.