Chhayantar

Arrogance in the Handsome Face: P2

Hima had been trying to sleep for two hours. However, sleep had left her very soul. Realizing that she wouldn't be able to sleep, she got up and, breaking the rules once again, left her chamber before sunrise without any servant or guard, sneaking past the guards, and started wandering around the palace.

"I am the queen. What punishment can the king give me? I have no fear of him." Hima muttered to herself with pride. "It's the third day since I arrived at the palace, but perhaps the king has lost his memory too. He hasn't come to meet me even once!!!" Hima said angrily to herself.

Once again, Hima left the queen's residence and reached the same pond in the palace where she had arrived on the first night. There were four chairs arranged by the pond, where royal people could sit and discuss matters. Hima sat on one of the chairs facing the pond.

Hima sat in despair, staring at the pond. Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her, "You have violated the rules again.... little queen?"

Hima grabbed the chair and looked back upon hearing the familiar voice. Behind her stood the same handsome man, holding two cups of sherbet on a tray, the same man who had placed a sword on Hima's neck in her dream. Seeing him, Hima stood up in fear. As she did so, the chair she was sitting on fell onto the man's feet.

The handsome man was about to scream, but to avoid disturbing the palace's peace at night and to prevent the sherbet cups from falling from his hands, he controlled his pain, took deep breaths, and simply moved his foot out from under the chair.

Seeing this, Hima stammered, "Sorry, it was a mistake!!!"

The man smiled through his pain and said, "No, no, little queen. Anyway, you are going to be punished for breaking the rules, I won't increase your punishment for this small mistake, don't worry." His tone was filled with arrogance.

Hima was stunned for a moment and thought, "Why does no one respect me in this palace??? The first and third queens treat me like a child, the second queen hates me, and now this servant????? Not a single person talks to me properly, I had no value at my father's house, and neither do I have any value here??"

Feeling very disappointed, Hima wanted to shout at the servant, but she calmed herself, picked up the fallen chair, and sat back on it. She said to the man standing behind her in a firm voice, "Leave from here and leave me alone."

For a few moments, both were silent, facing the pond. After a few moments, the man went to Hima's side, picked up a cup from his tray, and stood beside Hima. The disappointed Hima first looked at the cup with wide eyes, then looked up at the man. The man was still looking at the pond, now glowing like the moonlight in the early morning.

The man, still looking at the pond, said, "My hands are getting tired, drink quickly, little queen, I made this myself." He said proudly.

Hima said nothing and was about to drink from the cup when the man came closer and, with a fearful smile, whispered in her ear, "How can you drink what I gave you without checking, little queen? What if I have poisoned it?"

Hima was terrified upon hearing this, as it reminded her of her dream. She immediately threw the cup down and stood up in fear, staring at the man with wide eyes.

"What pleasure do you get from mocking me, huh? Didn't I say I want to be alone??!!!" Hima shouted loudly. Her eyes were now filled with tears.

The man, smiling arrogantly, said, "Now I understand how careless you are, drinking sherbet from a cup given by someone without thinking. Be a little wiser, little queen!"

Saying this, the man picked up the other cup from his tray, drank the sherbet, and walked towards the palace's military training center.

Once again, Hima just stared at the man, "He really enjoys mocking me. His face is like a dog's, and he dares to teach me!!!" Hima said angrily to herself.

Hima then started sneaking back to her chamber.

She skillfully entered her chamber just at sunrise. Suddenly, she saw her chief maid, Sheetal, sitting inside the chamber, crying.

Hima called out to her, "Sheetal?"

Sheetal, who was crying in sorrow, jumped up upon hearing her little queen's voice, ran to her, and hugged her tightly, crying even more, "Where did you go???? I thought someone had taken you away again!! I was very worried, but it's good that you are safe!!!" Sheetal's emotions were pure.

Seeing this, Hima smiled happily, placing her hand on Sheetal's cheek, comforting her like an elder sister.