Crown

chapter 16

The realisation

Khushi eyes finally let the tears flow as arnav hold her tight in his arms .she looks straight ahead not once looking at the fallen faces of her sisters or her dai ma who stood with same hurt expression as her.

She sees how her father crowns her brother ,as everyone claps ,her step mother stood beside them smiling unbound . her smiling eyes meets khushi's misty eyes , she only laughs at the sight of khushi . she has won , khushi has lost .

khushi's dream had shattered with such impact that she can feel the every nerve in her body scream in pain. She has fought all her life not to hold the crown but to feel worth it.

Not to be just another girl to bring burden on the family but a capable human being . she wanted to prove it to herself and others that she is not ordinary that she can be everything people expect from boy and more than it. She can be the one that will change everyone's perspective of girl not good enough to be the heir.

She lost her mother the day she was born but she got love of a mother from her dai ma but still her fragile heart had hoped for her mother all life. She had thought her father will love her to the core but that man had never once called her beti' forget about bedtime stories .

Like any other man her father was busy teaching his sons , playing with them all the while she remained bereft of love they care . s

he grew up way before her age it was a necessity for her . her step mother had treated all her sister as shit and servants but unlike her sisters khushi stood her ground , she never let her step mother scare her ,not when she made her starve for days or when she locked her in dark room. Khushi never knew from where the strength to survive had come to a four year old her but it had.

She was a born survivor ,no matter how many times evil had try to overpower her , she had beaten them at their own game . payal says that she has become like them she has become evil to fight evil that she will never win . how right her sister has been , she has lost , lost the biggest battle of her life,

She should have known even if she had bring moon to the knees of her father , he still would have made her brother ,the king , it was a fact . the fair battle for the crown was just a facade, an illusion,that her father has created to keep her occupied while he strengthen her brother stance here , as ultimately the power lies in her father's hand.

Arnav kept on whipping her tears as she still stood like a statute not making a movement , her eyes still fixed at the coronation ceremony . arnav had seen a strong resolve inside her eyes , yet a broken soul founds it way now and then letting the tear fall .

he was proud of her , he knew even after him telling her to forgot about the crown or kingdom related matter, she still tried. Her heart was into it and arnav didn't wanted to break her heart by getting angry on her on this. It was her dream and he won't ever come in between her dream ever , he had promised himself that .

He knew his wife was a brave intelligent women and she has proved so by winning every challenge thrown her way with great ease . but arnav knew the man like Shashi or like his father , they never play fair . he was quite sure that khushi was heading for a heartbreak unknowingly and he wanted to be with her at that time to catch her when she fall .

His heart is breaking every second to see his wife like that like a body without soul. He had warned her , he had told her the result of such battles yet she has tried and as expected she had been cheated with . not able to take it anymore , arnav drags her away from the hall to the back garden and shakes her to say something , do something , to just cry and let it out .

Those people don't deserve her sanity , they never deserved her .

"khushi , cry! Cry! Damit , scream , get angry . let it out ." arnav shook her hard this time.

"I didn't wanted the crown arnav' khushi whispered dejected

"I know!' arnav hugged her tight , patting her back .

"I just wanted them to accept me as their own,. to see me as an equal . I would have given hundred such kingdoms to hear my father call me his daughter . only if he had said he was proud of me , that he is happy that his daughter is no less than any man'" khushi sobbed as she let it out , feeling of rejection , of being not wanted. loneliness has let to build this stone walls of hatred , selfishness within her.

"they don't deserve you khushi. you don't have to live your life or make your decision to prove them something . it should be about you . about what you want , what makes you happy" arnav cupped her cheeks in his hand , brushing his thumbs near her eyes to let the tears stop.

"you make me happy arnav . I am happy that you are here . I am standing here strong is because of you. I love you" khushi had never thought she will ever confess her love to him this way . she had imagined them among stars , with wind blowing with their faces covered in happiness , their body entangled together ,than she would have kissed his cheeks and confessed it blushing . but now her every dream is shattered.

"you are my life khushi and no matter how much you try to hide things from me I will always have way to find out . I am incapable of leaving you alone mrs.raizada , it is the last time I am letting you cry , from now on all I want to see is happiness in you eyes not tears" arnav said holding her face close to his to which she chuckled while sobbing .

"you didn't said I love you back" khushi complained like a child.

"why would I say that" arnav said crossing his arms on his chest.

"what do you mean? Don't you love me" khushi asked on the verge of crying again.

"sorry but I only love my hyperactive wife, who moves her sword like she flying her dupatta in air , who blushes beet root when I touch her , who doesn't cry like a baby."

I am not crying like a baby' khushi punched his chest only to make arnav chuckle at her behaviour .

"acha ji. Ok fine . I will say I love you on one condition."

"What?'"

"you won't hide anything from me . no matter what?"' arnav said in a serious tone. He want her to share her every grief , decision with him without him to find it out from others .

Khushi just nodded her head at that .she knew she was wrong from hiding things from him, she don't want to lose him at any cost.

Daima was right she should now concentrate on her married life rather than running after heartless people's acceptance . she has got a amazing , honest husband in form of arnav and she will be the perfect wife to him .

"and do and be want you want' arnav completed her inner monologue as if he can hear her thoughts , khushi just nodded smiling and hugged him tight .