The Village Girl

Chapter Seven - [Seetha]

The presence of Aaryan that afternoon had sparked interest in my entire family. The fact that I was with him spread like a fire and everyone was asking questions, which didn't help at all.

So to avoid any further question, I stayed in the sleeping room, hugging my legs and holding back the tears. I was so angry... and heart broken. I had only just let myself accept that I was falling for him only to find out that he was... a Prince?

The pieces started to fall together quickly, as certain things began to make sense. Like the fact that he was able to hand me a solid gold bracelet without a care in the world. At first I thought that he must have really meant what he was saying... to hand over such a treasure. But now that I knew he was the prince I realized that gold was as expendable to him as the hair on my head.

When I heard the footsteps of my sister-in-law, I wiped my face quickly.

"Don't try to hide from me, young lady," she said as approached me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, crossing my legs.

She sat down in front of me, grabbing my face in her hands. "The bangle is gone and your eyes are red," she said. "And don't get me started on what all the uncles are saying about you running angrily away from a young, handsome man."

I swallowed back my ego. "You'll think I'm crazy," I said.

"I already do, little sister," she grinned.

I chuckled, wiping my tears away. "He wasn't a warrior," I said, "not really."

"He lied about being a warrior?"

I looked at her. "He's... the Prince."

Mayu stared at me before her eyes widened. "No."

"I don't know..." I said. "I still don't believe it entirely but... part of me does."

"That's impossible," she said, though she seemed to reconsider that and start to believe it herself. "Seetha... the Prince and his brother are at the Western Fort."

I knew.

I had heard the rumours as well.

Again... pieces falling into place.

She moved herself so that she was sitting right next to me, and then she put her arm around me. For some reason, her warmth made me feel more vulnerable. "I had said yes to him," I said, my lips quivered as I said it. "And then.."

She rubbed my shoulder. "Did he try to hurt you?"

"No!" I said, quickly. "No, not at all."

Her head tilted slightly.

"He told me he was the Prince... and I left. I was so shocked and scared," I looked at her with wide eyes. "I was yelling at him! I was yelling at the Warrior Prince of Chandraba!"

"What did he do?"

I hesitated. "He followed me," I said. "He told me that it changes nothing... but he's wrong."

My sister-in-law looked confused. "Wait... why are you upset?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Because... how could this have ever worked?" I asked. "He... made me start to fall for him only to realize it was a waste of time."

"But-"

"A peasant and a Prince?" I asked. "That's like a little stray cat and a majestic tiger trying to be together. Impossible."

She considered that. "But... we have all heard of the stories of Prince Aaryaraavanan," she said. "He is well respected in the kingdom. Maybe he has a choice. Maybe that was why he was so nonchalant about it?"