His, Forever

Chapter One

POV

"Don't worry baba(father). I'll be fine." I told my concerned looking father. 

"Be careful child. Beware of the bandits, and stay safe." he wrapped me in a large hug, the back of his turban tickling my arms as I planted a kiss on his cheek. A maid pulled aside the curtains of the palanquin. I stepped inside and sat, hugging my knees to my chest, and Meera, my companion, followed me. We were on our way to visit my dearest friend, Tara, who had recently gotten married. Her husband, a noblemen, lived on a sprawling estate, very close to our border with the neighboring kingdom. Meera and I engaged in a simple card game to pass time. I dozed off, leaning my head on her shoulder. I was awoken just after midday by shouts. I peeked my head out of the curtains. "Bandits!" Yelled a soldier. I knew my men were overpowered, so Meera and I snuck away, running. We both grabbed swords, we were trained well. We kept on running through the bushes, thorns and brambles scratching our bare legs. Blood from a cut trickled down my calve, filling the air with a metallic smell. "I think we lost them." She told me. I shook my head, listening. It was eerily quiet, until I heard a branch snap. Someone was here. I pointed my sword towards the direction of the noise. A handsome young man on a horse, dressed like a prince came into view. He was the last thing I saw before the world turned black around me. "Mastani Mam!" Meera was fanning my face with her dupatta when I came to. "Where, where are we?" I sat up, taking in our surroundings, we were in a tent, a royal one at that. The curtains around the door parted and the princely man came through the door. "Pleased to see you are awake Lady Mastani. That was quite the run." he said. I blushed.
"I am well thank you."
"My name is Vivaan Rathod."
"The prince of Kishangarh?"
"I'm afraid so." I immediately stood up a stepped into a low curtsey, pulling the skirt of my lehenga. Prince Vivaan was quite kind. He escorted Meera and I to my fathers estate, before leaving. He was very handsome as well. Dark eyed, with a mane of curly hair. He was handsome in an exotic way, tall, and muscular. But scary, monstrous in a way. "My lady?" Meera distracted me from my thoughts. "A penny for your thoughts?" she said, sitting down next to me. "Just thinking about how we almost died." She tossed her shiny dark hair over her shoulder, laughing. I took dinner in my room, on baba's orders that I rest. I tore a piece of paratha(flatbread), scooping up some of the potato curry the cook had made, chewing thoughtlessly. I changed into a silk nightgown, and went to bed early, my dreams full of the handsome prince, who soon became a monster.

Vivaan's POV

Mastani. Her name was faint on my lips, just as her beauty embedded in my brain. Shiny, dark brown hair, that fell in loose waves down her back. Pale, clear skin, the slight flush in her cheeks when she got flustered. Tall, lean figure. Large, dark eyes. Perfection at its finest. She was not even comparable to my concubines, she was in a league of her own. Her father was a courtier in my fathers court. He was almost never home. The girl probably was isolated in the manor. I decided to meet her tomorrow. The day began with a shower of rain, causing the mood of everyone to become slightly more joyful. The woman dressed up in their fanciest clothes, the palace full of color, anticipating a good crop for the farmers. I sat, sheltered from the rain, in my howdah, up here on top of the elephant, I could see the countryside, even here their was celebrations. I disembarked in front of her home. It was huge, just like I remembered it. Sprawling gardens, waterfalls, a mansion, and a tiny village a fourth of a kilometer away. A maid saw me and dropped the pile of silk saris she carried. "Oh!" she gasped, as she scrambled to pick them up. "I am here to see Lady Mastani." I told her. She nodded. "She's in the gardens with Meera mam your highness. I'll have Rama(ruh-ma) take you there right now." A somberly dressed maid beckoned for me to follow her. I ended up in the loveliest garden I had seen outside of the palace. But an even lovelier woman stood, under a jasmine vine. A few flowers had tangled in her waist length locks. The rain, which had stopped earlier, had left a misting of water, cleansing the world of grime. She was wearing a long red dress, that loosely sheathed her curves, it's hem slightly damp. Her delicate face was framed by a translucent dupatta. I breathed in deeply, approaching her. She gasped when she saw me and turned to her companion. Her companion was pretty, but nothing in comparison to Mastani. She was shorter, and slightly more olive, with black eyes. Mastani dismissed her and she hurried away. We sat under the jasmine creeper. "I have asked your father for permission to marry you. All I want is to make you mine." I told her. I wanted to kiss her right then. She was beautiful alright, but I had a wife already. She would be my prize trophy. She nodded, but there was unmistakable fear in her eyes. "I will arrive tomorrow to fetch you to the palace." I said, tightly grabbing her, and planting a hard kiss on her neck, leaving an unmistakable hickey, and stalked off. Mine. She was mine. She was a drug, and I was addicted.

Ranveer Singh as Vivaan Rathod.

Deepika Padukone as Mastani Shekhwat