BATTLE OF LOVE (completed)

CHAPTER 30

Dharani's POV:

It's been three days since we've left the palace and I've already started missing Acharya, Dev, and Priya. I have yet to make peace with Arjun but we haven't had any major fights either and we kind of got along cause we had to. It is not our palace where we could openly fight. We live with people who look at us as a newly married couple and fighting every day is just not appropriate. Every night we slept on the same bed but we were never close. He slept to one corner while I slept to the other. However, there were times we had our pleasant talks usually in the mornings or at night before going to bed. These were the times where we did the cooking and the household chores together. As far as getting along with our neighbors is concerned we've been pretty successful I'd say.

Arjun had a developed a special bond with Sonu's mother and their bond grew so well that Arjun started calling her amma. Guess why? Cause amma always wanted to learn sword fighting, one of the reasons Sonu is in the army, and Arjun offered to teach her for free. Initially, I was hesitant cause I knew Arjun would change to an entirely different person when he is in his teaching mode. However, nothing of that sort happened and he was sweet to her all along. His reason for this - 'Amma is learning it for fun, not to go on a war.' They spent one hour every evening training and she made pretty good progress. Good for Arjun, at least he wouldn't be missing his training sessions. Sometimes they would cook together for our two families and experiment with new recipes for which unfortunately I become the test subject. They even started making plans for opening a restaurant soon. Amma also helped Arjun get a job in the nearby grocery store and promised to help him get into the military through her son Sonu.

As far as my bond with amma is concerned we got along pretty good as well. She became my unofficial mother in law. Most of our conversations were about how good her son Arun (Arjun) is. 'He cooks for you. He supports you. He respects you. He doesn't stop you from doing what you like. My son is the best. You cannot get a better husband.' This is all I get to hear from her. It sometimes makes me wonder how could someone get so emotionally attached to someone in just three days but then I remember Chutki. 

Chutki is the grand-daughter of our other neighbors. Remember the ones, that looked kind of sad. Yes, so it happened that their granddaughter who is eight needed help with maths and I offered her the help not like a tutor or something but as a casual friend. I grew so close with this little girl that she spent half of her day in our house and most of the times it's not for Maths. She is a talkative little girl and her only aim for some unknown reason was to meet princess Dharani.

 I still remember when she said this Arjun's immediate question was "Why not prince Arjun, dear?" and her reply was "Sonu said princess Dharani is good at heart."

"What about Arjun, then?" Arjun asked innocently.

"He said Arjun is good too but we should be careful not to do any mistake in front of him. He would become really angry. I am a kid na, what if I make a mistake? I will meet him when I am big. Then I will not make a mistake" she replied innocently.

"That's right," Arjun said with a slight smile, "Stay away from him till you are big."  

 We used to play all sorts of silly games. Games that never made their way past the palace walls. Games that I've never heard of like this strange game of clapping hands at a particular frequency and singing songs. Arjun likes Chutki as well and there were times when he played this game with us but only after he makes sure that Chutki did her homework. He was always gentle with her though. "Chutki sweetheart finish your work first and then we will all eat Pakode and play," became his all-time dialogue so much that Chutki would finish the sentence before he does.  Interestingly, I've never seen him angry in these three days which was kind of a relief. 

Though I remind myself that it is not going to happen, part of me wanted to bring our families along and stay here like this forever. A simple life with simple pleasures that I've never got to experience. We could adopt Chutki and become her mom and dad and live happily ever after. We wouldn't have the responsibility of the kingdom which means no fights and no arguments. A simple happy family. However, it's not possible. For one, we don't know what happened to Chutki's parents and I don't want to assume something bad and two it's just a matter of days before this dream shatters. Four more days to go and amma will know that the man whom she considers her elder son is the demanding prince her son talked about and that their restaurant plans might never be successful and Chutki will know that her friend is the princess of Mitra she always wanted to meet.

(Hey guys, hope you all had a great day. Thank you for making it till here. Please vote and comment. Also, the next chapter will be published on 16 November. So stay tuned. Thank you. Love you all and btw the girl in the image is Chutki.)