Jamuna

Episode 5

Mrinalini sported a sly smile on her lips.

Nothing can go wrong now. She thought as she looked around the room, she had prepared for Prince Ripudaman. 'He won't be able to escape now. I will not let him.'

There was a reason why she had tagged along with him on this journey. One was to see her future palace and the second one was to gain Ripudaman's favour.

'The way to a man's heart is by his stomach.' Hmph all the old sayings are nothing but worthless. Completely worthy of being called trashed. According to her 'the way to a man's heart is not by his stomach but by his bed.'

The last time she had tried to impress Prince Ripudaman with her beguile looks and docility he had completely ignored her. Like she was just the cousin of his sister-in-law and not a princess whose beauty was more than that of the moon.

She thought haughtily, but he won't be able to escape me now.

According to her sources Prince Ripudaman was currently in a meeting with the council and will directly come to his chambers after it ends. After that, then her masterplan will begin.

But why was he taking so long.

She secretly withdraws the small bottle from her blouse which holds the potion that will help her win Prince Ripudaman's heart over. A wicked smile displaying on her face. As a devious possessiveness gleamed in her eyes.

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"Any news on her." Ripudaman asks Viplav, who stands on the side near a pillar.

"Not yet. Man, I don't know where to begin with." Viplav replied as he groaned. "If only you had asked her for her address first."

"Don't wail, Agra is not that big and she's not that small that you won't see her." Ripudaman replied casually as he stops sparing with a soldier and sheaths his sword. Walking towards his friend he sets down on the pavement beside him. A servant quickly brings a fresh towel and water for him.

He wiped his dirty sweaty face and then gulped down the water.

"Easy for you to say hard for me to do." Viplav angrily muttered under his breath.

"Don't diss me Viplav and you've only got one day to find about her whereabouts." Ripudaman said with an autocratic tone. An order he can never refuse.

"Okay then. But you'll have to treat me accordingly." Viplav said with a finality in his voice.

"Of course." Ripudaman replied in a hurtful tone. As if scalded by his friend's accusation.

"So not up for any sleeping." Viplav asks as he too set down on the pavement. And starts sharpening his sword with a stone.

"No, I'm going to sleep. Don't want my dear Jamuna to see a ghost tomorrow." Ripudaman stated wryly as he got up and started making his way towards his chambers.

"How are you so sure you're going to meet her the next day?" Viplav asks incredulously.

"Because you're going to find her tomorrow." Ripudaman stated with his back towards his friend.

Ripudaman happily strolled towards his chambers. Finally, after so much time something was going according to him. He was going to meet his Jamuna tomorrow. He still hadn't told his brother about her nor had he told his sister-in-law. Because she was too busy trying to get him hitched with her extraordinarily snobbish cousin.

Only Viplav and some soldiers who unluckily happened to be there on that fateful day knew about her. He wasn't worried about them, they were his most loyal people. Hell would freeze before they will even utter anything about that day.