Exiled Hearts

15: If Only You Knew

Mallika

Moonlight streaked in through the window, illuminating the shady room. I stole quick glances as he laid on his back, his head resting on his folded arm, across the room. His eyes were fixed on the straw roof, but I could tell his mind was on something else - something I yearned to know.

"You know you don't need to secretly look at me. I really don't care." His mocking voice brought me back to reality, drowning me in humiliation.

"I-I..." My mind failed to cover-up my foolishness as my words trailed off. He remained oddly silent, not even expressing his usual smirk. Something was off...something...

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Sumedh

I caught her expression: uncertainty. She sensed something was off with me. As much as I didn't want to admit it, her intuition was right. Her revelation from days ago still rang in my ear; it wasn't shock, more like curiosity. Why me? Does she not know? And if she does...how is she that confident? I've waited enough: it was time to know the truth.

"Why...him?"

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Mallika

I knew what he was asking. As soon as that question came out of his mouth, that unfamiliar sense of regret and guilt stabbed at me. I should have never told him.

I opened my mouth to say something, but wasn't able to - because I never had a reason. I had only heard about him, about his misfortune, but never met him, saw him, understood him. I never believed in his bad luck but then never meant that I had a greater connection with him. There was nothing in this world that bonded me to him - so why him? The Rajkumar wasn't the only one who wanted to know the answer...I did too.

I looked over at the Rajkumar, to find that he was intently staring right back. Examining his eyes, I could tell he expected a firm, easy answer - something which I did not have.

I turned onto my back, looking up at the ceiling. "Why did you call me your 'wife'?"

His response was spontaneous and more pressing. "Don't try to divert the topic. Just admit it...you sympathize with him, don't you?"

Hearing his words, my eyes flashed with rage. His bitter words provoked a defensive side in me. Quickly turning to face him, I shot back another question. If this is how it's going to be, then fine. Two can play this game. A question for a question. "Who gave you the right to create opinions for me? I can think, speak, and make opinions for myself."

I expected him to give a fiesty response back, but he remained silent. Almost as if a sense of sudden realization was coming to him. I continued on, making sure he understood what I had to say. "It is not necessary that everyone think the same as you. And to answer your question, I do not sympathize with him. Instead, I admire his strength to stay mentally strong even when he has gone through so much suffering. I have seen others break in the slightest bit of misery. But Rajkumar Sumedh, I believe he never gave up losing hope and trusting love."

I turned my back to him, taking a deep breath to calm myself down. And as silence filled the air, I forced myself to ignore everything.

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Sumedh

Her words hit me hard - perhaps, a bit too hard. For some reason, I wanted her to talk more. I wanted to know what she thought about me. I wanted her to continue consoling the broken part of me. All these years, I had told myself over and over again: 'I don't care. I don't care. I don't care.' But today, I suddenly wanted to care. But as sweet as her words sounded, I knew it couldn't be that easy. Once something is broken, it can't be fixed. If only she knew...what Rajkumar Sumedh actually goes through - each and every day.

I looked at her, longingly. Even though I wanted answers, and knew very well that I could easily manipulate her to get them, something stopped me. At first, this whole challenge thing - living with her, hut and all - had seemed very childish, very ludicrous, very absurd to me. But now, the true challenge has dawned on me. It wasn't any physical obstacle. It wasn't something I could simply execute with my sword. And it wasn't something that tested any skill of royalty I've learned. In fact, it was quite the contrary - something way beyond what I expected. It was a challenge indicated to face my greatest fear: love.

I turned to look out the window, seeing the moon shining bright in the sky. And today, I drifted off into a troubled but peaceful sleep filled with complete realization. 

👑

Sorry everyone for this shorter than usual part! 😬 Kinda a filler

But to make things better something really big is coming up soon...sooner than you might expect. Also, a really cute Sumellika scene in the next one! 

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