Exiled Hearts

21: Hit of Wisdom

Sumedh

"W-what are you talking about?" my voice came out in stutters.

"Every word from my mouth you heard right."

Silence.

How could she figure everything out?! There could only be one possibility but I--

My eyes widened as the answer came to me.

"You...read..." I couldn't make out proper words. The space around me spun before my eyes, the ground shook under my feet, my mind had no inch of kindness left. My angered eyes jerked up to stare her down. Guilt. That was the only expression reflected from her face. "HOW DARE YOU!"

I lunged forward without thinking and grabbed her wrist. All this time, I felt like I had changed into a new person...because of her. I thought I was simply just Sumedh. But now? She knew everything all along...every single personal thought. She wanted to marry Rajkumar Sumedh right? Well now, she'll be able see exactly who he is...

__________________________________________

Mallika

He's acting like a completely different person. Not the Sumedh he actually is. Instead of the reserved, thoughtful, and hesitant person, he was now filled with rage, power, and adamance. His words came out like the loud booms of thunder. His eyes which were always filled with wonder were now filled with dangerous fury. His grasp on me was harshly strong. But, perhaps, he was doing it on purpose. To change my viewpoint on him. To make me see him as someone nobody would bother messing with. To make me step back.

Little did he know that I, Rajkumari Mallika, never back off.

_________________________________________

Sumedh

I was shocked. She was the first person I've ever met who didn't even flinch in front of me. My attempts to intimidate her failed miserably. She just looked back at me, traces of calmness in her eyes. And it was that calmness that was contagious. I shut my eyes, took a deep breath, and let go of her.

"This? This is what you wanted to show me? Some image of a raged Rajkumar. Some image of how everyone in Sondhara sees you?"

My eyes flew open. "You won't understand my pleas or my reasoning. Stay away from me."

"And why should I?"

Her insistence was testing my limits. "You. Won't. Understand!"

"You're right. I won't understand you - probably never will! Cause you never let me!"

I was done. She had passed the line. "You want me to make you understand? Okay then I will! What do you know about my struggles in Sondhara? What do you know about everyone blaming me for the deaths of my-" I cut off, not having the confidence to finish the sentence.

She stood there, opposite of me, looking me dead in the eyes. "Misfortune. That's what you wanted to tell me about right? Rajkumar, this is exactly what I have been trying to understand about you. How can you not love? Because ever since I've gotten to know you, you have always taken care of me and of all of my needs. And care is a form of love. There is no way there isn't love-"

"STOP! Stop saying that word - love. That word is the most fake and meaningless word in the world. Everyone is with each other for their own selfish reasons." I turned around, not wanting to meet her eyes.

She paused before saying the next words. "You wrote about your...niece. What do you have to say about her?"

I froze. "Don't bring her into this," I said through gritted teeth.

"You think she's with you because of her own selfish reasons?" she continued on, walking over to me and turning me back around to face her. "You think she looks up to you for her own selfish reasons? You think she enjoys your company for her own selfish reasons?"

I shut my eyes as images of Sondhari's laughs, her shining eyes, and her happiness around me flashed through my head.

"Do you have an answer for all of these questions? And yet, you still believe in this nonsensical talk?"

I was on the verge of breaking down. "She's j-just a kid. Doesn't know anything...innocent."

"I can't believe this is your excuse! Different rules for her, different rules for you."

I was being affected by her words. She was getting too close. She knew too much. Sumedh, you can't let her do this to you. You can't let her push you down.

Before I had a chance to stop her, she started her manipulative words again. "If you believe love can kill, why are you still alive? Every person obviously has to love themselves first! If you believe love can kill, why is your niece still alive? You never hated her so much that she stopped loving you! If you believe love can kill...why am I still alive? You never betrayed or abandoned me even once. Sumedh...whether you realized it or not, you only stopped expressing it. But there is no doubt that love still exists inside of you."

Each and every single word she spoke, still hung in the air. "Y-you're words don't make things as easy as they sound."

"Perhaps if you believe it can be easily done, things might seem easier too."

But how?! Nobody will stop believing!

Almost seeming like she read my mind, she spoke up: "It takes time to transition from something you have forced into your head since so long. You need to start believing in yourself - not how others distinguish you. You need to let destiny do its own thing, and you do your own. I know you can stop believing in that damn misfortune. Cause only when you stop, will others stop as well. I believe in you...Sumedh."

Suddenly, I saw her a different way. Her presence provided comfort, safety, and hope. Hope, that there could still be a way. Hope, that things could still be different. Hope...that I could start expressing love once more. Suddenly, everything felt a bit more lighter than before, a bit more brighter than before. It was the magic of her presence. And when she turned around to walk inside was when I decided to ask something again.

____________________________________________

Mallika

"Why him?" his voice stopped my steps that were leading me away from him. The question made me smile. The last time he asked it, I was confused. But now: my answer was crystal clear.

I spoke in a simple yet confident voice: "Which 'him' are you talking about? Rajkumar Sumedh who I'd never seen before? Or just Sumedh - the one who I understand, the one who makes me smile...the one who wears his heart right on his sleeve."

Even though I couldn't see his face, I knew I had made him smile once more. 

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