Chapter 8: The Proposal

•| CHAPTER - 7 |•

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A H E N K A R A

" Maharaj ka aadesh hai agar Rajkumari Ahenkara Suryapratap Garh me dikhai di toh unhe bahi maar dalna"

The vision in front of my eyes blurred and my ears get blocked I tried to open my eyes but can't and I fell on ground with the strength of my arms I supported myself and take deep breaths.

One by one tears start falling from my eyes. My Father.. he ordered about killing me on site...how could he? I fisted the sand in my hand and squeezed my eyes in pain and anger.

I heard a loud sound of thunder above me and water drops start falling on me. The rain drenched me completely but I can feel my warm tears in cold water droplets on my face.

" Ahh" I sobbed loudly and at the same time the loud sound of thunder came concealing the sounds of my sobs.

I continue crying, tears continue falling but the clouds doesn't have enough water because the rain stopped but my tears doesn't. The gust of wind come and the coldness feel like thousands of pins is piercing me but the pain is nothing compared to the pain I'm feeling in my heart.

I stopped sobbing when I heard the sound of footsteps from behind me and suddenly a wave of warmness surrounded me when he put the blanket around me. He move around and come in front of me and squat down. I lifted my wet lashes and looked at him, my wet hair strands stick to my face. His dark green orbs roam on my face and slowly his lips move up slightly from one side.

" Yahi soch rahi hai aisa kya hua, apke walid apki hifhajat ke liye kyu nahi aaye. Hum batate hai"

" You are thinking what happened, why your father didn't come to save you. I will tell you"

" When I abducted you I spend my messenger with the letter which says.."

" Hum Sultan Suryaveer ke siphai ke vaish me aaye the or bahi humari mulakat apki beti se hui or apki beti ne hume apne ishq me kaid kar liya. Apki beti or hum ek dusre se bepanaah mohabbat karte hai isliye apni mohabbat le kar ja rahe hai."

A tear slipped on my cheek and his eyes widened a little and raise his hand to wipe the tear.

" Aree roiye mat Shehzaadi"

" Don't cry Princess"  he chuckled but I jerked his hand before it can touch me and stood up abruptly and he stood too.

" Aap aisa kaise kar sakte hai?"

" How can you do this?" I cried placing my hand on his chest trying to push him but he didn't budge.

" Kaha tha na aapka gurur todenge "

" Didn't I said I will destroy your ego." he wrapped his hands around my wrists ans tilt his head. "Now look at you. Where is the Princess who proudly introduced her as Suryapratap Garh Princess, where is the Princess who has so much ego? Where is she?"

I snatched my hands from his grip and took two three steps behind. He chuckled and walk away from here.

No I will not let this happen.

I will tell my father truth. I know he will take my side and then I will make him pay.

I turn my head and glare at his tent. I turn back and move where the horses are tied and grab one of there reign and sat up on him and snap the reigns making the horse start running.

~~~

€ SURYAPRATAP GARH MAHAL

I pulled the reign of the horse to stop when the guards didn't open the entrance gate of the Palace for me.

" Why are you not opening the door?" I shouted at the guard who is standing bowing their head.

" Apologises Princess but please leave from here or else we have to reluctantly follow the orders of the King" one of them come forward and said while bowing his head.

I clenched my teeth and get down from the horse and stood in front of him.

" You should follow the orders of King no matter what it is, it's your duty..but one more thing" I took a threatening step ahead " no one can stop me from going inside"

" Get aside!" I yelled and they move aside.

I entered inside by the small door which were for one person and lifting my lehenga I run towards the chamber of my father.

The guards standing outside the chamber there eyes widened and hurriedly place their spear in criss cross blocking my way.

" Get aside!"

They didn't budge from the position and I don't have patience left. I grip the spears and push them aside entering the chamber. I look hurriedly everywhere my eyes searching desperately for my father and I saw him standing close to the railing and the Queen is sitting on the couch the sound of my anklets made them look at me.

My father turned and seeing me his eyes filled with anger.

" Bahi ruk jao!"

" Stop right there!" The anger filled voice of my father glued my feet to the floor and tears filled my eyes.

" Pitaji"

" Father" I said softly.

" Mat kaho hume apna Pita"

" Don't call me father?"

" Ab kya karne aayi ho yaha "

" Now why you have come here?" Queen stood up and asked. I glance at her then back at my father who is not even looking at me.

" Pitaji humari baat ek baar sun lijiye.."

" Father, listen to me once.."  I took step ahead.

" Kya sun le Ahenkara?"

" What should I listen Ahenkara?"  He turned to me " from childhood I have fulfilled your every wish and try to give you everything over looked your every mistake. But now it is not your turn to fulfill the duty of a daughter" he took steps forward" but instead of fulfilling you have made your father bow his head in front of everyone"

I bite my lip to stop the sob that is threatening to come out.

" You know when Queen informed me about how you cleverly changed the position with Princess Nayantara I had refused to believe infact I did your praising about how you care for your sister but I don't know you have something else going on"

I shook my head.

" Out of all the Princes you have choosed him. Him! The Prince of Sultanate. You have any idea who he is? "

" He is our enemy. Years ago his father attack Suryapratap Garh seeing our Kingdom prestige and did war without any moral and ethics and you fell in love with his Son. Who came here with same intensions."

" Hume vishvash nahi hota aap Maharani Vasundhara ki beti hai jinhone apne maan samman ke liye johar kar liya tha ki unki parchai bhi Sultan na chu paye or aapne apne sath sath pure Suryapratap Garh ko kalankit kar diya"

" I can't believe you're the daughter of Queen Vasundhara who for her dignity did johar and you along with yourself you have tarnished the name of whole Suryapratap Garh"

" Maharani Vasundhara ne apne maan samman ke liye johar kar liya tha"

I feel the soft touch of my mother on my cheek.

" Humari beti toh bohot bahadur hai. Vo ashu nahi bahati "

" My daughter is very courageous, she don't cry" she wipes my tear and stood up. I feel someone picked me up and I saw my Mother going to the opposite side and several ladies wearing red following her.

My mother did johar because of his father.

" Father I didn't do such thing..."

" Just let it be Princess I and your father and suffered enough please go from here" Queen said with sadness and I clenched my teeth.

I know see must be happy about whatever happened.

" Stop acting I know you must be happy.."

" Shut up Ahenkara! Not a word against her I don't know what problem you have with her. She did everything for her even today foe you she have take out the jewelleries of your mother and decorate the presage plate for you"

My gaze went to the huge plate which has so many jewelleries, flower garlands, red lehenga and a vermilion box. She picked that box and come in front of me and grip my hand and place the box in my palm.

" I was really happy about your marriage" I saw tears in her eyes which I know were fake.

" Pitaji jo kuch bhi hua vo sach nahi hai..."

" Father whatever happened is not truth..." I shouted.

" Shut up Ahenkara! You know what have I said if you don't do marriage then I will disown you"

" Aaj se aap humari putri nahi hai, aap Suryapratap Garh ki Rajkumari nahi hai, humara apka koi rishta nahi hai"

" I disown you Ahenkara from now on you're not my daughter neither the Princess of Suryapratap Garh we have no relation"

My eyes widened and I stumbled back.

" Chale jayiye yaha se isse pehle hum apne krodh pe kabu na kar paye or apko kuch kar de "

" Go from here before I lost my control over anger and did something to you"

" Pitaji"

" Father" I whispered and tear slipped from my eye.

" Sipahiyo!"

The guards entered the room and halt waiting for the order of the King. I bite my lip and turned walking towards the door.

€ COORIDOR

I walk through the cooridor my tears aren't stopping. Several emotions were bubbling inside me. My mother isn't with me because of his father and now my father is not with me because of him.

Forget Queen I'm not even Princess of Suryapratap Garh.

I lose the heavy necklace around ny neck and take it off and left it. One by one I take off all the bangles except one bangle which is my mother. I take off the earning and let them fall.

" Ahh" I sob loudly and lift my lehenga and start running. I raise my hand and pull out the mata patti and throw it somewhere.

~~~

€ NADI KINARE

I sat at the bank of river and saw my reflection in the clear water. My eyes are swollen from the crying and finally tears stopped now. I move my gaze up to down and from no angle I looked like a Princess of a prestigious province.

My hair strand is sticking to my face, my eyes are red and lips dry. I'm looking broken.

Something fell in the water and my reflection blurred. I move my gaze up and look at the river.

"Maharani Vasundhara jinhone aapne maan samman ke liye Johar kar liya"

" Aaj se aap humari putri nahi hai, aap Suryapratap Garh ki Rajkumari nahi hai, humara apka koi rishta nahi hai"

" Kaha tha na aapka gurur todenge"

His words rang in my ears.

No.

I will not give up this easily.

" Riyadh..hum aa rahe hai"

" Riyadh.. I'm coming"

I get up and keep the black blanket over my head and wrap it around my body. I walk towards the horse and grabbing the reign I sat up on him and start moving towards his tent.

~~~

€ SHEHZAADE RIYADH'S TENT

I place my sword against his neck and his eyes shot open. I'm standing in his tent holding a sword against his neck while he is laying in his bed. I move my sword away and swing it back with speed but he grabbed the sword and sat up.

" Toh laut kar aa gayi aap, kya hua apke walid ne aap ki baat nahi suni?"

" You have came back, what happened your father didn't listen to you?" He asked with fake innocence then raise his brows in an taunting manner and in flued my anger more and I put more pressure on the sword and I saw a line of red liquid making its way down from his palm to his wrist. He pushed me with force and I stumbled back.

I turn and swing my sword and this time the sound of clashing of two sounds filled the tent. The black and green eyes collide as we  both glare at eachother.

" Kya aapke mulk ke lashkar ne hum par hamla kar diya?"

" Did your Kingdom's army attacked us?" He asked with a hint of smirk on his lips

" Par hume jung ke aagaz ka shor toh sunai de nahi raha, kya aap akeli aayi hai?"

" But I didn't heard the sound of war starting, did you came alone?" He asked taunting me and I clenched my teeth and swing the sword back with force and he resist my attack.

I'm too angry to move strategic. I continue swing the sword not caring about what it's hitting. The things placed inside fell on the ground scattered in between fight my blanket fell on the ground and I realise this when my feet got stuck in it and I fall backward and suddenly I feel a sharp bitter pain on my back.

I turned back and stop his sword before it touched me once again and saw my blood on his sword. The cut start burning and but I need to fight with him I move my sword blackness start to come in front of my eyes but I didn't stop.

Suddenly the sword left from my grip and fell down on the ground. I glance down at the sword and then at him. He walk forward and I move backwards. My back hit the pillar and I stopped there. I blinked to keep my vision clear in my half conscious state I saw him raising his sword then darkness come over me.

~~~~

€ NIGHT

€ SHEHZAADE RIYADH'S TENT

The night was silent not even ant insect's  sound in the ambience. I move my head and saw the flame of the fire burning and it's sparkle rising up in the air and glowing dark red then vanishing and suddenly the flame start flicking fastly when the gust of wind came in the tent through door.

I saw the reflection of person standing on the door through my mirror up to his waist. He walk inside and now his reflection show up to his chest and I lower my lashed already knowing who is he.

I heard the sound of footsteps stop just behind me and then I heard the sound of glass touching hard surface. I turned and the sound of my anklets filled the silent ambience and sat up on the couch and saw so many tiny glass bottles filled with color full liquid in front of me. He place the last purple colour liquid bottle and move back. I look up at him.

" Zeher"

" Poison" he said and look at me.

" Socha aapki maddat kar de"

" Thought about helping you"

I glare at the bottles then look up. There is darkness is the whole tent except few light lamps. He is standing closer to a lamp so golden light is falling only on his one side of face and the reflection of flame is clearly showing in his green eyes with seems like he will burn everyone who ever come in his path.

" Yeh sabse unda zeher hai isko kha kar ehsas bhi nahi hoga apki saanse kab tham gayi"

" This is the most wonderful poison. You won't even get to know when your breathing will stop" he pointed towards the right one and I move forward and picked up the purple bottle placed on the left side.

" Yeh zeher tab tak tadpata hai jab tak aadmi maut ki bhikh na manne lage"

" This poison keep the man in pain till he begs for death"

I look at the tiny bottle of purple liquid in my hand and spoke up.

" Aapne kyu nahi kiya?"

" Why you didn't do it?" I look up.

" Kya?"

" What?" He raise his brow.

I get up from the couch and stood in front of him.

" Why you didn't kill me?" I asked keeping my eyes on him.

" Ek aurat ko maar kar hum konsa soorma ban jate "

" By killing one woman will I become great soilder" he chuckled and turned his back taking lazy steps.

" Apne shatru ko"

" But you will after killing your enemy"

" Kamjor dushman"

" Weak enemy" he pulled my hair suddenly making a second full of pain left my lips and he smriked dropping his hand.

" Humara makshat apko marna hota toh apki saanse abhi chal nahi rahi hoti"

" If I wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be breathing now" he come standing closer to me intidimating me by his large physic.

We are standing so close the golden light of fire flame is falling on both of us one side of face. My breathing starts to get slow and my heartbeat increases as he gaze at me with intensity.

He look aside and turned to move out of tent just as he reached the door of tent.

" Apka updesh Suryapratap Garh ka rajkosh hai na "

" You purpose is the treasure of Suryapratap Garh"

He halt and turned back looking at me through his intense gaze.

" Hum bata sakte hai vo kaha hai par humari ek shart hai"

" I can tell you where it is but I have one condition"

" Aapko humse vivah karna hoga"

" You have to marry me"

____________________________

How was it?

Will marriage happen?

The past come out.

Is there any plan behind Ahenkara's proposal?

Will Riyadh accept the proposal?