Marriage with Lavanya!?: Chapter 8

"Virendra will return to Maheswari tomorrow. What did your daughter say about the proposal?" King Surendra Dev asked, taking a sip of water from his cup.

"She agreed to this proposal, Surendra Dev," Bhargav said, taking a seat on a chair. "But...did you discuss this with the Queen?"

"Yes." Surendra Dev said. "She isn't completely happy about this marriage. But I am sure that soon she will realize Lavanya's capabilities."

"I knew." Bhargav sighed dejectedly. "My daughter isn't a royal and why would the Queen accept a girl who isn't a princess?"

"Bhargav, your daughter is no lesser than a princess." Surendra Dev said in an assuring tone. "The only difference is that she is born in the family of general instead of royals. That's it."

"You are really so good to me." Bhargav smiled. "I wish that everyone could accept my daughter as you did."

"I promise that everyone will accept her. My children will accept her for sure." Surendra Dev said confidently. "My wife...she is bound to accept her. Because Lavanya has all the qualities that a Queen should possess."

"So, when is Prince Karthik returning to Maheswari?" Bhargav asked.

"I don't know. Still, now he didn't send any letter to me." Surendra Dev shrugged his shoulders. He then lifted his head to meet Bhargav's gaze. "I already called the royal priest to select an auspicious date for the marriage."

"Huh?" Bhargav's eyes widened while his brows almost got vanished into his hairline. "You already called the royal priest!?"

"Yes." Surendra Dev chuckled at his friend's expressions. "I don't want to delay in this marriage as I am afraid someone else will ask Lavanya's hand for marriage."

"Surendra Dev, you are really eager for this wedding. You are even more eager than our kids." Bhargav laughed and shook his head at his friend's behavior.

"I think we should now go to the royal priest. I think Gayatri Devi and Saanvi are waiting for us." Surendra Dev stood up from his chair, followed by Bhargav.

"Sure." Bhargav smiled and both of them went to the royal priest.

After talking with the royal priest, he said that two days after the arrival of the prince, there was an auspicious date for the marriage. He told the king that according to horoscopes, Virendra and Lavanya's match was the best match ever. The king was much impressed by the information and decided that he won't delay the marriage and it will occur two days after the arrival of the king.

So the marriage date was fixed after two days of the arrival of the prince.

"What!?" Lavanya blurted out while her jaws slacked when she heard about the date of her marriage.

"Yes, Lavanya. Your marriage with Prince will occur after 3 days." Bhargav said while putting his food into his mouth.

"But why so soon?" Lavanya was still in shock, unable to digest the information. "It can be delayed." She said while serving the vegetable curry to her father. That spoiled prince! I really hate him.

"The King said that he doesn't want to delay this marriage," Bhargav replied before drinking his water.

"This means, there is going to be a grand fest after 3 days?" Akshara's eyes gleamed.

"You are such a foodie, Akshara!" Lavanya looked at her sister with bewilderment in her eyes. "All you care about is food!? Oh Gosh! Why did you send her to me!?" Lavanya shook her head and gave a bowl to his father so that he can wash his hands.

"Your sister is even more excited than you." Bhargav chuckled as he washed his hands and wiped his mouth with a clean cloth after washing.

"Why don't you get her married father?" Lavanya rolled her eyes while taking away the plates in which her father had dinner.

"She is still young." Bhargav smiled and stood up. "I think you should start the preparations for your marriage."

"I know father." Lavanya sighed and put the plates in the kitchen before returning to her father. "I will inform the ladies about this and you should invite people."

"I am not talking about rituals, Lavanya." Bhargav laughed. "I am talking about jewelry, saree, etc ladies stuff. "

"Oh! That thing." Lavanya snickered. "I have Akshara for that. She is an expert when it comes to jewelry and saree. Isn't it, my sister?" Lavanya wiggled her brows while glancing at her sister.

"Yes," Akshara said confidently.

"Well, both of you should have your dinner. It's already late." Bhargav said.

"Good Night father." Lavanya and Akshara said in unison.

"Good night." Bhargav smiled and went to his room.

After making sure that her father went to his room, Lavanya turned towards her sister. "Akshara, we need to have our dinner quickly. I have to inform our troops about future plans." She said in a serious voice.

After having their dinner quickly, both of them went to their respective rooms. Lavanya quickly changed her attire into a plain black tunic, black dhoti with a black turban, covering her entire face except for her eyes while a black bindi with simple design completed her look.

When she can out of her room, her sister was already standing there, wearing black robes like Lavanya, and covering her face with a different type of bindi was drawn between her eyebrows.

A smile formed on Lavanya's lips when she saw her sister. She tiptoed to her father's room to check if he was sleeping. After confirming that he was asleep, Lavanya and Akshara silently left the house and walked to the nearby forest.

Once they had reached the forest, both of them made a different sound with their mouths as if they were signaling something. After a few minutes, neighs of horses were heard and an enormous black horse and a brown horse came running towards them.

Both the sisters glanced at themselves with a confident smirk before running in the direction along with the horses. As the horses reduced their speeds when they reached the girls, both of them jumped onto the horses and pulled the reins, controlling their horses.

Soon they lead their horses to the South, towards the southern abandoned forests of Maheswari. Once they had reached the middle of the dark abandoned forests, both of them pulled the reins of the horses, stopping them. Lavanya got down from her horse, followed by Akshara. Lavanya's sharp eyes glanced all around before her hands traveled to the side of her mouth so that her voice could reach a good distance. Her lips formed an 'O' shape and peculiar sound of a bird escaped from her lips.

The next moment, many girls and boys in black attire with a face covered with black cloth, jumped from the trees and stood around Lavanya and Akshara, forming a huge circle. At last, a guy in black robes jumped from the tree and stood before Lavanya.

"Sanvika Devi."

All of them uttered together and their right hands formed a fist before resting on the left side of their chests while they lowered their heads, showing respect to her.

"Okay," Lavanya said in an authoritative voice while her hand was raised in the air, making all the people present there stand straight and look at her. "Today we are going to discuss something really important." She said as she removed the covering of her face, followed by Akshara and all the other boys and girls. "All of you are members of Devi Sena (army). It's important for us to keep our identities hidden since the king is searching for Sanvika Devi and her troops. Most of our troops have girls and we, girls are no lesser than boys in any field. You all know this." She paused and glimpsed at everyone.

"Yes, Sanvika Devi." All of them said in unison.

"Good." Lavanya smiled before continuing. "The news which I am going to tell you all is...I am going to get married to Prince of Maheswari, Prince Virendra after 3 days."

"What!? Why so soon!?" The guy who jumped at the last asked while a frown formed on his face.

"Surya, the king doesn't want any delay for the marriage and there is an auspicious date after 3 days. So they fixed my marriage on that date." Lavanya explained while the members of her troops listened to her carefully.

"These royals are really something." Surya sighed, showing his disagreement with the marriage date.

"Since I am going to get married to the prince, I cannot spend as much time as I used to spend with you as Sanvika Devi. But..." Lavanya looked at everyone. "I will come here with an interval of 3 to 4 days to check if you guys are continuing the daily activities and tasks. If I find anyone skipping the duties, then you all know what the consequences can be." Her voice sounded so cold and firm that it sent shivers down the spines of her members.

"We won't skip our duties, Sanvika Devi." They said in a confident voice, making Lavanya smile a bit.

"Great!" Lavanya contended. "So, from now on, Surya and Akshara will lead our troops in my absence. As I said, I will come to check with an interval of 3 to 4 days. But I will be continuously receiving each and every news about our troops and various situations. Surya will send me the news with the help of pigeons during the day time and owls during the night time. Both of them will follow my orders." Lavanya declared in a substantial voice. "Am I clear?" She screeched as she observed each and every person of her troops.

"Yes." All of them said in unison.

Lavanya smiled. "Now continue your daily practice of lessons."

She said and all the members started practicing swordsmanship, archery, and other war skills.

The next day, it was around 4:30 pm when Prince reached the palace of Maheswari. He was welcomed as usual. He retired to his room to fresh up so that he could meet his father. After changing his clothes, he wore a red-colored dhoti with an orange-colored cloth wrapped around his upper part of the body. Wearing two necklaces around his neck and armbands around his wrists, he sat on the royal couch and closed his eyes to take some rest.

Suddenly he felt a presence in his room. Opening his eyes, he found the King standing in his room.

"Father." Virendra smiled as he walked towards his father. He bent down to take his blessings.

"Dirghaayushman bhava (blessings for long life) ." The King put his hand on his son's head and made the latter stand up. "Is everything alright at Avantipuram?" He asked, sitting on the royal couch while Virendra sat on a chair.

"Yes, father. Everything is fine." Virendra smiled as he poured some water for him and his father.

"I have good news for you." Surendra Dev glanced at his son. "You are going to get married after 2 days."

"What!?" Virendra got chocked at the sudden announcement. "Who is the princess?"

"The girl is Lavanya, the daughter of Siravuri Bhargav, our Army General." Surendra Dev asserted calmly.

"Huh!?" Virendra's jaws almost dropped to the ground while his brows almost disappeared into his hairline.

"Yes, my son. Lavanya is going to become your wife." The king laughed at Virendra's facial expressions.

"Why Lavanya!? Aren't there other girls except her?" Virendra was still in shock after receiving the mind-blowing news.

"She is the perfect match for you." Surendra Dev smiled. "She is beautiful, polite, kind, and fearless."

"Father, I don't agree with this proposal." The prince declared.

"Virendra." The King glared at his son. "I am not asking for your opinion. I am just giving you the information. You are bound to marry her and that's final."

"Cannot I chose my life partner, Father?" Virendra's voice sounded uncertain as he looked at his father, seeking an answer to his question.

"You shouldn't question your father's decision. Moreover, it's not your father's decision but King of Maheswari's decision. So your opinion isn't important here." The King said in a firm voice. "Get yourself for the marriage and don't you dare to mistreat Lavanya." He glared at Virendra some before leaving the room.

On the other hand, Virendra was still in a daze, unable to digest the sudden information.

Am I really going to get married to Lavanya? Why her!? There are so many girls in the world but why her!? I wanted a beautiful warrior girl in my life but I am getting a quarrelsome wildcat. Virendra looked at the sky with hopeless facial expressions. God! Why are you doing this to me!? She always fights and argues with me since childhood. Why does she have to be my wife!?  I really hate her

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So the next chapter is the marriage chapter.

And the person whose picture I have used is Rajat Tokas, the actor who acted as Chandragupta Maurya in Chandra Nandini, Akbar in Jodha Akbar and Prithvi Raj in Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan.

Ah! I am so whipped out by these historical heroes and their stories. *makes dreamy eyes*

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