20. THE QUEEN

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Raghav carefully placed the medicine box on the side table, his movements calm yet deliberate. His voice, laced with a soft authority, broke the silence. “Ab hume jaana chahiye. Aap rest kijiye. Hum dinner time se pehle aane ki koshish karenge,” he said, standing up from the edge of the bed.

Siya, still battling the bitter aftertaste of the medicine, scrunched her face in a comically odd expression. Her discomfort was evident, but it somehow added an unintentional charm to her demeanor.

As Raghav turned towards the door, ready to leave, her gaze followed him. There was a pause, a silent exchange of thoughts in the air, before Siya finally spoke, her voice stopping him in his tracks.

“Hukkum sa,” Siya's soft voice called out, breaking the faint rustle of the curtains.

Raghav, startled by the sudden address, turned slightly, his gaze catching her as she stood up. His brow furrowed with curiosity as she adjusted her saree with careful hands. But as he truly noticed her now, all the subtlety of the moment seemed to vanish.

There she stood, a vision he hadn't fully appreciated until now. Her light blue saree clung to her like a gentle breeze, soft and serene. Around her neck, the delicate mangalsutra he had placed there shimmered faintly in the light. Her hairline glowed with vermillion, a vibrant mark of her identity as his queen. And her wrists—adorned with the very bangles he had once gifted her—caught his attention the most. It surprised him, almost overwhelmed him, that she hadn’t replaced them, not even once. They were a part of her now, as if they held a deeper meaning than he’d ever imagined.

Siya, seemingly unaware of his reverie, finished fixing her saree and stepped in front of him. Yet, Raghav remained frozen, his gaze still locked in the 'Queen Era' of his thoughts.

Impatient, Siya snapped her fingers in front of his face, startling him out of his trance. “Kya soch rahe the, hukkum?” she asked, her tone carrying both curiosity and playfulness.

For a moment, Raghav simply stared at her, trying to gather his thoughts, but in reality, words failed to describe what he truly felt.

To her surprise, Raghav replied without turning back, his voice calm yet laced with a hint of something unspoken. “Kuch keemti cheez ke baare mein, Rani sa” (About something precious, my queen), he said, as he began walking out of the room.

Siya’s eyes widened with curiosity, her excitement bubbling like a butterfly fluttering its wings for the first time. She quickly followed him, her anklets chiming softly with each step. “Kya, hukkum?” (What, my lord?) she asked, her tone carrying a mix of eagerness and mischief.

Raghav cast a brief glance at her over his shoulder but said nothing, continuing his descent down the stairs. Siya, now slightly miffed at his silence, pouted and quickened her pace. “Nahi puchh sakte kya?” (Can’t I ask?) she asked, her voice tinged with a mock offense that only made her look more endearing.

Finally, as they reached the base of the stairs, Raghav stopped and turned to her with a faint, teasing smirk. “Puchh sakti hai” (You can ask), he said, his tone as composed as ever, leaving her to figure out the rest while he resumed walking.

Siya stood there for a moment, her mind racing with questions, her heart beating faster than ever. Raghav’s elusive demeanor had turned her curiosity into a burning flame, and she couldn’t wait to unravel the mystery.

Raghav replied softly, his tone calm but firm, as he turned towards his home office—a space strictly forbidden for anyone except him and Veer. Even they were bound by its invisible boundaries, restricted to a particular area. Unaware of her surroundings, Siya remained entirely engrossed in her pursuit of answers, her questions flowing like a curious river.

“Phir aap batayiye na, hukkum” (Then tell me, my lord), she asked, her voice carrying a childlike eagerness.

Raghav paused briefly at the threshold of his office, glancing back at her with an enigmatic smile. “Sahi vakt aur samay par aapko sab pata chal jayega, Rani sa” (At the right time and moment, you will know everything, my queen). His voice held a promise, yet it was wrapped in mystery.

He took a step forward, now on the verge of disappearing into his forbidden sanctuary. “Ab hume ijaazat dijiye” (Now, allow me to leave), he added, his words final yet polite.

“Hukkum sa,” Siya called again, her voice echoing in the corridor.

Raghav stopped in his tracks, frustration flickering across his usually calm demeanor. He turned slightly, his tone sharp but controlled. “Ab kya hua, Rani sa?” (Now what happened, my queen?)

A soft smile danced on Siya’s lips as she looked at him innocently. “Hum bahar jaye?” (Can I go outside?) she asked, her words laced with childlike mischief.

Raghav’s expression softened instantly, and his voice took on a gentle tone, as though he had all the time in the world if it meant fulfilling her wishes. “Aapko jo chahiye, hume kahe na, Rani sa...” (Whatever you need, just tell me, my queen...)

But to his utter surprise, Siya interrupted him mid-sentence, waving her hand dismissively. “Nahi, nahi, bas Veer bhai sa ko de dijiye, hum unke saath chale jayenge” (No, no, just let Veer accompany me; I’ll go with him).

Raghav froze for a moment, and then, without another word, he firmly shut the door to his office, his voice resolute and final as it slipped through the door. “Kabhi nahi” (Never).

Veer, who had been quietly witnessing the entire scene from a distance, stood frozen, wide-eyed. He glanced between the closed door and Siya, who looked as innocent as ever. Swallowing hard, he muttered under his breath, “Kyun,  maharani, kyun? Aapko humari maut hi chahiye kya?” (Why, little queen, why? Do you wish for my death?)

Siya giggled softly, clearly enjoying the chaos she’d created, while Veer resigned himself to his fate, wondering how he always ended up in the crossfire of their royal banter.

RAGHAV POV

Hey Devi Maa,

Why am I even trying to understand what’s happening within me? Why the hell do I feel this uneasiness every time she asks for someone else—especially Veer?

I know, I was a little late today. It’s my fault, I admit it. But why does it bother me so much that she’s so comfortable around him? It’s not like I don’t trust Veer—I trust him as much as I trust my own shadow. Still, something feels off. And the worst part? It’s not about him; it’s about me.

The water cascaded over me as I stood under the shower, my thoughts racing uncontrollably. The more I tried to reason with myself, the more frustrated I became. Why couldn’t I shake off this restlessness?

And then, when I politely asked Veer about it, and he didn’t show up—didn’t even bother—that was the final straw. It made my blood boil even more.

Why does everything feel so wrong unless it’s me by her side?

And as I went there, Madam just shut me off. Me! The King! How is it even possible that I had no words to explain myself? Seriously, what is happening to me?

And the way she was dressed today… just out of the words. I know, I know, she shouldn’t be able to affect me. But the truth is, Madam is definitely doing something to me, and I hate admitting it even to myself.

Oh no, I can’t lose myself—not like this.

And why the hell did she bring up Veer again? Does she really want her so-called new bhai sa to stick around for longer? That thought alone makes my blood simmer.

Her words, the ones that weren’t for me, but for someone else—especially him—they irritate me to no end. It’s maddening.

SIYAS POV

The way he’s behaving, it’s strange—almost like he’s Hukkum, declaring, "He is your man only." Seriously, I wasn’t trying to control him or anything. But still, his actions leave me puzzled.

By the way, I have to admit, he looks really cute after waking up. That groggy, disheveled charm of his—ugh, it’s unfair. Mr. Unknown decided to shut the door on my face, as if that wasn’t dramatic enough. Frustrated, I walked away, letting the sting settle as I claimed a spot on the sofa. That’s when my eyes landed on something—a small box sitting there, perfectly adorned with a bow clip.

Curiosity won, and I opened it. Inside was a note. Simple, yet it made my heart skip.

FOR THE QUEEN OF CRIMSON EMPIRE

And just like that, I forgot about the strange behavior. My thoughts turned to that little box, that thoughtful gesture. Who does that? Who leaves a note like that?

As I sat there, the memory of his words came rushing back. "Bro, I didn’t even know about that!" I muttered to myself, still feeling the sting of the whole situation. But whatever, I’ll ask him when he gets back. I needed answers, and I wasn’t going to let this slide. For now, though, I had a strange new mystery to figure out.

I opened the box cautiously, not knowing what to expect. To my surprise, there was a phone inside. My eyes widened, the confusion growing. Why was there a phone in here? And more importantly, why was it for me? But then, as I turned the screen on, I found his picture. So self-obsessed, I thought, rolling my eyes. Mr. Unknown always thinking about himself, even in this way.

Naturally, I tried to unlock it, expecting it to be locked with a password, but nothing seemed to work. Then my gaze landed on a scanner—just a fingerprint scanner on the screen. At first, I thought it was just a gimmick, something to throw me off. A fleeting thought crossed my mind, Nahi... no way this will work... But despite my hesitation, I couldn’t resist. I pressed my finger to the scanner, half expecting it to fail.

To my utter disbelief, the phone unlocked. How? How in the world did he manage to get my fingerprint without my knowledge? I couldn’t even recall the moment when he might’ve taken it. My head was spinning, and I felt a strange chill run down my spine. This wasn’t just random. He had done this on purpose. How had he pulled it off? And why? There were so many questions, and no answers in sight.

As the phone unlocked, my curiosity got the best of me. The first thing I did was check the call log, and there it was—only his number, saved under the name MR.UNKNOWN. Typical. Hukkum, such an idiot. I couldn’t help but shake my head at his antics.

I remembered this morning—he was lost in his thoughts, completely zoned out. I swear, sometimes I think his brain just hangs up on him, like a computer with too many tabs open. Sir ji, kabhi kabhi dimag hang ho jata h, I thought to myself, amused.

I quickly checked some important stuff on Google, and then, just for the heck of it, I went back to his number. Was it even correct? I dialed it, but as soon as I pressed the button, regret hit me. I was about to hang up when, to my surprise, he picked up in the next second.

“Ji...” His voice was calm, like he had been waiting for me.

That was enough to make me cut the call right there. I sat there, stunned, trying to process everything. I don’t know how long I stayed frozen in that spot, but at some point, sleep just took over. Before I even realized it, I had fallen asleep.

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As I promised i updated the chapter ji 😊