Chapter 8 - Beautiful, Isn't It?

"Rajkumari?" Neharika asked with wide eyes, running up to her. She gently turned Ahankara around so she would face her, and wiped away her tears. "What happened, why are you crying?"

"I don't wanna marry him, Neharika," she sobbed.

"Just calm down first," Neharika replied, leading her to her bed and making her sit down. She then knelt on the ground before her, taking her hands in his. "Now tell me what happened."

Ahankara related the whole incident to her, whilst tears continued to roll down her cheeks, and Neharika kept wiping them away from time to time. Finally she poured a glass of water and handed it to her, while Ahankara calmed down a bit and drank from it.

"Now, what are you gonna do?" Neharika asked.

"I don't know, Neha," Ahankara sniffed. "I don't want to marry him, but I don't want to be the reason my Kingdom goes to war. So many innocent people will lose their lives. And over what? A rejected marriage proposal?"

"Hmm, and even if you say no and he wages war, we don't really stand a chance against Kalang. The Yuvraj is too powerful," Neha pointed out.

"And then... What if he... What if he takes me as a mistress, Neha?" Ahankara whispered, feeling a wave of fear course through her.

"Rajkumari!" Neha scolded, standing up. "You shouldn't even be uttering such impure words from your pious mouth."

"It's a possibility, Neha," Ahankara said softly, and another tear escaped her eye. "I don't know what to do," she whispered, leaning her head against Neharika's waist.

"It's gonna be fine, Rajkumari. We'll worry about this tomorrow, alright? Go to sleep now, it's pretty late," Neharika said in a soothing tone, gently caressing the back of Ahankara's head.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight," Ahankara replied. "Not until I know he has left."

"Tch, shush. Don't be a baby. Go to sleep, I'll sing you a song," Neharika insisted.

"Alright," Ahankara sighed. Neharika helped her take her jewellery off, and change into simpler and more comfortable clothes. She then lay down in her bed, and Neharika sat down beside her, caressing her forehead. She sang a soft song to her, while Ahankara closed her eyes, trying to relax and doze off. But before she knew it, the song got softer and softer, and was soon replaced with soft snoring sounds.

Ahankara couldn't help but chuckle, as she realized that Neharika had fallen asleep in her bed, beside her, and before her. She sat up, and covered her with a blanket, before standing up from the bed.

Ahankara needed to clear her mind, and she was in desperate need of some fresh air. She felt suffocated inside her room now, it felt like a cage to her, a temporary prison before she would be moved to a scarier, larger one. She took in a deep breath and decided to step outside, before grabbing her shawl and making her way to the Palace garden. The oil lamps were still lit everywhere, giving everything a beautifully tranquil look. Ahankara stood under the starry night sky, in front of the beautiful water fountain in the middle of the garden. She was only starting to feel a little relaxed by staring at the stars, when a voice sounded in her ear, stealing her peace instantly.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Yashvir said softly, making Ahankara start and move away from him with a gasp. She quickly held her shawl tighter around herself, feeling downright afraid of him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he apologized.

"What are you doing here?" Ahankara questioned, feeling uncomfortable. Could he not let her have her peace for one moment?

"Couldn't sleep," Yashvir shrugged, shifting his gaze to the sky. "What about you?"

"Me?" Ahankara let out a humourless chuckle. "As if sleep would grace my mind after the turmoil you have caused for me."

Yashvir sighed, shifting his eyes back to her now.

"You know, Ahankara," he said softly, slowly walking towards her.

"It's Rajkumari Ahankara, how many times do I tell you?" Ahankara retorted, unconsciously walking backwards.

"I don't believe in these formalities between two people who are soon going to be so close to each other," Yashvir replied, his words sending a shiver down her spine.

"We can never be close-" she replied, but couldn't finish her sentence as the small of her back pressed against the water fountain, with Yashvir standing right in front of her. She sucked in a breath, feeling her heart beat pace.

"You were saying?" Yashvir raised an eyebrow, taking one last step towards her, so that her body would touch his if either of them move even in an inch towards each other. His eyes were shining with mischief, and goosebumps covered Ahankara's skin as she realized that he was deliberately teasing her.

"We-we can never be close, Yuvraj," Ahankara replied, even though she felt her voice would disappear any second. "Get away from me."

"Hmm, only time will tell that, Princess," Yashvir replied, now leaning towards her. She gasped and leaned backwards, trying to create as much space between them as they could. Yashvir placed his hands on the fountain, on either side of her, so that she was completely trapped by him.

"Yuvraj what are you-"

"Have you seen the sky, tonight?" Yashvir cut her off, looking up. She did not dare to look away from him, afraid of what he would do. "I was wondering why the Moon is absent."

"Get away from me, Yuvraj," Ahankara repeated, her heart beating faster and louder with every passing second.

Yashvir looked down at her, staring as the dim light from the stars cast beautiful shadows on her face, accentuating her sharp nose, her bright, brown eyes, and her plump, pink lips.

"Then I realized, Rajkumari, how can the Moon be in the sky, when it is standing right in front of me?" He said softly, and Ahankara's mouth parted at his words.

She blinked at him, feeling speechless for the first time. She did not know what this man was doing to her, why she would find herself so vulnerable in front of him. And that too, while standing in her own Palace.

"Yuvraj, for the last time, get away from me or I'll scream now," Ahankara threatened, mustering up all the courage within herself to look him in the eye.

"You'll scream and wake your poor servants up? Who have gone to sleep so tired after such a long, exhausting day?" Yashvir teased, a hint of mischief in his voice.

Ahankara gulped, trying to calm her breathing.

"Yes, because it concerns my safety," she squeaked out.

"Hmm?" He frowned. "I don't see anyone trying to harm you here, Princess."

"That's cause there isn't a mirror here, Yuvraj, or you'd see yourself," Ahankara replied sarcastically.

"Oh no, Ahankara," Yashvir shook his head. "You have no reason to be afraid of me. I am harmless to you."

"Doesn't seem so," she replied. "You wouldn't be threatening to wage war against my Kingdom, and kidnapping me from my Palace if you were harmless."

"I said I am harmless to you. You alone. Not to your Kingdom. Adibar, I have the ability to destroy. So I would suggest, my beautiful Princess, that you make your decision very carefully. You know your Kingdom doesn't stand a chance against Kalang, and all the deaths of the civilians here would be on your hands. Besides, I would still take you with me, and if you're a prisoner of war, then I won't be able to guarantee that I'll treat you the same way as I'd treat you if you'd be my wife," Yashvir said softly, his tone completely opposite to his harsh words.

"So you came here to threaten me?" Ahankara questioned through a clenched jaw. Although his words instilled great fear within her, she refused to show it.

"I am only making sure that you're thinking clearly, that's all, Princess. Just bringing all the important points to your notice. We would not want your decision to destroy a thousand lives, would we?" He mocked.

"So I should destroy just one instead?" Ahankara said softly.

"Whose?"

"Mine," she whispered.

"No, Ahankara," Yashvir frowned, shaking his head. "Your life will not be destroyed, my Princess. It will be saved. You will get the honour you deserve. I will treat you the way you deserve to be treated. Everyone will look up to you, respect you. You will be the Maharani of Kalang."

"There is a huge difference between being respected, and being feared, Yuvraj," Ahankara smiled. "But you won't understand that."

"It's one and the same thing, Ahankara. You're just too naive to think that anyone actually respects the royal family. They don't. No matter how good you are, they will always be jealous of you because you are born with a privilege they never had. They may like you more than they like others, but in their hearts, they will always be envious of your birth right," Yashvir replied.

"That's not true," Ahankara replied with determination. "At least not in Adibar. My people love me and my brother. And they're not afraid of us. They truly respect us."

"Hmm," Yashvir chuckled. "I know there is no point of arguing with you on this. You won't understand until you see for yourself."

"Now, if you would please, get away from me, I need to go," Ahankara muttered, deciding to not reply to his comment.

"Tch, always in such a hurry. Okay, I'll move, but on one condition," Yashvir smirked, mischief glinting in his eye again.

"I don't wanna play your games," Ahankara rolled her eyes.

"Then I won't move. I don't mind standing here like this," he leaned in closer to her, making her back away further, now into an uncomfortable position, "all night, all day. Just as long as I get to stare at you so closely."

Ahankara gulped, blinking up at him in fear.

"What's your condition?" She squeaked out.

"Say my name," Yashvir replied.

"What?" Ahankara frowned.

"Tell me to move away, but say my name whilst doing so. My first name, not my title," he replied.

"But why?"

"Because I said so," he shrugged.

"Please let me go... Yashvir," she whispered, his name rolling off her tongue smoothly. Immediately, a smile cracked onto his lips. For some reason, his reaction made heat creep up her cheeks, and she looked away from him, shifting her gaze down.

"Whatever you want, my beautiful Rose. But you know one thing?" He whispered huskily, leaning in further, now to her ear. She felt his breath on her skin, which made her raise her gaze, and gulp. "Once we get married, I'm never letting you go again."

Ahankara's eyes widened at his remark, and she felt her legs tremble, while her heart knocked violently at her ribs. With a small smirk on his face, Yashvir slowly moved away from her, staring her in the eye the whole time. As soon as he was at a slightly safe distance, Ahankara picked up her lehenga and bolted inside the Palace, quickly wanting to get away from him.

Meanwhile Yashvir smirked victoriously at her retreating back, letting out a chuckle as she quickly disappeared inside the castle. 

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