The Royal Fling - Part 5

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Chapter 5


Mussourie

He grips the glass of brandy in his fist, as his assistant reads the newspaper, revealing the front-page update about the Eldest Royal’s Roka with the Governor’s daughter. This is not what he expected to happen at his back. Is that why this entire holiday trip was planned for them? So that he and his wife doesn’t intrude in the decisions of this alliance? Huh!! He should have guessed that beforehand. Without a reason, that old matriarch of the family, Subhadra Raizada, had never been so kind to them. She must have sensed his plans and hence convinced her grandson for this association, in such a haste. She even chose to declare it to the media before her own family members!! Now he has to shuffle everything again, right from devising another way to fulfil his objectives. He won’t back down so easily.



“You heard the news?” a woman wearing a satin saree reaches and sits on the couch of this beautiful resort in Mussourie. “Arnav’s Roka is done to the Governor’s daughter. Can you imagine all of this happening without us?”
“Rani Saheba…” he keeps the glass on the table and turns to his wife. “Roka hi hua hai.. Shaadi nahi” (Only the Roka is done, the marriage is yet to happen)

She frowns at him for two reasons; he is unnerved that they were not part of this occasion and second, his drinking addiction especially in the morning.

“Start your day with a coffee Shyam, Brandy is not good for your health” she gestures her husband’s assistant to take the bottle away.
“I start my day watching my wife’s beautiful face; neither by brandy nor Coffee” he teases whereas she grins.
“If your praises are over, then we should head back to Jodhpur”
“By all means” he replies sarcastically, meeting his wife’s eyes. “Let me also see what has Arnav and Daadi seen in that Governor’s daughter to fix this alliance.”

Shyam smirks deepens. His wife can get jealous over anything and everything. And that’s one trait which he likes about her.

*****************

Jodhpur

“The shopping mall is on the right” the driver interrupts when Khushi asks him to take a left instead.
“I know where to go. Just do as I say”

The driver turns to his left to see the guard to take a decision. Khushi frowns.
“Don’t even think to overrule my decision. I am not just the Governor’s daughter now but also the soon-to-be wife of the Royal. If you do not do as I say, you will not just lose this job but also a place to hide in this town” she groans.

The guard is confused but she has a point and they cannot take that risk. He gestures the Driver to take a left as per her instructions.

The car speeds towards Chandanpur, at Suhani’s new home.

“Khushi?” Suhani jumps in joy seeing her friend at her place. “I hadn’t expected to see you here”

Khushi notices the joy on her friend’s face which is not only because she is here, something else contributes to it.. Suhani’s peace of mind.. for marrying the man she loves.

“How are you?” she murmurs at Suhani who takes a step back and twirls once to flaunt her Saree.
“How do you think I am doing? I am very happy”
The little doubt which Khushi had about Suhani’s betterment is now gone. She can see from her own eyes that her friend is having a good life, now that she married Angad and not the Zamindar’s son whom her father chose.

“By the way… please come in” Suhani drags her inside the house. The two sits together and then talk about the current situation – Khushi’s marriage to the Royal.
“Are you really going to marry Arnav Singh Raizada?”
“No, I am not” she confirms. “Though I lied my approval to father today because that was the only way he would allow me step out of the house”

Suhani is afraid.
“So, you will elope?”
“Where?” Khushi snaps. “I don’t have any place where I can run away from all this mess. You know my father will easily get hold of me”
“And the Royals” Suhani cuts her. “They will hang you if you do this mistake”
“Hang?” she scoffs. “They might be powerful but not so much that they can take my life”
“The Royals are unpredictable” Suhani mentions. “Each of them has their own secrets and traits. You cannot trust anyone in that family. Not even their Servants to help you”

It’s a dead end. Khushi wanted some light on what she is dealing with but whatever Suhani has explained her, gives her no hopes.

“I have to do something which will force them to withdraw this alliance” Khushi mutters. “Just one clue what can trigger them to break it and I will put all my efforts to ensure that happens” she adds.

“There you are” she hears a familiar hoarse voice from behind her. Before she can turn to confirm who, the man is, she sees his reflection and fear in Suhani’s eyes. The Royal, Arnav Singh Raizada is here.

She gets up from the couch, with Suhani and faces him with no expressions at all.

“Angad told me you are here” His eyes drop at her feet and then slowly raise upward. She has a unique sense of dressing; stylish and glamorous. Their family will not have to work hard on making her presentable just like they had to do for their younger Bride, Anjali Singh Raizada.

Khushi notices his unwavering stare on her and is irked.
“If you are done ogling at me, may I ask you to leave this room? I am talking to my friend and this has to be just for our ears, not the outsiders” Khushi snaps.

He meets her gaze, not with a satisfied look though. When he turns his stare to Suhani, she understands what he wants.
“Uhh… excuse me. I will check where Angad is”

Suhani walks out, leaving Khushi totally stunned by her sudden departure. Arnav smirks again.
“What were you talking to her?” he asks.
 “Making plans” she crosses her arms, replying fearlessly. “To find one clue which can stop our marriage”

Arnav laughs heartily at her honesty. Khushi rolls her eyes, anger unleashing back on her face.

“Seriously!! You still think there is a hope?” he mocks.
Khushi looks elsewhere. She didn’t want him to know she is still trying to break this alliance. But somehow his presence here made her lose her calm.
“Let me give you one” he answers.
His reply astonishes her. He will help her to break this alliance? How? Why? He closes the distance between the two. She doesn’t move back and neither drops her gaze from his eyes.
“Find me a replacement bride. You will be saved”

He grins seeing her desperation to hear him out and now that he has told her what can save her, she is still not convinced.

“Huh” she snarls. “So, you mean to find another scape goat in my place?”
She knows he just teased her. He didn’t mean any of that clue. Also, it is not going to be easy for her to find another woman who would willingly want to enter that mad circus.

“Good” he shakes his head. “You have self-demoted yourself from a fierce lioness to a scape goat. As it is, after we marry, this was going to happen”
“You” she points her finger at him.
He notices her finger pointing at his face and then shoves it off with his own finger.
“YOU” he mutters. “You are the one Khushi Kumari Gupta. The one who is going to be my bride. The early you realize this and accept it, the easy it will be for all of us. Our pre-wedding rituals are going to begin from tomorrow. I don’t want any stunts from you. And if you still happen to perform any, I will only have to pre-wed you than on the decided date. That’s all the choice you got to make. None other!!”

There is a knock at that door. Arnav turns around. It’s Angad.

“Where is my Wedding card?” he happily asks.

Arnav looks behind Angad, where a guard wearing the usual uniform having the brand logo of the Royals come rushing in, handing him a box.
“Now that me and my fiancée are both here, I think we will give you this together”

Khushi fists her fingers. She is not going to invite anyone to this wedding because she doesn’t want to marry him. Suhani is standing next to her husband, watching Khushi’s frustrated expressions. She is helpless. They all are when Royals are around. They fear to go against them.

Arnav pulls Khushi’s arm and makes her touch the box of Royal sweets and Wedding card he is being holding. She curls her fingers to avoid it but fails as Arnav extends the box towards Angad who accepts it heartily.

“Please come to the Royal Wedding” Arnav exclaims.
Angad hands the box and card to his wife and then hugs Arnav tight.
“We will. Not just because I am your friend, but because me and my wife Suhani will always be in your debts. If it wasn’t you, we wouldn’t be happily married together.”

Arnav takes that credit. But Khushi is too confused to tackle all of this, alone. She walks out.

“Khushi..” Suhani follows her out whereas Angad and Arnav look at their respective partners rushing like that.

“Kyon kar raha hai yeh sab?” (Why are you doing this?) Angad comes to the point.

Arnav turns back to him.

“Who is asking me this? My friend or Suhani’s husband?”
“Does that matter? I have known you from my childhood. I don’t see any reason why you would force a woman to marry you.”

Arnav exhales. It is surprising that Angad, his friend is questioning him this.

“You will get the answers when the right time comes. For now, all you need to do is trust my decisions”

Angad smiles.

“You are the only one I trust, Arnav. I hope whatever you are trying to achieve out of this alliance, you get it soon”

*******************

Gupta Mansion 

When Khushi comes back home, she finds at least 10 – 15 people in the living room, with all the decoration stuff, taking instructions from her father which things should go where.

“The bride comes” someone chirps from the other end. A tall young girl, wearing a tight frock, flaunting her bare thin legs, rushes to her. “Hello Miss Gupta.. I am Lavanya, your Wedding Planner”

She extends her hand for Khushi to shake. Wedding planner? Seriously?

“Dad” Khushi groans. “What is all this?”
“No no” Lavanya intervenes. “Mr. Gupta has nothing to do with this. We are sent by the Royals”

No wonder. Her father will never spend so much otherwise.
“We had planned SSR’s wedding too. We are their usual picks for any events”
“SSR?” Khushi interrupts to know what that name stands for.
“Shyam Singh Raizada. Your fiancée’s cousin”

Oh!! She has no clue about the members of that Royal family yet.

“Don’t worry Ma’am. We will ensure there is no repetition and we will keep in mind your comfort and choices too.”
“Oh really?” Khushi fakes a smile. “Thanks”

She starts walking inside the house. This entire scenario of her forced wedding is torturous. Lavanya keeps following her, informing her the status of this event.

“As tomorrow is the ring ceremony, which is going to take place in this house, I have already assigned people to manage all of that. I will be exclusively handling your hair dresser, Designer and a Spa therapist to ensure you look absolutely healthy and charming in the event”

Khushi stops. Ring ceremony? Tomorrow? Oh!! That’s what that Arnav Singh Raizada had mentioned her in Suhani’s house… about their pre-wedding rituals beginning from tomorrow.

“I have already booked your Spa appointment for today evening. The therapist will come here for the session”

She is too fast in her work!! And not to mention.. prompt too. But she wants time alone to think how this alliance could be cut off.

“Right now.. my head is aching badly. I need to rest.” Khushi lies.
“Headache? Oh, that’s very normal” Lavanya smiles, flaunting her dimples. “Even Anjali Ma’am got frequent headaches before her wedding to SSR. But don’t worry, I will arrange a physician to take care of that”
“Physician?” Khushi snaps. “No.. I .. I don’t need a doctor. I need sleep. And I have medicines which can soothe my headache. Don’t bother me please”

Lavanya mentally makes a note of that and continues looking in her notepad if she has anything else to brief Khushi about before she retires in her room.

“Ma’am.. I also need to prepare you for tomorrow’s speech to the media”

Khushi comes to a halt again. Media?

“Media?” she looks interestingly at Lavanya now.
“Yes, as soon as the ring ceremony is over, you and ASR will address the media. I have your speech ready. If you can have a look at it please”

She hands a paper to Khushi.

“You need to rehearse it well before addressing the reporters” Lavanya adds.

What the hell is wrong with the Royals? She doesn’t need others to mention her what she needs to speak to others. She is a Model by profession and she has faced the Cameras from past few years. But arguing with Lavanya is of no use. Her head has seriously started aching now.

“I will look into this Lavanya.. Now can I please rest?”
“Sure Ma’am. I will wake you up in an hour. Don’t worry” she smiles.

Khushi wants to fist her own hair. She is going mad. !! Now others are going to decide her every minute schedule?


To be Continued.



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