The Royal Fling - Part 8

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Chapter 8

Shantivan 

“I am just getting married, taking the generation forward, what’s there to celebrate in it, Angad?” Arnav fetches for his shirt in his closet.
“Believe me, boys like us are happier without marriage.” Angad teases. “Ever since Suhani has stepped in my house, I am under her scrutiny 24/7. A small mistake and I am like running behind her for apologies. I wonder how do they do that?”

Arnav turns back to his friend.

“I mean… make us run behind them” Angad adds.

Arnav smirks at him.



“I am exceptional. I won’t run behind my wife like her puppy”
“Oh yeah?” Angad gets up from the couch. “I used to think the same. But look at me now”
“You will see”

His positivity in handling the marriage better than what Angad threatened him with brings a smile on Angad’s face.

“I doubt that” Angad pokes him again. “Suhani told me how hot-headed Khushi Gupta is. I don’t think she is going to be a very docile wife. My Suhani is way better than her”

A thoughtful expression crosses Arnav’s face. This is true. Khushi Gupta is a ferocious Lioness. It’s going to be hard to tame her. But does he really wish to tame her? It’s that fierce quality of hers which has both glued him and repels him too.

The knock at the door breaks his chain of thoughts. His gaze narrowed as he saw Khushi standing by his bedroom room, waiting for his permission to come in. But as soon as she realizes he is shirtless; she lowers her gaze and instead looks at Angad.

“We were just talking about you” Angad tries to make a conversation.
“I know..” she replies. “I heard”

Arnav strides back to the closet and picks a random T Shirt to wear. Angad clears his throat, heat surges in the room by Khushi’s presence and he decides to walk out, letting the two-chit chat.

“I will be down” he says to Arnav and slips away.
“I don’t need your apology” Arnav takes off the Towel from his bed and puts it in the laundry bag.
“Excuse me, what apology?”
Pride swelled in his chest as she stormed in his room. He hates to admit she has a extremely beautiful face.

“Yes, apology. Otherwise why would Her-highness decide to show her presence at Shantivan?”
“Because I think you spiked my drink. So technically, you should be the one apologizing to me”

He grabs the coffee mug from the side table, sips it and puts it down again.

“I wouldn’t take that risk to spike my fiancée’s drink. I had an interview planned with the Media, why would I ruin it? I don’t think you read today’s newspapers? An entire page is just about us, but you know whats the highlight of that article?”

She is not interested to know but she remains quiet. He picks the newspaper placed at the bedside corner and gives it to her.
“This” he points out at the right corner of the page.

Khushi reads it out in her mind.

‘The Royal Couple chose to ignore addressing the media even after promising it earlier. Speculations are made that the Governor’s youngest daughter, Khushi Gupta, the soon-to-be Royal Bride and a famous Model have already started showing her tantrums to the Royal family and guests. Our close sources say that she even disrespected Kanankpur’s Crowned Queen, Nandini. It would be interesting to see if the Royal family would still go ahead with this knot’

“What rubbish is this?” she throws the paper away. “I didn’t disrespect anyone. And your Daadi was there when I talked to Nandini. You can ask her”
“I know” he didn’t say it aloud but she understood he believes her. “One single mistake from the Royals and its out in the open with innumerous gossips and fake stories. You are a part of this family now, I want you to remember that and work progressively”

Khushi’s head spins. Royals!! The fact that she is going to be a part of them hurts her even more.
“Whoever did this to you will be caught. But next time, you need to be more cautious about whats happening around you. Keep your eyes everywhere” he continues to guide.
“Enough” she puts her palm between them to make him stop advising her.

The moment he sees her fingers, his mood shifts again. And quickly she apprehends why? She didn’t wear her engagement ring. Today morning before her shower, she had removed it and later forgot to wear it back.

“Where is your ring?” his voice reverberated through her. She moves her hand at the back. How did he notice she wasn’t wearing their engagement ring? And does wearing it or not make any difference? To her, No. But looks like it does to him.
“I forgot to wear it. What’s your problem?” she manages to reply.
“You took it off, that’s my problem” he snaps.

His behavior is seriously causing her stress.

 “I just took it off, didn’t lose it.. I know it’s a precious.. Million dollar ring” she rolls her eyes.

Arnav strides forward, she steps behind to escape. The moment she tries to slide away, he pins her between his arms. The pillar is her only support.

She gets frustrated by his provoked bitterness on this simple matter. Why can’t he just chill?

“Now that you are going to be my Royal Wife, let me give you another bit of advice. I am very obsessive of my Royal tag and the culture of this family. If anyone tries to break it, amend it or hurt it, I will not tolerate. Never take off that ring from your finger henceforth. Do you understand?”

Again, an order? What does he think she is? A slave?

“Oh my God” a familiar voice screams entering their room. Arnav and Khushi both turn to the door and finds Anjali Singh Raizada watching the two in horror. “Devarji” (Brother-in-law) she is not allowed to be in your room before marriage”

Arnav unpins Khushi and steps back. Khushi rolls her eyes. The whole family knows to do drama. Anjali rushes inside.

“She is new to this family and its culture. But you? You could have warned her” she continues to blabber. “And you” she turns to Khushi. “I know you cannot resist him but”
“I can’t resist him?” Khushi laughs. “That’s the best joke I have heard so far” she laughs again.

Arnav’s jaw clenched. Anjali holds her laughter. She can see Khushi’s dislike for Arnav clearly.
“Why? You… you don’t like him?” Anjali tries to dig Khushi’s feelings for Arnav.
“Its mutual” words slip out of his mouth unknowingly and then he curses himself for doing so.

Anjali gives them a lop-sided smile. That’s interesting!! If they don’t like each other why marry? Arnav quickly assess the possibilities of their replies and decides to put a full stop to it.
“Anjali, where is Daadi?”
“Daadi is in her room, just finished reading her holy book.”
“Good, we got to meet her” he holds Khushi’s hand and drags her out. Anjali grins. He thinks he is smart but she has finally got a proof that they don’t want to marry each other. She has to inform this to Shyam once he is back. She follows them out.

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

“Yes, your father had called” Daadi exclaims to Khushi as she and Arnav come to see her in the room. “He told me you didn’t do anything on purpose. Someone spiked your drink. We should have sensed that before and taken precautions” she looks at Arnav who understands why she said so.
“Good” Khushi exhales roughly. “So, I should leave then”
“Yes, in just few hours you have to come back here for the functions” Daadi replies.

Khushi is confused.
“Here?”
“Yes. After what happened with you, we couldn’t take another risk. So, I have spoken to your father and decided that the Mehndi, Sangeet, Haldi and Marriage will all be done in Shantivan under my supervision”
“No” Khushi murmurs to herself. But if she sees the brighter side, she will get enough time to trace Payal’s whereabouts and her connection with the Royals if that’s hidden in this place somewhere.

Arnav’s phone buzzes and he leaves the room to take the call. Daadi walks Khushi out.

“Daadi why are you wasting your energy?” Anjali stops them. “You sit and relax. I will walk Khushi till her car”

Daadi nods and Anjali takes Khushi out. On her way to the lobby, Khushi notices huge photo frames of the Royal family, right from their ancestors. Some of the old pictures are sketched while a few clicked by Cameras.

“We call it Royal Wall” Anjali explains. “You will find here the picture of all the family members from past 4 generations.”
Khushi stops to take a look. Anjali watches her intently, thinking if she should ask her why she is marrying Arnav if she is disinterested in him.

“Whose picture is this?” Khushi asks, pointing at a black and white photo of 4 kids, everyone around the same age.
“That’s Shyam and this is Arnav beside him” Anjali replies. “And the other two are like ghosts now” she sighs in disappointment.
“Ghosts?”
“Yes… that’s Aman Singh Raizada and Akash Singh Raizada, the other two brothers of this  family”

Khushi didn’t know Arnav has two more brothers too apart from his cousin Shyam.

“Anjali” Daadi is back, interrupting their talks “Khushi is getting late. And you should also go check on the preparations for tonight’s function”
“I remember it Daadi and I have taken care of everything”
“I hope so. Just have another look. Go”

Khushi doesn’t dig more about their family structure. She gets in her car and drives back to Gupta Mansion.

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

In the evening, the Guptas are given a grand welcome at Shantivan, as they reach there for the Mehndi ceremony. Khushi gets down the car, only to be showered by Rose petals. A small pathway of roses is created for them to walk in. Khushi is mesmerized by the entire set up. Being a famous model, she wasn’t new to attention but today the way people looked at her was not because of her work but her the Royal tag she was soon going to be labeled with. A wedding like this is a dream of every woman but her. Marriage so soon in the middle of her sparkling career was not her choice. She is risking everything this time and for what? To find the whereabouts of her elder sister?

Whilst smiling for the Cameras and guests, Khushi finds a woman hiding her face with a shawl, looking at her direction from behind the crowd. But the moment she fixes her gaze on her, the woman disappears.
“Khushi.. .walk bitiya” Garima murmurs.

Khushi fakes a smile and continues her walk. Did she really saw someone there or was it her hallucination?

As soon as they step inside the house, the sound of typical wedding music fills her ears. Some kids run around, chasing each other, having no clue what function they are been made to attend. Her life as a child was similar. She and her sister Payal always used to stick to each other during such ceremonies. Her father and mother would always be busy with guests but they both would spend time in tasting the buffet food, ice creams, desserts, dancing and playing around with the other kids. It was such a happy life. The remembrance of Payal at this occasion makes her nostalgic. She had started hating her sister for eloping like that, without being in touch with any of them. But now that hatred has subsided and covered with fear. Is Payal alright? Is she even… alive?

The Mehndi ceremony begins. Two highly qualified girls in this art sit by her side to draw the Mehndi on her hand. There is music, dance and laughter spread across the room. Just one person is missing. The Royal Groom himself!!


To be Continued


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