We were assembled for the lunch. The ladies were eyeing at me, wondering if I will, atleast now on, not sit with the men for lunch. But of course, I pretended like I did not get their non verbal communication.

Talk to me, if you want me to understand.

Simple.

I sat on my regular place, across Yug, smiling at him. He raised his eyebrows, nodding slightly and smiling back as his gesture of acknowledging your presence. I could feel the King's gaze on me from the corner of the eyes, so I turned to look at him. and he did not try to take his eyes off.

He was still staring, looking between the both of us, with an expression I couldn't comprehend.

"Can I call the cook?" I said out loudly, some time after we sat eating. I was really adjusting well, did not make a fool out of myself like yesterday, not yet.

All the ministers looked up their plates including the King.

"Is their some sort of problem?" the King finally spoke after a while. That monotone very obvious in his voice.

I straightly nodded my head in a no.

"No, no. I just wanted to meet the one, who managed to cook this delicious menu, for so many people here." I said softly. Scared of uttering anything wrong.

"Talk to her when you are done." The King said coldly returning back to his plate. I narrowed my eyes at him. I'd had enough.

I'd had enough of not knowing what was up with him since this morning. I was not one of those, who can deal with passive aggressiveness for long. I was not one of those who would take his bullshit, just because he is the King.

I know my rights and I will stand by it.

"Why are you behaving like this?" I was truly confused. My voice gave out frustration and a hint of anger I was trying to repress.

I immediately pressed my lips together closing my eyes. This was not how I wanted to sound.

The King immediately turned his head to look at me. his face showing the disbelief, I was sure, he was in.

All the ministers looked up at me, with the expressions I had already predicted. To sum it up in one word, I would just call it

I sighed at myself, wondering why does it have to be me, to get punished for my tongue. My tongue, it looks like, it has a brain of its own, because it is clearly not obeying mine.

But the deed is now done. I'd rather just get something good out of it.

Yes.

I was determined. Communication is the key.

So I looked back at him in the eyes with the face, that I hoped looked angry, rather than giving out my fear.

He looked confused and I guess embarrassed. He started looking around at his ministers, clearing his throat, before finally looking back at me.

When he saw I did not budge, he finally decided to ask,

"What are you talking about?" his voice was not the same monotone anymore.

He sounded unbalanced. And it shouldn't, I was internally praying 'at least not here', but his voice made me chuckle a bit. I somehow managed to keep that within myself.

I looked straight at him, for a while before I realized he just asked me a question.

"uh... um.." say something. "you clearly need to have some introspection. I am done with this discussion here."

What the fuck did I just do? My brain was telling me to get ready for getting executed here and now. I had to keep my words limited so that I don't laugh in middle of my statements.

We finished the rest of the meal in silence, and embarrassment.

All of us.

The King was the first to leave the dining room among all of us, followed by his ministers. He did not even look my way any time after that. And although I don't have a reason for it, I still felt bad.

"What was that about?" Yug questioned me as we walked out of the room, referring to my antics just a while back.

I was almost on the verge of telling about the coffee date. Almost.

But I did not.

He was still waiting for an answer, looking at me expectantly. I sighed before turning to him. I knew he wouldn't let it go easily.

"he.." I stared speaking hesitantly. "he cannot be talking to me like that. You saw it right. I mean I get it. He is THE KING. But still, he cannot talk to me like this. Especially when I didn't do anything to offend him." Yug raised his eyebrows and bent his neck at my last statement.

Ofcourse, I knew, all I did since I have ever been here, was to offend him. I sighed "fine, even if I did, at least let me know what he is particularly mad at." It had just been one day that I was here, and already I was exhausted.

Mentally

Emotionally

Physically.

I hadn't cried. I wanted to, but I was too tired to even do that. I wanted to settle the fact that I was not in my world, that I was not going to go in my world any time soon, but I hadn't had energy for that either. I was so busy adjusting here, that I forgot, I had to take care of myself too. And no matter how hard I tried, it did not feel right. No one was pleased.

Neel wasn't pleased.

And it broke me, to not being able to discuss this with anyone.

Not even the so called 'friends' that I made here. I had drained down already, and still couldn't sleep.

I was not enjoying here, and somehow it felt like I was insulting history.

It was tiring, all of it, from the way I dress to the way I speak, everything had rules. And it was really draining.

"He is the king. He can kill you right here and now and no one will question it" Yug said again, bringing me back from my downward spiral of thoughts. I sighed at this.

I knew he was right. It was so wrong, but he was still right.

Perhaps this is why we needed democracy.

I just nodded in response. "I'll be careful next time." I could manage with just that. He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it again.

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