"From the tongue, you are saying this. I will cut and feed you that, If you ever dare to take the name of Gulaab with your mouth" (Jis Jabaan se ye bol rahe ho usse hi kaat ke Halak me ghusa denge agar dobara Gulaab ka naam bhi liya to)

I roared in a thick and thundering tone and it echoed loudly in the Royal Court. But it didn't seem to affect the person standing in front of me even a bit. He looked down with a slight smile and looked at me again.

"I think I should make you remember, what King said a moment ago. I was given the opportunity to ask for anything in return of saving your life" He said in the calm but fearless tone.

"Opportunity was given to ask something, Princess Gulaab is not anything" I roared back in the same flat but angry tone. (Mauka cheej maangne ka diya gaya tha, Rajkumari Gulaab koi cheej nahi)

He laughed a little and walked slowly keeping his hand in front and touching his index finger and thumb together while saying.

His loud words with smooth accent echoed the halls and everyone stood up hearing his lines. He was clear with his words as he Gave us two choices Either wedding with Gulaab or a New war.

My blood boiled with anger and he smiled looking at me.

"We are not afraid of war's but of Invaders. And for them, we proudly sharpen our swords daily"

I was saying the words looking into his eyes but suddenly a girlish Familiar voice caught my attention.

"I am Ready"

Gulaab was standing in the Royal court under the veil and her voice heard loudly to everyone. But, there was something in her voice.

I looked at King Rafiq and his expression also changed into shock.

What the hell was happening?

I walked to Gulaab and said calmly only audible to her.

"What the hell are you saying Gulaab? You know he is our Enemy and belongs to the different territory and Religion."

"I know Bhai saheb. But, please try and understand. I want to marry him...Please!"

Her voice was fearful and scared. She touched my hand to request and her hands were cold and shivering slightly.

I held her hand excused both of us of the Court.

She undid her veil and I looked at her face. Her face was looking pale and she had water in the corner of her eyes.

"What happened? Gulaab, Why suddenly? If you want to get married. We can find a Prince of our culture and the one whom I Know Better."

I said softly and she looked at the ground.

"No, no, no, no Bhai Saheb! Please try and understand. Please don't say 'No' for the proposal. I am begging you Bhai Saheb!"

She said in one breath and a tear rolled down her eyes. Her forehead was having the lines of tension and it made me confuse to what to do now.

I looked at her and took her hands in mine while saying.

"Are you Sure? Gulaab! Do you want this marriage? You are not doing all this because of anger?"

"Bhai Saheb! Am I looking Angry to you?" She said shaking her head and a few more tears rolled her eyes. I didn't know what happened so suddenly and she was ready to take such a big risk of her life. In our whole Territory, no Daughter got married to other religion Prince and she was ready to go a thousand miles away from us all alone.

"Gulaab, Is there anything I should know," I said the words seriously looking into her eyes and she shook her head shedding a few tears?

She hugged me instantly and I patted her head softly. I didn't know why I was finding her behavior very strange. She was angry with me in the afternoon but now she was different.

I looked into her eyes to find the reason why she behaved so strangely. The girl who never dared to show herself in any man or outside her chamber in the last two years agreed for her wedding loudly in the Royal Court.

There was something a lot strange but she was not telling me. And precisely now there was no use because she already agreed in front of everyone.

"You go to your chamber"

I walked slowly back to the court and everyone was sitting there in silence. I looked at King Rafiq who was also having the thin line of tension on her forehead. Everything was beyond my understanding and I walked to My father.

I leaned down and said. "Gulaab is ready for the wedding" My voice was hoarse because I never imagined all this happening.

"So," My father said in slow voice catching everyone attention.

"The King Sultan Rafiq Sulaiman asked for our daughter's hand in exchange for saving Prince Rajvardhan's Life... Princess Gulaab is everything of our Empire and we will feel sad when she gets married but since, She accepted the Proposal. I don't have any reason to deny it." He took a pause and looked down before continuing.

"In the next seven days, I invite every Person of the Empire to the Royal wedding of our Daughter Gulaab" His words and voice were slow and I could feel the pain and sadness he had while saying those words.

I looked at the King in black and he was more shocked than happy. I could sense something was there that I didn't know. It was not possible that He saw Gulaab because she doesn't visit anyone. And most of all, Gulaab behaviour was different.

The Royal meeting ended and we all retired to our chambers. It was evening and the time of Dinner. King Rafiq was supposed to stay here till the marriage, I had a lot of questions but didn't know whom to ask and how? It was not normal.

I started to move towards my chamber, my mind was blocked with a lot of thoughts and I didn't know what to do know. Whatever Gulaab said was not something normal and precisely the wedding was not normal. I didn't why she agreed. Love was not possible because she gave up on love years ago and she still remembers Abhidev.

Thinking about all possibilities, I stepped inside my chamber and moved towards the dressing room. A few attendees showed up instantly and helped me to undress my attire. The jewels, Turban, Overcoat and the kurta. I removed everything and got comfortable in the plain loincloth.

"Prince, Its time for Dinner" An attendee's voice caught my attention and I answered without looking at her.

"No, I am not Hungry. You all can leave" I said in the sadistic tone and everyone left leaving me alone behind.

I looked at my sword and wanted to spend some time alone. I looked at the big rock placed near my couch and carrying the sword with me, I moved towards it. I got myself comfortable sitting on the couch and leaned a little in front to adjust myself for the position. I took the sword out of the sheath and started nailing its sharpness with the help of big rock.

Whenever the chiselled edge of sword get sharpen with the rock, a chiselling sound fills my ear and I went deeper and deeper in my thoughts. I didn't want Gulaab to get married so soon and that too so far. She might have behaved like that in anger but she wasn't angry. She was begging as if she wanted to get married as soon as possible with him.

A long time passed since I was sharpening my sword and soon the sweat started to build on my body. And suddenly a sweet voice caught my attention.

"Prince, "

I looked at her and almost frozen looking at her. She was wearing a plain dark red Lehnga and my eyes travelled from top to down. A simple Maang teeka With loosely made messy and voluminous bun, Small earring and just the holy thread around his neck that I tied as the nuptial chain. My sight followed his body and my eyes stopped at her navel. The silver waist chain got my eyes hooked on her. Her dupatta was hung on her left shoulder and its other corner was tied in the waistband of Lehnga.

She was having a big plate with food and she cleared her throat.

I looked down instantly and looked at her again hiding that I got mesmerised looking at her.

"Prince, You denied for food. Why?" She asked placing the plate on the table and I tried to form an answer because I was hooked with her beauty.

She was looking like a fresh red rose all jewelled up and smelling mesmerisingly.

She sat on the table, beside the stone and looked at me. I looked at her and she was looking quite happy. I wonder why she was happy and it was the first time, she was looking hell hot and happy too.

"Why are you still hungry?" She asked again and I formed an answer.

"I don't know, I am not feeling like eating."

She looked at me and held the plate again in her hands and moved towards the bed.

"Come here," She said and I got up from the bed walking slowly towards her. I sat beside her and asked her too.

"Did you eat?"

She shook her head and kept the plate in between us.

She started making the bite and I was looking at her hands working on it. The simple glass bangles giggled as she took the piece of chapati and dipped it into the curry. She forwarded me the hand and I shook my head. I signalled her to eat first and she smiled.

She ate the first bite and then forwarded me the other. I took a pause and quickly washed my hands in the big steel open pot placed near the table and started helping myself. We both ate in silence and she fed me some bites and I fed her some too. She had something for pickle as she was eating a lot. I took a slice of pickle and she looked at me as if she would kill me for it.

I laughed a little and we both finished dinner. She clapped two times and an attendee came. She asked her to take the plate away with her.

I washed my hand first and lied on the bed straightly, while she washed after me and started moving towards the partition of the bedroom of the chamber.

"Abhi," I called her instantly and said.

"Stay here with me," I asked and she turned towards me.

She didn't say anything and unhooked the strap of curtains to let them fill the room with privacy.

I smiled a little and she started walking towards the bed. The voice of her anklets filled the room when she walked and climbed on the bed.

She sat and looked at me. she was looking a little nervous when a held her hand in mine. I softly placed a kiss on the back of her and she looked down.

She was sitting a little away and I didn't want to force myself on her. I just wanted her presence and that I got.

"Prince,"

"hnn," I said looking at her fingers.

"Are you upset?" She asked and I looked at her softly.

"Yeah, a little bit," I answered back softly.

"I know you love Princess Gulaab. I heard what she did in the court" She said looking at our hands and somehow she touched my painful nerve.

"Yeah, I don't know what's happening to her," I said and looked at her.

She was sitting crossing her legs beside and I moved in her lap. I placed my head in her lap and she adjusted her cloth a little. I closed my eyes and started feeling peaceful all of sudden in her embrace.

I felt her touching my hairs lightly and when I didn't object she started feathering them softly.

"Abhi," I said taking her one hand in mine.

"hnn"

"Abhi, I don't know why, But I am feeling as if something wrong is going to happen soon. The way Gulaab behaved all of sudden in the royal court when King Rafiq asked for the marriage was something suspicious."

She was feathering my hairs lightly while listening to me.

"Abhi, You know. Gulaab never wanted to get married to anyone. She had lost her faith in love and marriage. I didn't know why she behaved like that and moreover I am worried how will she manage there. The Kingdom is almost thousands miles away from us. It would take almost a month to travel there. The King is Muslim and their culture is way different from us. I don't know who will support her and how will they behave. But, Abhi... The main question is why King Rafiq is interested in Gulaab?"

I opened my eyes and looked at her in the north direction. Her eyebrows were thinned in a line as if she was listening to me carefully.

Her neck was little blocked from my vision as my sight got distracted on her red blouse. I instantly looked away and turned myself so that I lie on my stomach and my face rest in her lap.

"Why are you afraid Prince, He wants to marry Princess Gulaab, not want to kidnap her or do something wrong." She said softly.

"I know but his expressions changed into shock and anger when she agreed. It's like she and he was hiding something. " I said inhaling the sweet fragrance of her roses and sandalwood.

"I think, you are overthinking. Lets Gulaab chose for her life." She said and I sat to look at her.

I looked into her and said softly.

"She is still a baby Abhi, I love her so much. I cant see her going a thousand miles away from me."

"Prince, We are of the same age." She said looking into my eyes.

I lied on the bed beside her pulled her closer. so, that her head rest on my chest.

"But, You are way mature than her Abhi," I said and she looked at me.

I looked at her I reminded how much she was mature.

"Actually, Gulaab is mature than you" I corrected and laughed.

She thinned her eyebrows and closed her eyes keeping her head on my chest.

I softly ran my fingers in her hairs for some time and then she suddenly sat on the bed and her next words caught my attention.

"Prince, teach me that massage please"

I smiled widest, she was looking adorable. I sat resting my back against the headrest of the bed.

I looked at her and held her hands softly. I pulled her closer and her breast touched my chest almost. Her expression changed into shyness when I snaked my arm around her waist seductively.

I traced my index finger on her shoulder blade and she looked at me with the questioning eyes.

I leaned into her ear and said.

"That's not massage, Princess," I said softly and she arched her back a little.