~6 days after the promise~
Aradhya and Sadhana sat in her room speaking about everything that had happened. Aradhya had Darsh on her shoulder, sleeping. Sadhana was completely healed. Just a couple more days of medication and she would be as fresh as ever.
"What did you two talk about?" Sadhana asked sipping a honey medicine from a bowl.
"I just went there to apologize to him. And I may or may not have told him about Tamasvini and my history."
"Are you serious? Did you really tell him about all that after he believed Tamasvini?"
"I had to give my explanation. I didn't want any misunderstanding or false miscommunication between us. I told him that it made me insecure"
"What did he say to that? Because as of what I know he definitely didn't say anything comfortin-"
"He promised to make me feel the most secure."
Sadhana almost choked on the medicine. She coughed a couple of times and looked at Aradhya with extremely surprised eyes.
"He...Vihaan told that to you?" she asked with a hoarse voice from coughing.
"Yes?..."
"Oh my God. You two are so in love. I'm not even joking around. He has never once been that considerate to me. It's a different issue that I am more his soulmate than his wife but still."
"You need to calm down. Catch your breath. It's really not that serious. Maybe he still pities me."
"What do you mean by still?"
"I know he pitied me ever since we got married. I think he pitied me for being so weak after Vikram's death. That was the reason why he married me probably. And maybe that is why he told me that he'll make me feel secure."
"No. Shut up. He married you because he actually cared about your well-being. He knew of Amar's plans. He didn't want you to be just another step in Amar's plan. Yes, he felt bad about you losing Vikram but he definitely is not the person to marry someone out of pity."
"If you say so..."
"Will you just accept you two are in love if I say so?"
"We are not in love, Sadhana. It is not that serious. It's not that big."
"I can't wait to embarrass the living world out of Vihaan," Sadhana ignored Aradhya's words and continued with her own thoughts.
.  .  .  .
Nandini and Rihit raced on horseback in the open fields of Ashokdhar countryside.
Nandini gained on Rihit who had picked up as soon as they began. They were head to head and it would take almost a minute to reach the other end of the huge field. Rihit was baffled. He had never seen Nandini be so efficient in getting a horse to gallop. She could only ever make it pace.
Nandini moved way ahead of Rihit with almost a quarter minute to spare. Rihit pulled his reins to which the horse picked up speed. He started gaining on Nandini with just a few seconds left.
Nandini effortlessly jumped over the potholes and logs on the field and in lesser time, she reached the other end of the field, Rihit following after.
He drew a hungry breath in and stared at Nandini who sat caressing the horse calming it down. He looked at her with the funniest of faces he could make.
"How...h-how did you learn to do that?" Right asked catching his breath.
"Aradhya taught me. When Sadhana was in labour and we went to get the outcasts to help us."
"Wow...Aradhya...is-is really something. You know she beat Vihaan in a duel yesterday."
"He lost to her? Not that it's unbelievable but it's still shocking you know. No one has been able to do that not even you."
"I can't deny that. The cousins from Shiladhika are the only ones who did that to him."
"Aradhya was the one that taught Vikram right? Then he was surely going to beat Vihaan."
Rihit had gone silent all of a sudden. He just gazed at Nandini who sat on the saddle and walked the horse with him back to the palace. The wind cut through her brownish-black hair.
Nandini looked at him and raised her eyes. She hit him with one of the reins of the horse and brought him back to reality.
"What are you thinking about?"
"Do you think there is any future for us?"
"Why did you get gloomy all of a sudden?"
"No seriously. You are a princess, I'm an army general. How did we expect to have any kind of relationship with each other?"
"Rihit...stop."
"What if you have to marry someone better than me. A prince or someone who can keep you happier than me. Or what if you are forced to marry someone else?
"Where is this coming from? Why would you talk about all that now? We still have time."
"Maybe you do. Maybe this can wait for you. But I really don't think we should continue this. We shouldn't do this knowing there is no hope for us."
"You're really doing this? ...You should've just said that you are too afraid to commit. Just say you are a jerk. A fake." Nandini spoke, disbelief pouring through every word of hers. She met Rihit's eyes and stared at him with anger.
"It really is my mistake for thinking about us. I won't from now on." Nandini spoke and swerved her horse away pacing towards the palace.
Rihit sat on his horse and sighed. A small wound of hurt on his heart and a thousand thoughts on his head.
"I'm really sorry, Nandini. I didn't want to do this. I did this because until our future is decided or set in stone, we cannot continue. I did this so you don't have to go through a tough time when you really know that we can never expect to be together."
.  .  .  .
Sadhana sat in her bed cradling Darsh in her arms. A motherly affection spread on her face. A silent vow of happiness whenever she held her son and a loud beat of the heart at his smiles.
"You have your father's eyes. You like your father more than me?"
Darsh cackled at her words leaving Sadhana confused about what she would take his laugh as. She just smiled happily not knowing who he would choose.
A maid knocked on her door and bowed to her.
"Maharani, you gave been sent these medications by Maharani Aradhya. She said she couldn't come because there has been a bit of a problem in the court."
Sadhana nodded and gestured for the maid to put it at the table. Sadhana put Darsh in his bed and downed the medicine in the bowl.
She saw Tamasvini creep into her room with her coy facade. She smiled at Sadhana.
"I just wanted to see Darsh. And I've never really formally introduced myself to you." Tamasvini started. Sadhana rolled her eyes and let out a sigh.
"Well, Darsh is sleeping now," she lied, "and I guess we are over formal introductions."
"No, Maharani Sadhana. What I meant was that I wanted to get closer to you."
Sadhana almost glared at her. She stepped confidently towards Tamasvini and stood powerfully before her.
"Cut the act. I know who you were and what you are. I know your true colours and I also know you are here with a plan."
.  .  .  .
Vihaan and Aradhya returned from the court. A comforting silence had surrounded them since the day Vihaan promised to make her feel safe. Avoiding each other's glances and turning away the moment their eyes met.
They both entered their bedroom. Vihaan almost immediately flopped down in the bed. Aradhya chuckled and went to her bookshelf. She picked a book and a large piece of scroll. She sat at the table and started writing referring to something in the book.
"What are you doing?" Vihaan asked.
"I have to submit an account of all the things happening to Acharya. And I need to write the written agreement for your alliance with the other king. I have to pass a policy to the farmers-"
Vihaan closed her book and gathered all her supplies and set them aside. He pulled Aradhya up from her seat and held her by her shoulders.
"Don't stress yourself out too much. I am here to do this with you. Take a break for now and leave this for afterwards. You have been doing this for months now without break." He spoke.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I-"
"You haven't eaten today and you also didn't sleep yesterday. Are you well?"
"Yes I am, but let me just finish up this work. A lot of work of the kingdom is left to do."
"Take. A. Break. You haven't been sleeping well for the past week and you also haven't been taking care of yourself."
Aradhya needed to a shut him up but she also needed a straight answer. She didn't hesitate and gazed at Vihaan.
"Why do you know that? Why do you care about my sleep and food? Why do you care about me?" She asked as Vihaan didn't even seem affected by that question. He seemed as though he was ready for it.
"I promised to take care of you." Vihaan blurted out, his gaze did not tear away from her.
"Why? Why did you promise that?"
Vihaan held back a bit. He didn't know what he felt. And he didn't know why he made that promise. Maybe because he felt like the feeling in his heart was wrong. He was too scared to confront his feelings and be okay with knowing the fact that he, indisputably, loved Aradhya.
"Uh...I..." Vihaan stuttered.
Aradhya stood there with a subtle smile on her face knowing the conflict he was going through as she had done through it once too. She waited. That was all she had been doing. Waiting.
Vihaan composed himself and his grip on Aradhya's shoulder got a lot gentler than it was before. He opened his mouth to say what was on the tip of his tongue when a loud screech grabbed their attention.
Vihaan and Aradhya rushed to see what the matter was and found Tamasvini running at them. She was terrified and was mostly exhausted.
"What is it, Tamasvini?" Aradhya asked.
"Ma-Maharani Sadhana...she...she is coughing...up blood."
.  .  .  .
Vihaan lay Sadhana on his lap while she asked for air on the floor of the room. Her light green clothing was now crimson and her whole face had gone pale. Blood spurted out from her mouth. Aradhya and Nandini tried their absolute best to control the situation until the doctors came along.
Vihaan's fear was evident on his face and was extremely louder than anything in the room. He wiped at his eyes trying to push back his tears. He cradled Sadhana's head and looked at her state. Sadhana occasionally met his eyes and still smiled at his face.
"Do something, please. And Sadhana," he looked at her, "you are not going to leave me this soon right? You can't. Please stay with me. Darsh needs you. I need you. This whole kingdom needs you. Please. Stay alive."
Neither did Sadhana reply to him nor did she stop coughing up blood. She started losing her breath.
"Aradhya, Nandini...please heal her. I cannot lose her." Vihaan cried out.
At last, Sadhana croaked up her words. She smiled at Vihaan again, but her expression grew scared.
"I think it's time for me to leave. But be careful." She spoke. She asked for air again, "She is here with the cruellest plan. She will make this kingdom fall."
Vihaan tried to comprehend what she was saying but he couldn't focus on anything but the fact that she was leaving.
Aradhya and Nandini wiped away tears from their own eyes and worked on the heal for the situation before them. Aradhya's gut curdled as she heard Darsh's outbreak of cries. She hurried to him and tried to calm him down.
Sadhana looked around taking the place, her room, her home in her eyes. Remembering every memory. At last, she looked into Vihaan's eyes.
It was the last thing she pulled into her herself. The last thing she wanted to have with her. The gaze of the person who respected her and loved her all without knowing he ever did.
.  .  .  .
Two days passed and the funeral of the Queen of Ashokdahr was performed. Aradhya stood with Darsh still sobbing in her arms. Nandini stood along with her while Rihit stood at the bottom of the amphitheatre with hart as heavy as every person's in the kingdom.
Vihaan collapsed before the burning pile of wood before him with a torch by his side. His cries were muffled behind his hand covering his mouth. Rihit sat beside him and laid a hand on his back.
The kingdom had lost her queen, the royal family had lost one of the best women in their family, Darsh had lost his mother and Vihaan...had lost his soulmate.
Maharani Sadhana was lost.
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It was painfully difficult for me to write this but I had to.
Do tell me your thoughts about the chapter. It would mean a lot of you drop a vote.
Until next time.
With love.
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