Aradhya sat feeling giddy yet nauseous in her gut. She still was unsure if the was with the child or not. It was just a wild logical guess. She held back from telling the news to Vihaan only because she wanted the matter to be set in stone by the doctors.
Her nausea and uneasiness could majorly have been an adverse effect of the work and improper routines according to Nandini. She sat in her room where Vihaan had locked her in after knowing that she was sick.
"What are you trying to say?" Aradhya asked Vihaan who stood before her confidently yet nervousness showed on his face but mildly.
"Nothing. I want you to know that I appreciate your help in letting me heal. In providing everything for me when I should be the one doing that for you." Vihaan spoke.
"I...I never thought I would hear those words from your mouth. Not that you aren't a grateful person but...it feels weird when you say things like that."
"I don't know how to say what I want to say but I know that you already know what it is. Uh..."
"Yea, I do. You are grateful for me. Isn't that right?"
"No... uh, well, yes but...there's some-something else."
Aradhya'a thinking was brought to a halt when Rihit entered the room with a platter of food. Aradhya sighed and said
"You know I am not supposed to eat heavy meals-"
"Stop. You are supposed to be eating for two people. You shouldn't get weak..." Rihit sat down beside her bed after putting the food in her hands.
"I'm not officially pregnant. The doctors have to give their confirmation. I haven't even consulted them yet."
"I do not care. There's no need for any confirmation. I know you are pregnant. And don't think I'm doing this for you. I doing this for my coming nephew or niece."
"Thank you, that was assuring..." Aradhya sarcastically sighed while Rihit grinned at her.
"I'm not sure, Rihit," Aradhya said catching Rihut off guard, "I am not sure if I need this child."
"Don't say that. You'll be the happiest in the world when you see your child."
"That is not what I meant. I want this child but I don't necessarily need it. It can become really tough. Darsh is still growing up. I have to do my duties to the kingdom. I cannot get sick now. And I don't know how Vihaan would even react to all this."
"He loves you. He wouldn't be anything but happy."
Aradhya sat for a while a small pile played on her lips, "all this will become so funny if I find out that I'm not with child."
. . . .
Aradhya bobbed Darsh on her shoulders. She was still in her room when Nandini entered. Aradhya knew she would come with a lot of embarrassing questions. Aradhya braced herself for what was to come.
"Did you eat? Did you consult the doctor?" She asked.
"I haven't. I got no time. I had a lot to do. I had to secretly hold council with the ministers and also had to check with the blacksmiths of the kingdom."
Aradhya still waited for funnier questions to come and on cue... they did.
"Don't even mind me asking...but how? When did you two get so close?" Aradhya sighed
"and when did he confess? Or did you confess? When did all this happen?" Nandini continued
Aradhya sat down with Darsh still on her shoulder. She was indeed tired. But Nandini had her energy levels up to the roof. She sat before her with excited eyes.
"You know these things are supposed to be personal," Aradhya stated.
"I know but it's fun knowing about wild love stories. Given the fact, that you hated him in the beginning."
"Well...it was a few weeks ago but he didn't confess normally. He didn't tell me that he loved me. There are other ways to say that you love someone."
"You actually can't read palms right?" Aradhya asked Vihaan who lay on the bed beside her and had her handheld up as he traced her palm lines.
"Hey, I can." Vihaan met Aradhya's eyes and said in an offended tone.
"What do you see in my future then?" Aradhya asked, playing along with Vihaan's joke. For a moment Vihaan grew silent then he inched closer to her with his hand still in his, intertwined.
"I see...us," Vihaan spoke as Aradhya's composure changed.
Their closeness emanated a calm yet heated aura around them. The darkness of the night still complemented both of their faces. Vihaan pulled Aradhya closer with his arms wrapped around her waist. Their breaths crashed against each other and their heartbeats accelerated. Aradhya had gone still. She was processing everything that was happening but she was too late and too captivated.
"Hello? Aradhya are you there." Nandini brought Aradhya back from her land of memories, "are you right in the head? You've been blacking out often.
The air outside the room roared with undeniable force. Thunder and lighting had made their presence. It worsened as the curtains and things within the room were knocked ti the ground.
"The weather isn't good today. I know it won't stop for a few days. I have to propose help schemes to the mangrove farmers on the coast of Ashokdhar. Safe houses should be built..." Aradya went on babbling about the things she needs to do.
"Never did you once mention that you needed to meet a doctor." Nandini raised her brow, "it seems like you aren't even that serious about this issue."
"Why would I be interested in only myself when I have a whole kingdom to look after. And my issue can wait. The weather isn't going to wait for the farmers to retrieve their crops. And it won't stop considering the life of people."
Vihaan casually walked into the room pulling off his huge crown. He glanced at Aradhya and Nandini who threw the same look back.
"Are you not worried about your wife?" Nandini asked Vihaan who smirked.
"I don't need to worry about her. She is strong enough to fight off a mere illness." Vihaan replied. Nandini rolled her eyes and started to vacate the room. She stood at the door before leaving and called out to Vihaan.
"She fainted three times today," she lied, "if you still think she is strong then... it's up to you." She said and left the room. Vihaan almost immediately rushed over to her and took Darsh from her and set him down.
"Are you serious? Three times? Let's go to the doctor. Get up." Vihaan hurried her.
"Vihaan..." Aradhya tried to talk but Vihaan wouldn't listen. Aradhya held his face and made him look directly at her.
"Nandini lied. I have been more than fine all day." Aradhya said but immediately fell to the bed as her knees gave out. Vihaan sighed and picked up her legs and set them down on the bed and made her lay down on the bed. He sat beside her.
"But I was worried you know. Even though I say that I believe you are strong." Vihaan said and brushed a few stray hairs away from her face. He tucked them behind her ear.
"Why were you worried?" Aradhya asked.
"What do you mean why? I was worried because I don't want to lose you."
"Why don't you want to lose me?"
"Because..." realisation dawned over him, "you just want me to say it to you huh? Even though I have said it to you in a thousand different ways."
Aradhya smiled cheek to cheek. Blush had taken over her face. She nodded playfully while Vihaan too let out a defeated grin.
"I don't want to lose you...because I love you Aradhya."
. . . .
Tamasvini shooed the maid away who had delivered her a letter. She for once felt the pressure. She had to make sure not a single soul know who the letters were from. She felt bound now. She saw Aradhya living freely the way she wanted, the way she always craved for and that made Tamasvini wonder if she really was independent or if she was a puppet with her strings in her mother's and Amar's hands.
She sighed and read the letter and an expression of fear and turmoil sprung upon her face. It was almost as if she was taken aback by what was written in the letter.
"Our king had been healing for quite a while now. I think it's time for another blow. Another head to fall."
. . . .
The weather outside still rapidly worsened. Rain dropped on the streets of Ashokdhar like bullets. The moonlight was nowhere to be found. Lighting struck the ocean surface. Only the capital where the place was had enough light to at least see how the rain had affected the place.
Aradhya felt squeamish again. She leaned against the wall in her bath. He bent over and sharted spitting up. For a while, she honestly believed that she was indeed pregnant but decided to push it away again. She cleaned herself up and walked out of the bath to see the rain raging outside. Her brows drew together. She looked worried.
She walked up to a sleeping Vihaan and poked him on the arm. Vihaan woke up with a start and squinted his eyes at her.
"What is it? Why are you up?" He asked with a raspy voice
"The storm has grown. I think you should send your army to escort the people living on the coast to the palace underground."
Vihaan woke up and glanced out the window. He glanced at Aradhya once and nodded.
Vihaan called Rihit to his cabin.
"Get the people at the all along the coast. The coast is the most vigorous now. Evacuate the southern coasts. Get everyone you can." He ordered. Rihit nodded and turned around when Aradhya stopped him.
"...and...get me a doctor too," Aradhya spoke. Vihaan shot her a look suspiciously while Rihit just smiled at her.
"I'll try. It will take around 4-5 hours ti get them all. So I'll take a lot of time until you meet the doctor." Rihit said and walked off.
Vihaan raised his brow at Aradhya, "you know you are a queen right? You can have royal doctors at your doorstep if you want to."
"I...may have sent the royal doctors to a farther away village to tend to people dealing with an endemic," Aradhya replied.
Vihaan facepalmed himself and sighed at Aradhya. He walked lazily back to his bed.
"I'll go take a walk for a while. I'm not feeling good." Aradhya said and Vihaan crept into his bed and pulled up his blankets.
"Go wherever you want, Aradhya. You don't need to take my permission. I trust you. Just make sure you don't catch a cold while walking. Take a shawl with you." He said and snuggled deeper into the blanket trying to fight the cold.
.  .  .  .
Aradhya smiled at his concern and walked off grabbing a shawl from the chest nearby. She wrapped herself up and sneaked out of the room.
A cool but harsh breeze swept through Aradhya's hair. She stood embracing the weather still worrying about the evacuation of her people. A silent unknown feeling ran down her veins. She put her hand to her gut.
It would be the best day of her life if she found out that she was pregnant but it would be the worst inconvenience she would have in terms of looking after her kingdom and family. Darsh's responsibility would fall to Nandini which then again would disrupt her studying medicine. The entirety of the issues of the kingdom would fall to Vihaan which would be a lot.
She strolled through the hallways when her hand itched. It had been quite a long time since she held a sword. She walked to the armoury where she knew a collection of swords rested. She wanted to hold it at least even if there was not anyone to fight.
The light in the armoury was completely out. The weather had blown all the lamps off. Aradhya saw a silhouette of someone standing there with a sword held in both of her hands.
Aradhya immediately alerted herself. She looked around searching for a sword to defend herself but was overly confused when she saw the person throw the sword at her.
As a reflex, Aradhya caught the sword. A little lightning outside shone on the sword and Aradhya's eyes went wide as a stream of blood trickled down from the sword and dripped onto Aradhya's hand.
.  .  .  .
Tamasvini stood in the armoury. She sighed running her hand down a sword which stood uniquely. She held it with no experience whatsoever. She had to hold it with both of her hands trying to keep it up. She put it down after a few seconds.
She sighed again, "I don't want to do that Ma. I know I despise her. I absolutely hate her, but she...she still is my sister. I don't what to kill her."
Tamasvini walked around dragging the sword with her.
"Amar wants me to weaken Vihaan as much as I can but none if you are trying to understand that I do not want to kill people." She continued, "but, I'll do it. I will try my best to make Aradhya go away forever."
"So she was right!" Rajmata thundered looking at Tamasvini who instinctively moved the sword behind her lavish wardrobe.
"Aradhya was right all along. I am so stupid. You know, I trusted you. I even went against my son and Aradhya trying to defend you." Rajmata inched closer, anger taking the best of her.
Tamasvini too jerked closer. Her hand steady on the sword.
"Rajmata-"
"No, do not take my name out of your mouth. I have to go and inform Vihaan about your evil plans." Rajmata turned around.
The weather roared again, the lights went out. And the world toppled. Rajmata fell to the ground with her head falling a foot away from her body. Tamasvini stood there heaving and gasping for breath.
.  .  .  .
Aradhya went through a panic attack holding the sword while the sirens blared outside. Every guard ran to the armoury while holding out their spears at her.
Tamasvini had slipped out through the alternate door and had done her best effort to alert every single one who heard her.
Aradhya went absolutely cold when she saw Tamasvini pulling Vihaan to the scene. Nandini had followed behind. Vihaan's eyes had turned lifeless. His eyes held so much distrust and disbelief. He saw the scene as what it seemed rather than what it was.
Aradhya knew she had become prey to a well set up trap.
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Hey again. I hope this chapter gives a bit of clarity on the last chapter. And sorry if the last one was problematic because I was way too sick. I still am. That explains why the quality of my writing was also a bit off in the last chapter.
And please let me know how you like the chapter. It would mean a lot to me if you just voted on the chapter.
Until next time
With love
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