Aradhya was brought into the courtroom the same way she was brought into Ashokdhar for the first time. Huge shackles were strung around her and a couple of wardens were at her side. Aradhya's hands were stained with blood.
Everyone in the courtroom was ready to jump on Aradhya. To end her. Tamasvini stood with a fake frightened facade on her face which seemed way too believable for everyone. For Aradhya too. Nandini, though she wanted to stand by Aradhya, she was bound under the royal cuffs. Nandini evidently saw through Tamasvini's lie but she had not a single proof to prove that Aradhya was innocent.
Aradhya's gaze never left Vihaan's as he sat on his throne with fire in his eyes. What he saw could no way justify Aradhya as innocent. Especially when Tamasvini had played the victim. Vihaan's face was in the biggest most dangerous frown Aradhya had ever seen. It almost sent shivers down her spine.
Aradhya was now more furious too. Yes, she didn't -or perhaps couldn't- prove herself as innocent. She too held Vihaan's gaze like the ocean holds the lighting.
" -I trust you- all lies..." Aradhya thought, "-I love you- lie."
Almost everything, every fond thing Vihaan had said to her ran along with her mind. Everything that went to hell the second Vihaan believed Aradhya was a murderer. Aradhya had begged him to believe that she was not the one who killed Rajmata. She had wept for him to believe her but all that the scene held before her was false, guilty and fault.
"She was my mother...how could you?" Vihaan stepped down from his throne. He stood before Aradhya whose eyes were puffed and her nose and face had gone red. Aradhya started at Vihaan.
"I...I knew your relationship with her was not good but I never imagined you to go after her and murder her." Vihaan bellowed and for the first time in months he didn't calm down when he saw Aradhya flinch. His tone was loud and clear.
"What were you saying? I'm in this with you. We'll get through this together? To hell with your words, Aradhya. Did you at least think of me or anyone in this kingdom before beheading her?" Vihaan's eyes glistened as tears flowed down his face.
Aradhya, though angry, wanted to comfort Vihaan. It had only been a couple of months after Vihaan had gotten over Sadhana's death and as if as a refill, Rajmata too had to fall. Aradhya held herself from seeming weak. Her mind was more fixated on the fact that it took Vihaan seconds to abandon her after she stayed with him through his hard times. It was only a matter of a few moments.
"Who brought you to the armoury?" Aradhya dared to ask. Vihaan and almost everyone in the room shot daggers at her. Aradhya still stood confidently.
"Tamasvini did. Whatever you said about her might be true but she actually changed. She had changed long ago. At least she was not like you. She was not a trick. She wasn't a snake-like you." Vihaan went off.
Aradhya felt nausea rising in her throat. She tried and tried her best to keep it in. She met Nandini's gaze who seemed more concerned about her sickness than about her mother. Sure she was overly devastated by her mother's death but she knew now that everything was falling apart. She knew that everything had to be under her control now. She had to do something.
Hurt was evident in Vihaan's eyes. He had no doubt he loved her but he had all the doubts about if Aradhya really did love him back it not. He had seen her standing before his mother's dead physique with her hand gripping a blood-stained sword. The woman who healed him all this time was the one who took wounded him more than anyone. He had lost the two important women in his life and it was soon about to turn three.
"You know, when I was in Shiladhika," Aradhya continued, "I lived a life. It wasn't the happy one, it wasn't the best life it wasn't even easy...but it was mine. But the moment I stepped into this kingdom a year ago, it has only been the life I've been living to keep someone else, safe. To keep someone else happy."
"Correct, you are really right." Vihaan sniffled, "that is why you won't be staying here anymore. You won't be staying in Ashokdhar."
.  .  .  .
Aradhya stood before the public if Ashokdhar who almost pounced on her the moment she was put out of the palace. She silently, without drawing attention, put a hand over her womb. She let not a single stone thrown at her touch her gut.
Vihaan looked at the scene from the balcony of the palace. The scene of Aradhya getting abused angered him but he had to stop himself as he was the one who made her prone to the abuse. He saw blood and still, it didn't correct his senses. He was mainly in shock by his wife's betrayal. By Aradhya's schemes
"I trusted you, Aradhya, I loved you. I gave you all the love I could. The love I never imagined I was capable of giving and you turned out to stab me in the back." Vihaan leaned on the railing for support. His knees were getting weak. His heart grew heavier. He lost his father, soulmate and mother and he was sure now that he lost his love.
He watched as Aradhya made it through the crowd of people who spoke insultingly at her, who made her bleed. Aradhya stopped at the end and threw a peek back at the palace where Vihaan stood.
A part of Vihaan -the part which loved her- wanted her to return. Wanted her to come back. While the other part -the one which was of a king- had no other choice than to let her go.
He could see Aradhya's tears from that distance. He could feel her anger and distress from where he stood. And yet, though his heart wanted her to return, Aradhya shot a smile at Vihaan before walking off into the darkness.
At that moment, Vihaan broke. He fell back onto the floor of his room with his emotions going erratic. His floodgates opened and his cries resounded through the room. He was now left alone, by the woman he wanted the most. By the woman who made him his best self.
.  .  .  .
Aradhya walked aimlessly in the streets of the kingdom. Her mind was blank. The rain had washed away the signs of her kohl and the tint of her lips.
It surprised her too much that the person who she thought would never let her go, cast her out in the blink of an eye. It was surreal. She had no aim in mind now. Where would she go? Who would she be with?
She walked and walked until her feet cried. The morning was on its way and somehow it was normal. The sun didn't wait for anything to turn good nor did he acknowledge her pain. It wasn't his fault too.
Eventually, her feet gave out as Aradhya walked into a forest which blocked every ray of sun. Thick fir and pine trees. Short saps, fresh soil deposits and even the faint smell of rain. Aradhya's knees hit the ground. Tears flowed down her face but her eyes held no emotion. No sorrow, no rage, no grief...just confusion. It had nothing else than turmoil.
"Why would you do that?" Aradhya scoffed, "all lies. Everything you said was a lie, Vihaan. I wish...I wish the last thing you said to me was also a lie."
"You are no longer the Queen of Ashokdhar," Vihaan drew a sharp breath, "and no longer my wife."
Aradhya spat up again. Her tears faded away. Somehow she wanted Rihit by her side, or Vikram or even Tamasvini.
Aradhya was almost sure about her pregnancy. She was way too sure. Sickness only during the mornings. Faint cravings for sours and a feeling of uncertainty. Faint footsteps responded behind Aradhya. She didn't even have the power to turn around.
Aradhya felt a grip on her shoulder. She scoffed, "It's okay. I won't resist. You kill me effortlessly."
"Why would I kill my sister?" Rihit's voice pulled into the thick forest like a ray of sunshine. Aradhya whipped back and saw Rihit with nervousness and fright. Nandini also stood beside him and an old woman dressed in white stood behind them.
"Why did you come here? Vihaan will punish you all. Go away." Aradhya said.
"You told me to get you a doctor, I have. Now get up. You are not this weak." Rihit spoke, slight annoyance in his words and simple vocabulary in his tone.
Aradhya tried but collapsed down. Right sighed. He sat down by her side and Nandini did the same. Rihit gestured for the old woman to examine Aradhya. The woman bowed and crouched down to Aradhya.
"You should not be here. If Maharaj gets to know about this he won't spare you. You shouldn't have listened to this fool." Aradhya spoke to the woman gesturing to Rihit. The old woman simple smiled.
"He didn't bring me. I volunteered. I owe you too much. I was about to save my daughter because of the plan you implemented. I received a hefty loan through which I was about to cure my daughter. So like it or not, I will check you too." The woman replied and put her hand against Aradhya's neck.
Everyone anticipated what the woman was about to say. She went on doing her thing for a while as it further drained Aradhya of her energy. The woman finally sighed.
"You are indeed with child. You shouldn't get weak now," the woman pulled something out of her satchel and handed it to Aradhya, "have it. It is going to give you sufficient energy."
"And then, you are going to return with me and Nandini." Rihit almost instantly earned a glare from Aradhya.
"I won't be coming. Do not try to talk me into coming back because I won't." Aradhya spat.
"Stop being stupid. You are pregnant for heaven's sake. Vihaan will listen if you tell him you are with the child. And if you don't want to come, no worries. I will carry you back."
"Do not...force me." Aradhya fumed with anger, "I do not want to use our child as bait to get back. And I definitely do not need the pity of your kingdom. I don't want to come back and I don't want your sick people to call my child, a concubine again, a heathen's daughter. I don't want her to grow up in your hypocritical, judgemental kingdom."
"Come back to your senses Aradhya. You cannot survive out here without anything. I need you both alive."
"As you said," Aradhya smirked, "I am not this weak. I will find a way, I always have. If there is no way, I will make my own one."
Nandini who stood back and watched all of this finally spoke. She walked to Aradhya and asked with utmost concern.
"You hate him, don't you? You hate Vihaan."
Aradhya scoffed, "I don't hate him. Even if I want to...I can't," she paused for a second, "I...I'm just running out of reasons to love him."
Aradhya held a promise from both Rihit and Nandini to hold her matter of pregnancy a secret. She knew Vihaan would crumble if he knew of her. She knew he would fail as a king and no matter how much she claimed to hate Ashokdhar, she held a spot too soft for the kingdom in her heart.
Rihit handed his sword to her and somehow as a motion of emotion, he embraced Aradhya. Nandini joined in.
"I going to shout so much at you if you don't survive," Rihit spoke to Aradhya.
.  .  .  .
While gaining as much energy as she could, Aradhya stopped by a cliff in the forest. She stood confidently at the rising sun. She beamed at him. She placed a hand on her gut and another hand gripped the sword. She looked out at the powerful kingdom of Ashokdhar.
She had almost a firm determination in her mind. She stood facing the sun, letting her shadows fall behind.
"I am not weak. I do love you Vihaan. But I cannot return to you just to get abandoned by you again. I cannot lose my hope to die." She stopped.
"But you said you'd protect me. You told me you loved me. You told me that you trusted me. How could you not even ask for my explanation? However, I am not dependent on you. I am not as weak as you think I am. I will survive."
A strong thud behind Aradhya caught her attention. She turned back and saw a man draped in black with his face masked. Before Aradhya could clearly comprehend the situation, the assassin launched at her.
She felt him swing at her and that was the last thing she remembered.
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Hey, again. This marks the commencement of the third part of the book. The story will take an intriguing turn from here.
What do you think will unfold in the coming chapters? What do you think happened to Aradhya?
Let me know about your thoughts on this chapter. And don't forget to drop a vote on the chapter. It helps me a lot.
And until next time.
With love
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