Published on:- 1/1/25 [Wednesday]
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"Toh yeh hai Rajdhara ka Yuvraj," he said as his voice was calm yet firm, though his heart still raced. "Nahi... Yuvrani."
The realization that he had unknowingly captured not just a royal figure, the crown Prince but a woman, the crown Princess, of striking strength and beauty, sent a ripple through Shivaal's composed demeanor.
She straightened her back while her amber eyes were blazing with defiance.
"Hum Rajdhara ke Yuvraj hai, Yuvrani nahi," she growled and her voice was steady despite the fear lurking beneath her fiery demeanor.
Shivaal chuckled softly and his towering frame leaned closer to her as his presence was overwhelming.
"Bade daave hain tumhare, Yuvran.. j," he said and changed the word.
His tone was dripping with amusement as his dark eyes were studying her intently.
She clenched her fists and her breath was steadying as she refused to look away from him.
"Agar tumhe lagta hai ki mujhe dar lagega, toh galat soch rahe ho", she said as her voice was laced with determination.
Shivaal tilted his head, a sly smirk playing on his lips.
"Dar? Mujhe toh yeh samajh nahi aa raha ki tumhe kya keh kar bulaye. Yuvrani ho kar Yuvraj se pehchane jana... tsk tsk... Rajdhara rajya dhokhebazi me awwal hai", He said while emphasizing the title mockingly.
She glared at him.
"Aur dusri baat, Shivaal Samaiyar se har koi darna seekh jata hai", Shivaal said as his gaze was locked at her.
She raised her chin defiantly.
"Dar unhe lagta hai jo apne aap ko kamzor samajhte hain. Hum kamzor nahi hain," she retorted and her words were sharp and resolute.
Shivaal's smirk deepened as he leaned in closer while his dark eyes locked onto hers.
'Dekhte hain tumhari yeh himmat kab tak tikti hai', He thought.
Something low and menacing was laced with intrigue in those thoughts.
Shivaal's gaze was intense as he looked at her and noticed the deep gashes on her face from the battlefield.
His eyes softened for a moment, but only briefly. Without a word, he stepped closer and unlocked the chains that bound her. The sound of the chains clinking to the floor was almost like a distant echo in the stillness of the Sheesh Mahal.
As the chains fell away, she winced slightly and the wounds on her body protested with the movement.
Her mind raced, 'why was he freeing her? There was no softness in his eyes, yet his actions spoke differently'
She remained silent and her posture was proud and unyielding despite the pain. Her body might be bruised, but her spirit was still intact.
Without a word, she reached for the edges of her ironclad war attire and beneath the armor, the white fabric sticking to her body was covered with dirt from the battlefield, tracing the teenage figure of her body.
The act was quiet, but it spoke volumes of the storm raging within her.
Her wounds were clearly visible. Her skin was marked with the brutal traces of war and the battle's aftermath taking its toll on her body.
The air in the room seemed to thicken with tension as Shivaal watched her and his expression was unreadable.
Her long eyelashes trembled when it met his once more. It was unflinching and daring him to pass judgment.
Shivaal's eyes couldn't look away from her face. She had a small face, fair skin, a small body, amber eyes, and silky brown hair with sharp features.
She knew she was vulnerable now, but there was still fire in her eyes. She wouldn't show weakness, not even in the face of her captor.
Her amber eyes met his, unwavering gaze. She wasn't afraid of him, no matter how chilling his aura was.
Shivaal's voice was cold and commanding as his eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that seemed to freeze the air between them.
"Naam kya hai tumhara?"
Her gaze flared with fury, the flames of anger igniting once again within her.
"Hamare Rajya par akraman karne se pehle nahi jana ki Rajdhara ke Yuvraj ka naam kya hai?" she taunted and her voice was biting with contempt.
Shivaal's lips curled into a smirk, and his eyes glinted with challenge.
"Jubaan to kainchi ki tarah chalti hai tumhari?" He said in a sharp tone.
She met his gaze head-on, unshaken, and her reply came quickly, cutting through the tension.
"Kyunki ye jubaan nahi kainchi hi hai", she retorted in a cold, steady tone, refusing to back down.
For a moment, Shivaal was silent, studying her face and her eyes full of defiance. Then, without warning, his fingers traced the curve of her jaw, an almost intimate gesture that sent a shiver down her spine.
Her hand shot up, instinctively trying to fight him off, but before she could land a blow, Shivaal grabbed both her wrists with surprising strength and pulled her roughly toward him.
Her breasts came in touch with his hard masculine chest, causing her to gasp loudly.
It was the first time when an opposite gender crossed her private space and dared to touch her improperly.
But Shivaal didn't pay attention to their closeness as his face was close now and their breaths mingled, and his voice was low, like a dangerous whisper in her ear.
"Tumhe lagta hai ki tum yahaan par niyantran rakh sakti ho?", He murmured as his grip tightened slightly as he held her captive in his embrace.
"Ye Kundarastra hai aur tum yahan Shivaal ka yuddh me jeeta hua tohfa", He said and her body tensed but she refused to show weakness. She didn't flinch, didn't look away.
The sparks of fury in her eyes remained, even as she struggled against his grip.
Shivaal's gaze flickered over her briefly with a calculating look and broke the silence.
"Ab tum bas yuddh ki bandi ho aur tum aise hi rahogi jab tak main chahunga."
He said as his eyes were narrowing, though there was an undercurrent of something else beneath his words.
Her chest rose and fell, steady despite the obvious pain, as she met his cold stare and refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her flinch.
His presence, however, was powerful, like a force that could crush anyone who stood against him, and yet, she refused to show fear.
"Ab apna naam bataogi?" Shivaal asked and his voice was laced with an authority that echoed through the room.
Her eyes were burning with defiance as she raised her head proudly despite her circumstances.
"Samanvitha, Samanvitha Gayasen. Maharaj Aryaman aur Maharani Sumati Gayasen ki eklauti aulaad hai hum. Rajdhara rajya ke Yuvraj hai hum." She said boldly.
"Samanvitha", Shivaal whispered softly and she shivered the way her name rolled on tongue. She quickly looked away.
But Shivaal's gaze hardened as he processed her last words. She was a royal, and a strong one at that. But she was still his prisoner, and that fact would not change, no matter the pride in her tone.
"Rajdhara ke Yuvraj?" he muttered, his lips curling into a half-smile.
"Rajdhara rajya ka kabhi koi yuvraj nahi tha. Maharani Sumati ne ek putri ko janam diya tha... Dukh bhari kahani ye hai ki Maharaj Aryaman ne ek rajkumari ko rajkumar bana ke mahal me sab ki nazaron se dur, chupa kar rakha", Shivaal said in a harsh , mocking tone.
But Samanvitha didn't flinch.
"Sahi kaha. Rajdhara rajya ka kabhi koi yuvraj nahi tha. Lekin ye aisa ishliye hua kyunki pitaji ne dusri ya teesri up-patni nahi rakhi. Aur putra moh me kabhi nahi doobe. Ishliye unka putra aur putri dono hum the aur hum hi rahenge. Rajdhara rajya ka deepak hai hum", Samanvitha said in a cold tone and had a hidden mock in her words.
Maharaj Aryaman was a one woman man. He had only one wife and one child. Unlike other kings who had numerous wives, countless concubines and dozens of children who were always ready to kill each other for the throne.
Shivaal stepped closer and his intense presence was closing the distance between them.
Shivaal stepped closer and the air thickened with an unspoken tension. His gaze lingered on her, intense and unwavering, as if he could read every part of her being. His voice dropped an octave, smooth and almost teasing.
"Aayu kya hai tumhari?" he asked again in a low voice.
The curiosity in his tone was barely masking something more dangerous. His eyes traced the curve of her lips, lingering a moment longer than necessary.
Samanvitha locked her gaze with his, her defiance sharp and unyielding.
"Aayu mein tumhari adhi hu, aur koi prashn?", she replied coolly and her voice was a perfect mix of challenge and allure.
There was no hint of fear in her eyes, only a quiet, simmering strength.
Shivaal took another step forward and his presence was enveloping her, his body was again nearly touching hers.
"Rajkumari, Himmat to bahut hai tum me" he called her and his voice had a seductive whisper.
His breath brushed against her cheek as he leaned in closer, his words meant to both provoke and possess.
Her heart raced at the way he called her 'Rajkumari' but she stood her ground, unflinching.
"Aur Humari ish himmat koi nahi tod sakta," she said and her voice was thick with an undercurrent of something deeper.
Shivaal smiled, his lips curling ever so slightly. "Chaliye dekhte hain, Rajkumari. Kaisi himmat hai tum mein. Kyunki tumhari ish himmat ko todne me, mujhe bahut anand aega"
Shivaal whispered softly and his breath was warm against her skin, sending a ripple of awareness down her spine.
The tension between them was palpable like an electric current that neither of them could deny.
Samanvitha's breath hitched, her body reacting to his proximity, but her eyes remained locked on his, unyielding.
Shivaal could sense the struggle within her and the heat of defiance mixed with the undeniable pull between them.
His smirk deepened as he watched her and savored the moment, knowing that this was just the beginning.
....
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Thank you
ShineeSunshine â¤ï¸