â¢| CHAPTER - 16 |â¢
=======================
A H E N K A R A
⬠MORNING
⬠SULATAN RIYADH'S CHAMBER
I turned on my back and slowly open my eyes and saw the canopy attached to the ceiling. I immediately sat up and found the bed empty. I clearly remember what happened last night he was here. I lifted my gaze and look around the maids are cleaning the chamber there is no sign of him.
My mind shifted to last night I felt the presence beside me, it was not a hallucination but then why he didn't interrogate me about what happened in market and he is not so good that I'm sleeping so he didn't disturbed me.
Maybe he didn't recognise me.
Or he would have done something by now.
" Begum sahiba"
I lifted my gaze towards the maid who is standing close to the edge of bed keeping her gaze low.
" Sultan asked you meet him"
The fear which subside rose again in me. I took a deep breath gripping my left wrist where the marks of his fingers are I slip the dupatta on them to hide it.
" Where?"
" Hamam"
" Bath chamber"
I nodded and she left.
I raise my hand and run through my hair. What should I do? Give a excuse I'm not feeling well it won't work meeting with him is inevitable. He is the strom I had to face even though I don't want to.
I pulled away the quilt and get down from bed. I run my hands through the length of my hair and adjusting my lehenga giving myself a glance in the mirror I made my way to the bath chamber.
~~~
⬠BATH CHAMBER
I entered the bath chamber and the fragrances of different aromas filled my nostrils. I saw several maids present there some where putting flower in the pool, some were blowing smoke. My gaze landed on the person in middle of the pool his arms are spread either side on the edge of pool and water droplets were on his body.
I walk closer and stood at the distance and wait for him to acknowledge me but he won't so I spoke up.
" You have called me Sultan"
There is silence for a second then he turned his head to side the water droplets fell from his wet hair and some slide down on the side of his face.
" Apke aane ki aahat nahi aayi aaj "
" Varna aapke aane se pehle apki payal iltda kar deti hai"
" There was no sound of your arrival today" he said and turn his face back to front " or else before your arrival your anklets inform everyone".
I look down at my feet without any jewellery. I have taken off every jewellery last night for the disguise of man.
" Kher choriye humne apko isliye bulaya kyuki hume aapse kuch guftgu karni thi"
" Leave it, I have called you because I want to talk to you" he said and I look up and couldn't control myself from asking.
" Kyu?"
" Why?"
" Kyu? Aap begum hai humari hum jab chahe tab apse baat kar sakte hai"
" Why? You're my wife I can talk to you anytime" he said moving his hand on the surface of water and I didn't say anything.
" Takhliya!"
" Privacy!"
His loud voice boomed in the chamber and my heart beat speed up. The maids stopped whatever ever they are doing and left after bowing down.
" Aaiye"
" Come" his voice made me turn back towards him and I couldn't comprehend what he said.
" Huh?"
" Humare kareeb aaiye"
" Come closer to me" he said making my eyes widened and I'm tempted to step back.
" Ji?"
" Ji haa foran idhar aaiye "
" Yes come here immediately" he look over his shoulder and spoke through clenched teeth there is a hint of anger in his voice not wanting to make him more angry I walked closer to him keeping my gaze on the blue water filled with rose petals.
Suddenly his hand shoot up and he grabbed my wrist and pulled me making me sit on the edge of pool. He look up at me his wet hair were stick to his forehead and water droplets were sliding from the side of his face to his jaw then his neck moving down to his chest then mix in the water I avert my gaze.
" Kahiye kya baat karni thi apko"
" Say what you wanted to talk about" I took a rose petal in my hand which was laying on the edge of the pool.
" Vo lep laga dijiye"
" Apply that paste"
I left the petal and my eyebrows pulled together as I look up at him.
" Yeh dasi ka kaam hai "
" This is work of maid"
" Aap kaneez haâhumara matlab aap begum hai humari aap yeh nahi karengi toh kon karega "
" You're maid..." he stopped when he saw me glaring at him then smirk " I mean you're my wife who will do it not you."
Just apply the paste hurriedly and left from here.
I rolled my eyes and reluctantly moved to side to pick up a bowl where perfumes and other things were placed and taking some of in my right hand I applied on his forearm to arm in upward motion his skin felt cold because of cold water.
I was applying the paste when sprinkle of water come on me and I close my eyes covering my face with left hand then I lower down my hand and glare at him.
" Khel rahe the begum"
" I was just playing" he chuckled seeing my expersion and moved his face ahead. I picked up the jug filled with milk and pour it over his arm to remove the paste but it was not removing so I use my left hand to scrub it.
He grabbed my left wrist when I reached his shoulder and suddenly pulled me making me lean towards him. My heart pound in my chest and my breathing slowed down. He slide his hand upwards and entangled our fingers.
" Why there is no red colour on your fingers today?" He asked and I bite my lips.
Because I removed it last night.
" I will apply after bathing"
I tried to pull my hand but he didn't leave it and raise his other hand and my eyes widened in horror when he start sliding down the pinned dupatta around my wrist and dark figer marks reveled.
What excuse I give him?
He will know now.
" Aap bohot naazuk hai Shehzaadi"
" You are so delicate Princess" Saying this he took some of the paste in his hand and applied on my wrist after applying it he left my wrist. I pull my wrist back and he swim where the stairs were and come out of the pool. He grabbed the navy coloured shawl from the table and wrapped around him walked around the edge of pool I keep my gaze on his as he walked past me and stood in front of a mirror.
I stood up and moved towards the door when his voice made me halt.
" Rukiye"
" Wait!"
What does he want now.
My heart starts to beat faster I thought he didn't realise.
" Humne apko jane ki ijazat abhi di nahi hai"
I turned my head to side and found him wearing the rings in his right hand keeping his gaze on his hand. I bite the inside of my cheek in anxiety.
" Vo itr jo vaha rakha hai la dijiye"
" The perfume which is placed there bring it" he pointed his index finger towards it and I release the breath and walked towards the table. From many tiny bottles I picked one and turned making my way towards him.
I stood at distance and forward my hand, he took the bottle and open it bringing it close to his nose he inhale deeply closing his eyes tilting his head back slightly. He open his eyes and applied the perfume on the side of his neck and I'm moving my fingers in looking aside.
" You know I have meet a thief last night"
My eyes snap to his and a wave of fear washed over me.
" Hume chori pasand nahi hai, agar apko kuch chaiye toh use cheeno, haasil karo, pao magar chori mat karo kisi kyuki us cheez par haq kisi or ka hota hai or jab tak haq kisi or ka toh cheez apki kaise"
" You know I don't like thiefs because if you want something snatch it, achieve it, get it but don't steal it because if you steal it the right on the thing is it's owner and when the right someone has it then how the thing is yours"
" Aap kya kahengi?"
" What you say?" He abruptly turned towards me making my eyes widened and I nodded agreeing to his words.
" Hume laga hi tha"
" I thought so" he turned back to mirror and a smirk come on his face.
" Hume lagta hai hum dono ek jaise hi hai or ho bhi kyu na aap ka khowab bhi Mallika bannna tha or humara khowab Sultan lekin fark itna hai apka khowab khowab hi reh gaya or humara haqeeqat ban gaya"
" I think we both are similar and why wouldn't be it was your dream to become Queen and my dream to become King but difference is your dream remains dream and my dream got fulfilled" he moved his head towards me and grinned.
He didn't leave any chance to humiliate me.
" Chalte hai"
" I take my leave "
He disappear behind another door.
~~~
⬠SULTAN RIYADH'S CHAMBER
I'm not able to understand what he meant. Did he wanted to meet me because he find out or he just wanted to trouble me. But if that's the case who can stop me from throwing behind the bars. He is Sultan after all.
I look up at the reflection of myself in mirror the maid behind me and combing my hair.
" Ekant!"
" Privacy" I said and she and other maids nodded and left the chamber. I stood up and walked in the middle of chamber.
" Hum unhe samajh nahi pa rahe"
" I'm not able to understand him" my fingers starts to fidgeting as my restlessness increased.
" Hum kabhi samajh nahi pate"
" I never able to" I jerked my hands frustratingly.
Whole fault is mine I acted impulsly. I forgot this is not Suryapratap Garh and the head commander is not Queen's brother. I need a proper plan if I wanted to run away.
But first I need to find out where my bangle is.
I made my way towards the almirah and open it, it has many books, paper scroll and pens, ink pots I hurriedly look through it but found nothing then I moved to the trunk which has more paper scrolls bigger in size.
In frustration I throw the paper scrolls in it and close the trunk and moved to other and this one has his clothes. He had more paper scrolls then his clothes. The bangles are not in it too. I close the trunk in anger and took two three steps back placing my hands on my waist I titled my head back a little and close my eyes taking deep breaths.
I open my eyes and went towards the table close to the bed and start checking every
tiny box.
~~~
I moved to the another side of chamber and my gaze went to outside and I saw it was almost evening the orange traces of sun was present in the sky which was slowly covering by the dark blue colour of night.
I will not give up.
I moved towards the dressing table and sat down on the floor going through each boxes.
" Looking for this?"
My hands froze on the box I'm holding and my heart beat pick up hearing the familiar voice. I turned my head towards the way of voice and found him leaning against the door frame with both bangles in his hand he looked at me and smiled.
I slowly stood up and my eyebrows pulled together in confusion. How he has the other bangle which I lost in Suryapratap Garh.
He stood up straight and walked towards me standing in front of me I keep my gaze up on him.
" I get this one bangle in Suryapratap Garh when I collide with a girl who proudly introduced herself as a thief saying girls can become whatever they want"
" Hum chorni hai"
"Toh ladkiya kya chorni nahi ho sakti ladkiya kuch bhi ban sakti hai chor, senik ya rani kuch bhi"
" And the other one I found it last night on the thief wrist who dared to steal my horse from Palace." He showed me the other bangle " but I don't understand how the bangle which that girl is wearing in Suryapratap Garh I found the same bangle from a girl who disguised as a man in Sultanate"
" How is it possible unless both the girls are same" he took a intimating step ahead and the pressure his words held made me step back.
" Now you tell me how you know about this bangle and why you want them?" He narrowed his gaze at me. My heart is pounding against my chest so loudly that I can hear it and I'm in no position to think any lie.
" C'mon give some excuse" he looked down at the bangles in his hand then glance up " you don't have any excuse?" He shook his head.
" Let me think of it umm" he rolled his eyes to side " yeah " his eyes found mine " this bangle is yours and she steal it from you then the thief girl liked it so much she comes here for stealing the other bangle from you and found my horse to go out from Palace and you don't know anything because when I came back to chamber you were sleeping, that's what happened, right?" He took a another step ahead boring his dark green eyes to me making me weak and I took steps back.
" But all of this is lie and the truth is the girl who I met in Suryapratap Garh was you and whom I met last night was you too and now I'm only interested in truth so say it" he moved forward and I took steps back but my back bumped in to the wall making no way from me to get away. He moved closer placing his one hand on the wall beside me.
" Start talking" he said playing with bangles in his hand.
I took a deep breath realising he knows truth and there is no point of lying now.
" Yes whatever you said is true now give me my bangles back" I forward my hand to take the bangles from him but he moved it away from my reach I look at him questionably.
" I know this, I want to know the reason why you disguised yourself as thief in your own kingdom"
Because as a Princess I don't have freedom to leave the Palace just like here.
" Hum apne rajye me kya karte hai isee aap ka kya lena dena?"
" What I do in my kingdom how it is your business?"
" Lena dena hai aap begum hai humari"
" It is my business your my wife" he straighten up coming closer to me my eyes widen and I slightly tremble with our close proximity. His gaze move down from my eyes then he glance up and move back a little.
" I remember King Suryadev came your Kingdom that day. Did you disguised yourself to meet him secretly because you can't meet him being a Princess. Did he gave you these bangles?"
I feel my anger rise by his accusation.
" Give me my bangles back" I ordered this time hearing the authority in my voice he clenched his jaw.
"Â That's why he came first in your soyamwar. You don't want to become any Queen you wanted you become his Queen that's why you don't accept me as your husband" he glare at me and I glared back.
" Humare kangan wapas kar dijiye"
" Give me my bangle back" I again try to take the bangles but he moved his hand aside and suddenly he shoved a flambeau in front of me and I moved back terrified. The red orange flame, the heat, the light everything terrifies me.
" Tell me the truth" he asked holding the flambeau towards me and my breathing got uneven I gaze up and glare at him.
" Go to hell!"
"Â Fine" he nodded.
" Aap humari hai, humara haq hai aap par. Aap hi nahi humne apke zehen bhi qaid rakha hai, apke khayalo me bhi humare alawa koi or nahi aa sakta"
" Your mine and I have every right on you. Not only you I have caged your mind as well there can't be any person thought in your mind except me"
He raise the bangle and my eyed widened and my mouth got opened in shock when he drop the bangle in the flambeau. I got frozen in my place not able to comprehend anything tears filled my eyes making my vision blur.
I moved my eyes up at him and found his lips curved up in evil smirk and eyes held the same evilness. The tear slide down from my eye to cheek and his smirk got bigger.
I launched forward snatching the flambeau from his hand I left it. It fell on the floor and thousands of red sparkles come out when it hit the floor and red coal scattered around my bangle roll on the floor and fell down. I sat on my knees in front of it the metal turned slightly red. I forward my hand to pick it but jerked my hand back as it burnt my hand. I saw a feet from my side vision till they come in front of me.
" Nahiiii"
" Nooo" I screamed when he placed his shoe over the bangle.
______________________________
How was it?
Riyadh knows Ahenkara tried to run away.
He broke her mother's bangle.
What will she do now.
Excited?
VOTE COMMENT AND SHARE.