32) Chapter

Ereya had come to the village as he always did, his heart inexplicably drawn to the small, peaceful community where Madhavi lived.

But today, the serenity was gone. As he approached, he heard the angry shouts of men and the gasps of onlookers.

His pace quickened, dread pooling in his chest. When he reached the source of the commotion, his heart dropped.

Two young men stood face-to-face, their voices raised in fury, fists clenched as if ready to fight to the death.

In the middle of the chaos was Madhavi, her delicate figure trembling as she tried to reason with them, her tear-streaked face betraying the distress she felt.

The sight of her, so small and vulnerable amidst the storm of anger, ignited something primal in Ereya—a need to shield her from harm, to protect her from the cruelty of the world.

One of the young men shouted, "She will marry me! I have waited long enough, and I won't let you take her from me!"

The other spat back, "She has already chosen me. You're delusional if you think she wants anything to do with you!"

"Enough! This fighting shames us all. Madhavi is not to blame for your foolishness." A old man spelled sternly.

Madhavi's voice trembled as she tried to interject. "Please... I do not want this. I do not wish to marry anyone. Can't you see this fighting is pointless?"

But her words fell on deaf ears. The villagers murmured among themselves, their opinions divided.

Some pitied Madhavi, calling her a poor girl with no family to protect her.

Others were cruel, labeling her an enchantress who bewitched men with her beauty and caused trouble wherever she went.

"An orphan with no roots—what else can you expect?" one older woman sneered.

"Leave her alone," another said gently. "She is not to blame for those fools"

Ereya's anger simmered, and when he saw one of the young men grab a sharp tool and lunge at the other, it boiled over.

Without thinking, he surged forward, intercepting the blow with swift precision.

The crowd gasped, and the men stumbled back, shocked by his sudden intervention.

"Enough!" Ereya's voice thundered, silencing the crowd. His chest heaved with fury as he glared at the two men. "This madness ends now."

"This is not how men behave," Ereya growled, his voice a low thunder. "You would kill your brother over what? Over pride? Over delusions?"

Two men stumbled back, cowed by his fury. But Ereya wasn't finished. His piercing gaze turned to the villagers.

"And you," he said, his tone sharper. "You stand here and hurl accusations at an innocent woman? Have you no shame? Do you think your words are harmless?"

He turned to the villagers, his tone fierce and commanding. "How dare you speak ill of her? Madhavi is not an orphan, not an enchantress. She is my wife!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd, the declaration striking like a bolt of lightning.

Even Madhavi froze, her wide eyes fixed on Ereya in disbelief. He turned to her, his face softening for just a moment before he took her hand in his.

"Come with me," he said firmly grabbing her hand , his tone leaving no room for argument.

Too stunned to protest, Madhavi allowed him to lead her away. They moved quickly, leaving the murmurs and whispers behind.

Ereya didn't stop until they were deep in the forest, far from prying eyes. Only then did he release her hand, turning to face her.

His shoulders were tense, his breathing uneven, but his gaze softened as he looked at her.

"Why did you do that?" Madhavi's voice was a whisper, her eyes searching his. "Why did you call me your wife?"

Ereya hesitated, his jaw tightening as he struggled to find the words. "Because I couldn't bear to see them treat you that way," he said finally, his voice raw with emotion. "

"To see them insult you, to see them fight over you like you were some prize to be claimed. You don't deserve that. You deserve respect, dignity, and peace."

Her brows furrowed as she shook her head, taking a step back.

"You didn't have to do that. You didn't have to lie! Do you understand what people will say about me now? They'll think I'm some woman hiding in the shadow of a stranger, incapable of standing on my own!"

Ereya took a step toward her, his voice low and steady. "I don't care what they think, Madhavi. I care that you're safe. I care that no one dares to insult or harm you again."

Her eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away, unwilling to let him see her break. "You don't understand," she said, her voice softer now. "You've made me someone I'm not. I didn't ask for your protection, Ereya. I didn't ask for any of this."

Ereya sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I know you didn't ask for it. I know you didn't want this attention. But I did what I thought was right. And if I'm being honest..." He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground for a moment before meeting hers again.

"If I'm being honest, I didn't just do it to protect you. I did it because... I can't stop thinking about you, Madhavi. I care about you."

Her breath hitched, and she stared at him, her anger giving way to something more vulnerable, more uncertain.

"You don't even know me," she said quietly, almost as if testing him.

"You don't know where I came from, who I am. I'm nothing, Ereya. I'm just an orphan with no past, no family. Why would you care about someone like me?"

Ereya's expression softened, and he stepped closer, his voice gentle but resolute.

"It doesn't matter to me, Madhavi. I don't care where you came from, or who your family was, or wasn't. What matters to me is who you are now. And I've seen enough to know that you're kind, brave, and strong in ways that most people will never understand."

She shook her head, a tear slipping down her cheek. "You don't know everything about me. What if I'm not who you think I am?"

Ereya reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek as he wiped the tear away. The touch was tender, and it made her heart flutter despite her resistance.

"Then let me get to know you," he said softly. "Let me understand you. Let me be the one you can trust."

"You're not who you say you are, are you?" she asked softly, her voice laced with both wonder and hesitation. "There's something about you... something royal."

Ereya stiffened for a moment, caught off guard by her perceptiveness.

He had hoped to keep that part of himself hidden, at least for a while longer, but lying to her now felt impossible. He let out a quiet sigh, his eyes meeting hers with a newfound vulnerability.

"You're right," he admitted, his voice low but steady. "I am of royal blood. But that's all you need to know for now."

Madhavi took a step back, her eyes widening. "You're a prince," she whispered, more to herself than to him. The realization made her heart race. A prince—standing here, asking her, an orphan, to marry him. It felt like something out of a story, too surreal to be real.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want it to matter," Ereya said, stepping closer.

"Because when I'm with you, I don't feel like a prince. I feel like a man—just a man who's found someone he can't imagine being without. If you love me Madhavi, it won't be because of who I am. It'll be because of what we've found together."

She stared at him, her heart torn between disbelief and a deep, undeniable pull toward him. "Ereya," she began, her voice trembling, "this... this doesn't make sense. We come from such different worlds. How can you ask me to—"

"Because I know what I feel," he interrupted, his voice firm yet gentle. He reached out, taking her hands in his.

"And I know you feel it too. Marry me, Madhavi. Be my partner, my equal. Let me show you that none of it—the titles, the past—none of it matters to me. Only you do."

Her lips parted as she searched his face, her mind racing. Every logical thought told her to refuse, to protect herself from the heartache this man could bring. But his eyes, filled with such raw sincerity, unraveled her defenses. Slowly, hesitantly, she nodded.

"Yes," she whispered. "I'll marry you."

Ereya's face lit up with a joy so pure it made her breath catch. Without warning, he lifted her off her feet, his arms strong and sure as he carried her through the forest. She let out a small gasp, her hands instinctively gripping his shoulders. "Ereya! What are you doing?"

He only smiled, his laughter soft and full of warmth. "Celebrating," he said simply, carrying her to a large, smooth rock by the edge of a quiet stream. He set her down gently, as if she were the most precious thing in the world, his hands lingering on her waist.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The world seemed to fall away, leaving only the two of them in the golden light of the setting sun. Ereya leaned closer, his hand brushing a strand of hair from her face. His touch was featherlight, reverent, as if he couldn't believe she was real.

"Madhavi," he murmured, his voice low and filled with emotion. "You have no idea how much you mean to me."

She looked up at him, her breath hitching as his fingers traced the curve of her cheek. His closeness, the intensity in his eyes, made her pulse quicken. "Ereya," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He didn't say anything more

. Slowly, tenderly, he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in a kiss so gentle it felt like a promise.

His hands rested lightly on her waist, holding her as if she were something fragile and precious. Madhavi's initial surprise melted into a quiet surrender as she closed her eyes, her hands resting on his chest.

His warmth, his steadiness, surrounded her, making the world feel safe and whole for the first time in her life.