Ruthless

↠ Saat ↞

❝You are the peace I crave in this chaotic world.❞

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THE queen stood outside the humongous doors which reflected the perfect mixture of darkness and the subtle glow of the moon as the doorman announced her arrival to the dining room. The gateway was pulled apart by two guards and she walked into the gigantic room. In the middle there was a long mahogany table adorned with silverware and twelve seats around it which were occupied by various courtiers and friends – all of them standing to welcome their ruler. The head of the table was empty indicating that it was Akira's place to sit.

Kartik got up from his seat and walked over to the queen to escort her to the table. He bowed down in front of her and took her cold hand in his warm one, placing a gentle fluttering kiss on it. The queen didn't think much of it, after all, it was a common courtesy.

The only thing she could think about was how a spy was in front of her but she tried to push that thought out of her head, she couldn't kill him right now. She had to get the information.

"You look more radiant than the moon." He said in a low voice loud enough for only her to hear as he smiled at her, looking straight into her kohl-lined eyes.

Akira slightly shrugged with an unimpressed look and muttered, "Very unoriginal. I have heard this one far too many times Yuvraj, try something new."

The suitor cursed under his breath with a defeated look even though a clear smirk lined his physiognomy. They both walked to the table where everyone stood out of courtesy. Akira and gestured all of them to sit down along with her. The seat next to her right was occupied by Kartik, the one to the left by Aziza and the one next to her by Veer. Her mother sat at the opposite end of the table and the other seats were filled by a few courtiers and Shree.

Akira smiled at the guests, "Today we have gathered to welcome Yuvraj Kartik Chauhan of Kirtipuram."

The room was soon filled with claps from the guests, a few courtiers gracing a confused look to see a suitor who was still alive. Akira's mother looked particularly happy as she looked at the two monarchs sitting side by side in front of her. It pained Akira to see that her mother was perhaps getting happy over the fact that this person could be her son-in-law but she didn't want to rob her joy by telling her the truth. It was the first time her mother had approved of her. 

Akira saw Shree and Aziza giving the stranger cold looks and she silently gestured them to stop, to wait till they had what they wanted from him.

"Let the feast begin."

The royal cooks and handmaidens came to the table, serving portions to everyone. Just as they were done serving, Kartik leaned in the queen's direction.

"Is the food poisoned or can I eat it?" Akira could feel his warm breath slightly fanning her neck and jaw as he whispered to her, barely audible.

Akira held the goblet of wine in her hands firmly, wanting nothing more than to crush the metal under her fierce grip. She turned her head towards him and answered in a whisper loud enough for only him to decipher, "Don't worry Yuvraj, I am not this heartless. I won't kill you-"

She could hear a small sigh of relief leave the threshold of his lips as she continued, "here. I would much rather kill you in privacy. In a deathly silent room, a room where you could hear your own heart thumping wildly, threatening to burst out of your chest just moments before my lethal blade meets with your neck, painting the marble floor in beautiful rivers of crimson shades."

A smirk settled over the queen's otherwise stern features as she heard the suitor inhale sharply and lean away just a little.

"Oh" This time the queen leaned in with a small smile, she could feel that he was intimidated and she was enjoying every minute of it, "Did I perhaps scare such a great man like you, Yuvraj? I feel like you're scared."