Royals, Roses And Rules

bonus: his futterfly

He looked up and frowned at his father for interrupting his talk with his futterfly while his father clicked the photo.

--

"It hurts, Vee", four-year-old Naina had tears streaming down her cheeks. She had fallen while playing with her cousins and the other royal kids. It was in the summer vacations while all the kids were having a camp in the Jaigarh palace. Each year, different royal families hosted it, and invited every royal acquaintance so the kids could mingle up and know each other better.

"Hey, hey. Shh. You are my brave butterfly. How dare the ground hurt you. Don't worry, I'll kick it", saying so the seven-year-old Veer stomped on the ground. After that, he gave her piggy back ride till the benches where he seated her. Naina was clinging to him as a baby monkey would cling to its mother.

After that, his took water bottle and poured it slowly on the wound of her knee.

"Hurts", Naina whimpered and tried to pull back her leg but Veer held it in place.

"Shh. Shh. See, all done. You are very brave, hai na.", he distracted her while he dried the water and blood with his hanky.

"Let's take you inside. Mumma will apply medicine on your boo boo. Can you walk?", he asked. She nodded her head in a no.

"Okay, hop on my back. Don't fold your knee, okay?", he instructed and bent a little so she could hop on his back.

"Aree, what happened to your little butterfly?", Veer's mother asked when she saw them entering her room while she was working.

"Boo boo", Naina muttered sleepily. She was tired after playing since the morning.

"Ohh! Put her down, I'll get the first aid kit.", Sonali rushed into the washroom.

Applying the cream, she dressed Naina's knee while Naina was swaying sleepingly and Veer held her back.

"You wanna sleep, butterfly?", he asked, brushing her hair out of the face.

"Mhhm", she nodded and slept off.

"Mumma, hungry", Veer whined.

"Okay, lets go to the dining room, then. Its time for lunch", she tugged at his hand.

"Butterfly?", he asked.

"I'll bring a bottle of milk and feed her, okay?", she smoothed Veer's hair.

"No, bring my food here. I will eat with her", he ordered. Always bossy, like his father.

"Is that how you talk to your mother?", Sonali raised her eyebrows.

"No, sowwy. Please, I wanna have my lunch with butterfly", he mumbled, widening his eyes and puckering his lower lip outward.

"Okay, I'll send your food, and her bottle here. Now, stop this helpless boy drama", she kissed his head and went away to check on lunch and other kids.

"So cute, my butterfly", he kissed her cheek.

When a maid brought the food and bottle, he first put the bottle in Naina's mouth and made her little hands hold it. She had started suckling and drinking the milk. After he was sure she would not drop it, he went back to his plate and started eating.

Naina had that talent. She could survive by only drinking milk. Drinking milk, even while sleeping was an art she had mastered. Even if she was awake, she would still drink her milk from the bottle, always.

--

"Vee", the fifteen-year-old girl squealed in delight.

"Hi, my butterfly", the almost eighteen-year-old boy hugged her in greeting and kissed her forehead. They had met almost after a year. She was sent to boarding school and had just returned yesterday.