Kagaz

Epilouge

I sit with my cousins. The council meeting ended an hour ago but these two have assumed my office to be a lounge and are chilling in it. God knows when will they start acting according to their age. They bicker about some stupid thing while I go through the monthly budget.

The door to my office opens and I turn to see two boys enter. They frown at the two still bickering people but turn to me and bow. A chuckle escapes me. "Mother." My five year old twins treat me like everyone else does. They think I am their queen before being their mother. And no matter how many times I tell them it's the opposite, they follow what they think is 'appropriate'.

It's been seven years since I've been made queen, and a year after that I got the news that I was pregnant. I was happy and so was Kabir but we were scared. Atleast I was. I didn't want to lose my child again. But when these two were born with little frowns on their lips, much like their father's, I was sure that Kaira had sent them for us. I miss her everyday. But life goes on. And ours did.

Aakash and Arjun Raichand. We let my grandfather, the former king name them. These were the names he chose for his children if they were a boy. He was very happy when he got to hold them.

They're the most well mannered and well behaved children I've ever seen. They do not create unnecessary ruckus, talk in a very formal manner, even with me and Kabir which is honestly annoying and they don't run around everywhere, rather, stay in the library and try to read books. They read all those little story books with pictures since they can't read complex stuff.

"Would you like to join us in the garden?" Ahh, these formal questions. I smile nonetheless. I wasn't getting much work done here anyway, since these 2 clowns were yelling at the top of their lungs. I pack my stuff and place it nicely on the desk. Then I kick these two morons out of my office. "Go scream somewhere else." I wonder how their spouses deal with them. Avantika got married 3 years ago and Agastya has been married for a year now. Poor souls of their partners.

Both my little gentlemen forward their hands and I hold them both with my own. Their hands are so small compared to mine, and Kabir's are even bigger. We walk towards the garden as my boys tell me how their father told them stories about Greek mythology. They have too much interest in mythology. They started with the stories of Indian mythology and since then have been through Norse and Chinese mythology as well.

We reach the garden where I find a fluffy rug on the grass which has a picnic basket planted on it. Ofcourse. We plan a family picnic in our very own garden every week. My king came up with this idea himself. He said that our children are young so they'll enjoy it and they do. I find my husband a little far away, plucking a pretty flower from a plant. I miss the days when he plucked those for me. Now we have another attention seeking person in our lives. And like I thought, he gives the flower to our two year old daughter he is holding in his arms. Kirti Raichand.

She takes up all of Kabir's time. She is a husband stealer if you ask me. I love my daughter but she doesn't let me have enough time with my husband. She wants her father all for herself. My mother always laughs at it. Says I did the same to her and it's just Karma biting me. Whatever.

My king turns around and starts walking towards us. We all settle down on the rug and I take out the food. We all enjoy the sun and each other's company. Well, Kirti doesn't let me enjoy my husband's company and we both narrow our eyes at each other, but she looks so cute while doing that, I have to give up. My sons keep me company with their stories and from what I hear, my daughter is trying to add some incoherent words in between.

They all soon fall asleep. With Aakash's head in my lap and Arjun's on a little towel pillow he made himself by folding the towel multiple times. Kirti is asleep between her brothers. We are still outside and the sun is still up. Our life has been good for the last seven years. Our kingdom has been doing great, with little blips here and there but that is just life. Our kids are healthy and happy. My king is still winning cases left and right. And I would think I've been decent enough as a queen.

What more could a person want? The only black mark in my perfectly colorful life has been me losing my daughter.

Kabir squeezes my hand. "What are you thinking baby?"

"Just how are lives are so dramatic and interesting you could make a movie on it." He doesn't look impressed by my lie. Okay.

"I was thinking about Kaira. It would've been great if she was here too. And our family would've been complete."

"Our family is complete. She is here. With us. And she always will be." I nod. He is right.

We started as a princess and her prince. I am glad we've come this far to be the king and queen. My life is a fairytale.

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The end.

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Toodles