Once Upon A Crowned Heart

Five

Reginald, his loyal confidant, observed the peculiar shift in Charles's demeanor. He questioned his friend's motives and the potential repercussions that awaited Kavya. The weight of the situation hung heavily upon them both, casting a shadow of uncertainty over their actions.

Charles's callous perspective on Kavya troubled Reginald. He couldn't fathom why his friend found such satisfaction in toying with her emotions. It had been ages since Charles had shown any genuine interest in anyone, apart from his brother William. The fact that a commoner like Kavya could evoke such negative emotions in Charles was disconcerting, to say the least. There was nothing to be proud of in his callousness.

Charles noticed it first, an array of guards, his guards surrounding a female. And with him was a male. Reginald noticed them too. "That is her editor-in-chief of the paper she works for. But what is he doing here?" Reginald asked himself. "She is here, why don't we extend a warm welcome to her?" Charles asked and started to walk towards her. But then from somewhere, a swarm of reporters ambushed her.

"Mam, can you tell me your purpose for proposing to Prince Charles?" One of them asked shoving the microphone on her face. 

"Did you always wish to be part of the royal family?" Another one asked and the cameras tried to capture her face. 

"How do you feel now that the prince had agreed to date you?" She didn't answer. 

"Answer us, Miss Bajaj, was it how you were planning to come into the spotlight always? Did you plan the whole thing?"

Charles grew increasingly alarmed as he saw Kavya on the verge of fainting amidst the chaos of reporters. The lack of protection from the guards baffled him. "Reginald," he said urgently, "we need to get her out of there before she collapses."

Reginald was quick to act and pulled them out of the airport. Charles followed them and to his surprise, no one had noticed him in this attire. For them, he is a regular person doing regular things. He escaped the media and the crowd and inside his car that he drove, no royal flags, nothing. "Kavya, are you alright?" She nodded looking at the man who was with her.

"Here, drink some water, it will relax you." Charles grabbed the bottle from his hand and the man shouted "Hey what do you think you are doing? She needs it." He turned to face him. "If you are a member of his PR team then you should have gone through the details, specific ones. She is now considered a member of the royal family, even if it is temporary, which means everything shall be tested before it reaches her. No exceptions to that rule."

"But she needs to drink, she is..." "Having a panic attack," Charles replied. "We have doctors on standby. For now, Reginald if you please give her some water." Reginald handed Arjun a flask containing water. "How do I know you mean no harm to her?" In reply of which Charles laughed. "That is the thing of fun, you do not know it. It keeps things interesting."

Charles saw the man pull her gently to the side and lower the flask over her lips. "Drink Kavya, just a little you will feel better in no time." Kavya smiled at him weakly. "You are the boss." She said sipping the liquid. He shook his head from side to side. "Your sense of humor knows no bounds, even now you are joking." He gently ran his fingers through her hair an action that did not go unnoticed by Charles.

"I think we have missed the turnover there," The man said looking at them wearily. "This is an unmarked vehicle, have you seen any more like this around the royal palace? No, because they would arrest you as soon as you set a site in a vehicle like this." He turned around the corner and Reginald alerted the guards inside. The gates opened and Charles drove in.

As anticipated, a team of doctors stood prepared to examine Kavya, with Reginald leading the way followed by Charles. The identity of the man accompanying Kavya remained a mystery to Charles, yet he possessed an unspoken possessiveness.