Cittaja || Indian Historical Romance

47.

"Maharani Raashi is not my mother." Mayurakshi looked at her feet. "I didn't see any valuable outcome in making a scene and fighting. It would only make my father look worse."

"Your father has Raashi for a queen and Adhiman for his heir. I don't see how anything else can look worse. Krishneri isn't exactly very fond of your father. You know the rumors about your family in the Kingdom."

Mayurakshi gave a sad smile. "Every attempt I make to help him only ends in something else going wrong."

Shatrujit chuckled, "You're wrong. Attempts you made gave a good result, but they don't outweigh the enormous foolishness your half-brother and step-mother show. Between both of them Gokula stands helpless." He held her face affectionately. "Take my advice, my sweet child. A man cannot be a good king if he doesn't wear the shawl of courage on himself. There is no match for Sri Ramachandra as a king because he can make the harshest decisions for the welfare of his people. When Rama has to leave for the forests and get on to the chariot prepared to drop him by the Ganga's banks, Dashratha comes out of his palace running like a common man. Dashratha was falling apart and behaved like a madman. He ordered Sumanta to stop the chariot. Ramachandra notices the reaction of people to Dashratha's reaction. Then he takes the hardest decision to not turn back and look at Dashratha. He even orders Sumanta to lie to Dashratha that he did not hear the order to stop the chariot. His father was falling apart like a madman. He should have stopped and helped his father, but he made the harsh decision to walk away. Because to give them happiness now, we make their future horrible. Similarly, you try to make decisions which will help him, but at some point, he had to make his stand."

Mayurakshi could feel the prick in her heart at that. She knew every word that the Emperor had said was true and right. Yet, her wish would always remain unfulfilled. She assumed that when Yuvika would have left Krishneri, Gokula would finally give her the love she desired. The bitter words coming out of the Emperor's mouth were true. She couldn't deny them at all.

"All that you said is true, Maharaj. But should that mean that I shouldn't harbor any harshness towards you for making me forcefully marry Yuvraj?" Her voice cracked just a little.

Shatrujit placed his hand on her head. "I wouldn't be standing before you like this if I believed you didn't have the right to be angry. Be angry. If you have such courage, openly say it outside. It would be a nice change that it is a woman who can stand up to me. I've had men standing against me all my reign, but they say that a woman is the fiercest of a foe."

Mayurakshi chuckled at that. "No. I don't hate you like that. I may have complaints, but that doesn't surmount hatred. I find you quite ideal as a king to hate you."

"I don't know how much of a father figure your own has been to you, Nanna, but you always have this father-in-law of yours to come to when you need a parent."

Mayurakshi looked down at her feet with a smile. She never had terms of endearment from parental figures. Shatrujit, calling her "nanna," filled her with a certain affection. She picked on the ends of her dupatta, not knowing how to return the affectionate endearment.

Shatrujit handed his sword to Shakra, held her head with both his hands, and kissed the top of her head. He pulled her into an affectionate hug. "I just wanted Nanna to love me like he loves Akka." She softly whispered as tears formed in her eyes at the parental embrace. Shatrujit patted her head.

"Don't start your day with crying, nanna." He kissed her head. "I know you only wanted what was rightfully yours. He fears to express it, but I'm sure he loves you dearly. After all, daughters are closer to a man's heart than any woman in the world."

Shakra, not receiving any of the attention in the room, scoffed at the display of affection. "Wonderful. Mayurakshi's father-in-law gets a loving and affectionate embrace, but her husband doesn't. The father-in-law is the ideal king in her eyes, but the husband is a pain in her backside. The husband is an annoyance, but the father-in-law doesn't warrant hatred for forcing her to marry his son."

Mayurakshi, while still in Shatrujit's hug, broke into laughter. Shakra's jealousy was familiar to her.

"Rey... poyi panchesuko. Don't irritate her. Kodalu and Kuturu have only two alphabetical differences, the rest are the same. So, more than how much I tolerate your behavior, I want her to be happy at my home." He clicked his fingers and then signaled for him to get out making her laugh at that.

Shakra scoffed at it. 

Mayurakshi pulled away and pushed her hair behind her ears, quickly wiping the tears that were forming. She was breaking off that mask slightly. Her dream seemed to become a far fetched fantasy now that she is married. She didn't know whether she wanted to be happy about having a loving in-laws home or be heartbroken about never fulfilling her dream of wanting to be her father's beloved child. 

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Translations

Nanna - While technically, in Telugu, Nanna means dad, the term is also used as an endearment. Like how father in north will sometimes call their children 'baba'. It is usually used to express affection for someone. A signal that they are close.

Rey..... poyi panchesuko - Hey.... go do some work. Basically, in a way it is shooing away people. A polite way of saying 'get lost'. 

Kodalu - Daughter in law

Kuturu - Daughter.

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