ENCHANTED- BY LOVE (completed)

64

*** Nanda ***

"Sir the king has ordered to evacuate the compound. He wishes to talk to you," one of the soldiers told me.

Evacuate the compound? Is the kingdom under attack?

My questions were answered when the king stepped in, his demeanor screaming anger and not a hint of panic. The soldiers immediately rushed out and the king looked at me, staring into my soul.

"Everything okay, your highness?" I asked carefully.

"How is Sruthi's training going?" he asked and I immediately realized what must've happened.

He somehow found out the truth!

"Your highness....I...."

I did not even get to finish my sentence before Adi punched me in the jaw making me take a step back in retreat.

"Your highness, listen to...."

He hit me again making me loose my patience.

"You need to calm dow-" I tried to console him but he tried to hit me again and this time I lost my patience, stopped his hand, and pushed him away.

"I said listen to me," I said angrily.

"Listen to what?" he shouted, "You threatened a women into signing a fake training agreement, left her alone in the soldier's chamber for an entire night and planned to leave her in the dark antiques room for another." "All while I am trying to do good for the women....and you...you are the bloody general of the Nine Kingdoms," he added and tried to hit me again but this time I stopped him and hit him back.

"The soldier's chamber was a mistake, I agree, but the antiques room was well lit," I said outloud, "I had no intentions of leaving her in the dark....or scaring her....what happened was an accident!"

"Right," the King said taking a step forward, "Would you be okay if I did the same with Vaishu?"

My anger got the better of me and I immediately grabbed him by the collar.

"Don't you bloody dare," I warned.

"Such a hypocrite you are," Adi said angrily and yanked my hands off of his shoulders and in the rage we both almost charged at each other but stopped when we heard the Queen's panicking voice shouting "Nandu bhaiyya!"

"What's...what's going on?" she asked crying as she came inbetween the two of us. "Adi what happened?" she asked noticing Adi's injuries first, "Nandu bhiyya...." she turned towards me and her eyes widened when she noticed my injuries which were even more evident, "what happene..."

Adi immediately held her hand and pulled her to his side, making her stand beside him.

"Your Nandu bhaiyya just did something bad with Sruthi," he replied, "I asked him what would happened if I did the same with you and he got bitter about it."

Vaishu looked at Adi and then at me confused.

"There is a difference," I said gritting my teeth, "Vaishu is your wife!"

"And what is Sruthi to you?" the King asked angrily and I fell silent.

"Tell me," the King yelled, "What is Sruthi to you?"

"A mismatch," I yelled back making both the King and the Queen fall silent.

"A clumsy, confused mismatch that I am trying to push away because I cannot seem to get her out of my head," I said outloud, "The women who for absolutely no reason occupies every waking thought of mine, the women who consumes my soul, and the women for whom I can disregard all the rules, protocols, and ethics." "Yet..." I continued breaking my own heart in the process, "Yet...the women with whom I see no future....the women whose thoughts and values do not align with mine....the women for whom duty is a game and the women who never took her job seriously...."

"No Nandu bhaiyya, that's absolutely not true," the Queen immediately opposed.

"You are only saying that because she is your friend, your highness," I said in a low voice.

"No I am saying that as someone who is incharge of her," the Queen replied. "How can you even view her in this regard?" she asked, "Nandu bhaiyya she is my first friend in the palace. She stood between me and Meihu....she risked everything to see me when I ran away from the palace....she put herself in danger to make things better between me and the king....and there are innumerable times when her words calmed down my anxiety...."

"She is also the one who ran away letting Meihu manipulate you into crying," I interrupted, "and the one who forgot the protocol which allowed you to run away in the first place."

"I ran away from the palace the night before the debate too," Adi countered me, "through a secret passage in your own chambers while you were drunk and unconsious. Does that make you any less dutiful?"

I fell silent. 

Did he? Really? Stupid Adi, that's why he gave me more alcohol.....

"Mistakes happen Nandu bhaiyya," the Queen's calm voice interrupted my thoughts, "but that cannot be used to judge someone's character. I assure you, Sruthi is just as dedicated as you, if not more. Don't let your false assumptions stop you from pursuing a women as wonderful as her."

I fell silent.....the Queen is right....but how can I pursue her....after everything I've done to her.....Sruthi didn't even want to be friends with me....she is not going to love me back.....and I don't deserve her either.....

"Nandu bhaiyya," the Queen called out and I looked at her and now even the king anxiously looked at me waiting for my response.

"Your highness," I stuttered and looked down. 

Let me take the blame. Let me be the one to break their hearts and tell them that Sruthi and I are never going to be one. 

"We....we are just friends...." I said outloud.

"But Nandu bhaiyya....Sruthi really..."

"Friends?" the King interrupted the Queen, "Isn't that the name you give to every relationship you intend on pushing away?"

"Your highness," I warned and looked at the Queen signalling that she is still present.

"Let her know," the king said angrily, "Let her know how much I craved for my brother's affection while he kept pushing me away in the name of duty and let her know how he now is repeating the same pattern with an innocent women."

My eyes teared up when I heard that statement.

I can take Adi's anger but not his pain. 

"I am tired of begging you to acknowledge me as family," the King added his voice breaking a little at the end, "and what you did with Sruthi now....just made me loose all my hope...If you can push away the women whom you loved with all your heart....what chance do I have." "I won't trouble you anymore, general," he said with almost tears in his eyes before holding the Queen's hand and taking a step forward to walk away but stopped when the Queen refused to move.

"Nandu bhaiyya say something," she whispered looking into my eyes and I did nothing but look down.

"Vaishu!" the King warned tightening his grip on her hand but the Queen did not move.

"Nandu bhaiyya," she called me again.

The name I would perhaps never hear again from my little brother.

"Me or him, love?" Adi asked angrily and the Queen diverted her teary eyes towards him. Adi held her hand and took her away from me. The Queen repeatedly looked back as she walked away until Adi stopped, took a step back and turned her head forward.....and walked away but not before looking at me for one last time.....his eyes conveying the same longing that he had been conveying for the past 5 years......

I am sorry Adi....I am really very sorry.....

Question of the day: Other than Adi calling him Nandu bhaiyya, there have been several several clues throughout the book about their relationship....at one point Adi even tries to tell the truth but gets interrupted....I will try to list them all in the comment section of the next chapter but let's see how many you guys can spot?