Regal Promises: A Royal Love Story

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Author's POV :

Vivaan stood transfixed, his gaze fixed upon the tender embrace shared between Raj and Preeti. Aarav, his younger brother, approached him with a consolatory whisper, "Koi ni Bhaiya, hota hai hota hai. Dil chota nahi karte." Vivaan's response was terse, "Shut up!" The embrace between Raj and Preeti dissolved into warm smiles as they parted. "Preeti, when did you arrive? You could have informed me" Raj queried, to which Preeti responded with a coy smile, "I wanted to surprise you " Vivaan, seeking to draw their attention, cleared his throat. "Oh Vivaan, meet Preeti, my - well, um, best friend," Raj introduced with a touch of hesitation, evoking only a noncommittal hum from Vivaan.

( "It's okay bhaiya, such things happen! Hearts are not always rational."  )

Aarav, ever the enthusiastic younger sibling, eagerly introduced himself to Preeti, who reciprocated his warmth with a gracious greeting. After a brief exchange, Aarav excused himself, leaving Raj and Preeti to continue their conversation. "By the way, Preeti, I have something to discuss with you. Let's head home and talk there. You go ahead to the parking; I'll join you shortly," Raj said, pressing a tender kiss to Preeti's forehead before she departed with a nod. As Raj glanced up, he caught sight of Vivaan's shocked countenance. "Oyee Tera bestfriend toh sirf me hu na fir tune usse apna bestfriend kyu kaha? Or itne pyaar kon dikhata h apne bestfriend ko?," Vivaan remarked, his tone tinged with a hint of jealousy. "Relax, bro! I must attend to her now. Goodbye," Raj replied, leaving Vivaan to grapple with his tumultuous emotions.

( "I am your only bestfriend, yet you introduce her as your best friend and bestow upon her such affection," )

Hours later, Vivaan found himself back at home, where Raj and Preeti appeared to be seamlessly integrated into the familial chatter. Seeing Vivaan, his grandfather spoke, "Look! Here's Vivaan, and Vivaan, meet Preeti Shekhawat, your fiancée." The revelation of Preeti as his fiancee left Vivaan reeling, though he managed to conceal his astonishment behind a facade of stoicism. But Preeti, ever perceptive, detected the turmoil simmering beneath his cool exterior. Sensing the need for privacy, Vivaan's mother suggested that he and Preeti converse in seclusion. Awkwardly, they retreated to the vast, meticulously manicured garden of the Rathore Mansion.

In the tranquil ambiance of the garden, Preeti attempted to break the silence. "Um... hello again?" she ventured, only to be met with Vivaan's intense stare. "Why are you staring at me like that?" Preeti inquired, averting her eyes. "Why does it make you shy?" Vivaan's response was unexpected, his question laden with curiosity rather than accusation.

Vivaan's POV :

"Why does it make you shy?"
Damn! Did I really say that? Ahhh!!! I'm so dumb. What must she be thinking about me right now? That I'm such a creep, trying to flirt with her after just meeting her? Oh god! This is so embarrassing. I noticed her cheeks turning pink. Damn it! Is she really blushing, or is she embarrassed because of me?

"Ohh! Bhabhi is already blushing and all, huh! What did bhaiya say to make you blush?" I heard my younger brother Aarav speaking. This boy is going to get an earful from me.

Then I saw Raj and Priyansh also coming behind him, with Priyansh playfully slapping Aarav's head. "Shut up, fool!! Sorry di- umm?" Priyansh said, looking confused. "I'm younger than you bhaiya, so you can call me by my name," Preeti replied. Damn, her voice is so smooth. Should I agree to this marriage or not? "Why just by name, bhai? Start calling her bhabhi from now on. Anyway, you'll have to call her that sooner or later. Start practicing now," Aarav teased, and I noticed Preeti's ears turning reddish. "Shut up! Don't tease Preeti," Priyansh scolded him.

But Aarav being Aarav, approached Preeti with an innocent face, asking her, "Bhabhi! Did I say something wrong?" To which Preeti slightly shook her head. "See! Bhabhi has no problem; why are you making a fuss?" Aarav said, wrapping his arms around Preeti's shoulder. I was about to remove his hand from her shoulder, but then I heard her chuckle. "You know, Aarav! You've already become my favorite in the whole house. I love your personality," Preeti said, to which Aarav happily replied, "See, bhabhi, our dever-bhabhi jodi will be the best." Wait, what? He's already her favorite? What about me? I'm her soon-to-be-husband, and I haven't even had a chance to talk to her properly.

( Brother in law - sister in law duo )

"Preeti, are you sure you're ready for this marriage?" Raj asked her while standing beside me. "Yes Bhai! Don't worry," Preeti replied. "Bhai?" I whispered to Raj, to which he replied, "Yes, she is my sister."

( Bro/Brother )

But isn't he an orphan? He never mentioned having a sister to me. I'll ask him about it later. "Let's head back to the elders!" I declared in my usual cold tone, and we started heading towards the hall where everyone else was present. We sat on the couch, and I heard Maa saying, "So, Vivaan and Preeti, two wedding dates have been fixed, one in a month, and the other in December, ten months later." I saw Preeti biting her lower lip and looking at me, raising her eyebrows as if asking for an answer. Damn, she looks so captivating while biting her lower lip. "One month later? Is that okay because don't you think ten months would be too long?" She whispered, sitting just beside me. I leaned towards her ear, speaking in my husky whisper, " Hamen toh ek maheena bhee bahut zyaada lagata hai, lekin vo kahate hain na ki sabr ka phal meetha hota hai. ham dekhana chaahate hain ki hamare iss sabr ka phal kitana meetha hoga." I saw her looking at me in shock, her cheeks slightly turning reddish. "Maa! Fix the date for one month later," I declared, and everyone became elated.

( "Even a month feels like an eternity, but they say patience is a virtue. Let's see how sweet the fruit of patience will be."  )

" Kyu pighal Gaya Preeti se milte hi ? " I heard my dadu teasingly whisper, so only I could hear him. I tried to avoid eye contact with him because maybe he's right.

(  "Why are you melting already just after meeting Preeti?"  )

As the evening progressed, Vivaan found himself caught in a web of conflicting emotions. Preeti's proximity stokes the fire of doubts and desires, leaving him caught between duty and desire. In the embrace of the Rathore mansion, Vivaan faces a maze of complications, his path forward obscured by the shadow of uncertainty

...  

Could you kindly provide feedback on this chapter? While I acknowledge that my chapters tend to be brief, I ask for your understanding of my situation as a student balancing academic commitments with writing. I'm eager to hear what aspects resonated with you the most from this chapter. Would you be interested in delving into Preeti's perspective? And what are your thoughts on Vivaan's flirtatious behavior? Follow me on Instagram ( Id - pearlymoonluv ) Until next time, Goodbyee.