*＊✿❀ 𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 ❀✿＊*

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟸𝟺 : ʜᴏᴘᴇ?

Maharaj Karn watched silently as his son became one of the most troubled men on earth, hiding away his true nature of despair for the sweet, happy seeming smiles he gave his mother as she invited different princesses for marriage.

However, his heart wouldn't agree as he rejected each one, some for their brains, some for their manners and some simply because he wasn't able to find any reason.

Maharani Vrushali was yet again confounded by her son's abnormal behaviour and was exhausted.

"But putr, what's wrong about marrying Lakshmana, she's a beautiful princess and is close to us too -"

"Mata, she's kakashree Duryodhan's daughter. " Was all he said before storming out of the room.

A frustrated and dejected Vrushali sat on the stairs of their throne, with her head in her hands as her son refused yet another girl.

Seeing his wife cry was more heartbreaking to him than anything he'd ever seen. His son would not drag everyone down in his own woes, especially not his beloved wife.

So he sat down with her, consoling her dear heart, promising her that her son indeed would be married. And to a wonderful woman at that.

Saying that, he too followed his son to the fighting arena.

"Come son, I want to test you
today. "He said, picking up a sword.

His son followed his lead and they began their duel. Clashing and clanging of the swords had overtaken the serenity of the castle as they fought each other and at some point, Neelansh's pain made it's way through as he attacked his father with more force than necessary in a practice duel. Karn, happy with the results began to attack with more vigiour, side stepping his son as he used his son's anger to his advantage.

Eventually, he wrestled the sword out of his hands and was about to land the final blow as Neelansh, defeated raised his hand up in surrender.

"What are you doing! " Karn asked in anger as he panted.

"I've lost pitashree, I'm just surrendering to the fight. " He said and Karn, in his fury nicked a side of his son's arm. Grasping him by his shoulders, he stared into his son's lovelorn eyes and said in a clear voice, " You don't loose the battle till you yourself decide to loose my son. The day you surrender your arms, weapon or not you will loose. I can promise you that. "

His son looked up with dead and numb eyes and responded melancholic, " But if I have been deprived of my weapons, not by my own hand but by another. If someone has stolen my weapon away, with what right do I continue to fight? "

"Has he cut off your hands that you can't take it back? " Karn asked his son yet again, keeping a firm hand on his shoulder.

"No, but what use would it be when the weapon wasn't mine at all. I just wished for it in my hands. "

"Then ask the weapon whether it wants to. It may lie, it may refuse, saying that it's already committed to another warrior for fear of breaking the society's heart, but truly ask what it wants... If it still chooses to remain in the hands of the warrior, then only do you conceed defeat. Go my son, find Aadyashree and ask her. " He said, pulling his son into a much needed hug.

His son, reassured and having renewed hope rode away on his horse, back towards the fish markets.

  ~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Aadyashree! " He shouted, jumping off of his horse as he ran inside the hit to find a perturbed Aadyashree sitting by her father's side, who had since then regained his health.

Ignoring all proprietary, all conditions, all societal bonds, he sat by her father's feet, holding them in respect.

The father, surprised by their Yuvraj's display of unusual actions sat up, hoping to dissuade him away from his feet, but before he could, Neelansh spoke his mind, " Kakashree, you are like my father and hence I will say this plainly to you and only you, in the presence of your daughter. I love her, truly, from the moment ove met her in the ponds to every moment I've spent with her afterwards, each aspect of her is beloved to me and each characteristic trait of hers an ornament to her divine beauty. She claims to have been engaged but I know that an engagement is not a marriage. Please listen to the appeal of this young man as he knocks your door for his love. " He bowed his head in honour, while Aadyashree stood by, tears cascading down her face in a waterfall of relief and happiness.

" I-Yuvraj. I don't know what to say."

"Would yes be an appropriate summation to your words? " He asked, with bated breath.

"Yuvraj, in the world where women have the right to choose, who am I to say yes or no... Ask my daughter. Putri, what say you? Will you marry the prince? " He asked, turning to his daughter.

Then ask the weapon whether it wants to. It may lie, it may refuse, saying that it's already committed to another warrior for fear of breaking the society's heart, but truly ask what it wants...

His father's words ran in his ears as she took each moment to debate upon her answer. All this whole, all Neelansh could do was watch as she thought over hisnproposal, the way her eyes furrowed in thought, or the way she wringed her hands together with nervousness.

Eventually, she nodded her head, but he needed her to say it.

"May I speak to her alone? " He asked and her father agreed.

Gently taking her hand in his, he pulled her out to the backyard of the house, seating her on the stool as he sat on his haunches in front of her.

"If you agree to this, I need you to say it. Say that you agree to marry me. I swear I will love you, respect you and trust you with all that i have in me. " He beseeched her, holding her hands close to his heart.

She, shying away said, " I will agree, but Yuvraj, princes and Kings may have to marry more than one woman for many reasons,  what will be my state then? Will i lose the love I hold -" He silenced her with his hand to her mouth.

"My heart was only ever yours, is only ever yours and will always only be yours. No other woman can take that place. I can promise you, I will not marry another, as long as I shall live. " He promised her and she smiled, fears  blown away like a cloud in the gust of wind known as love.

She then spoke the golden words, which made him thank his father profusely in his mind, " Yuvraj Neelansh, I am ready to be married to you. " She said softly, shying away with her hands to her face.

Gently, he parted them open and kissed the palms as a show of the respect and the love he had for her, accepting the one she offered to him.

  ~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"You have a child? " Panchali asked her nephew, who sighed and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I do. I -"

"And they are here. Your son and your wife is here. " Called Valandhara as Prativindhy looked up in surprise to see his beautiful wife, with a small daughter, a few months old at best attached to her hip, with her mother's ahir in her hand, her childlike innocence preventing her from understanding the gravitas of the situation..

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Okie... Tell  me how it was.. Sorry for the lack of upload yesterday,I had a prior commitment and could only do one chapter. .

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Much love

Radhekrishn ♥