The Queen's king |✔️

11. Grateful.

"Tell me, where are the rest of your members!"

"I don't- don't kn-know what yo-you are talking a-about." He stuttered due to the pressure on his neck.

"Oh really? Alright then, let us go by your way and just for your information my men are right around your house." Saying he bent down to his ear level and whispered in a dangerously low voice. "And all they need is a small sign to chop their heads off. "

And that sentence worked like magic. He started crying and begging to let his family members live.

 "Please! Plea-se kill m-me instead!!" He fell to Arjuna's feet, begging him.

"Then spill out all the information you know!" Arjuna's voice roared with anger which echoed through the empty forest.

* * *

"What did you wish for?" Vikram asked in a monotonous tone, though he was curious about why the handmaid was so keen on sending the princess to the temple.

"If I tell you then you shouldn't speak about this to anyone."

"I won't." 

"I was supposed to pray for the well being of my in-laws but-"

"In-laws?" Vikram asked, surprised.

"Yes, I am being married off to the minister's son." Vikram just frowned while listening to what she was saying. "But instead I prayed that the marriage should be called off."

"Why? You don't want to be married yet?" Vikram asked deeply involved in the conversation now.

"Of course not, I mean it is every girl's dream to be married and also I would be the happiest girl in this kingdom to be married bu-but he is already married." Chitra mumbled the last few words,

He didn't know what to say but he couldn't understand her situation. It was most common for royals to have more than one wife, then why would she be so sad? But as he was thinking a small thought struck him.

"I understand," Vikram said quietly walking beside her.

"What?" Chitra asked, looking puzzled.

"Your sister might get married to a king if everything went right. But here you are getting married to a minister's son with no proper royal position and-"

"NO!" Chitra cut in his sentence. "That is not the problem here! Don't interrupt me and just listen!" Chitra said, playing with the edge of her headscarf.

"Okay,"  Vikram said, not understanding where this conversation was going.

"Even if I get married to the poorest person in this village I won't mind! I just don't want to share my husband with any other woman, I just want to be accepted by his family as if I am their own." Chitra exclaimed, swallowing the shiver down her throat thinking that her dream might never come true. She can't cry, not now and not here.

"I know I sound selfish, even foolish to say,  but I can't deal with that drama, I have seen my mother and all my life I keep facing the consequences-" Chitra stopped abruptly as if she was shaken, she just realised that she was blurting out every shit that was happening in her life.

She felt embarrassed and looked down not and kept mum and Vikram gave her some space by not asking her any questions.

They soon reached the sanatorium and before Chitra could walk inside Vikram spoke, "Everyone suffers princess but all that counts is the efforts you put in. We might never meet again so let me tell you this."

Chitra tilted her head as she looked at him and Vikram gave her a warm smile.

"You believe in God right?" He asked as if he was speaking to a five-year-old.

"Yes."

"Then take it this way, all these years were a test and God has something better for you in the future. Something better like the love you are dreaming of and if you don't fight for yourself now you might never find it. "

Chitra couldn't find her voice, never once she had this thought of fighting for herself.

"My lady!" She could hear the faint voice of Meenamma, but she couldn't move. Her brain kept replaying what Vikram has told her, What if she actually had a better life in future? Could she fight for it?

When turned around, she saw Arjuna talking with a person sitting on the bullock cart and Meenamma was waiting for her near the cart opening ready to get inside.

"Don't be a coward, sister. Fight for yourself." Vikram said, patting her head, giving her a lovely smile. And soon he left disappearing back to the street they walked.

Soon Meenamma walked near her and asked her about the visit and when  they both settled in the cart ready to go back to the palace, Arjuna gave Meenamma a pouch of Gold coins and said, "Keep them with you, it will be helpful."

Arjuna turned towards Chitra with a smug smile and asked in a teasing tone, "I hope that my crying princess didn't shed many tears today?"

Chitra looked at Arjuna's smiling face, her heart was making those weird sounds again but she somehow managed to reply, "Thank you."

Her heart was filled with gratitude. Even she couldn't comprehend why she was feeling so emotional. No one from her family even cared to provide her with some security and support when it was her first time to step outside the palace, but someone from such a powerful position made an effort to make her comfortable and most of all, make her smile.

Maybe she was more thankful to Arjuna that she has got a chance to meet someone like Vikram. Brother, She would never be able to call him like that again. But deep down she was grateful to even get to know them. 

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A fun question!

Do you have a sibling ? If so, how are they like ?