Sorry for being late😜
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Khushi was pleasantly surprised when she had seen the arrangements. It was the lavish Palace...and arrangements were made in the open-roofed hall, as the morning sunshine was sieving through the thin colorful curtains that were hanged for the decoration purpose.
In fact there were beautiful curtains all over the walls...in red, green, yellow, actually giving it a theme of Festival of colors. Not to forget the mentionable rangolis...and the numerous food items including her favourite Jalebi...on of which, she was savouring... without any care of world or royal etiquettes.... being amid her friends only.... who wouldn't judge her!!!!
Payal was busy in telling her something about Shantivan when she felt someone's strong stare on her.
Consciously glancing around the hall.... she saw there Prince Akash and Arnav, who were sitting on the other corner, busy in their own conversation... which seemed something serious.... as both of Princes were looking irritated.
But then why did she feel it to be otherwise! Were they talking about her? She took another of deeply fried, shiny orange Jalebi, whose syrup was dripping, as she took a little bite, with a deep breath, shaking her head softly to drive away the errant thoughts from her head, when her eyes flickered again to the corner, stopping at Arnav.
So it was his gaze only!!!
His captivating gaze, as he leaned against his luxurious seat, holding a big Thandai glass in his hand, looking straightway at her and only her.
Their gaze locked onto each other, for a brief minute, before Arnav looked away, back towards Akash, while Khushi watched him again engrossed to Akash.
"Ranisaheb....apna mun kholiye..."
(Ranisaheb...open your mouth..) Khushi looked sideways, hearing Payal's crisp tone, and the next moment something cold and tangy was being plunged into her mouth.
"Kaisa hai?" (How is it?) Payal asked excitedly.
"Umm...theek hai...!" (Umm... Good...!) Khushi replied after chewing the crunchily soft gol gappa, filled with the spicy potato mash and tamarind water which Payal stuffed into her mouth "Kya ye vahi cheez hai...jo aap ne us din khai thi!" (Is it the same thing...which you ate the other day!) Khushi asked.
"Haan...Gol Gappe.. Hum ne poore 100 khaye the aur Akashji ko hara diya tha, jo to kisi tarah sirf das hi poore kar paye the." (Yes...the Gol Gappe. I had eaten 100 of them, defeating Akashji who could manage only ten.)
Payal winked, reminiscing the moment.
Who would have thought that a fragile short girl like Payal could defeat the giant-like Akash.... in an eating competition?
While Khushi giggled softly, looking at her friend's proud expressions, as Payal served her more of the chaat, along with some fries...while Khushi savoured them to the fullest, with a smile.
"Aap qush lag rahi hain!" (You look happy!" Payal said genuinely, nearing the Queen, observing the happy gleam in her face.
She was jolly throughout the morning, laughing, chattering, dancing, adding it to her look of beautifully sensual, where she was indeed dressed to kill!
"Hum qush hain!" (I'm happy!) Khushi accepted, smiling softly. Although there was an unpleasant episode of Chandni...and it was still there in her subconscious mind, she didn't want to think about it today
"Aww...shayad humein pata hai is ka karan kaun hai." (Aww... I guess I know who is the reason.)
Payal teased with a known smile playing on her lips, flickering her eyes towards Arnav, to which Khushi looked down, blushing cutely.
Payal laughed presuming that everything was going well between her and Arnav.
Earlier she was a bit apprehensive. Arnav being a cold hearted and dominating guy but then... in last month, she had observed, how Arnav was a ray of hope in the dark life of her naive friend.
The girl whom everyone was eager to use for their own benefits had a protection of Prince...who wouldn't let any harm to reach her... come what may!
But the question was till when? Or was it a bubble which would be pricked soon only to end this happy moment in a jiffy.
"Hum bhi aap ke liye bahot qush hain!" (I am too happy for you!) Payal confessed, wrapping her arms around this simple, sweet, pure-hearted queen, pulling her in a friendly hug.
"Isi baat pe....ye Thandai hojaye!" (On this note....let's have this Thandai!) Payal stopped the servant who was going towards Princes, snatching the tray from him, even before he could explain anything....that the drink had been prepared for Arnav and Akash, with cannabis in it...
"Kya? Jao jakar un ke liye dusri kashti lejao!" (What? Go get another tray for them!) Payal scared the poor servant who might want to say something...
But then Akash had explicitly told him not to share the information of Cannabis being involved here to anyone, not even to Payal.
The servant gulped, now stuck in between, nodding at his would-be-Bhabhi, before scurrying away...
While Khushi looked at her amused, as she offered him one large glass from which she took a sip of creamy and nutty milk, soothing the parched throat after the spicy snacks.
But then a thought came to her mind!!!
"Umm...Rajkumari Payal...aap kya karengi agar... urm...Rajkumar Akash ki koi saheli achanak unse milne aajaye?" (Umm...Rajkumari Payal...what would you do if ...a urm...female friend of Prince Akash, suddenly came to meet him?)
Khushi asked out of nowhere while Payal frowned at her, as she finished the glass, now taking another one.
Akash's girl friend!!!
"Hum to use laat mar kar bhagadenge. Akashji ko ek sakhi-saheli ki kya zaroorat!" (I'll just kick her away. Akashji don't need to have a friend and that too a girl!)
Payal shrugged...while Khushi nodded, thinking about it.
Of course what was the need!!! In childhood it might be different and normal for the boys and girls to mingle or to get friends....
But now, both being young and unmarried, it had different meaning! A grown up Princess, as a friend wasn't needed for Prince.
Though she knew that Arnav hadn't shown any interest towards any other girl in last few months, 'but what if...there are some buried emotions for his childhood sweetheart!'
She should clearly tell Arnav, to keep himself away from her, in this stay of Aman and Chandni in Nandagiri.
'Hmm...humein un par nazar rakhni chahiye, jab tak vo chudail humein akela nahi chhod deti!' (Hmm... I'll have to keep an eye on him, until that witch leaves us alone!) Khushi could feel a possessiveness in her veins, one that of matching Arnav and Anjali, a sense of insecurity, and a feeling of being left alone.
Maybe the effect of the sibling's company....or maybe her love made her do so, as Khushi ended her glass of sweet, cool and spiked drink. And as the cannabis ... although in little amount... started to make effect, as she came on her feet.
"Pp...Payal, humein Arnavji se kuch baat karni hai. Hum aate hain!" (Pp..Payal, I need to talk to Arnavji. I'll come!)
She needed to make Arnav some promises, and with the same determination she led her feet towards both men, who were engrossed in talks.
Walking upto him with wobbly legs, and a slight but unnoticeable sway, she stood few inches away from him, as he had his back towards her.
"Arnavji!" The annoyed tone in which she called him authoritatively.
Akash was the first one to spot her, as he thumped on Arnav's shoulder gesturing at Queen.
When Arnav turned towards her, he was surprised to see her eyes a bit glassy, her gaze wavering, hands fidgeting and she was chewing her lower lip constantly, with a cute frown on her face.
"Khushi? Kya hua!" (Khushi? What happened!) He asked, as he looked between her and her hands.
"Humein baat karni hai!" (We need to talk!) She mumbled, her gaze fixed into his.
"Hum aate hain!" (Excuse me!) Akash seemed to have got the cue as he gave some privacy to both, moving towards his girl, and Arnav pulled Khushi close, by clutching her right arm with his left, making her stand between his feet, to look carefully at her.
"Khushi, kya hua tumhein?" (Khushi, what happened to you?) He asked, putting the back of his right hand on her forehead to check if she had got fever or something.
She had never behaved so weirdly!
But before he could ask further, someone stealthily came from behind, and put her palms on eyes of Arnav from behind, making him blindfolded, followed by a, "Nannav!"
What the!
Khushi wanted to mumble as she saw the dare of the chit of a girl!!!!
She was all in white, a long calf-length Anarkali which was now smudged in various colors, the diamond jewellery, and a netted veil, complimenting her dusky gorgeous form, enhancing her large black beautiful eyes, an aristocratic straight pointed nose and the smiling lips... making her look stunning.
While Khushi was only millimeters away, as she looked it with wide eyes. She had never seen him so close with any girl. The scene in front of her eyes had paralysed her, as she witnessed Arnav sitting still, without any flinch or movement, with a girl touching him so freely, her arms touching his shoulders, her palms enclosing his eyes tightly, giggling like squirrel with the look of pure happiness on her face!!!
Khushi hadn't realised that she had almost stopped breathing, holding her breath in her lungs, till she watched Arnav removing her palms away from him, as he turned swiftly, coming on his feet, looking down at the short girl with those intense, clear, unhooded eyes, and his lips moving in one single whisper.
"Chandni!!!"
Khushi stood there motionless, as the word echoed in her ears... her eyes snapping again towards the girl, now analysing her close, from head to toe.
Chandni...she reached him so soon!!! Her biggest fear already proven true, as she felt her little world spinning around, almost crushing down...Khushi took one or two steps involuntarily, only to be balanced by Payal who had joined the scene few minutes ago.
Chandni smiled wide as she looked at Arnav's handsome features, studying him closely.
"Nannav...aap...aap kitne badal gaye hain. Aap nahi jante...hum ne aap ko kitna yaad kiya. Hum ne to aap se phir mulaqat ki sari ummeedein chhod di thi." (Nannav.. you....you have changed so much. You know what... I missed you. In fact I had left all hope that we would met again.)
She blabbered looking at his face, while Arnav stood up on his feet, looking at her with disbelief in his eyes, his face totally blank, frozen and expressionless. Indeed she was unrecognizable, now changed so much in all years.
Chandni used to call hin Nannav in childhood and it made sense to here now. Slowly the old memories started gushing in, as her tone, her talks reminded him good old days.
Now it also made sense to him, about the question Khushi had asked him earlier about Chandni. Surely he didn't get the purpose of her question back then, but he could understand now.
"Humein to samajh nahi aaraha tha ke hum aap se dobara kaise milen...itna sab kuch hogaya...hum....laikin aakhir hum mil hi gaye." (I didn't know how to face you...After everything happened I..But finally we met.) She trailed off. Looking really surprised, anxious & happy to cross path with him again, Chandni seemed jolly.
Khushi pressed her jaws together, with her eyes stuck onto Chandni, her fingers painfully curled around her skirt, gripping it tight. She was feeling something... strong...
Anger?
Perhaps! And she wasn't liking the way Chandni was looking at Arnav...talking hum. And Arnav had recognized her on her one touch? After so long???
It made her grow an uncanny sick feeling in the deepest pit of her stomach, that Arnavji had forgotten that she was behind him and he wanted to say something to him.
The bhaang effect was growing, numbing her mind. And not wanting to wait for anything else she span on her heels, running inside the home, crossing the entry, not caring of any calls of Payal. She just wanted to get away from the scene...as her eyes spilled with continuous hot salty tears.
Payal looked at Akash, who just assured her with his eyes. Seems Queen needed some time alone.
Arnav on the other hand had something else in mind.
'After everything happened...'
The phrase from Chandni, it drew his attention back to the present, his blank expressions got replaced with those frowning looks, his blank eyes layered with unspoken quite anger as his jaws clenched tight, his face mask with the silent fury, as the past wounds got open with the one sight of his messed up past!
"Tumhein kisne bataya ke, main yahan hun?" (He told you, that I am here?) Arnav asked suddenly, and soon he could see Aman, making an entry from behind, as brothers looked at each other, with Raizadabad guards around them.
His eyes blazed with the fire of intense fury as he realized that Aman was the one bringing Chandni here... Why didn't he understand that he didn't want to keep any relationship with them? Neither his relatives, nor the friends?
But the biggest question was, who the hell told him about his plans...
This all Holi Celebration was an utter private affair, and it was meant for his closed once, where he hadn't expected any outsider, and specially not the ones whom he hated the most.
His jaws got set in square line and his fingers curled into knuckle-whitening fist.
"Tumhein shishtachaar pata nahi kya ke kisi ke ghar is tarah a-nimantrit nahi jaate!" (Don't you know the manners to gate-crash anyone's home and that too uninvited!)
Arnav this time rebuked his brother, while Aman who was expecting at least normal behavior, was now pale as he realized his brother was not looking happy.
After Khushi had gone a bit depressed after his joke, Aman was really feeling guilty. So wrapping up the Celebration at Sheesh Mahal, cutting it short, with Maharaaj, he had directed the convoy to here, at Akash's place as Khushi had informed him.
But seems he committed another of mistake second time this day!!!
"Bhai...hamari baat suniye! Hum yahan aap ko pareshan karne nahi aaye hain. Aur Holi to bhoolne aur maaf karne ka hi tyohar haina...!"
(Bhai...listen to me! We aren't here to disturb you. And Holi is a celebration of forgiveness...!) Aman wanted to continue, but Chandni stopped him, as she looked at him with a pasted smile.
"Rehne dijiye Shehenshah...hum kisi aur din baat karlenge!" (It's ok Emperor...we should talk some other day!) She gave a glance to Aman, before she looked at Arnav, "Hum maafi chahte hain, is tarah aap ke jashn me daqal andazi karne ke liye!" (We're sorry, for disturbing your celebration!)
Arnav glanced at her with those of uninterested looks plastered over his face. At least she had some sense in her, unlike this brother of his. Who made him the Emperor, with such a childish mind?
Chandni, gave a smile to him, before she did look at Payal and Akash, and finally giving a nod to Aman, they turned away to go back when Akash stopped them, contemplating something in his mind.
"Krupya ruk jaiye!" (Please stop!) Akash spoke in loud but polite voice. But he had two reasons for it.
First he couldn't let the guests return like this from his home and that too on the day of Festival. While the second reason was that he wanted to study Aman's strategy and his motive to come to Nandagiri.
He looked at Arnav, who was glaring at him stealthily, but he didn't budge, as he addressed Aman.
"Maharaja Aman, filhal aap sare Nandagiri ke liye ek atithi hain. Aur hamari sanskriti anumiti nahi deti ke hum aap ko is tarah hamare ghar se jane den..." (Right now you are a guest for all of Nandagiri, Emperor Aman. And our culture doesn't permit us to let you go like this...) Akash explained, as he gave a suggestive look to his friend.
"Hum aap ko hamare saath Holi manane ka sadar nimantran dete hain. Krupya hamare saath shamil hojaiye!" (I cordially invite you to celebrate Holi with us. Please join us!) Akash continued, pressing on his words, looking straight to Arnav's eyes, with the air of tension emitting between them.
While Aman looked at his brother who wasn't anymore looking at him.
Meanwhile Akash had asked a servant for the plate of colors, as both men exchanged colors formally. Of course with Arnav standing there neutrally, with no expression on his face, trying to decipher what his friend was trying to do.
On cue of Akash, Payal also applied colors to Chandni, not before giggling loudly, while Chandni looked at her with confused smile, making Akash frown, but he shrugged it.
His fiancée was a bit cracked! Just like his friend, who was sulking behind.
"Prince...!" Akash asked him for coming ahead and do the formality.
"Sanskriti ke naam pe main aise kisi ko bhi bhau nahi deta!" (I don't entertain random people on the name of culture!) He spoke sternly, in a very firm note, meaningfully staring back at Akash, clearly asking him to keep him away from it.
"Kya is ek din ke liye hum sab kuch bhoola nahi sakte Bhai!" (Can't we forget everything for this one day!) Aman asked, as he took a pinch of color, getting closer to his angry brother.
Arnav diverted his eyes off Akash, glancing at Aman with one firm gaze, stilling him on her spot, but Aman didn't budge as he took it as challenge, putting it on Arnav's forehead.
Although Arnav wanted to stop his wrist but Akash warned him through his eyes. Not able to understand what Akash wanted, Arnav sighed and let Aman colour his forehead. Soon he span around on his heels, only to realize that Khushi wasn't around.
Aman smiled on the success of breaking at least first wall, between brothers, as he also looked around for his Bhabhi.
"Khushi kahan hai?" (Where is Khushi?) Arnav asked, quick in his sputter, as he looked across the lawn, but his girl was nowhere.
Damn! Where did she disappear? Wasn't she here, a while ago and she wanted to talk something to him!!!
"Haan kahan hain wo! Shehenshah ne humein unke baare me itna bataya hai...ke hum bas unse milna chahte hain!" (Yeah where she is! Shehenshah has told me so much about her...that I so want to meet her!) Chandni added excitingly, wanting to know, who that girl was, for whom her friend had lost his heart. Aman had told her about Khushi and Arnav...
While Arnav remembered Khushi's condition from a while ago.
"Ye ladki bhi naa!!!" (Hell this girl!!!) He uttered, before directing his steps towards the stairs to upper storey, ignoring everyone, exhaling a deep frustrated breath.
"Nashta karlete hain! Dophar ho hi gayi hai." (Let's get some refreshment..already lunch time!) Akash on the other hand, got busy in treating his guests...with the Royal Lunch, some hot Jalebis and cool Thandai.
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There is more to come🤭
It's just the beginning of triple update😄