"Are you keeping secrets from me ?" Maheen asked holding the papers in her hand in the air.
Gehna gulped and managed to muster a smile.
"Why would you say that ?" Gehna asked walking towards Maheen and took the papers from Maheen's hand.
"Those letters ... they have Agra's seal. You've been receiving letters from Agra ! Why are you talking to Abeer ? Since when do you two -."
"It was Baba. Both Abeer and Baba can use the seal you know and he ... why would Abeer write to me ? Abeer and I don't talk much you know we-."
"I know, I'm sorry." Maheen said burying her face in her hand. "It's just that I've been feeling very weird, this unsettling feeling in my belly. Like something isn't right, like someone needs me and I -."
"Maheen. Everything is okay. Everyone is okay." Gehna said keeping her toes and fingers crossed.
"Hmm."
"So what did your mother in law want to talk about ?" Gehna asked patting the free space on her bed, calling Maheen to take a seat.
"Rani maa is leaving for Mathura, wants to bring someone home for Holi." Maheen said playing with her Dupatta.
"Home huh ?"
"So how are you liking it here ? I'm sorry I've been such a selfish person all along, I dragged you in my mess and got you here, I know you must be missing Agra and I -."
"I am doing absolutely fine here. And when I want to leave I will." Gehna said placing her hand on Maheen's. "So what are your plans for Holi." She asked diverting the topic.
"I don't know honestly. It's going to be my first in Awadh and I don't know how things are done here. Mohini is going to get engaged to Ayush soon and again I have no idea what role I have to play in that as well." She said exhaling audibly.
"Then you should go ask Aditya."
"If he listens to me I will."
"What do you mean."
"I was stupid, and I was a fool. I think I still am." Maheen said punching the bed lightly.
"I agree and don't punch my bed and break it, come to the point."
"I was a bitch to him, I was horrible." Maheen said hiding her face behind her palms. "Now he just sees the worst in me, we had an argument, I don't think he'd want to talk to me, he thinks I am looking for a way out of here and I don't know what to do."
"For starters go to him and let him know that you don't blame him anymore." Gehna suggested.
"I don't."
"I know, let him know that too. Maybe be a little soft with your words directed towards him, you keep throwing daggers at him."
"I do not." Maheen said rolling her eyes.
"Hear yourself sometime." Gehna replied. "Now get out of this room and find Aditya and sort things out, I have things to do."
•••
Aditya was in his library flipping through pages mindlessly.
He was on his toes, he had to find the whereabouts of his uncle and find his brother and bring him home before Abeer slain his throat, he would deal with what came after it later.
The internal battle Aditya fought was certainly taking a toll on him, he had lashed out at Maheen today and countless other people in the last day.
Rolling the papyrus he tossed it in the drawer and leaned back on the chair closing his eyes.
His head hurt like it was being split open with a chisel and hammer.
"Aap theek hai ?" (Are you alright ?)
The unexpected presence made Aditya jump out of his chair and his hand on his sword ready to slain people.
"Har waqt iss talvar par lipti hoti hai apki ungliyaan. Kisi dinn sach me katl kar denge aap." (Your fingers are always wrapped around the hilt of this sword, someday you might actually kill me.)
"I've told you to stop creeping up on me like this, it is my reflex to go for my sword and it should be yours too Maheen."
"I'm sorry I'm not a killer machine." Maheen said rolling her eyes, she walked further into the library closer to where Aditya stood.
"So what's wrong ?" She asked narrowing her eyes at him.
"Nothing." He replied grimly.
"Jhoot. Jhoot humey bhi pasand nahi." (Even I don't appreciate lies)
"I'm just tired and exhausted and my head is going to explode any minute now." Aditya said letting out a sigh.
"You should have said this before." She said walking out of the room and she re entered after a few seconds.
"I thought you had left to give me some peace." Aditya said.
"Ha ha very funny." Maheen said making a face. Aditya looked at her and let out a small smile.
"Sit down." She said pointing towards his chair and Aditya complied taking his seat.
Maheen walked towards him and then behind him. She lifted the jewel studded turban from his head and placed it on the table releasing his hair.
"What are you doing ?" He asked her in confusing.
"Helping you."
"What do you-." The sound of rapping against the door cut him off.
"Come inside." Maheen called out. A maid entered with a brass bowl in her hand.
"Place it on the table and you may leave." Maheen said and the maid followed.
As the door closed behind the maid Aditya turned his head to face Maheen and looked at her in confusion.
"What is this ?" He asked.
"Garam tael." (Hot oil.) she replied. "It helps with headaches and tiredness. Maa would give me a good head massage when I had one of these." She said tapping Aditya's forehead referring to the headache.
"So..." she said picking up the bowl with oil and pouring some on her palms. "I'm going to help you today."
Maheen walked behind him again and poured the oil from her palm into his scalp. She rubbed her palms together and then slipped her oily fingers in his hair.
"Take this as a sorry and a thank you. Sorry for my behaviour since the time we met and thank you for tolerating me so patiently." She said moving her fingers along his scalp.
"Maheen you don't have -."
"I know. I know I don't have to and if you wanted a massage you'd find someone to go it a million time better than I can but I want to." She said.
"Let me just do something for you please, you've already done too much for me and my family and this ... this isn't even a fraction of what -."
"Maheen." Aditya cut her. "If you are really here to help with my headache please stop with your yap yap and just do what you are doing." He said light heartily making Maheen laugh.
"Alright, yes, sorry." She said and continued to massage his head . Both of them with lighter hearts, sharing the comforting silence.
•••
A week had passed since the silent truce Maheen and Aditya had drawn. The shift in the air was pretty evident, no more was Maheen thirst for Aditya's blood and her fangs reminded hidden since.
After Mandira's departure Maheen had taken over the responsibility of running the house court and the household of the palace. She would listen to countless citizen and their problems and try and be just with them, helping them as she could.
Aditya and Maheen had their own routine now, they would meet in for lunch everyday in their terrace and discuss the problems they faces in their respective courts and area of governing.
Aditya discussed all his problems with her except the one which involved his brother and uncle and her own father.
Dev had gone off the radar again and Balram Shashtri had destroyed his trace all too well. The only thing he knew of now was Haider, his condition wasn't critical anymore but he was still comatose.
He has asked and begged Gehna and Abeer to let Maheen know about her fathers health but both had denied.
Aditya had received a letter from Udaipur from his dearest friend Prithvi, informing him about their arrival for Mohini's engagement a week after Holi and one letter from Mandira to let him know that she had safely reached Mathura and would be back a day or two before Holi.
Aditya rolled all the parchments and locked them in the drawer of his study and stepped out into the room.
Maheen was already ready for bed. She was stacking her pillows as Aditya entered the bedroom walking towards his side of the bed.
Maheen lay down and simmered the lamp at her bed side table. She could feel the bed dip at the other end.
Aditya let out an involuntary sigh of exhaustion and closed his eyes. He could feel the bed shift.
"Why do you work to the point of breaking." Aditya opened his eyes and tilted his head to see Maheen looking at him.
"I'm not breaking."
"Not physically. Don't trouble yourself too much, a lot of people depend on you." Maheen said giving him a small smile.
"They have you too now even if I'm gone." Aditya replied.
"Stop saying stuff like that Aditya." Maheen croaked hitting Aditya's face with the pillow in her hand. "I need you too, I can't do this alone it's daunting."
"You are a Queen Mahi, a king will always need his queen, but a queen on her own is more than enough, you are enough." He said smiling at her softly. "You'll do just fine if I'm not there and -."
"I. Said. Stop." She said hitting him with her pillow with every word.
Aditya laughed trying to dodge her blows.
"You are hitting the King, you know that's a punishable offence." Aditya said getting out of bed, standing by the side.
"And you are offending the Queen, you should be the one punished." Maheen replied rolling her eyes.
"Oh really ?" Aditya said playfully throwing the small cushion kept within his reach towards Maheen hitting her square in the face.
"You did not." Maheen muttered standing on the bed with her pillow raised in the air.
And so the most childish duel between the two began, feathers flew and laughs and screams bounced of the walls of their bedroom.
"Leave me!" Maheen shrieked as Aditya held her arm and kept hitting her with his pillow managing to keep her at a distance her arms couldn't cover.
"Leave me! I'm the queen I command you." She screamed making Aditya laugh as he kept bashing her with the feathery weapon in hand.
Amidst their laughter and scream the door burst open. The two who were still engaged in their banter were unaware of the audience.
"Bhaisa... Bhaisa!!" Mangal said louder this time making the two turn towards the door.
Gehna looked at the two with a smile on her face while Mangal had his eyes behind them on the wall his cheeks red.
"Bhaisa please come to the library there are things we must discuss." Mangal said and turned around and left.
Gehna looked at Maheen and winked before turning around and leaving as well.
"Ahem." Aditya cleared his throat. "I.. I will be back in some, you should sleep. I'll send someone to clean this up and -."
"No .. I'll clean this up myself." She said looking around at their room which was covered in white.
"Alright. Don't wait up, I will be late." He said picking up the pillow from the ground.
"And Maheen." He called gaining her attention. "I always win." He said giving her a smile and hit her with the pillow.
Before Maheen could react, he was gone and she stood in the middle of their battle ground smiling to herself.
AN: Thank you all for being such great readers. I read all your comments and messages and it makes me so happy. I try to reply to them as well but it's a task considering I have no time in hand at all.
Also big announcement, I got my visa to visit India and I will be going to Rajasthan at the beginning of next year to finally learn about the truth of the things I've written.
I can't wait I'm so excited.
Till then show your love.
Stay safe
Lots of love
xoxo