Part 39 Happiness
"I will do it," Padmakshi said.
"Don't forget, it should not seem a plan. It should happen naturally. This information should not reach Chandrika directly but through someone. Then only she won't doubt,"
"Ok..."
Padmakshi went to her room. She took a silk cloth and wrote Khushi's plan on it using Hibiscus juice. She waited until it got drained. She folded it and inserted it in a silver sphere box. She came out of her room with the silver box. She got stuck, seeing the King and the Queen sending off their Guruji. She rushed to them to find out the reason for his quick departure. She saw Chandrika's maid Parvathy moving towards them without their knowledge to listen to Guruji's talk with the King and the Queen. Padmakshi smirked. Parvathy was the right person to implement Khushi's plan. Didn't Khushi say the information should not reach Chandrika directly? Then Parvathy would be the suitable person to take the information to Chandrika.
When Padmakshi came close to them, she heard Guruji saying,
"Don't forget what I said about Arnav..."
Chaitanya nodded yes.
"As you said, Guruji"
Padmakshi was so glad as Guguri's words became a BASE to Khushi's plan.
Shivguru left the Palace. King Chaitanya walked to his room. Padmakshi stopped Medha and stuffed the sphere box in her hand. Medha looked at her frowning because she knew that kind of box always carried messages.
"I want to ask you something about Prince Aparajith's wedding," Padmakshi said.
Medha was about to say something, but Padmakshi didn't let her talk.
"I know you would not like to talk about it in this place as it is about Prince Aparajith," she said, gesturing to Medha to look behind the bush.
Medha raised her brows, seeing Parvathy standing there, listening to their talks.
"You have to answer me... as a Princess, I ought to know about it," She said, pointing at the silver box and signaled like, *Read it...*
Understanding her gesture, Medha said,
"You can come to my room afterward. We will talk about it, Padmakshi," Medha walked.
Padmakshi made sure Parvathy followed her. She saw her friends playing in the swing. Padmakshi came to them.
"Did you meet the Queen?" Mihira asked.
"She asked me to come to her room after a while,"
"Khushi also wanted to meet the queen. Are not you going to take her with you?" Arunima asked.
"No... I purposely avoided her,"
"Avoided her? But why?"
"It's because I wanted to talk to my mother about HER,"
Parvathy became more curious now.
"Are you going to talk about Khushi?" Yamini asked.
"Yes"
"What do you want to talk about her?"
"I want to know why my parents agreed to this marriage,"
"But, you were fine with this marriage,"
"I have no choice because I can't lose my brother's support. So, I pretended like I was fine with it. If Khushi became my sister-in-law, I can't stand against her, I can't have a good relationship with her if they get married after opposing their wedding. It doesn't mean I should accept it. Being a Princess, how could I allow a commoner to be my sister-in-law?"
The girls looked at her as if she was a ghost.
"I'm going" Padmakshi left the place.
Parvathy moved towards the Queen's room, hiding behind the plants slowly.
In the meanwhile,
Arnav came to Khushi's room and knocked on her door. Khushi opened the door because Kiran was not there as Padmakshi sent all of them out.
"Why are you knocking on my door? You can enter anytime" Khushi said.
"It's not a manner to enter a girl's room without her permission"
"The girl is going to be your wife..."
"So?"
"Will you get my permission after our wedding?"
"After our wedding, it won't be YOUR room but, OUR room. So, I don't have to get your permission"
"Prince Aparajith doesn't need my permission to enter my room," Khushi said.
"I'm not here as Prince Aparajith"
"Ok... why are you here, Arnav?"
"Why did you send me out of your room? What did you talk to those girls, sending me out? And I saw them going out but Padma was not with them..."
"Look, Arnav... there would be many things I have to share with my sister-in-law... do you want me to recite them to you?" She asked teasingly.
Arnav smiled.
"Not everything... but, if it is important..."
"If it is important, I myself will tell you that"
Arnav sighed.
"So, you won't tell me..."
"This time, I should not tell you"
"Why?"
"It's a secret..."
"I don't want any secret between us"
Khushi thought something and sighed.
"Ok... I will tell you. I asked the girls about Chandrika"
"What did you ask about her?"
"I just asked what's her reaction on our marriage announcement"
"Why are you bothered about her?"
"I have to... her father is your friend. If he gets angry with you, you guys will lose his support. He may even want to wage war on your kingdom"
"What do you think of me?" Arnav smiled.
"I think a lot about you... how could I expose them to you?" She winked.
Arnav widened his eyes and became embarrassed.
"Ok, tell me what you just started" She smiled.
"When my father consulted who should be the next commander-in-chief of our kingdom, it was me who proposed Viraj's name"
"Yeah... I know that... even Viraj knows that"
"But, you guys don't know why I want Viraj to take charge as Commander-in-chief"
"He is a talented fellow..."
"Of course, he is... but, it's not only the reason..."
"Then?"
"I gave you a word not to fight if Ashoka quits war... remember?"
Khushi was shocked. Was he still thinking about it? Seriously?
"Arnav, I agree, I told you that. So, will you be quiet if your kingdom is surrounded by your enemy?"
He stopped her not letting her talk further.
"Let me complete"
"Ok..." She folded her hands pouting. Arnav smiled at her.
"I will not be sitting quietly if my kingdom is surrounded by my enemy. At the same time, I want to keep my word. I don't want to be aggressive and war-minded. But, I could not let my kingdom follow the same. I want it to be strong. So, it needs a commander who could keep them on fire. I need someone who would obey my order without a question. No one other than Viraj would do that..."
"Of course, this is what I said, I know that..."
"I'm thinking of getting Padma married to Viraj..." Aranv said thoughtfully.
Khushi became excited. She looked at him cheerfully.
"Do you have such an idea?" She asked.
Arnav nodded yes.
"If I get them married, Viraj will become a son-in-law of this kingdom. Then, it will be his responsibility to save this kingdom"
"What an idea...! You are so great, Arnav. A ruler should be like you. I'm so glad about this decision of yours." She literally hoped.
"Ok... but, why are you so excited about this decision?"
Khushi was stuck.
"Nothing... Viraj and Padma will make a good pair. She will not go to any other kingdom after her marriage. She will be with us forever. Is not nice?"
Arnav nodded yes.
"It's a nice idea, but I don't think it will work"
"But why? Do you think, the king and the Queen will not agree to it?" She asked nervously.
"No no, I will make them agree to it. it's not a problem"
"Then what made you think it will not work?"
"What if Padma doesn't like to marry a Commander but a Prince? What if she takes me wrongly?"
"No no... she will not think about you wrongly. You can proceed with it. I can assure you. She will agree to this wedding"
"How are you so confident?"
"Just a guess... can't a girl guess what's there in another girl's mind?"
Arnav nodded yes.
"Shall I tell Padma about your decision?" She asked curiously. She wanted to see Padma's face when she got to know about her wedding with Viraj.
"You? Why?" Arnav frowned.
"I will make her accept your decision if she is not ready for the marriage" she managed.
"Will you?"
"Why not? I will surely do it"
"Ok, then you do it"
Khushi nodded ok and was about to go,
"Khushi..." Arnav called.
She looked at him smiling.
"You knew Padma's feelings for Viraj... I know that" he said smirking.
Khushi was dumbfounded.
"Do you know Padma loves Viraj?" Khushi asked unbelievably.
"Being a Prince, I ought to know the happenstance of this kingdom. If it is so, how would I miss noticing my SISTER?" he smirked.
"Did you decide to get them married to fulfill Padma's wish?"
"Not only for that but also for that..."
Khushi was so thrilled. She suffocated with extreme levels of happiness. In no time, she got close to him and cupped his face. Arnav looked at her widening his eyes.
"You are so sweet, Arnav..."
She kissed his cheeks one by one and finally, pressed her lips on his strongly, stopping his blood circulation.
To be continued...