Author's POV
It was almost 8 in night when a car stopped right at the main gate of palace , the guards were quick to open the door of car for their queen. Swara came out of the car, the guard still holding the door for her until she asked him to go.
She was the most powerful but generous queen that empire of jaisalmer ever saw, even the people believed their queen more than the king who remained busy in his business. It was her only , who checked the problems of people and helped them. Swara was beautiful both from inside out, known for her strong decisions. She was women of morals , who can go against her own family for that as well.
The sound of car brakes were recognized by everyone in the palace. Aaryaveer and Aarav rushed outside leaving all their work at the moment. They walked towards her bending down to touch her feet and she placed her hands at their heads.
The helpers were rushing to take her bags out from the car but Aarav signalled them to stop with his palm before asking them to go.
"Ma sa you can go, we will bring your stuff" She smiled ruffling his hair and he made a frowned face setting his hair again.
She walked inside in the hall and Rudra was quick to wrap his arms around her waist looking up at her with his twinkling eyes.
"Don't look at me like this.."
"Please.." He made a puppy face , trying to get crocodile tears.
"Not now Rudra, it's dinner time. Be a good boy and you will get the chocolates tomorrow"
"Promise?"
"Pinky promise" He wrapped his little fingers around hers for promise.
The helpers started arranging the table for dinner, bringing the cutleries from kitchen. Rudra grabbed his favourite chair in hurry not wanting anyone else to take it.
The men started coming down and both Aaryaveer and Aarav came as well. She took the chair beside the centre one , Nirmala and Jaiveer took both the centre ones being the head of family.
They were almost ready to start but they their eyes were findind Aarushi.
"Where is Aarushi?" Vijay was the first one to ask looking at the empty chair beside Viraj.
"She asked to bring her food upstairs.." Yuvaan spoke out sensing the silence becoming longer.
"Why?"
"She sprained her ankle" He responded.
"What? When? How?" Aaryaveer spoke in one breath
"There is thing called pause ,Veer" Nirmala looked at grandson .
"Eat dinner first and let her eat as well. We will talk after dinner" Swara tried stopping any possible argument coming up.
Everyone lowered their heads and focused on food . BurtRudra being a revolting kid , didn't shutted his mouth. He just doesn't lies silence.
"Di fell flom bed(Di fell from bed.)"
"And how did this happened?"
"They were fighting" He looked at Aarav before speaking and Aarav choked on his food , Swara patted his back worriedly and passed a glass to him.
"Eat slowly" He nodded still coughing .
"He is ovelacting , lial. He was the one who fought with hel .(He is overacting, liar. He was the one who fought with her)" And Aarav choked again maybe to signal him to stop as Rudra teased him with his expressions.
Seeing him Aaryaveer placed his hands at his back very tightly , hitting him hard and he poured out the water from his mouth getting a stare from everyone.
"You are so mannerless Aarav. I wonder how am I living with you till now.." Veer spoke in a saracstic way recieving a glare from Aarav.
"In the same manner as I am living with you..."
Aarav being Aarav twisted his left hand below the table. Veer jumped on his chair gritting his teeth at him.
"Ahh.." He groaned removing his hands from Aarav's hold.
"What's going on?" Jiaveer interrupted them.
"Dada sa, didn't you pulled theil eals in childhood. They ale so naughty.(Dada sa , didn't you pulled their ears in chilhood? They are so naughty)"
Yuvaan tried controlling his laugh at this by gritting his teeth and biting his lips but failed. And he bursted out, holding his stomach and hitting his fist at table .
"What was the joke in this Yuvaan, kindly explain us as well." Aarav almost snarled at him.
It was getting out of control and Swara shook her head at the drama going on glaring all one by one, before they became silent and looked down.
"Enough! If you are done then get up but don't waste food by taking out from your mouth." They knew who is the reciever of this warning and both of them focused on their plates.
"And Aarav meet me in Aarushi's room " She looked directly into his honey eyes before leaving the dinner table.
"Bye Aarav , best wishes!"
After finishing their dinner without creating any more chaos, all of them left to their room and Aarav went upstairs silently , turning his phone silent before reaching the room.
Aarushi was on her bed and Swara was sitting on the chair besides it , her leg on the top of another and hands folded around her. It was pin drop silence in the room. She looked up at him and nodded to come inside , standing in front of her like a culprit with heads down. He was not a prince here but she indeed was a queen not a mother.
"Correct me , wherever I am wrong, She asked you to go out of her room." She looked at him for a response and he just nodded his head.
"You were flirting with one of her friends?"
"Sort of.." He mumbled
"Sort of? Fine! let us take your sort of as truth , I will not go there. I trust you. So, you didn't left her room when she asked , she threw a pillow at you and in return you threw it back. She was standing on the bed and on your throw she fell down. "
"Hmm.."
"Is this how you behave in front of others? Fighting is fine but did you forgot , even if you hate each other , we are perfect in front of any one outside the family. Are you getting me ? Speak! You are not a cow , who nods at everything."
"I will make sure not to repeat it from next time." He looked in her eyes that were looking emotionless.
"I will not wait for next time. And you Aarushi , where did you learned hitting your elder brother ? Don't you both have an image to show as Prince and Princess. Being a royal comes with responsibility, either accept it or leave it"
"S-Sorry" She leaned her head down.
"So, Aarushi you will do accounts calculation of today. No physical work is given as punishment because your sprained ankle. And Aarav, look at me when I am speaking! You will clean the cars today. No help from anyone. " She looked at both of them one by one, standing up stretching the loose end of her sari ahead, she left the room as he kept looking at her fading figure before turning his eyes his sister.
"Sorry" Both spoke at same time, with sympathy for each other in their eyes. Aarav walked towards
"Is it hurting too much?"
"Nah! It's fine now. Go now do your work and let me do mine. Are you going or should I throw the pillow once again?" She made an annoying face holding the pillow and her hand.
"Then I am calling Mami sa back," They both chuckled for few second and he left to do his work.
Silently walking down through the dark hall, he made it sure that his footsteps does not disturb anyone. The surroundings were death silent, the house beside theirs was covered in darkness . Guards standing at the door leaned their heads down to greet him but he kept walking till he reached the parking area.
Carrying a cloth in his hands , he looked around to see few guards and helpers were looking at him but turned away to see him staring. He reached one of the cars and started wipping the windows. The helpers were shocked , they were mumbling in themselves lightly until one of them approached him gathering his courage with worried look on his face.
"Hukum.." The helper approached him.
"Huh?" He didn't even turned back leaving his work.
" Aisi kya galti ho gyi hamse?(What mistake did we make?) " His lips were trembling , he was scared and this made Aarav confused.
"When did I said so?"
"Maaf kardijiye..(Forgive us)" He snatched the cloth from his hands , making him more shocked.
"Give the cloth back to me.."
"Nahi Hukum , Hum aisa hone nahi denge ( No prince, we will not let this happen)"
"I said give it back to me.." Aarav grabbed at back with ful force and he sat down on his knees with his hands folded. Aarav made him stood up holding hi shoulders.
"What are you doing Ram Singh?"
"Hukum hum ye haveli chod ke kaha jayenge (Prince, where will we go leaving this palace?)"
"Who said you to leave?" Aarav asked with confused expression.
"Hukum aisa to mat kariye, nikalna tha to ek baar muh se bol dete (Prince, don't do like this , if you wants to remove us , atleast you should have said from your mouth.)"
"What is going on Ram singh? I am not asking you to leave."
"To hamare hote ye kaam aap kyu kar rhe hai? (Then why are you doing this work if we are here?)" He looked at the cloth in his hands and tried grabbing it ."Laiye hume dijiye (Give it to me)"
"No.. " Aarav made his hold tight.
"Aisa mat kariye Hukum , humare hote hue aap ye kaam nhi kar sakte (Don't do this prince, you can't do this work until we are here)" He was talking very courageously, confronting him.
"Let me do my work Ram Singh.." Aarav made a frowned face.
"Hum aisa hone nahi denge Hukum..(I will not let happen , prince)"
"Try to understand Ram Singh , " He was getting irritated as he was not uderstanding his behaviour.
"Hum samajh rahe hai hukum , aap humse naraz hai. (I am understanding it prince, you are angry from us)"
"No , is nothing like this, give it back to me.."
"Nahi Hukum hum nahi denge ,( No Prince I will not give it back)"
"Ram Singh.."
"Hukum.."
"Let me follow the orders of Rani Sa" He spoke in harsh voice to stop him and Ram Singh trembled from fear but didn't gave up.
"Nahi Hukum..(No prince)"
"Ram Singh!!"
"Kya ?Rani sa ka aadesh hai ye? (What? This is Queen's order?)" He realised what Aarav spoke.
"Yes.."
"Iska matlab aap humse naraz to nhi hai na? (It means you are not angry from us?)" His epressions changes and a small smile appeared on his face.
"No Ram Singhhhh... Let me do my work now." He spoke after being anoyyed from his beahviour.
"Maaf kariye ga Hukum, Galti Hogyi (Forgive me Prince, I made a mistake)"
"Everything is fine , now please go .."
"Ji"
Aarav took a deep breath when he left and got busy in his work, the helpers kept looking at him wondering what could be the queen's order. But they were happy that he is not removing them from their work.
Aarav was busy in his work and didn't realised when a hand was placed on his shoulders. He looked back to see, Swara standing there. His honey eyes looked in her amber ones that looked moist and silent. It was past 12 in night and quite cold outside but she was wearing nothing on the name of woolen clothes.
"Enough for this time, go inside."
"What happened? Angry from your Mami sa?" She ruffled his hair in affection as he didn't responded.
"N-No.., why aren't you wearing anything woolen? You will caught cold." He spoke as if scolding a kid.
"How can I? when my son was out in the cold midnight, that too for cleaning cars. Come , let us go inside.."
They both walked inside in the palace in the cold dark night, she wrapped her one arm aound his waist . His face was glowing like a kid who just got his toy.
They were not Queen and Prince, they were normal people for now . She was a mother who melted in this cold for her son. And he was son who wants to get drown in her affection.
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First of all thank you for 1k+ views in almost a month. I will always be greatful to all the readers. Thank you!!
I really like the banter of these siblings! What about you?
Unable to find a song again! Any song suggestions?
Meeting soon...
Bye..