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Author's POV
The next day (Raichand Mansion)
Whole D3 team was present in Rey's house to meet his parents. They all were having a gala time chatting with each other when Avantika ordered all of them,
"Kids, you all are having lunch here with us."
The others tried to deny when Vicky and Nil jumped suddenly,
"Of course aunty, how can we say no to your food." The girls shake their heads on the two foodies while the other boys chuckled. Swayam and Rey were the only ones who looked lost when Sharon asked them noticing it,
"What happen dude, where are you lost." Rey shook his head in no when Avantika sarcastically told her,
"Pucho mat beta, Kal raat se yahi haal hai. Mujhe laga tum logo ko pata hoga kya hua."
"Nothing Maa, kuch nahi hua, achha I am very hungry, lunch kare." He said almost convincingly and tried to change the topic which was noticed by Sharon all too well.
"Sure, let's go."
All of them settled down on the big dining table while the butlers served all of them the delicious food. Everyone was relishing the food and complimented Mrs. Singhania many times,
"I did nothing kids, it's all the work of these brilliant chefs. I just prepared the kheer." She said causing a big smile to come on the butler's faces. It feels so nice when someone praises their work and that's why all of them loved working in Singhania's house, if they were scolded for doing something wrong then they were even appreciated for their work. The team had a big grin on their face at Avantika's generosity while Ranvijay and Rey had a proud look.
They were eating when Avantika gestured Ranvijay something, he shook his head when she showed him a pleading face, he sighed before clearing his throat,
"Umm, Rey me and your mother wants to talk to you about something."
Everyone looked at both of them, Rey nodded at them urging them to continue,
"It's about your life ahead."
He looked confused when Avantika said clearing his confusion,
"We are talking about your marriage."
He stiffened visibly while the others had mixed expressions on their faces, the boys apart from Swayam were giving him a teasing look, girls were still confused while Sharon looked at him concerned along with Swayam who mirrored Rey's expression with pain visible on his face. They have not informed anyone about Taani's arrival. Rey tried to keep his emotions in check before looking at them both,
"I have no plans of marriage right now." He replied curtly when Avantika said almost immediately,
"But your marriage has already been fixed."
If all of them were shocked before then now they all had their eyeballs out of their sockets and Ranvijay passed a deadly look to Avantika on her slip up. Rey was furious on the thought that they took this decision without consulting him, he stood up with a jerk,
"What do you mean fixed Mom, how.. how can you both.." He was looking for words to say but could not find anything. The thought of marrying someone else other than Taani built up a very bad feeling in his heart, it felt like it would burst up in a second.
"Rey sit down, you need to listen to us first..." Ranvijay tried to say hoping to calm his son down a little knowing when he is angry he can say and do anything. His son's anger was always a topic of concern for him.
"What do you want me to hear dad, that you guys set me up with a girl without my consent." He spatted out trying to keep his anger at bay realizing he was talking to his parents.
"We didn't your grandparents did in childhood." Avantika told him in a low voice knowing this will escalate his temper and she was right, his temper reached the end point abruptly,
"What!" He growled aloud in disbelief that they fixed his marriage in childhood itself with God knows who. Doesn't he have his own life, it was his right to choose his life partner which was Taani, and he would not let any girl take her place because of a God damn childhood alliance.
"Okay, this discussion was not supposed to happen like this." Ranvijay tried to handle the situation before he dismissed the butlers who looked hell scared with Rey's furious state.
"Rey, calm down, at least listen to them." Sharon tried to console him when his furious red eyes turned to her, she was taken back by the look in his eyes, it was murderous, she knew he was keeping his hidden devil inside him trying to tame him from coming out.
"Rey, please, sit down and hear them, may be we could find a solution." Swayam said caressing his back trying to calm him sitting beside him. Rey closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and imagined Taani, she was the only one who could tame the monster inside of him. As soon as her smiling face came in front of his eyes his temper descended down a little.
He sat down but pushed his plate aside a little not in a mood to eat anything,
"What do you guys want to say."
"Rey, I am going to tell everything to you from the beginning itself. Just try to hear me out with a clear and calm mind."
He nodded at his father, while the others too looked at him in curiosity,
"Rey, as you know we are the royal family of Suryagarh, the most powerful kingdom from monarchy times. All our ancestors were kings and most of our marriages happened due to alliances between kindoms and betrothals. Your great grandfather too fixed an alliance with another state to merge our powers, they decided that when they will have kids they will marry them to each other but unfortunately only boys were born in both the states. They decided to pass on the alliance to next generation but again you know I am the only son of your grandfather and the same happened with the other state. Till then the monarchy had died down due to independence and democracy came in the government system, people no longer believed in those past alliances rather parties were formed and states were under government hold now. But still both the royal families held power in the royal states although now they acted as a dictator with the government involved. As you know decisions in Suryagarh are made by the government only but still the finances, people's welfare and other necessities are taken care by us along with it. Even they take decisions after consulting me as I am a part of council as the present king. Your grandfather's had this fear that now the alliance would be demolished as monarchy was lost now so they decided to assure their father's promise is kept by making a will. They mentioned that if and when their grandkids will grow enough to marry then only the person will be declared as the heir to throne and if he or she denies to the alliance then they would be disowned and even we could not do anything. Fortunately or unfortunately this time a girl was born in the other family and she automatically became your betrothed as you are my only son, so it is necessary for you to marry her otherwise you will no longer be a part of Singhania clan."
Ranvijay completed the tale and looked at the others who were gaping at him with eyes wide open, they not even in their dream imagined Rey would be betrothed to a girl almost 50 years prior to he was born. Is that even possible?
But Rey was literally aghast at the turn of the events, this bloody royal shit was getting on his nerves, how could someone decide his life and future before he was even born. Is this some sort of a joke, he too have feelings, what if he loves someone else that he does and what about that girl, if she loves someone else. Whatever it is, he would not give up on Taani because of a damn kingdom and property, they both can go to hell.
"Is that it? Fine Dad, I am happily ready to be disowned by you, I will not marry my so called betrothed at all."
Saying this he started walking out the door when Avantika tried stopping him,
"Wait Rey, at least hear who she is and see her."
"I don't want to Mom, doesn't matter my decision would not change." He started walking out again and Swayam trailed behind him trying to stop him when Ranvijay called them out,
"Rey wait, you need to hear her name, even Swayam too, it's related to both of you. You both know her especially Swayam. And even the gang know her."
Hearing this their steps halted and they turned around looking at Ranvijay in confusion,
"What do you mean Uncle?"
Swayam looked at him with a questionable gaze along with Rey who was curious too, even the whole gang was eager to know who she was whom everyone knew.
"She studied in your college guys, she is none other than your cousin Swayam. Princess of Jodhpur, Taani Shekhawat."
Now not only Rey and Swayam were standing but the entire gang leapt out of their chairs hearing him, Vicky who was drinking water to process the previous info spat it out coughing badly with Neha patting his bag. Swayam was wide eyed in shock, his sister, his little princess was betrothed to his best friend since decades but most of all Rey was shocked, he could not differ between dream and reality. He was in a dilemma of whether to be happy that he is betrothed to his love Taani or shocked at the fact that the girl whom he is destined to be with since forever was not with him due to his own mistake or be sad at the fact that will Taani ever agree to this, to marry him after what all he did. But definitely his shock stood out the most.
"Uncle, you are mistaken, how could Taani be the girl. Even if she is the one, then how could this marriage happen, our family doesn't even know where she is, in fact, we haven't met her in six years." Swayam said disbelieveingly when Avantika shook her head in denial,
"We are not mistaken beta, and rahi baat Taani ke gayab hone ki then you would be happy to know ki she was not lost, she was in Paris since six years. Your parents knew about this but she asked them to not tell you all and now she is back to India."
Rey looked at his mother processing the information, their guess was right, Taani was in India, even Swayam and gang looked hopeful at the prospect of her being her but they got sad at the fact she asked his parents to hide her whereabouts.
"I am so happy, doll is finally here."
"Doll?" Sharon asked in confusion and Avantika smiled at her,
"We call Taani doll from childhood. We knew her since her pamper days when she was just a small baby, after all she was our would be daughter-in-law, in fact Rey would not remember but he had also met her as a kid many time, they were really close and Rey you were hell protective over her. Then Taani's parents shifted to US with her so they got separated and then the news came they both passed out in a plane crash. Swayam's parents brought her back to India, we were there in her parent's funeral after all hum sab best friends the. But doll was in trauma so vo sab bhul gayi, doctors ne kaha she needs a change of environment so Rishi and Ragini use Jodhpur le gaye. Bas fir baki sab tumhe pata hai, vo Mumbai aayi tumhare pas and fir we all don't know what happened she ran to Paris and settled there alone. She wasn't even close to Rishi bhai and Rag after that, pata nahi esa kya hua ki hamari happy, chirpy, bubbly doll changed into a aloof person."
Avantika smiled at all of them sadly, a small affectionate smile at her face at the memories of a happy Taani playing with her in childhood. She remembered how close Taani was to both Ranvijay and her, she was like their own daughter. The gang was filled with guilt hearing her, they all knew what happened to her but didn't have the guts to confess their deeds in front of them.
Here Rey finally joined all the puzzles, why he always felt so protective of her, not because she was Swayam's sister but because she was always his. He now knew why he could not see her with anyone else, why she was able to make his emotions go haywire, why her tears affected him so much and why he was so much in love with her. She was always meant to be his, all along she was his destined life partner, destiny is so confusing he had already met the person he is meant to spend his whole life with, already fell in love with her. But he broke her too, however, now he knew what he had to do.
Life has given him other chance to rebuilt everything he destroyed and he is gonna do just that. He has made his decision, he wants his Taani back in life and if not any other way then be it this betrothal. He would not let this opportunity go in vain.
Avantika again turned to him when he was silent for a long time,
"rey beta, think about it, Taani is a nice..." She was saying something when he cut her off,
"I am ready Mom, I will marry her."
Everyone was shocked at his determined tone, Ranvijay and Avantika were confused on his sudden change of decision,
"Tu sach bol raha hai? You will?" Ranvijay asked him again to confirm what he heard was true.
"Yes Dad, I will and don't worry this time your doll will not go anywhere leaving you guys." Rey replied to them smiling big winking at the end.
The gang understood from his smile and happiness that why he agreed all of a sudden to this marriage, because he was still in love with her and he was dying to have her in his life as his wife, as his life partner, as his better half. Their friend has finally got what he wished for last six years, he got his Taani back. Destiny has already written her in his life and even so may problems and a long separation could not do anything but bow down in front of their love, his love for her. They all promised themselves that they would support Rey in every step he would take till they give him back what they stole from him unintentionally long back. They would do everything in their power to bring their friends together, Taani and Rey back together as one, as they were always destined to be, as TAAREY.
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Guys, finally its end of this chapter, I tried to be as realistic as possible in their history, after all I didn't wanted to show our country still practising monarchy even after so many years of independence and so much of development. That's why I made it clear that both the families may be royal but they are too like other citizens of country who is just a part of govt too.
So, I hope you liked it.
Hit like and comment too and move on to the next chapter because soon Taani is going to get the same shock too.