"Rudrapratap!" A deep and authoritative voice made everyone shut their banters immediately.

"Yes, Baba Sa." Rudra asked in the same tone.

(Father)

"Now I wouldn't appreciate hearing any other word from anyone present here. Only Rudrapratap will speak." It was none other than Jaiveer Singh Rathore, in a way the city's head.

"Okay." Everyone replied in a chorus.

Who would defy his orders anyway?

"Were you able to find her?" Jaiveer Singh Rathore questioned, getting straight to the point.

"Baba Sa-" Rudra started only to be cut off.

(Father)

"Did you find her?" He asked in a hard voice making everyone present there gulp.

"No." Rudra responded with a sigh.

Rudra's complete family, with his father Jaiveer Singh Rathore being the head of the city Udaipur was seated in the living room of his farmhouse with her family as well. They were basically one.

"You were not able to do this single task I'd given you for your benefit?" Jaiveer Singh Rathore roared, getting up from the armchair pointing an accusing finger at his son, Rudrapratap.

"What was my benefit?" This time it was Rudra's hard voice.

"Tell me what was my benefit so I should've done everything up to the point." Rudra continued.

"You want to know your benefits?" Jaiveer Singh Rathore asked with raised eyebrows directed towards Rudra who nodded his head.

"So tell me who was the one coming to me for a proposal of the marriage to her?" Jaiveer Singh Rathore questioned.

"Uhh-" Rudra hesitated.

"What got you so thinking?" His father mocked.

"I was." Rudra responded immediately in a firm voice.

"Who was the one that came up to me for asking to marry of her with you as under a week as you couldn't wait anymore to take up the business and city?" Jaiveer Singh Rathore questioned again.

"I did." Rudra sighed.

It was absolutey true.

"And who was the one hell bent on getting married without even getting to know each other properly knowing how pressurizing it would've been on her and yourself?" He asked again.

"I was." Rudra replied in a low voice.

"And who was the one who didn't care about her or her feelings?" Jaiveer Singh Rathore questioned.

And everyone looked at him with wide eyes at the oh so random questioned.

"I didn't." Rudra answered without even realizing what question he had asked and what his reply is.

"You accept that? I don't think so." Jaiveer Singh Rathore mocked.

"Baba Sa-" Rudra got cut off by his father.

(Father)

"Let me complete Rudrapratap Singh Rathore." His father warned.

"Tell me do you even know anything about her?" His father continued questioning.

"Of course Baba Sa. She's the eldest daughter of the closest family to ours. Her father is your bestfriend and even both of our grandfathers were the most compatible rulers at that time. She was even my childhood bestfriend." Rudra responded.

(Father)

"This is your love? The only thing that was apt about her from your mouth is that she was your childhood bestfriend. And bestfriend when? When you both were these toddlers? Do you even know how she looks? Do you know what she likes or doesn't? Do you know what she does? Do you know if she even likes you? And the biggest of all, do you know where is she right now?" Jaiveer Singh Rathore's voice was high as anything at the end.

And Rudra could only stare at his father with his mouth dropped open.

He was absolutely right.

He doesn't even know how she looks now. Last time he saw her was more than 20 years ago! When she was just a 5 year old growing toddler and he was this 10 year old boy going to UK away from the family drama.

But these factors didn't mean to him at all. The talks he was fed since the childhood by his mother and aunts was enough for him to accept her as his wife no matter how she looks. From the beginning, she was perfect for him.

Just as he got back to Udaipur after completing his studies, masters and doing a well paid job for a good couple of years, he couldn't wait any longer to take up the responsibilities. This was Jaiveer Singh Rathore's demand at the same time that he wouldn't let Rudra take up the business till he isn't married. And Rudra had apparently decided to that getting married in a week right after coming to Udaipur was the best choice.

"No you don't. And you forgot to address that not understanding this was the most important aspect of your life. It's all your fault. " Jaiveer Singh Rathore said as no words came out of Rudra's mouth.

"It is." Rudra whispered to himself, but everyone heard it clearly giving a pitiful smile to him.

"And you know what? She agreed to this marriage knowing you are the only option for her if not now then definitely later. She waited for you. She waited for six days. But you see, she had enough in six days itself that she had to run away on the seventh. Do you even realize how hard it was for her when you didn't try to approach her even for once. She didn't even see her husband till the wedding day nor now." His father shouted pointing an accusing finger at him.

"And I am proud of her. I am the most proud of her that she took this decision. It was correct of her to run away from a person like you. A person who doesn't cares about someone else's feelings." Jaiveer Singh Rathore declared in his usual authoritative manner.

"Baba Sa please stop." Shivraj Singh Rathore, Rudra's elder brother said to his father.

(Father)

"Shivraj you don't understand. This-" His father started, but was cut off.

"Please Baba Sa. Not for him, but you. Please don't let this affect your health." Shivraj said in a pleading tone.

(Father)

"Take me to any room." Jaiveer Singh Rathore said to his elder son, Shivraj Singh Rathore.

"Not the usual one Bhai Sa." Rudra butted in and Shivraj nodded his head grimly.

(Brother)

Shivraj wasn't angry at his brother. He had decided it long back that he would talk to him properly so that he'll get to know his point of view as well. This wasn't a time to get angry.

Shivraj lead his father to the room upstairs and the rest of the family stayed in the living room itself with their companion family which was hers as well. No one knew what to say.

//////////

"Where the f*ck did I put it last night?" She whispered.

She was busy searching for Nutella in the kitchen not so quietly.

The departure of her from Rudra's house after their overnight talks was in front of him only. He had seen her going away from the massive gate of his farmhouse just at the sunrise.

But what he didn't know was that her exit from the gate of farmhouse was followed by her running to the backside of the farmhouse only to climb up the pipe below the window of the guest room she'd stayed in which she had skillfully discovered the previous night.

It was just five minutes later that she was back in the guestroom unknown to Rudra who was then busy welcoming his family and her family stuck with the thought of her.

"Found it!" She whispered excitedly as her eyes finally found the nutella jar because of which she had to take this step.

"Awww, my baby." She cooed to the jar in her hand opening it with utmost love and care.

She made herself comfortable on the kitchen counter sitting Indian style with the nutella jar in her hand and her finger dipped in the same.

Five minutes later, the jar was almost empty. Her hands completely covered in melted chocolate and her face had remnants of the same. She basically looked like a child who was given a jar of nutella for the first time.

"Leyu?" An almost whisper was heard.

A horrific Shivraj Singh Rathore was standing on the doorstep of the kitchen looking at his future sister in-law. The one who had ran away because of which everyone was busy searching while she was basically in the same house as them.

"Shiv bhai." She gasped covering her mouth with a hand.

(Brother)

"Leyu? Is that really you?" Shivraj Singh Rathore asked just for confirmation.

"I-I-" She stammered not knowing what to respond.

"What the hell Leya? Where were you the whole day? Why did you run away from your marriage? And most importantly, how are you? Why did you have to take this step?" Shivraj Singh Rathore panicked, coming just in front of her.

"Bhai-" And Leya couldn't control her tears further. They were now flowing out of her eyes freely as this time she couldn't control anymore.

(Brother)

"Don't cry Leyu." Shivraj Singh Rathore whispered capturing his future sister in-law in a comforting hug.

For a good five minutes, Leya was crying while Shivraj kept consoling her.

"I am sorry bhai. But please tell me you're not angry I did this. No one is angry at me right?" Leya asked with quivering lips.

"No one is angry at you, Leyu. Don't worry. And stop crying first of all." He responded wiping away her tears.

"Bhai I did the correct thing right? This union which was taking place yesterday would've only destroyed both our lives. And I didn't want that to happen. Specially not with me." She breathed out not caring about the fact how selfish she's sounding.

(Brother)

"Of course Leya. You were absolutely right being selfish here. And you know what? You took the right step. He needed to know that everything wouldn't work according to him, whenever he wanted. And if you had let this happen yesterday, then I am sure it would've continued the rest of your lives knowing how Pratap works." Shivraj tried to calm her down.

"But Bhai everyone? What about-" Leya started only to be cut off by Shivraj.

"Don't even think about that Leya. What you should care about is our family and you know they aren't angry. At all. Instead Baba Sa is proud of you and so is everyone else knowing Pratap's behaviour towards you. He deserved this." He said placing a chaste kiss on her forehead like he always does out of brotherly love.

"What the hell Bhai Sa?" A hard voice made Leya and Shivraj drift apart.

(Brother)

Leya looked like a deer caught in headlights.

There, at the kitchen doorstep was standing Rudra looking at the scene in front of him horrified.

"What is going on here Bhai Sa? I know I had no expectations from a girl like her, but you? How could you fall into the trap of a girl like her? You have a wife who is outside in the living room with your 6 month old child in her arms. And here, you're busy loafing with her." Rudra shot at his elder brother, with a disgusting look directed towards Leya.

(Brother)

"Rudrapra-" Shivraj started only to be cut off.

"What do you mean by a girl like me? A girl who has no self respect? A girl who is an orphan? A girl who is staying in an unknown man's house? A girl who has ran away from her wedding?" Leya pointed a finger at her on every question, but her tears hadn't subsided.

"You got it absolutely right Miss Leya. You are the one trapping my brother in your not so innocent hands. And for what? Money? Fame? Car-" Rudra got cut off this time by his brother.

"Stop right there Pratap if you don't want a good beating from me." Shivraj Singh Rathore shouted at his younger brother with a glare.

And this was the time when Leya's mouth dropped open in shock.

Pratap?

"Shiv bhai." Leya shook her future brother in-law's hand in a horrified manner.

(Brother)

"What?" He asked her back, this time his tone gentle.

"You called him Pratap. Are you insane? Ru will be mad knowing you called an unknown person by Ru's nickname." Leya pointed out.

And now it was Rudra whose mouth was dropped open in immense shock.

"What the f*ck are you saying? Don't you dare take that nickname from your mouth." Rudra warned her.

"I will take any nickname I want. And specially my fiance's! What's with you?" Leya shot back making Rudra's mouth dropped open in shock for the second time.

"Fiance?" He repeated in a questioning manner.

"Yes fiance. The one who will destroy you within seconds." She snapped at him while flicking her fingers in front of his face.

"Yeah. I wonder how I am going destroy myself." Rudra muttered and Leya furrowed her eyebrows.

And Shivraj couldn't control anymore. He understood the situation completely and bursted out laughing not caring about any fact.

"Why are you laughing Shiv Bhai?" Leya frowned.

"You have no idea Leyu, do you?" Shivraj said still laughing.

"Now I am sure it's definitely her." Rudra muttered.

"Idea about what Bhai?" She asked, her confusion evident very well.

"Leya, he's Rudrapratap. Your Ru, family's Pratap and everyone's Rudrapratap Singh Rathore." Shivraj cleared her dilemma and by now Leya's eyes were wide opened as saucers.

"No he's not. Tell me you're joking." Leya furrowed her eyebrows, making her look adorable.

"I am not joking Leya. He is the one and only Rudrapratap Singh Rathore." Shivraj dropped the bomb on her.

"He's not! The only thing he is Rude Singh Rathore." Leya crossed her arms stubbornly, directing a glare towards Rudra.

"Excuse me? I am not rude. You are the one who acts like a brat all the time." Rudra glared at her not noticing everyone who had their ways to the kitchen.

"Brat? I am not a brat you piece of-" She got cut off by Shivraj placing his hand on her mouth, stopping her from saying anything further.

"You are a brat." Rudra again declared.

"I hate you." She shouted with glistening eyes jumping off from the kitchen counter and running outside it.

And Leya couldn't run further as a hand came in contact with her forearm stopping her from going any further.

"Leya." A voice was heard and Leya froze.

"Baba Sa." She cried turning in his direction and Jaiveer Singh Rathore immediately engulfed his future daughter in-law in a comforting hug.

"I am sorry." She whispered after sometime while Jaiveer Singh Rathore was busy patting her head in a comforting manner.

"You need not to be my child." He calmed her down, looking at Rudra with accusing eyes who sighed in response.

Her tears were soaking his kurta and everyone's eyes were wide opened.

First because of the fact seeing Leya in front of their eyes and secondly about how she's hugging Jaiveer Singh Rathore. Everyone's head. Where people can't look directly in his eyes due to the power he possesses, Leya was hugging him behaving normal as ever.

"Please don't scold me." She sobbed.

"Why would I? You did nothing wrong." Jaiveer Singh Rathore chuckled making everyone's eyes go wide.

Jaiveer Singh Rathore is not angry about such a big matter? Instead he's comforting Leya.

"Calm down my child. No more crying." He soothed her down.

"But Dad- sorry my Baba Sa must be angry." She hiccuped thinking about her father.

"He isn't. And you it as well that he will never be angry at his daughter." Jaiveer Singh Rathore calmed her.

Not even once Leya dared to look at anybody else. Not even at her own family. Deep down, she was a bit scared of their reaction for the step she took.

"Leya." Another deep voice called out and Leya gulped.

It was none other than Adhiraj Singh Chauhan, Leya's father.

Both the families come from royal backgrounds as their great grandfathers were the top rulers at that time. The dictatorship continued, but in a different way. The city worked according to the government, but the level of belief they had for the descendants of royals was of another level. The two families were kind of God's for the people of Udaipur, but even the Rathore's and Chauhan's didn't leave a moment to serve the people in any way possible.

And yes, Rudra was all set to take the position of Udaipur's head, simultaneously with the family business, with the union of Rathore's and Chauhan's by Rudra and Leya's marriage.

They were fed the thought of marrying each other when they'll grow up that love itself grew between them. Of course, they were good friends in their childhood that too when they were so young, but after Rudra went to abroad for further studies, they fell apart.

When Rudra returned to India, the first news that was showered upon Leya was that they are set to get married. And before that, Rudra didn't even try to contact or meet her once. She was angry. Angry at Rudra, but the thought of marrying excited her to no extent so she agreed.

And she had no other option as well because there was no one else her father or family would agree to marry her off with. It was always Rudra for her. Since the childhood and even at this age.

Both of them didn't take it as forced. Or thinking as if their lives will be destroyed because of the reason that both the families want to unite. Instead they took it as a blessing.

They know how much both the families mean to each other and of course this union would've been beneficial for both of them in their own ways.

"Baba." Leya gulped responding, as she heard her father's voice.

He gestured for her to come towards him and she nodded while gulping as she knew it was better to be an obedient child at this point.

But inside, her heart was thudding, fighting to come out of her chest. This was the level of her nervousness.