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Early in the morning, I woke up when Radha didi, our house help opened the thick curtains and let the sunlight in. Udaipur is cold these days and during the nights the temperature sometimes drops harshly. Drinking a glass of wather to soothe my dry throat I pulled the blanket off me and went to the bathroom for an awakening cold shower.

I decided to wear a pink T-shirt and black jeans as it was Friday and I had minimum energy to dress up. Being a princess, comes with loads of responsibilities and tiresome norms to follow. One of them is to stay presentable, always. I love dressing up, but sometimes I am drained out of enthusiasm, just like today.

Morning sun glistened on the Lake Pichola with birds chirping on the trees in the back gardens. Putting on a silk shirt along with pants, I decided to keep my hair down today. After making sure I had my jewelry on, that is, my mother's gold ring and my watch, I walked downstairs.

In the family room attached to the dining area, My brother Avyaan switched on the highlights of the cricket match he missed last night. Kritika bhabhi was reading a book while having her morrning bowl of fruits.

Bhabhi was in her third trimester and I cannot await for my little niece or nephew to come in this world. I announced that I will pamper and spoil the baby since day 1 and even before it.

Dadu and Dadi sa came in the room with their regal aura spreading in the atmosphere, making the help be more particular and focused on their work. We all sat down at the dining table waiting for my younger siblings to come down for the breakfast. Anaya came down the stairs hopping, with Dhruv beside her.

They sat on their designated spot on the table. Anaya beside me and Dhruv next to Chote papa. "Tum dono apni aadate sudharo. Dhruv, tum USA jake bhi college ke lie aese hi late hoge to nikal denge waha se tumhe!" Thakur family's matriarch and our dadi sa yelled at my youngest brother.

"Avyaan, kya subah subah ye cricket laga dia. Chalo ise band karo." Avy bhai was told to turn the balbber box off. "Subah subah, bhajan, gazhal aur soft music sunna chahiye, din accha guzarta hai. Kal se ye sab nahi chalega."

The servers brought our breakfasts and served us individually. I statrted with some poha with onion and bhujiya on top. That is how my mother used to give me since I was a toddler. She loved it too, dadi sa once told me.

Though she's no more with us, what I am now is because of how my parents raised me and Anaya. I lost them when I was 12 and Ana was 9. It was difficult for all of us, more as we lost three family members papa, ma and fufaji. Avy bhai lost his dad, I and Anaya lost both our parents.

Dhruv was just six, this all affected him more than it did to any of us. He was attached to my mother so much. Since he was baby, ma took care of him as chachi was busy with her fashion label. Even being married into a royal family, she didn't want to let her ambition aside and worked hard to establish herself in the fashion and apparel industry.

The thought again trailed to the back of my mind when I focused on the current concern.

"Dadi Sa, My friend Aashika is getting married soon. And she invited me to Goa for her wedding." Dadi sa hates when we beat around the bush to ask for something.

"Sabki shadi ho jaegi bas tum reh jaogi Dev." Purnima Chachi teased me. All my family members agreed to her conquest and shared a fit of laughter.

"Kab hai shaadi?" Dadi sa asked sternly. My sister seemed more anticipated for the answer than me.

"12 December ko. Mai 9 ko jane ka soch rahi hu, because from 10, the wedding rituals will proceed. Aur 14 ko vaha se Mumbai jaungi, textile exhibition hai NMACC mai. Humari company aur family ko invitation aaya tha ek hafte pehle."

"Hmm." Dadi sa paused for a moment. "Ja sakti ho tum Goa." I squealed in delight, rushed to Dadi sa and hugged her. "Bas Bas, Aesa pyaar kabhi bina matlab ke bhi kar lia karo humse." Everyone chuckled as I kissed her cheek.

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The flight landed in Goa and I reached the hotel all alone. Of course Chachu sent a bodyguard with me. The wedding party has already arrived and was waiting for the few guests.

At the threshold of the Hotel, I heard the dhol beats and joyous people dancing in a mob. Aashika came running and hugged me tight. "Hello, beautiful bride." I held her charming face in my hands and couldn't help but exclaim. "You're glowing baby. Oh, if jiju has this effect on you before the wedding then..." we both laughed as she shoved my arm away.

Tarun came out of the crowd and towards us with a huge smile hung on his face. He was around 6 feet tall and of dusky complexion, whereas Aashi was milky white. He had a blue kurta on twinning with his fiancé.

"Are Jijaji. Itna kitna blush kara rahe ho humari Aashi ko. Pantone Shade card mai ek Aashika red shade bhi dalna padega." I and Tarun hugged too. After greeting him his parents with a namaste and touching their feet in respect, I hugged Aashi's mother and greeted her father.

Turns out I was the last one to arrive. "Ahh! Devii!" Manya hugged me tight and Aashika joined in too.

"Aashi! You're getting married!" I couldn't contain my ecstasy. The statement made me overwhelmed. The girl I spent 11 years of my school life is now getting hitched.

"Come, I'll introduce you to our Tarun's friends." While we were having a moment everybody settled inside the hotel as the sound of dhol died down. Aashika and Manya took me over to the hotel lounge where Tarun and four of his friends were in view.

"Ah, Dev you're here. Abhi aapke hi charche chal rahe the." Tarun said as we came closer to them. "Guys this is Devanshi Thakur. Oh sorry! Her highness Rajkumari Devanshi Thakur, Princess of Udaipur." He flaunted with an accent.

I looked over as Tarun began introducing them to me, "Dev, this is Shashank, my friend from university." Tarun went to Yale for his bachelors and now operates his family business.

"This is Ritvik my cousin and Kinjal, his fiancé." Kinjal offered me a friendly hug while Ritvik and I exchanged a firm handshake.

"Khushpreet and Shubman are my childhood friends. While my parents went to Delhi to form their business, I stayed with my grandparents." Tarun informed. Wait. Was the Shubman he was talking about is the cricketer Shubman Gill?

"Hello." Khushpreet said, Tarun looked around to look for his friend he introduced who wasn't present. "Uhh, Shubman went to use the restroom."

"Oh, here he is." And indeed it was him. "Shub, meet Devanshi. Dev meet Shubman." He had a charming smile on his face which was heightened by the dimples.

"Yeah I know him."
"I know her." We both said at the same time. The group laughed at the instant. "My sister loves your label."

"Ah, I just operate it. It's all my staff and especially my Chachi, who established it." He may think I was being mosdest but I don't take credit for things I don't deserve for.

"Aree. She's just being modest! She herself designed my wedding lehenga." Aashika butted in.

"Well. That was because I promised you so in high school. She used to say, when you become a designer, I'll get my wedding lehenga designed by you only." I spoke about our high school days when she used to pest me about it.

"And I must tell you that you are an exceptional player Shubman. My brother really love your play." Avy bhai and Dhruv were cricket enthusiasts and shared their likeness towards Virat Kohli, Shubman and KL Rahul.

"To agar compliments khatam ho gaye ho to chale madam? Dinner ke lie ready ho jao room mai jake. Manya is with you." Aashika informed. She took me to my room which was next to her and Tarun's.

Bhabhi checked on me before I went to bed. I told her about everyone. And she put her bets on Shubman. "Kya yaar bhabhi. We just met and I've heard he has a girlfriend."

"You don't knoww. Chal ab so ja varna tumhara bahi katal kar dega dono ka uski neend disturb karne pe." I waved her a bye and hung the call up before dozing off.