In the morning,

Avni woke up and saw him resting his head on the bed and sleeping while sitting on the floor beside the bed. Avni was taken aback to see him beside her.
She blinked her eyes twice to confirm his actual presence.

"What's he doing here ?"she thought looking at him.

She could see the fingerprint still there on his cheeks. She was about to touch but stopped herself.

.....

Neil woke up and saw the bed was empty. He sighed and got up to leave but stopped infront of the mirror. He looked at the cheeks and found the marks to be gone.

"It vanished this early ?!..." He thought and left

He got freshen up and came to the dining hall and saw her eating silently.

He just joined while Avni looked at DD and made some action to DD.

"Hmm.." he cleared his throat while Neil looked at him.

"The King came yesterday..." He stopped seeing his expression changed and Avni too observed his expression.

"Yesterday.. the king came to .." he told again while Avni closed her eyes seeing him messing up.

"Straight to the point !"he told him looking at her directly.

"Yesterday..." Before he could say Avni interrupted.

"The King invited us for a ceremony... Apparently we have to do it as couple " she told him straight.

"Not interested!" He replied and continued.

"Fine !...I am going alone !" She told him thinking he won't let her go alone.

"Please !!.. you shall " he told her while she pouted. He left after eating. Avni sighed thinking.

.....

She was just following him everywhere.

"What will the king think if you don't come .." she told him trying to convince him.

"He know that I won't come !" He replied trying to read the scroll without paying much attention to her.

"How can I just go there alone without you there ?...I am scared !!. It's my in-law's place " avni made a cry face looking at him cutely.

He turned his head towards her and looked at her cute face. 

"Then don't go!" He told and again continued reading the scroll. Avni made a face and stood up from there and stomped her leg cutely and left .

The next day

Avni got ready to go there in palanquin. She came outside and saw Neil standing at the balcony of his room. They looked at each other while Neil left inside and Avni sighed again and left with some of his people with a warrior to protect her.

In the evening,

She reached the palace and greeted the King.

"So he didn't come with you ?" He asked her while she bowed her head down.

"I apologize, Your Majesty " she told

"You should be able to do your duty as wife !" He told her indirectly saying that she couldn't convince him to come here while she can see his disappointed face. While Ali who was sitting there felt bad for her.

"I apologize, Your Majesty " She couldn't meet his face.

She then greeted the people over there. And soon she was accompanied by Ali. Avni was formally talking to him calling him 'Your Highness ' because he is the crown prince but Ali denied it politely saying he is like a brother to her and he doesn't like being called like that. Avni respected his opinion and he was showing her everything around the place.

"I welcome you, your highness" she heard someone's voice and she turned to find someone who she didn't recognize. She smiled back and looked at Ali. 

" She is my cousin, Princess Juhi" he introduced her while they greeted eachother.

Ali and Avni left after talking to her.

"She was supposed to marry my brother!, Your Highness " He told her while Avni looked at him.

"Then what happened?" She asked him.

"My brother doesn't like her !!...So he denied ! And..." He stopped in middle sighing.

"And ?" She asked him in confusion.

"He doesn't have superpowers so her father also denied despite her insistence" he told her while Avni just nodded.

"I am happy that you became the princess of this dynasty..." He smiled while Avni smiled hearing him.

"Can you please fill in the details of the ritual..?" She asked him with hopeful eyes.

"I am sorry!. Even I don't know what it is!.." he told while she pouted.

"You think my brother will come ?" He asked her while she looked at him.

"I don't know!..He is so stubborn" she complained and bit her tongue realising he is his brother making Ali laugh.

"It's okay, Your Highness ...Even though he is my brother..I'll be on your side."he told to make her feel at ease while she smiled.

"Its good to for Neil to have a reliable brother like you.." she told him.

"I hope he thinks like that too.." he told her making her confused.

"Ahh!..I mean to say is that ...As my brother live far away, we couldn't get to share very close bond...Not my brother's fault tho!!" He told her while she felt sad for him.

It's been evening,

Avni was in her room getting ready. She was instructed to wear the traditional heirloom clothes of the Veldreith Dynasty. Suddenly she was called by the King so she left to meet him.

She entered the place and saw all the nobles sitting there while she felt so anxious. She greeted the King again and was standing infront of him. The nobles were sitting around while she clutched her hand tightly as she is the centre of attention to anyone..

"Your highness, Prince Neil is not here, I don't think we should proceed with this ceremony" one of the noble said while Avni just looked at him in shock.

"He is right!. We should not be doing only with Princess here !" Another one added.

Avni took heavy breath and was just standing there feeling helpless.

"What do you think, Princess Avni ?" The King asked her

"I trust your judgment, Your Majesty!. I'll accept whatever you think is best for me" she told politely while the king looked at the nobels.

"Okay, The ceremony won't..." The King was about to say but stopped when they heard the door was opening.

Avni turned and saw one figure walking inside making her shock.

XXXX

Here is the next chapter

Hope you guys like it

Tell me how was the chapter

Much love

Reza