She couldn't blink her eyes seeing Neil coming inside. He came near her and bowed his head and greeted the King.

"I apologize for being late !...I am here to take part in the ceremony with my wife !" He added and hold her hand making her smile widely looking at him.

She looked at the King with a wide smile and she feels her all nervousness is gone infront of his presence.

.....

"He came ..He came for me !!...Neil is here !!! " Avni was jumping around the room in happiness and was talking to Sunheri.

Neil was getting ready in traditional heirloom.

While DD was talking with Sunheri

"How Master Neil changed his mind ?" Sunheri asked him after Avni left with other handmaiden of Valdreith Dynasty.

Flashback

"I don't think ...It's fine for Avni to be there alone !!" Neil told DD contemplating.

"But you only let her go !" DD complained

"Because she was stubborn!!" He told him back

"That's the King's order Master Neil!...It's her father in law...what do you expect from her?" DD asked him while Neil sighed

Flashback ends

DD told everything to Sunheri

....

Neil reached the place where the ceremony was happening and stood before the fire. He greeted the Sage standing there and was waiting for Avni. He saw her coming. She was looking so elegant and her smile is like the cherry on top. Neil just looked at her as she was coming closer. She came and stood infront of him and smiled widely at him. They were looking at each other.

The ceremony began, and they were doing everything as like they were instructed.

"Prince and Princess would have received a blade from Your Majesty ...Please take that " the sage told while Avni took her blade and looked at Neil.

He looked at her and took his blade. They were instructed to give a drop of blood as a part of their ceremony to mark them as 'Husband and Wife' as part of Veldreith tradition.

Neil just cut his palm while Avni also did the same. The blood was collected in the traditional jar of Veldreith. They were asked to face each other and hold their hands together to take their oath.

Neil and Avni hold their hands together and was looking at each other eyes. Avni smiled seeing him but all she can see his pain in his eyes.

Suddenly she felt something in her hand and she got distracted by the feeling. Soon the oath ends and they both parted their hands.

" This blade belongs to your husband, so it holds great value, and you must protect it with care" The Sage told Avni while she took it from him and nodded her head

"This blade belongs to your wife so it holds great value, and you must protect it with care" he repeated the same to Neil while he just took it from him.

Then comes the last part of Ceremony where the King comes and make Avni wear the Crown making her officially as the princess of Veldreith Dynasty.

.....

Neil was just with the king all the while and he disliked it so much. He doesn't want his relationship with father to be turned into an internal politics in the palace court.

He finally escaped from there and was walking through the hallway.

"She can never be a Crown Princess!" One of the courtlady was talking

"Ofcourse!...She doesn't have powers as well ! ...What can we expect ?" The other one said.

"Look at their fate tho " the other one added.

"Prince Neil is always rude !..But atleast Princess Avni is not like that !...I don't think they are really a good match " the other one added.

Group of courtlady were gossiping and literally started shaking seeing Neil. He overheard all their conversation and literally was glaring at them making them shiver.

He walked up to them and bowed their head down.

"Do you guys know what it cost you for backbiting ?" He asked him with terrifying tone while they kneel down infront of him apologizing.

"If I catch anyone talking ill about me or my wife ...I'll make sure you people know your place " He told them in anger and left from there.

Neil always hated people talking about him. Even though, he was forced to marry Avni. He really hates people talk about Avni as well. He knew for sure that Avni will be mistreated just like him in the palace and that's why he came here to protect her.

He was just walking in the anger and suddenly saw his hand and was shocked to see the mark where the cut on his hand was gone.

"Wait!...Is this my power ?!" He thought and rushed to his room to find Avni.

Whereas Avni was waiting for him in his room and saw him opened the door in a hurried manner and walked towards her. She stood up from the bed and was nervous to see him walking to her so  close. He pulled her hand to check on her and saw her mark.

"Ofcourse it's not my superpower !. It is the part of the rituals..." He thought disappointed to see her mark to be gone.

"What happened ?" She asked him breaking his trance and he moved away from her.

He turned to see all the decorations and was shocked.

"What nonsense is this ?" He uttered.

"Apparently, they want us to consummate our wed.." Avni told it in a flow because that's what she has been told and covered her mouth realising her blunder.

Neil turned and looked at her with his eyes widened.

"Not mandatory though!" She turned away and tighten her lips.

"But I was waiting for you.." she told smiling while Neil looked at her with his cold expression.

She started walking towards him while he went backwards.

"This!..Only you can do this... Apparently they want you to do !" She told walking close to him.

"Wh...What ?! " He asked her clearing his throat.

"The crown ...You should only take that off it seems.." she told him while he let his breath out and removed it in a go.

"I don't believe in this bullshit and all !" He told her while she nodded her cutely respecting his opinion.

He was about to leave but stopped himself because he can't step out his room. This would create another such rumours regarding him especially involving Avni. So he stopped himself.

He walked  near the window and stood while Avni joined him.

"Thank you for coming..." She told him while he looked at her.

"I didn't come for you.. " he told her and looked away while she just faked her smile and left while he saw her going.

She changed and was on the bed whereas Neil was lying on the couch.

"Tomorrow we are leaving in the morning!" He told her

"Hmm." She replied and her mind was filled with some thoughts.

.....

In the morning,

Neil came searching for Avni. Because he informed her that they have to leave. He was searching for her everywhere but couldn't find her. He then finally met  Sunheri and asked about her whereabouts. He then walked to the direction he was informed about. He then finally saw Avni with Ali giggling near the River.

"Yeah, I don't know swimming!...I kinda afraid of water !" She was telling him

"Hmm.." he cleared his throat while they both looked at the direction. Avni smiled at him.

Ali came near him.

"Can't you just stay for one more day, My brother !" He asked him.

"No Ali, we have to leave !" He told her while he made a sad face.

"Let's go!" He came near Avni and told her while she nodded.

And suddenly one of the Manservant came running searching for Ali.

"Your highness, The King !...The King fainted !" He told to Ali while the three was shocked and ran to the palace.

......

Avni was walking to and fro waiting for some information regarding the King as she was not supposed to see the king during his treatment. Sunheri was trying to console her but she was panicking.
She saw Neil coming and rushed to him.

"What happened Neil?..Is everything okay ?" She asked him.

"Yeahh!. The King is better now " Avni sighed deeply.

"It won't be nice if we go now!" She told him which made sense to him and he nodded.

......

They went to meet the King when he was finally better. They had their lunch together. Whereas Juhi tried to flirt with Neil but he paid no attention to her. Whenever she see Avni close to Neil. She gets furious.

"Apparently, Lady Avni doesn't know swimming" Juhi's handmaiden told her while Juhi smirked.

.....

" Neil is waiting for me here ?" She asked coming to the place she was asked to come by one of the court lady.

She saw the bathing pool and was confused. Suddenly she felt like some force pushed her and she fell into the pool. She started struggling inside the water and was breathing heavily. She was drowning completely and couldn't able to shout for help.

XXXX

Happy Newyear guysss!! ✨. I hope I will be regular this year !. I feel like I took a break the entire year.

I know I lost many lovely readers of mine. But thank you for still supporting.

Hope you guys had a great Newyear

How was the chapter?. Please let me know.

Love

Reza