"Aa.aa...UGH!!"

Will woke up with pain running like lightning throughout his abdomen.

He tried to open his eyes but they felt too heavy, everything seemed to buzz around him.

But soon enough his own shouts subsided as he heard a woman whimper.

That alerted him.

He tried to lift himself up even when the pain wanted him immobile. The jerk of this quick action left him into a coughing fit which in return scratched his throat so heavily he was sure it would bleed in a moment or two.

"Thirsty...."

Within seconds, the said lady was next to his bed, squatted down to his level. Her right hand holding a bronze tumbler of water, her left hand underneath her elbow assisting the movement.

The water felt like nectar to his dry mouth and burned like poison to his coarse throat.

He drank and coughed more as his eyes moved to study his surroundings, assessing his situation and looking for escape routes. Habit.

His analysis told him he was in his own room.

Why wasn't he enslaved? Why was he still alive?

Oh.

He looked closely, the woman wore the same clothing as the servants of Lecter saamraj did. The bracelet with the saamrajya's emblem confirmed it further.

"Are you Samrat's Dasi?" Will coughed out, The woman meekly nodded.

"One of his personal," She said with pride while suspecting his wounds. "He sent me with the rest to look after you and your family till you leave this land with the Samrat."

Will blinked at that.

"The marriage...?" Pretty sure the reason he coughed this time was the absurdity of this situation "..It's happening???"

The Dasi gasped. "Bana!?" She dramatically put a hand over her mouth. If the cut on Will's forehead didn't hurt like hell he would have rolled his eyes to the back of his head.

"Your father did something so brave! He discarded his dignity over your life!" While I was getting myself killed for his life "A Thakur wouldn't do that for a joke!"

Will pushed with all his might and sat up straight. Shifted himself to face the dasi, legs on the floor, his gaze piercing straight through her skull.

That faltered her confidence and she visibly shivered. Her posture weakened as she held back the glass.

Will sighed.

He shifted his eyes away from her and reached out for the glass. Drinking it all in one gulp.

"What's your name?"

The woman straightened herself and directly looked at him. He still avoided her eyes. "Supriya."

Will nodded and tried to stand up but immediately fell.

Supriya was on her feet instantly trying her best to assist Will down on the bed again. Her face worrisome as she double checked Will's wounds. It made him chuckle even if the pain on his injured face fought against it. "All the wounds you are worried about are personally given to me by your Maharajadhiraj. You are aware of that right?"

As she tightens the bandages around his abdomen and stands with a sigh. "I do nothing but follow my raja's orders. He asked us to be worried for you. To care for you. Cause he suspected you wouldn't be. And our Samrat is always right."

Will blinks for a moment.

He is right.

"Also, I don't only carry his worries." Will looked at her with a questioning gaze.

"I also carry his gifts." Will scrunched his eyebrows. What...?

Supriya opened the doors to his chamber and soon an army of servants entered the room. Each holding jewelry or gifts. Clothes of such fine quality Will's head spined.

"Wedding necessities. We are to perform rituals such as roka, haldi, mehendi and others while you heal up perfectly for the wedding. Our Samraat grieves that he won't be accompanying you in such intimate moments but the rational choice would be to perform the wedding ceremony as quickly as possible. We are still at war and our Samrat wants nothing more but to return home with you, bonded, while we can still have some peaceful moments."

Will eyes unfocused at all that information. Didn't want his new doll to be damaged further huh?

"..... bana..? Bana? Are you still here?" Will wished he wasn't.

"Yes."

Supriya smiled and clapped her hands as the other servants arranged all the gifts all over his room. "Great then! Rest up and when you are feeling better we will begin with your roka!" With that, she bowed and took her exit.

"Like I have ever felt better in my life." Will grumbled and lied down once again. Trying to sleep off this nightmare.

—--------------------------------------------------

Will woke up to coughs other than his own. He slowly opened his eyes and his father was sitting at the edge of his bed with all his strength. In an instant Will sat up and tried his best to hide his winces. "Father... Why aren't you resting?"

His father coughed in reply, "I have already used up all my resting days in this life. Why bother? I would much rather use the last bits of my energy to secure the comfort of your future." Will's jaw clenched. The pain did nothing to hide his anger. Even the pain was helpless in front of it.

His father didn't seem to notice it though. Of course. "I was here to get your word on the ring I got made for the Samrat. You see, he is all healed up and-"

"Wanted to get done with the ceremonies as soon as possible?" Will completed his sentence with a sarcastic tone.

"Yes." His father smiled.

He turned and extended his hand to the dasi next to him. She handed him a plate which held a golden box surrounded by rose petals. His father opened the box facing him. Showing Will a gold ring with carved petals studded with little star-like diamonds surrounding a green sapphire.

What a waste.

"Do you like it? Do you think it is worthy enough for the Samrat?" Will scoffed.

"I think Samraat has enough engagement rings to fill up a commoner's house from floor to ceiling. He has no need for one more." Will turned his gaze away and squeezed his eyes shut. The stupidity of this whole situation overwhelmed him.

"Will! I am doing all this for the comfort of your future-"

"What about the comfort of my past!? What were you doing then!?" Will clenched his fist to control his shaking. "I don't need to be wedded off in the name of comfort. But I did need you as a little child! What arrangements where you doing then-"

"ENOUGH!"

Will's father stood up. Eyes bloodshot in anger. "I am taking the wedding gifts and clothing to Samrat to start the rituals. These servants will look after you and move forward with the same. You have no other option but to comply. I will see you at the wedding." With that, his father left.

Will hit the heel of his palm into his eyes. Trying his best to rub off the irritation. "Comfort of my future didn't need a stupid wedding... it needed my death."