Randeep's POV

"we should do soft and pop both since we have more girl population" I nod, seeing the college resume whose students will be the audience.

"yes the judges will like that" Raghav backs, we all know how these competition works. If the audience is happy, judges score you better. We were out of field doesn't mean players have forgotten how to play.

After Aditi dragged Ashi out of room, I collapsed on the bed and it was half hours later I suppose all the guys came to my room, to discuss the competition since long after we are performing and to discuss in front of other participants can be risky, we have been victim to that in the past, when someone has stolen our performance, in real life, they win not us until we can prove they did steal which we did then you win by default, which is no fun.

We are currently on the palace terrace discussing our strategy for the competition, we are out of tune a little so preparing for it. Its tea time we are up here from hours sorting out songs to sing after they had rounded the place somewhat. They all remember, most of it which I am amazed at since its been almost a decade, so we didn't round the entire palace just what they wanted to see.

"who will sing first day? Abhi? Zain?" I asked leaning back in my seat. Though its fun here, I want to rest after such a long flight then all of us have work too.

"I don't anymore" Abhi said and we all looked at him "my tune is utterly destroyed, people will run away"

As he said none of us could believe, apart from Sanjay and Raghav we all used to sing, they can but they like playing instruments better, sort of public shy so we three use to do the singing on stages. "no way, sing" I prodded and Zain nods.

"no man I'm not kidding" he said a little shy which is new. I sit straighter, how did he destroy his voice if so?

"no sing for once" Raghav said. Seeing all our looks to be that of disbelief he started and instantly us all believed him, not that his tune is wrong but he cannot change notes to be particular.

"how did you manage to do it?" Sanjay asks

"nothing with time my voice just sort off went away" he shrugged, "not that I mind, I have this handsome face" yes well models don't require to sing.

Eventually we came out of our shock, well things have changed even if we haven't so we just have to accept some things "so who is going first?" Sanjay asked as only this was left to discuss. Rest all is done, from what to how, everything is settled. Sanjay and Raghav decline to sing still so we are going like we used to back then.

"I will go on friends and love" Zain instantly said and I threw the cushion at him, I wanted those two. He smiles showing all his teeth when I call him jerk. I know we are childish but I wanted those two, I wanted to whine but then decided against it.

Now I'm to sing sorry of Justin Bieber since we are doing first song English and then all Hindi. Hell I'm getting mother theme too, I sigh in defeat and nod "ill do free and mother day"

As we were collecting the papers, I heard a 'hukum' and turn to see a helper in kurta pajama, which is I'm guessing his uniform, "you are all requested to go to aangan, rani sa ordered" grandma? For what? I nod and he leaves.

"why is she calling us?" I ask looking back at all and they just shrug. We all make way downstairs but I part from them to keep the papers in my room. As I was keeping it in the drawer I hear anklets jingling, my senses alert as I make way out of my room. This is the floor not everyone is allowed to enter, only few can since its king's. Whoever is here cannot be with permission.

Out there I look at corridors, the right side at the turn, I see sea green cloth mopping the floor, some servant girl I'm guessing so I leave it, or grandma will punish her for sure, rules are good but only in time they are required plus my guards are here so there shouldn't be a problem. With that I make way to the aangan at the back of palace, it is a courtyard deep in the palace for ladies to accommodate, grandma told me, her mother in law when in ruling used that courtyard for various things like dancing and fooling around, with her friends maids before grandma.

I hear the jingle again and look around with sense of Ashi being near but see nothing. I step in the aangan to see all the girls dressed like princesses here do. In lahenga all looked beautiful as they were seated on seats almost in a circle around grandma and guys with their respective partners.

Grandma looked at me and smiled "baba!" she called excitedly "look aren't all these looking beautiful? Now they look like ladies, those excuse of fabrics are so funny to see" she laughed lightly referring to the dresses girls were wearing. I nod smiling at her, though dresses were good traditional gives the best look.

"Alisha give it back!" I hear Ashi and all laugh, "they are still at it" Kristina says smiling.

"what are you talking about?" I ask

"Alisha took her wedding ring and is making her run since Ashi was not taking it off before to try others" Samaira answered laughing as Aditi shakes her head smiling.

I go back upstairs and running I make it to the floor, I hear the jingle again and follow the sound this time, running around with the jingle I end up in throne room, I am lost now. What is going on? Where are these two? She shouldn't run, her health wasn't good, this girl seriously gives me headache sometimes.

"tired bhabhi?" I hear a mocking tone ask and look up to see Alisha running along the railing of window in black lahenga with shiny maroon designs on it, it is just called the window, it is like a corridor above the throne area for women actually, to be present in the throne room away from men's eyes like it was back in time.

"give it back, I'm not kidding!" Ashi I hear and with jingles of anklets she comes in view while running holding her lahenga, a white lahenga with pink and light blue intricate designs matched with sea green dupatta, she abruptly stopped at queen's window almost passing by, an extension (a semicircular balcony) made especially for queen directly across the throne and king though at first floor, I'm on ground floor. you know the movies where royal girls run with their dupatta flaring behind them I swear it was same, it was her I saw while coming out of room – It's the same color.

She bent and picked something and then sighed slipping a ring on her ring finger, I recognize that for I was made to choose the ring myself. She straightens and I see a smile of relief on her face, so beautiful she is looking like a real queen. She is looking around in confusion.

I nearly gasp as I see her choli (blouse) is almost backless with one strap low and laces above tied together with gotas resting on her back at the end of laces, her waist lace the same ending at gotas, only it jingles when she turns again. Her bendi not too big for I can see red on crown of her head and a royal set of necklace with so many bangles which jingle making sweet music flow in the air as she turns her upper body again with hand holding the ring on her finger as she has it near her chest. Her waistband holding the duppata in place as it is tucked and more of which is flowing, her eyes only lined with kohl, and lips red, she is looking so beautiful. Nothing is matched but yet she is pulling this look like a queen.

Her eyes fall on me, and she stills. A minute after she walks more in the window nearing in the throne room cautiously. With her hands clasped near her chest I see, her hair kept neatly on left side as she finally stands on that balcony, ethereal I say.

"heavenly" a soft whisper comes in the silent room, resonating in fact a little. A soft smile comes on her lips as she lowers her hand and removes her flicks with another looking down. Never thought I will make her blush, funny if you ask me for all know she doesn't spare another glance to men she doesn't deem worthy.

Minutes later when she backs I realize the whisper was mine. The thought of her backing at the moment was so unbearable, I run upstairs knowing where is she exactly. This is my palace, isn't it so I know it well enough to reach my wife.

She is looking around on the ground floor leaning a bit in confusion. My shoes click and she turns to see me up here and close, with every step I take she comes back and away from the window. I stand directly across her and see her, "you look beautiful" I compliment still trying to control my lost mind, as she avoids my eyes. She looks at me finally with a small smile

I hear a soft thank you from her and close the distance little more. "grandma made you wear it?" she nods saying "she said the princess outfit is mine to keep"

"no one else will be able to pull it off better than you" I say softly, I fear if I say it out loud this moment might break and she just nods. As her eyes meet mine this time, I hold her gaze, for as long as she can bear. Her eyes change color to light brown as I see something different this time, not anger not judgment not pity but something else as I can a girl smiling and bouncing ever so gracefully, is this Ashi I see? The real Ashi?

We hear a snap and turn to see Zain is clicking pictures of us, "no carry on we are just leaving" he teases making movement to leave and I cross my arms in front, such a bad actor, "you found your ring?" Aditi asks from throne area down and Ashi smiles going to the window and lifts her left hand nodding a yes so happily. I see all are here, even grandma with others down.

"sorry to disturb but we wanted to capture girls in royal avatar" Zain says coming to me. I nod as Ashi rushes the way down I came up from, looking at her running around holding her lahenga, I think I can get used to life here, ruling and all.

Its really nothing, we royals are representatives to deal with public problems by loaning or granting permissions to use our land and all, that's why, its boring and doesn't intrigue me like business does. We move to the window to see Ashi meeting the girls down and showing her ring smiling, "she looks lovely" Zain says

"heavenly yeah" I say in my daze, looking at her as she giggles on something. Zain I think is talking about his wife, I'm talking about mine.

Alisha comes next to me with a servant holding a tray of grapes and juice behind her, keeping her arm on my shoulder she looks down at all. Typical Alisha, her outfit may change to whatever she wont, can someone replace my sister with a better one?

"so how was your magical meet?" she munches on grapes before asking "just like the olden days? Like it prince Randeep?" she turns and winks at me as me and Zain look at her with our jaws on floor. she did it on purpose, making Ashi run around the palace only for us to meet here, the ring didn't fell, she dropped it.

I shrug her arm off my shoulder and tug her hair, "you purposely did all that"

"duh, and you are supposed to rule?" she rolls her eyes mocking me.

"she is ill, idiot, cannot run like that. All this for a flimsy idea" now I roll my eyes as girls move out of sight.

"how?" she groans "how on earth will you be happy?"

"I am! Its just that" I sigh stopping, its no use, she did it for me at least she cared enough to bother, plus she didn't know. I smile "you should have recorded it" I say and she sighs

With a tight lipped smile she says "yeah next time" before asking "now little brother how do I look?" as she twirled, my sister can pull any avatar plus she is princess by birth so definitely she is beautiful, if only dev was here to see, she would be jumping by now. Zain clicks her picture twirling.

"like a brat you are" I show her my tongue to tease her earning a punch on my back which hurt, she might look thin but can hit perfectly, she moves out calling "behave before I make you" and I call out "lovely by the way"

"I know" she shouts waving but doesn't bother to look at us as her servant follows her.

Zain and I see her leaving, as she is out of sight, he turns to me "she is something, man. Did she get scary over time?"

"you have no idea come on" I shake my head, as sweet she is will always be guarded because of the loss we all bear of Shaurya, but still she is my best sister and honestly I'm happy she is happy and healthy which is more than enough for me.

We walk down to see our wives, I don't think I will be able to get enough of her today, I always knew she was beautiful, everyone did in fact. Her charm just lures you in, her smile and most of all her sweetness even though it is fake she manages to fool all of them to believe its real.

*

Entire day she was in that lahenga making it hard for me not to ogle, on many occasions the entire battalion of girls passed from where we were and all of us know to tease us and only Ashi was looking sorry for the boys, in fact by their 5th round she was bored I can tell.

She came in the room as I was working, I observed closely, as she entered her smile dropped and a huffing expression came, I discreetly sigh as she moved in the bathroom after roughly taking out her clothes. There we go, with her mood swings.

It was after I had completed my work, I prepared myself to face her, she is angry with me from the time I shouted at her and I know for sure I will be skinned, Ashi is anything but cool, her temper sometimes is worse than mine.

I am still justified though, I'm allowed to be angry if she is seeing someone for that is still against the contract, she said it herself, no drama is to be created and she has done exactly that.

She is in the balcony which happens to be an entire terrace though not big. She is seated on the swing bench looking ahead and I know she is lost, having no other option I sit beside her.

"you didn't tell me we will be doing any ritual here" she stated not bothering to look at me, her tone is different, Ashi never talks to me like this anymore, back when we used to work together it was so, now today it is affecting me and bad.

"do not talk to me like that" I said as calm as possible but she caught on, turning to look at me she raised an eyebrow.

"never, I repeat never Mr. Raichand raise your voice on me like this. I am not to be trifled with, the consequences might be more than you can handle" this is Ashi now, she is again on with her mood swings.

"don't tell me you are still angry about dinner, but I didn't know and I am sorry"

"I'm not" she said so simply, I think I don't even matter as of this moment. She walked to the railing and of course I went behind her, "I am not angry Randeep, isn't your first and sure as hell neither your last"

She is so cold, so distant, this is not Ashi not anymore at least "why so cold?" I see her fist turning white kept on the railing, I see her body moving as she takes a deep breath. "say it, we have been past this already"

"there is nothing to say" she turned her head to the other side saying "its late, go to bed Randeep"

Her voice so soft so defeated at the moment, I can see she is hurt, and it is truly surprising and sad that something as small as cooking can make her like this. I walk closing the gap and capture her in a back hug "tell me" she didn't struggle, didn't move even. A minute later, my arm draped around her shoulder felt wet, her tears dropped on it.

"why you? After all this time why–"

"because I loved you, because I pressurized you" I answer softly in her ear. To see the love of my life so broken was not something anyone wishes or even thinks. I loved her once and like her now, no way I can tell her or let her go.

The world can try, let alone Mr. Raichand, but I'm not letting her go, this is my Ashi, in months she has healed me more than any doctor in years, she is my peace now. She can love someone else but has it ruined for other girls in my life.

We were like that for some time and she didn't say anything, but didn't protest. This is the first time I'm holding her, actually holding her, when I felt her calming down I picked her and made way to the bed. Curling to me she closed her eyes, her face lined with worry, so much worry. Something happened with her and its not pretty whatever it is.

Laying her down, I was leaving to get on my own side when her whisper came "stay", her hands covering her body as she curls in herself with wet lashes closed as she tries to sleep. Then another one of "hate me" which took me by surprise but I continued nonetheless.

Getting on my side of bed I pull her to me and she doesn't protest instead hides herself in me, securing her in my arms I whisper things to her describing sweet night which works in making her asleep and stop shaking.

If there is something I have come to know of Ashi, she is always full of questions but today she was filled with hurt making the questions increase and curiosity grow in me.

*****

 im late but really im in turmoil right now and so if you feel chapter is missing something do tell me

also this is the 50th chapter, soon im posting the confession just a few more steps. congo to all who are witnessing the above moment with me

till next time then, that happens to be tomorrow after ages

sakshi