*Ali Pov*

"What do you mean that project is cancelled?" I asked my secretary frowning.

We just returned yesterday and I started planning my trip to Harsha's school, but my Father took another step to cause problems.

"His highness was adamant about this and because this is of simple matter none of the council allowed any time to deal about that." He explained and I know right then that he did this to want something from me.

"It is of simple matter at present, but later it will be a huge problem. I can't let him stop the plan for this water plant." I mumbled to myself and stood up to go and deal with him.

While walking towards his office, I started thinking how to make sure he doesn't put any objection to this plan and just let it happen.

"Father! I need you to not stop this water plant construction." I stated the moment I was allowed in his office room.

"Tell me why should I?" that's all he asked and for the next two hours I explained the details of the plant with the help of the notes the assigned engineer left at my table.

I don't why he is asking me all this when he was there in the meeting too. But I gave as much information I can and finally finished it.

"Okay!" that's all he said before taking the water plant contract and gave his seal.

That's it? I thought he will fight with me about it and make some demands, but he has just allowed it. Then why did he stop it in the first place?

"Are you planning something?" I asked, not able to stop myself.

If he is indeed panning something, then I know I should be prepared for anything he will throw at me.

"Why would I?" that's all he replied with and I need to leave the room for my meeting with the council about the plant which is the only reason I allowed to let go of his madness.

But I am not going to forget this incident and if another arises like this then I know I need to pull up my defenses before he can hurt anyone I love.

Love! How will she react if she knows that I am not just dating her, but I am wishing to even marry her and that I love her? I don't know for sure, but as far as her reactions until now, I can guess she will push me away.

That's even what her friend said and asked me to be patient with her. I want to be patient and let the events happen on their own, but after losing eight years of my life without anything to look back at, I don't want to waste any moment.

I planned to spend time with her everyday and make her come with me to meet Harsha but because of this project, I couldn't get any moment to go and meet her.

I thought as today I have meetings, it was difficult to meet her, but finally realizing even after five days, I didn't meet her even for a second due to tiredness, I decided to push myself from this and left the palace to reach her camp area.

"You?" that's the reaction she showed when I entered her tent to see her preparing to sleep.

"I think I am still your boyfriend." I mumbled, walking near to her and adjusted myself beside her on the cot.

"I think so." She mumbled, but settled herself placing her head on my chest.

"Finally free from your work?" she asked, trailing her fingers over my torso while staring at my face.

"No! But I dragged myself away from it, fearing you will give the reaction of 'who are you?' if I took a few more days to visit you." Hearing my reply she punched my ribs before chuckling at my pained expression.

"I didn't hit that hard and you are not that easy to forget. But there are a few things which are very easy to forget." She whispered the last words, moving her hand to caress my cheek.

"Like?" I asked, turning to my side to stare at her and she smiled before pressing her lips to mine whispering 'Like this!'.

********

"I missed you." She whispered, closing her eyes and I smiled before pulling her more into my arms.

"I will be leaving to Harsha's school tomorrow." Hearing my words she suddenly moved away from my arms and got down from the cot.

"It is good that you pointed that out otherwise I would have forgotten." She mumbled walking to her bags.

"Forgot what?" I asked her sitting up.

"This!" saying that she walked near to me holding some gift, with a hesitant smile covering her face.

"I went to the market place yesterday with Nick and I..." I cut her off showing my hand.

"You went out with that Nick?" I asked, remembering one of her team member who is always trailing behind her.

I remember him always walking up to her asking silly doubts and she just gives him a smile before explaining even those things.

"Yes! You remember him? He is a cute one." She said smiling while I just frowned at her.

"Cute? And you went out with him?" I asked her again and she stared at me for a few seconds before finally looking at me with a realization.

"You are jealous of Nick? Seriously?" she asked, laughing and walked near to me.

"I was bored and decided to go and he just gave me company as my boyfriend was very busy." She teased trailing her finger on my cheek.

"Right!" I mumbled and she laughed again before leaning over me to give a hug and before I can hug her back she moved away.

"I think one boyfriend one time is enough for me. Now, don't go into those stupid thoughts. He is a friend to me and he is actually interested in your Nisha." She rolled her eyes before placing the gift in my arms.

"I bought this for Harsha. Just give it to him." She smiled and I glanced at the gift before looking up to see her quite nervous about this.

"Bribing him with this gift to like you?" I asked her in a teasing tone but her face suddenly turned serious.

"I would never do that." Saying those words with force she moved to step away, but I immediately placed the gift on the floor before pulling her to me.

"Hey!" I whispered, but she continued to stare at something over my shoulder.

"I would never bribe a kid to like me." She repeated the words again with the same tone and this time I pulled her down and made her sit on my lap.

"I was joking, Nicole." Saying that I held her face and she finally glanced at me.

"I..." she stopped whatever she was trying to say before burying her head onto my chest and hugged me tightly.

We sat like that for a few minutes while I continued to replay what did I do for her to react like that. She was always first in joking or teasing others, but now she just... just lost it.

"I am sorry about that." Saying that she lifted her head finally in control.

"What happened? Why did you react like that?" I asked her frowning.

"Bribing and me don't go well and mainly when it happens between kids and elders." She whispered placing her head on my shoulder.

"Why?" I asked, wishing to know what hurt her in that way or who.

"Just leave it. I think I reacted over the top for a small thing." She replied, waving her hand and snuggled in my arms.

Generally, I would have left it like this if she is not comfortable, but somehow I don't want to miss this chance of getting to know her better and I can understand what can make her tick and never hurt her in this way even unintentionally.

"Tell me!" I whispered, moving her hair away from her face so that I can stare at her.

"I don't remember whether I tell you anything about this, but I will just keep it short." She mumbled opening her eyes to stare right at me.

"I loved my Dad and I felt like he was the best even though he always missed any school programs and slowly even dinner at home. But he always used to make for it with some toys or anything I ask him. When he left us and never came back saying he needs to explore, I realized he was just bribing me all that time. It was there right in front of my eyes when I slowly lost my Dad, but I was too stupid to realize." She explained to which I brushed her cheek to remove the tears.

"You were young." I whispered guessing it mainly and she nodded.

"I was just a kid and I know that. We both shifted from that place and got a new one where my Mom worked hard and I got my best friend Nev. Everything was fine, but another surprise was waiting for me. My Mom always wished for someone to be there for her and so it didn't take her long to get someone. I didn't like it because I got used to just two of us, but then Nev kind of made me understand and I tried to get used to it." She continued with a frown covering her face.

"But I didn't like my step-dad. He was really sweet to my Mom, but he was rude to me from the beginning. It's like he loves my Mom, but wished I was not there. I tried to tell my Mom, but she thought it's just me being a kid. She tried buying things for me as now we need not save money and all but I didn't like it. Even he tried to do the same and took my Mom away from me completely. That moment I felt like if he wasn't there in our lives then everything would have been fine. And I hated the bribing thing because it is actually a cover up for the real thing and everyone were like i was so lucky to have him as my step-dad. But Nev understood his facade because she believed me and she was the only one who did that. Even my Mom didn't believe me thinking he is a great step-dad because of this bribing thing and god i hate that word." Saying that she moved to stare at me.

"Thinking all this I still feel that maybe I misunderstood everything and maybe I hated my step-dad because he was just not my Dad. And that I was really being a stupid kid and nothing else. But somehow I know he may be suited as a life partner, but not as a Dad. If that makes me stupid then let it be. After that I hated all this Step parents things only, but then when I realized Nev got a good Step-Dad and Step-Mom, I know that concept is not that bad and it depends on the parents to consider even their kids' opinion before letting a new person enter their life. I am sure the kids are not that stupid." She chuckled, trying to lighten the situation, but I held her face before pressing my lips to her.

"Thank you!" I whispered, moving both of us back onto the bed and held her tightly before drifting off into sleep.

I woke up hearing my alarm and glanced at her to see that she is already awake and just staring at my face.

"When will you return?" she asked, smiling at me.

"Tomorrow evening! I don't know how the things are there and so I will just stay there for the night. It will take longer to travel to that school." I replied sitting up.

"I hope everything is fine there." She mumbled when I stood up holding the gift she gave for Harsha.

"Yeah! I need to make him talk with Jhanvi too. Yesterday I told her I am going to visit him and she immediately ordered me to let them talk to him." I explained and she gave a small nod smiling.

"Bye!" she said still smiling and I smiled back and took a step towards the entrance, but then turned around to stare at her.

"I will definitely take his opinion in this matter, but for me if it is not you then it will be no one." Saying those words I walked off before she can react.

What was I thinking? Didn't I decide I will go in a patient manner and will not terrorize her? Now along with pushing her I am not even staying with her to stop her from deciding anything drastic like breaking up with me or something.

I continued to scold myself even after reaching Harsha's school, but I let go of everything the moment I entered his room to see that he is sitting before the desk studying.

"Harsha!" I called him after the attendant left the room, keeping my bag on the floor.

He immediately turned around to stare at me in surprise and started smiling, but with the same speed he turned back to his desk like the moment didn't just occurred.

"Are you angry at me? I called your headmaster so many times to send you to the palace on weekends, but he told me you don't wish to. Was he lying to me, Harsha?" I asked, kneeling beside his chair.

"No!" he whispered and when I waited for him to say more he didn't.

I opened my mouth to tell him about Jhanvi but then stopped myself. Am I bribing him or what? I shook my head to come out of that doubt.

I am not bribing him. It is his right to talk to his Mom and after the way my Father played with his life, this is the least I can do. And Nicole didn't say anything about this being a bribe.

"You want to talk to your Mom?" I asked, taking my laptop out and he just nodded.

"Here!" I mumbled after calling her on Skype and placed it on his bed.

"How is he?" Jhanvi asked the moment the call got connected.

"Talk to him." I replied, smiling and placed the system on the bed before gesturing him to go there.

"I will go and talk to the headmaster." Adding that I left the room and reached the cabin to see that he is already waiting for me.

"I didn't lie about him rejecting the idea to come to the palace, Your highness." He said that before I can greet him.

"Yes! He just told me that. And he seems to be quieter than earlier." I mumbled, sitting down and he gave a nod.

"Is he facing difficulties in the school?" I asked him frowning.

"No! He is the best student. And he participates in everything. He is just like you, Your highness." He replied smiling.

"There were reasons for me being like that and I don't want him to be like that for those same reasons." I mumbled to myself but he gave an understanding nod.

"There are no problems at all?" I asked him again and he gave the same reply.

"Thank you for your help." I mumbled, standing up and he gave a small nod.

"He is a good kid, but seems lost sometimes." He commented when I was about to leave the room.

"I wish I can send him to the place where he is happy." I said, giving him a nod before walking away from his cabin.

When I reached Harsha's room, I can hear him laughing and I hear him saying, "It's Bhai, Lakshmi. Not Bha."

"She will learn soon." I can hear Jhanvi's voice.

"She is calling me Paa and I think you should be happy about Bha Harsha." Jay's voice passed and when I stepped into the room Harsha immediately took his smile away from his face.

"Hey!" I said, reaching near him to greet three of them.

"Hi! So, how is the prince business?" Jhanvi asked casually and I replied calmly.

"Dating anyone?" Jay asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Why are you interested in his dating life?" Jhanvi asked, rolling her eyes and I laughed sitting beside Harsha.

"Actually, I am dating someone." I replied and felt Harsha still beside me.

"Who is that? Tell me her name." Jhanvi asked, but I stared at harsha who is not looking at me.

"Now who is interested?" They both started bickering, but I continued to stare at Harsha.

Does he have a problem with dating but he is fine with Jay, right? I continued to stare at him and looked away when both Jhanvi and Jay started calling my name.

"What is her name?" Jhanvi asked again.

"Her name is Nicole and she is an archeologist at present working near the palace." I replied and she smiled at me.

"Lost interest on Indian people?" Jay asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I forgot! Last week, I came to Kolkata to attend a wedding. Nicole's best friend got married and we stayed for one week." I talked to them about the visit and after some time we cut the call.

"Had lunch?" I asked Harsha and he nodded.

"You like Jay, right?" I asked him frowning.

"Yes! He makes Mom happy." He replied finally smiling at me.

"I wish you can come home sometimes. You can spend some time with me and you can meet Nicole too. You will like her." I said, smiling and he didn't give any reaction.

Slowly, with the day passing, he became comfortable with me and I can see the Harsha he was before he came here.

"Harsha! I want you to tell me whatever problem you are facing here." I pleaded him at night, but he continued to say that he is happy here and everything is fine.

Next morning when I got ready to leave, I knelt before him asking, "After two weeks, I will send the jet to the school. If you want to come, ask headmaster's permission and can come directly. Is it fine for you?"

"You can meet Nicole and the work they are doing is really interesting. I forgot one thing." Saying that I took the gift from my bag and gave it to him.

"She bought it thinking you will like it." I added and he slowly unwrapped the gift.

I saw that it is just a mold kit, but when I looked at the moldings I smiled before opening them completely.

"These are the moldings of very historic places in our kingdom. Each one of it has a story, Harsha." I explained and I can see him staring at them with new interest.

"I told her generally that you loved when I took you to the tour of the palace asking all the questions." I mumbled smiling.

"Do you like it?" I asked him and he gave a smile at the kit.

"Will you come home this time?" I asked again, hoping that he will.

"I will come home." He replied, nodding and I hugged him smiling before standing up when I heard a knock on the door from the attendant about the jet.

"I must go! Enjoy more and take care. If you need anything, ask your headmaster." Pressing a kiss to his forehead I walked off smiling.

When I first entered his room, I felt scared when he was not responding but now at the end I have this hope that whatever is causing him trouble can be removed and with Nicole's help everything can be settled but first I have to see how is she doing after my words blast that she is the one for me.

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Hey guys!!! i know again late update but now i will be going into the action form mostly... Harsha will be the main thing from now on and i having a few problems with that because of his age but i am going along with it because i think age doesnt matter when something stuck in your head...

anyway, how is the chap???

comment plz and vote...