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Nandani POV

Ruhani helped me to get ready for my Henna Ceremony which was about to be started now.

"Look at yourself,"

Ruhani said catching my attention and I lifted my eyelids to look at myself in the mirror. The plain yellow attire was looking extravagant on me. My hair was tied neatly into a long braid and my hands were empty.

"Shall we go?"

Ruhani asked and I nodded.

My mind was engrossed in the thoughts of what Rudra was planning and what the physician said. I did not know but now I was actually hating him for doing that in my unconscious. 

I gulped and we both walked towards the hall where the ritual needed to be performed.

"Sit here,"

My mother said and I sat on the couch. I spread both of my arms, giving them to henna artists to let them begin with their work. It was almost late evening by the time we started the ceremony.

I looked at people roaming from here to there to wrap up the wedding preparations as soon as possible.

"Show me,"

Ruhani came to sit beside me and leaned in to look at my hand half done with the henna designs.

"Beautiful,"

She commented and I smiled weakly.

"When are you going to start applying it?"

I asked her and she smiled inhaling a deep breath.

"Have to change before getting my hands all messed up, because after that I cannot change and I cannot sleep in these fancy outfits,"

I smiled and leaned into her ear muttering in a slow voice.

"Why change? Apply the henna and let your romantic husband do it for it,"

She chuckled and her cheeks turned red with my suggestion.

"Ruhani, come here,"

Suddenly, the voice of her mother caught our attention and we both looked in her direction. She was standing in the middle of the place ready to dance to the beats of the instruments available there.

Ruhani giggled and stood up to run to her.

Music started playing and I laughed looking at both the mother and daughter duo matching their steps on the folk music. Both of the jumpings, taking rounds and the noise of her anklets bells roaming in the whole of the place.

"Ohhhhh myyy goddddd!,"

Ruhani's father and other men just entered and he interrupted looking at them.

"No one invited us for this item number,"

He said passing his glass to an attendee standing beside him. Jumping in the middle he started showing his steps.

My eyes teared up laughing looking at them and I looked at Haider who also slowly joined them by taking rabbit steps.

"Woaaahhhhhhhhhh,"

People applauded for them and suddenly Ruhani's mother pulled my mother into the place. She adjusted her dupatta and that time Ruhani's father stepped back letting the ladies take up the dance floor.

My mother also started dancing in an ethical way. Matching her steps with the beats, and I just looked at her smiling her heart out after such a long time.

And, suddenly I felt my arms held by Ruhani and she exclaimed.

"Come, dance,"

She pulled me to stand up and dragged me to the middle of the hall.

"No, Ruhani, I am good,"

I tried to say but she looked at me.

"For once, please feel happy... You do not deserve any of it,"

She said and my lips curved into a weak smile hearing her.

"Yes,"

I started and joined her in dancing but was careful not to mess up my still-wet, half-done henna.

I matched the steps to the beats and my lips curved into the broadest smile enjoying the dance. My heavy lehnga flared up with the spins and I looked at my grandmother looking at me with love and tears in her eyes.

She came closer and applied the Kohl behind my ear, taking it from the corner of her eyes lovingly.

And, suddenly while dancing from the corner of my eyes, I saw the slight image of him standing in the extreme corner of the hall.

I immediately stopped spinning and looked there again and my sight landed on him.

He was standing in the corner, the safest place where no one could notice him. His bicep supported him against the wall and his eyes darted to me. Butterflies erupted in my stomach as I held his intense gaze. His face was emotionless, and I just froze in my steps.

But, then suddenly the words of that physician reminded me in my brain and I inhaled a sharp breath. Shooting a death glare in his direction, I continued with my dancing.

And, after the other two spins, I again looked into that corner and surprisingly was not there anymore.

"Come here,"

Suddenly, Ruhani's voice caught my attention as she made me walk towards the couch again where the artists were waiting for my henna to continue.

I sat back and they again started with their work.

My mind was once again blurred with the same thoughts. The wedding, the betrayal, the hate, the decision I made, whatever going through was really hitting on my nerves. But, before that, I had to think of a way with which I could win the King's trust and after which Rudra would not interfere in my wedding.

"Princess, do you want the husband's name in the design?"

Suddenly, the henna artist asked and my attention was diverted to her.

"What?"

I did not listen carefully to what she said. 

"The groom's name in the design, henna design,"

She repeated and I gulped not knowing what to answer.

"No name,"

I started and she looked at me for a little longer and then eventually turned her eyes low on her work.

The ceremony continued till late evening and the sky fell darker.

By the time the day ended, the convoy and the King from the Suryagarh also arrived.

I went back to my chamber and now my heart was really sinking because the King was here and now the Physician would tell him everything.

No, I was not tense about my virginity because it was just a way of looking at things but I did not want the King to bring up the issue and moreover I did not want my plan to flop.

"Nandani,"

Suddenly, the voice of Suman caught my attention and she filled me with the information.

"The King has entered his guest chamber,"

I nodded and looked at her.

"Stop the physician from reaching the King. I want to see him first,"

I started and she lifted her eyebrows with confusion.

"What are you planning?"

She asked and I gulped.

"A night with the King, so he would not question my virtue and after that Rudra would not interfere,"

I started and she immediately asked in a shocked and surprised voice.

"What????"

I immediately shot an angry glare towards her reminding her about the volume of her voice.

"What???"

She asked again and I nodded.

"Yes,"

"But, Nandani that is dangerous, wrong and you cannot do this, you should not do this,"

I smiled and looked at her.

"Everything is fair in love and war. And, the irony is I have both the emotion for him, so everything is fair for me,"

I started and she gulped nervously.

"Nandani, please think again. This is way too dangerous,"

And, I immediately interrupted.

"No, it would not,"

She lifted her eyebrows with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"You have to get me a medicine that would make the King get unconscious because I cannot sleep with him for real. I would just pretend that I have slept with him. And, you have to bring Rudra to his chamber anyhow in late midnight. So, he would see me coming out of the King's chamber. Then, I will get kidnapped by him wholeheartedly,"

I exclaimed and she looked at me with fear in her eyes.

"No, you will not do this pleaseeeee. If you want to be with him, then discuss, talk, this is not the way,"

"Shhhhhhh-hhhhhh,"

I interrupted and held her shoulders.

"This is between him and me, Suman. He started this dirty game, let me end it his way only,"

She inhaled a deep breath.

"But, Nandani,"

I shook my head slowly and looked at her.

"Just do as I say,"

I started and continued.

"And, for now, help me remove my henna and get me a fresh pair of clothes,"

She looked at me confusingly and eventually nodded.

Leaving me she brought me a vessel full of water, after helping me remove my henna designs she helped me change into a fresh pair of clothes.

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on my door.

"Nandani,"

The voice of my mother caught my attention and Suman stepped towards the door, opening it for her.

My sight fell on her and my father standing outside with the plate of food in their hands.

They stepped inside and I looked at them.

"We thought maybe we can have dinner together,"

My father said and I inhaled a sharp breath looking at them with soft eyes.

"You should have called me,"

My mother kept the plate on the table and looked at me.

"It's alright,"

She sat and my mother patted my head lightly.

"Come, sit,"

I nodded and sat in the middle of them on the couch.

Unknowingly my eyes were getting filled with tears as my father initiated making the bites for me. He forwarded his hand toward my mouth and I shakingly opened it for him.

Chewing lightly, a lone tear fell from my eyes seeing their love and my mother exclaimed.

"Tomorrow is the last day of yours in the Kingdom. Daughters are meant to leave their parents. I do not know why they made this kind of ritual but since it is the order of things, we also have to bid goodbyes, sooner or later,"

Her voice turned emotional as I saw her speaking to me with a heavy and hoarse tone.

And, suddenly my father interrupted.

"Nandani, it is not late yet. I would just love to hear that you have changed your mind about marrying the King. I mean, we still can find you a better suitor who will be of your age, brave and strong. And, about the consequences, trust me, we can handle them,"

He said and I looked at him with pleading eyes.

"You know, father, growing up I have spent my days with the normal people, the kids of the soldiers, their wives. I mean we live in the Kingdoms but they literally long for their family. The soldiers serve us day and night and their family craves them. How can I risk the lives of thousands of people when we can silently establish a peace treaty between two kingdoms? Sorry, but I do not allow that especially when I am the reason for the whole mess,"

I started and he inhaled a sharp breath looking at me.

"That means, you still are in your thoughts,"

"Very much,"

I confirmed and my mother continued feeding me. I also forwarded my hand to feed them and we spent a beautiful time together eating.

They did not discuss about my brother but I knew they were hurt too. For them, it was like a cold battle between two brains, two siblings and siblings that were twins.

They left me and told me to rest and it was the big day ahead tomorrow.

I nodded to them and closed the door once they left. I had to get back to work. As the night grew darker, I covered my head with the simple veil so no one could recognize that I was a princess and sneaked out of my chamber.

Walking towards the King's chamber, I was carefully looking from side to side not letting anyone see me this late at night.

When I reached I saw that Rudra was not there and the soldiers looked at me.

I slowly asked them to tell the King that I came here to meet him. Beside me, Suman was there holding a plate with a jug of juice and a glass.

The soldiers came back after asking the King and let me go inside.

My sight fell on the King all set to go to bed and he looked at me.

"Nandani, what are you doing here this late at night?"

He asked and I was literally shivering with the fear I was feeling with the idea of thoughts that I had to form into words.

"I came here to have a word with you,"

I said, still holding my veil, covering my face.

"What?"

He asked.

"The physician came to me in the day and checked me and she is in the view that the fact that I am a virgin or not cannot be established,"

I started and he looked at me.

"Ohh, that means you are n-"

"No, I am,"

I cut him off and continued.

"I have never been touched before. I do not know what made her think that she could not conclude about it but I think, now that I am here. You can yourself find it out,"

I finished and he immediately asked.

"What?"

I inhaled a sharp breath and continued.

"Yes, You are an experienced man. I hope you would know better than anyone else and since you are going to be husband tomorrow, I do not see any problem in it,"

I stated and my ear caught the noise of Suman pouring the juice into the glass.

She held it and walked towards the King.

"Your acceptance of the glass of juice from my side would hold an positive answer for me,"

I exclaimed and he calculatingly picked up the glass and muttered in a slow voice.

"Of course,"

He stated and had the juice sip by sip.

"You can leave,"

He finished and said to Suman.

Now, my heartbeats were really going insane with the fact that Suman was leaving me alone with him. My fingers were trembling and my whole body shivered when he suddenly said.

"Come, join me on the bed,"

I gulped and slowly started taking steps towards him. My heart was beating insanely and I was just waiting for him to pass out quickly. Through the veil I saw him laying over the bed, he blinked and by the time I reached closer to the edge of the bed, he drifted into sleep.

"Phewwwwww,"

I exhaled a breath of peace and immediately took my steps back.

I wanted to run but I had to wait till Rudra would come back outside his chamber as the King's guard. 

I patiently waited past midnight and suddenly the noise of cuckoo caught my ear. It must be Suman as I asked her to intimate me whenever Rudra would come back to the place of his duty.

I messed up my hair a little and removed a few of my bangles, tapping on my cheeks I made them turn bright red with the blush.

I gulped and opened the door of the chamber.

And, suddenly Rudra turned to look at me and his face changed from emotionless to absolute shock and then his sight looked at me from up to down.

"What the hell are doing here"

He asked and I immediately stepped outside, closing the door behind me.

"Lower your voice, the King just slept,"

And, he immediately cupped my neck, pushing me against the wall beside.

"What the hell are you doing here? Nandani,"

He asked and I saw his eyes turning red with anger, his face filling with madness and the tightness increasing in his hand against my neck.

"What do you think the King and I were doing past the mid night, just a before a day our wedding,"

I tried to mutter and he tightened his grip, stepping forward.

Tears collected in my eyes and my eyes shut close with my head falling backwards with the pain.

"Do not you dare say that,"

He muttered and I looked at his eyes turning teary with the heights of anger and madness. 

My lips parted with the pain and I held his wrists trying to get off his hold and muttered in a slow voice.

"A scar you gave to me and a scar I gave to you. We are even now,"

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Nandani is insane, she knows no limit to anger, revenge and games. I mean, she is hella dangerous for Rudra.

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