A FEW WORDS:
Payal - Anklet
Yuvraj - Heir to the throne
Shubh ratri - (Have a) Good night
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❝There is always a little madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.❞
Friedrich Nietzsche

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THE Queen walked through the marble halls painted by the setting sun. Her footsteps echoed in the deserted hallways in harmony with the sweet music made by her payal.

She trudged the wide corridors until she walked up to the humongous aurelian doors which were standing ajar. The room normally had a dreadful aura to it, one which was engraved with the helpless silent screams of the countless men which had fallen dead on the earth or the splatter of blood on the tall walls but today? Today, it felt as if the terrible cries had left the room, leaving it alone in its nostalgic glory.

It felt strange to the queen. A place which had known nothing but fear had a certain change to it but she couldn't put her finger on it. Was it perhaps hopefulness? Arrogance? Pride?

The queen couldn't tell.

Akira walked in and saw a silhouette standing near the window – which was situated on the east wall, lying parallel to the huge bed – looking out at the scenery which lied ahead. The room was silent other than the low chirps from outside and the silent music by her payal. The faint sunlight from the window contradicted with the slight darkness inside the chambers itself, causing the queen to quite not be able to make the man's face.

He stood tall with broad shoulders and a rather athletic physique but that was all she could see.

Akira took two more steps ahead, her anklet chiming against her skin and filling the quite room in its song. The figure turned around to look at the queen. At last Akira could make out his features.

He stood taller than the queen, atleast four to five inches taller, his ink black hair was ruffled in a messy way, as if no effort was put in. And it was something which she had never seen someone from royalty do. His face looked as if it was crafted by the greatest of artisans, artisans who had taken their time in him and halted the world to look after him. Brown captivating eyes, a sharp jawline that complimented the mess of his hair. He might as well have claimed he was crafted by gods and people would have believed, there was no doubt about that. 

But that is not what made him so captivating. It was the fact that Akira found him completely contradicting – he looked intimidating but the softness in his eyes and the inviting smile was anything but intimidating. He behaved as if he was anything but royalty but the way he held himself up screamed confidence and royalty. He seemed distant and cold but yet the queen could she could feel his warmth seeping through him and in the cracks of her own bones. 

The man took unhurried steps towards the queen. His gaze as sharp as an icy dagger, "Maharani Akira Singh" He addressed her as he bowed down. His voice rung through the formely empty room.

The queen smiled as she examined the man in front of, her tone imitating his, "Yuvraj Kartik Chauhan"

The Yuvraj took the Queen's hands in his and placed a gentle kiss as he looked into her eyes, "You look simply gorgeous."

The queen laughed, her head thrown back ever so slightly as a formal exchange, "I have heard better compliments from my handmaidens and courtiers, Yuvraj."

The man let go of the sovereign's hands as a smirk played on his lips. He dared not to break the eye contact, "Well, I will try harder next time then."

"So sure that there will be a next time?" The queen raised her eyebrows, a challenging expression gracing her features.

The Yuvraj answered back right away, "One can only hope."

The queen shook her head slightly as a plastic smile made its way to the threshold of her lips. She inspected the foreign monarch yet again. Analyzing him for something she could pick up on.

'He's quick-witted, he didn't come to play a game he knows he will lose.' Akira thought.

"Care to sit down, Yuvraj?" Akira gestured to the set of divans which had been graced by all the now-very-dead suitors.

"After you, Maharani." He bowed down yet again as he motioned for her to go ahead.

The queen sat on her usual place with the man right in front of her. She placed her sword next to her, displaying it in its eternal grandeur. Akira sighed a moment later and stood up from her seat, walking away from the prince and confusing the Yuvraj in the process. He looked at her through narrow eyes, calculating the queen's moves in case he had to defend himself.

"Don't look at me like that Yuvraj. I am not going to kill... not yet atleast." The queen breathed out as she trudged towards the bedside table where a bottle of wine was kept, "Interested in a drink?"

An amused laugh escaped the crowned prince's lips, "I think I am aware of the 'infamous tale' of Rajkumar Varun, so, no. But thank you so much for offering."

Akira turned towards the suitor with the bottle still in her hand. A hurt expression infiltrated her features, "Is that how low you think of me?" But the sadness was soon substituted with a sly smile, "I don't repeat the same method twice Yuvraj, I'm pretty creative. I thought you would know."

She walked back to her seat and sat back, "It a shame to drink alone," opening the bottle, she raised it in his direction, "but your wish is my command."

"So," Akira started slowly, repeating the question she has asked every suitor who had ever decided to meet her as she sipped the wine directly from the bottle, "Why do you want to marry me Yuvraj?"

"Love" The stranger replied, looking right in the queen's warm brown eyes, "That's all. I am here to look for love. I could have ruled a kingdom back home but love? It's something I aspire to find here."

She knew the answer before it had left his mouth, this is, after all, what all the others had said but it did genuinely surprise her that the words had rolled off his tongue like they were the absolute truth. No rehearsed lines, just a simple, straightforward truth. Akira laughed coldly, her hands clutching the delicate glass bottle firmly, "Then you're in the wrong place, Yuvraj." 

The man shrugged, too stubborn to be broken down by the queen's words, "I can bet you that I am in just the right place, Maharani."

"Aren't you just too sure of your abilities?" The queen put down the bottle on the table between them. The small clink created by the glass was soon lost in the vast room.

The heir just smiled, "I am aware of what I am capable of Maharani, that's all."

"What are you really here for, Yuvraj?"

A smile danced on his lips, "You're very persistent aren't you, Maharani? Very well, I am not here for love. I'm here because I love challenges and you're the greatest one I've heard of."

"A challenge?" Her eyebrows shot up and she eyed the man in front of her.

'Maybe not as quick witted as I thought he was.'

"Challenges are the only thing that give a little colour to my mundane life, so yes, a challenge. I wish to win you over."

The two monarchs sat in vicious silence as the anticipation of the future hung heavy in the air. Akira could pick up the sword lying beside her right away and strike it against his neck, instantly killing him. How hard will it be after all? He might put a fight, yes but it's nothing she couldn't handle but something didn't quite fit to her. The stranger hadn't done anything suspicious yet, nor had he dared to utter a word that could get him killed. He had planned his moves smartly. Very smartly, if the queen was telling the truth.

Akira knew his motive. Every suitor who ever came here had the same motive – ending her reign – but killing him right away didn't quite seem right to her. She had to understand his plan of action before she put a stopper to his life, that way she could protect herself and her kingdom from any future advances.

After having that tiring battle of thoughts, Akira finally stood up, "I think you should go rest, the journey must have been tiring."

The foreigner looked puzzled. He had expected for the Queen to atleast try to harm him but nothing had happened, not yet atleast. After a quick calculated thought, he nodded and stood up. Akira called out and a handmaiden walked in.

"Radhika" Akira said as she referred to the handmaiden, "Guide Yuvraj Kartik to the other guest chamber, this one has..." She paused and looked the suitor in the eyes, "It has quite an interesting history. I will make sure that he gets a proper tour of the palace tomorrow."

The handmaiden bowed and nodded.

Kartik nodded with a slight smirk, his eyes lighting up with innocent delight, "Shubh ratri, Maharani."

Akira gave a small nod as the two walked past her to the huge doors which were facing her back. She could see the stranger silently enjoying the fact that he had just walked out of the room alive unlike the various before him.

"Yuvraj" Akira called just as he was exiting the room and turned around to face him, a worry line adorned his forehead as he turned around too, "Yes?"

"I have eyes everywhere in the castle, so, don't even try to do something you're not supposed to otherwise—"

Akira knocked the opened bottle of wine kept on the table to the marble floor and with a shrill crash, it broke into a million pieces. The blood-red liquid was now covering the formerly pearl-white marble, "otherwise this wine on the floor will be replaced by your blood and it will be quite a sight to see."

The foreign monarch looked a little fazed as he glanced at the spilled wine but he soon covered up his intimidated expression with a small smile.

"Try not to die, Yuvraj." The queen said as she picked up her sword from the divan and looked at the fractured shards of glass. "That will be quite a challenge."

A smirk made its way to his physiognomy as he ran a light hand through his hair, Akira felt infuriated at his smug actions but decided to say nothing, "I will try my best."

Kartik bowed down slightly once again before he walked out of the room and the queen let him go out unharmed.

Akira clutched the sword in her hands and walked out after him.

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The Maharani walked through the silent corridors which were only filled with distant laughter of the royal staff or the sweet sound of the gushes of wind flowing past her. 

Suddenly there was a shadow, a shadow lurking at the end of the corridor. Akira grabbed her sword firmly as she took thorough steps towards the fidgeting shadow. She reached the end of the corridor with the sword tightly gripped in her hands and two figures emerged.

Akira raised her sword to defend herself when a familiar shrill voice filled the deserted hallway, "It's us!"

The Maharani put down the lethal weapon, a look of confusion setting over her features, "Aziza, Shree?"

"Yes us." Shree said as she looked at the alarmed sovereign.

"Were you seriously going to attack us?" Aziza asked as she slyly grinned.

Akira shook her head tiredly, "I was going the attack the people lurking in the hallways like predators."

"Well, we were coming here to check up on you." Shree defended herself and the commander who stood beside her.

"Check up on me?" The ruler raised an eyebrow.

Aziza started, "Well we saw the 'aspiring groom' leave he room unharmed, so we just wanted to check if everything was alright."

Akira sighed, pushing the picture of the foreigner from her head, "Everything is fine, don't worry about it." The sovereign started walking and her friends followed behind.

"Okay?" Shree muttered as she glanced at Aziza.

"So, how was the man?" Aziza asked, uncertainty lacing her voice.

The three friends were quite for a while but then Akira spoke up, "Suspicious."

The Maharani stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at her friends, "Shree, do me a favor. Send a letter to Kirtipuram and ask them if their Yuvraj had decided to suddenly grace our palace with his presence and tell them to answer back as soon as they get the letters."

Shree looked unsure but nodded nonetheless as Akira continued, "I believe if you send out a letter right now, we will most certainly get the answer back by tomorrow afternoon."

"And Azi" Akira looked at the commander general who perked up as soon she heard her name, "Tell two of our finest soldiers to keep an eye on him at all given times."

Aziza nodded slowly, her narrow eyes were filled with confusion as she finally asked, "Are you sure everything's alright?"

Akira nodded, giving them both a small shrug, "I just don't trust this man one bit."

Shree fidgeted with a pin in her hair, "Why?"

"Everything about him raises a red flag. His actions, thoughts, his charm - everything seems much like a charade and I want to make sure I know what I am up against before I eliminate him. Not to mention that, he doesn't act like royalty at all." Akira paused, "Maybe I read too much into the lines but better to be safe than sorry."

Aziza and Shree exchanged a known glance as they both nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, I will see you both tomorrow. Hopefully we'll have some new information by tomorrow." Akira gave the two a slight smiled at them and turned around, walking towards her room, "Shubh ratri."

As soon as she entered her room, she went up to the table where the Ekam nagar map from today morning lied opened and she pulled out another one from the side where three other maps were rolled and kept.

The curtains on the window danced silently with the wind as the queen looked at the hand-drawn lines and terrains on the newly-opened map.

'Kirtipuram' she could see the name of the kingdom written in her baba's cursive handwriting. It was a kingdom situated far away from her land.

Akira tapped her index finger on the distant foreign kingdom as she drowned in her own thoughts about the stranger in her palace.

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A/N - Our main man finally made an entry. Till now he's smart and stuff but how long will that last? Will he finish the challenge or will he too be left in the dust?
Stay tuned and find out :)

Also, thank you to anyone who has read the story till now, it means a TON.
Stay safe, stay evil♥️
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