Manik was walking towards Nandini's house when he stopped suddenly and looked towards the commotion created not far from him. At first he frowned slightly. The sevikas running here and there while the scream could be heard now and then.

"What's happening there?" He asked.

"Samrat, that place is where the foreigners staying currently" Pallav replied immediately.

"Oh, them?" Manik nodded. He was still looking towards the commotion and was about to step forward when Nandini's voice reached his ear.

"Samrat?" Manik turned to see Nandini walked out of the house. She slowly walked towards him.

"I was coming to you" Manik said and another scream echoed. Both of them turned to look at the scene again. Now the few guards went towards the house and stood at door while the foreign king walked in the middle entering the house in rush.

Nandini smiled when she saw that. She felt satisfaction blooming in her heart. When Manik turned to look at her he caught her expression and raised an eyebrow.

"You are still making trouble?" He asked.

Nandini abruptly turned to look at him, "what are you saying Samrat? I couldn't get your point" she put an innocent expression.

Manik gestured her with his eyes, "still not?"

Nandini pursed her lips, "how can you blame me all the time? It's not my doing. Besides I have just given the experience how does it feel like to taste the own medicine" she replied twisting the words.

"You really know how to explain yourself" Manik sighed.

"It's still not my fault" she said again.

"Of course, I understand it well" he nodded. "Let's go, dinner is waiting for us" he grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him.

"Dinner? Where?" Nandini was confused.

"Pradhan is organising a small banquet tonight and we are invited" he replied as he started to walk dragging her with him.

"Didn't we had lunch with them?" Nandini frowned.

"It's not bad to join in dinner too. Besides it's always sounds rude to decline the invitation when we are living in their place.

"Samrat can you please walk a little slower?" Nandini asked as she found it hard to match his fast pace. In reality she is not habituated with the walking pace of other girls but her cloths are not giving her the comfort to walk fast and match his pace. She always likes those assassin cloths and rarely present herself in womanly form.

Hearing her Manik stopped and looked at her, "you are getting slower now" he said to her.

Nandini frowned. Is he complaining now? Her heart filled with dissatisfaction. What's wrong with him? It was him, only because of him I was forced to wear such cloths much to my annoyance and now he was even insulting me? The nerve of this man. She cursed in her heart.

Manik observed her reacting, "what? Are you cursing me in that little head of yourself?"

Nandini forced a smile, "How could I dare to do such thing Samrat? You are just little thoughtful"

Manik smirked and leaned towards her. Nearing their faces he looked into her eyes, "even though you are cursing, it won't help you" he said making her expression to twist more.

Behind them, Pallav, Isha and Purna stood lowering their head. They stood like a statue and behaved like they didn't even exists at the current moment.

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Parisa huffed, her breath was heavy and her heart beat was racing. It felt like her heart was beating like a loud drum without stopping and it could pop out any moment from the cage of her chest. She raised her hand and clutched her chest.  Her room was in total mess. She was sitting on bed in fear. She ordered her maids to throw the snake in that woman's room yet she don't understand how it ended up reaching hers. She was always scared of snakes, and the moment it fell near her foot she felt like her soul just flew out of her body.

"Are you alright?" When she heard her husband's voice she looked up. Jawed sat beside her in worry while she hold onto his arm like her life was hanging on it.

"Shah, please don't go. I am too scared" her forehead was sweating rapidly. Jawed pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweats from her forehead.

"Don't worry, I won't go anywhere. You need to relax. There's no snake anymore. Nothing will happen to you"  Jawed said trying to console her. He knew how much she is scared of snakes.

"I ..." Parisa pursed her lips.

"I am here, alright" he sighed. "That snake is always kept safely. How did it come out like that and also appeared in your room?" He asked. He always kept that snake away from her safely and guarded it well. But to his surprise it ended up in her room scaring her.

"I .... don't....I .." Parisa stammered. She don't know how to explain this things. She knew he would definitely get angry on her when he hears what she has done. But at this moment she was more scared of the scene of the snake than the scolding of her husband.

Jawed somehow understood seeing her hesitation. He shook his head and pulled her in his arm. "I told you, it won't disturb you anymore. You need to relax your body. Your room is in mess, I will take you to my room to rest" saying this he picked her up in bridal style before walking out of the room. Parisa hold onto him hiding her face in his chest. The scenary of the snake in her room was too scary and she really don't think she would be able to forget it at any cost.

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Next day Nandini was enjoying her tea while her sevikas stood behind her. Isha got some interesting news to share.

"I heard that the sevikas of Parisa were punished by the king. They were all kneeling on the ground since last night"

Nandini frowned, "since last night? The work was suggested by someone yet the consequences were taken by another one? It seems like the foreign king favours his wife too much"

"Prizzi it also said that the Queen was so scared that she even screamed in the middle of the night. And now she caught fever. The king took her in his room and a vaidya was also arranged to check on her" Isha replied.

Nandini put the tea cup on the small wooden table, "I didn't know the woman who wears ego on her head like a crown would be this scared of a snake" she sighed, "what a pity! She has to reap what she sow"

"Prizzi do you want to do anything to her?" Purna asked.

"Is there any need?" Nandini smiled, "I don't think so. She is already suffering from her own action, what's there to add more. Rather I find it's more satisfying to see such a scene"

"The foreign king seems to be cared about her too much. The expression on his face was really opposite of what he showed that day" Isha said.

"I have never seen a man to be this commited to a woman in relationship" Nandini added before smiling, "alas! This makes people a little envious of her" she sighed then looked at Isha, "what about Gangghor? Is there any news from the palace?"

"Medha sent a letter yesterday. It stated that Maya and Sambhara is competing eachother while dealing with the responsibility given by Rajkunwari herself. There's also another thing, Rajrani is meddling in the fight too" Isha informed.

Nandini smiled, "of course she will. Afterall she has placed her hopes on her niece, how can she let her suffer any trouble? Besides to compare Maya and Sambhara, Maya is smarter than her. So Sambhara would need a helper to deal with Maya"

"Prizzi what if they create chaos?" Purna frowned.

"They won't dare, if they want to live in peace after I return they must remember my words" Nandini smiled, "besides when it's a matter of favour, no one would want to give up, could they?"

Later Nandini met Pramita in the temple. After attending the morning Puja, they both sat on the temple stairs whole talking.

"I heard that the Queen got fever. I hope she gets well soon" Pramita shook her head, "this kind of thing never happened before. She was all fine yesterday, how come she suddenly got fever out of nowhere?"

"It could be because of changed weather" Nandini replied, "besides I heard that she encountered something yesterday which made her scare, it could be because of that too"

"I don't know. Things are changing now. I just hope that everything settles without any trouble. Besides Samragyi, your waiting days are coming to an end soon and then I guess the day is closer when we are about to say good bye" Pramita said sighing.

Nandini was about to reply when the Pujari came to them. He was holding some flowers in his hand, "Samragyi, the day of second Puja is coming soon. But before that we have to perform a Puja to Chandradev. But his Puja couldn't be done without a flower called, moon flower"

"But that flower only grows in the forest" Pramita said.

Pujari nodded, "yes, we need that flower to complete the puja"

"It's fine Pujariji, please tell me how to identify it" Nandini said stopping Pramita who wanted to say something.

"Samragyi you can't find the flower in day time. It started to bloom in the evening and stay all night blooming till morning. So you could only pick it at night. It is white in colour and large in size" the Pujari replied. "Please arrange for the flower so that I can start preparing for the puja" saying this the pujari left.

"Samragyi, it's hard to find that flower" Pramita immediately said seeing the pujari left. "Why don't I ask the village people to get it for you?"

"There's no need. Since this is a tradition, it have to be done. Just tell me where can I find it exactly" Nandini smiled as she answered.

"Samragyi, are you planning to find it yourself?" Pramita asked looking shocked.

Nandini nodded, "this tradition has been successive of our royalty. And as the member of royalty I should do it myself. You don't have to worry about me actually, just help me find the location"

Seeing the resolute expression Pramita was also relaxed. She don't know why Nandini looked so calm even in this situation. Without thinking much she nodded her head.

"I heard this kind of flowers could be seen in the eastern part of the forest near the pond. Though I have never seen it myself but those who went to forest has witnessed it themselves. The time of blooming is in two days. But how much true it is I couldn't justify" Pramita replied.

"It's fine, as long as I have something to carry on. I have to inform Samrat too. So I will see you later"

"Yes, of course" Pramita nodded and watched Nandini walking away with her sevikas.

Nandini met Manik after that. She told him about her planning. Manik frowned when he heard she wanted to go to forest to find the flowers.

"You don't have to go there by yourself. I will ask Pallav to do it"

"Why is that?" Nandini questioned. "Samrat this is the tradition and the reason of the puja is us. How can you neglect this point? Besides it's not Pallav who is going to sit in the puja" she frowned, "it's just a matter of finding a flower"

"Since when you are dedicated yourself to such tradition?" He asked.

"Since you married me and forced me to take part in everything you do" she retorted back.

The corner of Manik's lips twitched desperately. This woman won't give up untill she gets what she wants isn't it? He shook his head and walked towards her. She was sitting on chair and he leaned towards her keeping his hands on the arms of the chair.

"Fine, since you are this eager then you can go. But remember to return back without a single scratch. Do you understand me?" His voice was dangerous and low making it more sound like hissing at her.

When Nandini got his approval she grinned, "guarantee" she showed her thumb up.

"You better remember my words" he said and stole a kiss from her lips making her eyes wide.

"What are you doing? It's a day time" Nandini jumped up pushing him away from her. She moved at side glaring at him.

"Oh, so you mean we can do it at night?" He smirked.

"Humph" she turned around and immediately left his room. Manik crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her disappearing figure. His smirk turned serious.

"Pallav" he called out. Pallav rushed inside the room.

"You heard it, get people to follow her secretly. Tell them to be cautious not to get discovered" he ordered. Or that woman will be too pissed.

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