What is a wedding? Bright lights, lots of flowers, smiling faces, tasty food, dancing, blessings and gifts. I grew up with this definition of marriage but what's happening in the next 5 days?

Never did I imagine my wedding would be just on a paper. A few drops of ink will decide my fate.

I have nothing to do in these five days as my wedding ceremony will last a maximum of five minutes. There is no hustle bustle in the house and there is no wedding environment. Nobody can say there's a wedding happening in this house as everything is gloomy.

I saw Alya and wanted to ask her something but decided against it. I couldn't sleep all night with the question but then I couldn't even ask her. Should I ask her or not?

As if she read my thoughts she raised her eyebrows at me. "Do you have something to say?"

I finally mustered my courage and spoke to her. "Alya, are you happy with a paper wedding?"

"Wedding is wedding, Nandini. I don't care if it's on paper or traditional as long as I am given the title."

Title is important in Mafia world, I agree, but this a lifetime event. Why must it be devoid of any emotions.

"I don't know if I can ask you this question but it's bothering me alot. Umm... Why do you want to marry Manik? I mean you said you don't love him but still you agreed to marry him. How can you stay in a loveless marriage?" I questioned her with thudding heart.

"Love?" She laughed. "Mixing emotions in relationships will be of no good in Mafia world. I got a good lesson and I am not going to repeat my mistake." She paused and looked at me with a serious face. "We have to be practical as life is not a fairytale. Manik is the King of the Mafia world and I will be in a safest place under his protection. Being the wife of Mafia Boss has its own perks. My territory will be benefited with double power."

I can see how hurt she is with her past relationship with Vivek. But marrying just for power and being practical is something that is not settling with me.

"Let's agree you will benefit having the Boss by your side. But do you think it's the same from his side? Aren't we all lower than his rank? Then why would he stay with you? What if he loves someone and brings a girlfriend being married to you?" I said going crazy with her answer.

"To be honest I don't care, the highest rank in our Empire is the Boss, Manik, next to him will be the first lady, his wife. If the Boss chose to have consort she will be having the same rights as the first lady, but the priority will be given according to the seniority of partnership. Underboss, will be the next in ranking, that is Cabir." She explained the heirarchy of the Mafia world. "So, as long as I am the first lady, I will not be an obstacle for the Boss."

I shook my head. "That's unbearable! My heart would break seeing my husband with anyone other than me and I can't imagine someone having the same rights on my husband as mine."

"Well, stop all this mainland crap! Everyone here is holding for their life every second except for the princess ranks. We do not sleep to protect the princess, Queen, and the families of the territory. What will happen to the Empire if they have only one partner and one child? Everything will be destroyed in a decade if we mix emotions in this world." Alya knitted her eyebrows as she spoke.

"But what about your respect as a wife? What is the difference between you and the consort? Why will he hold your hand and walk down the lane if he has many consorts in his Empire? And what if the consort will be promoted in her ranking as a wife and you will get demoted as a consort?"

Alya had a confident posture to this question. "As I said earlier, I don't care if he has a consort but if it was in past, then there would be a armed combat between my territory and his if he demotes my title. But now things changed and I am no longer my older self. My loyalty is towards the  Malhotra Empire and I will fight for it till my last breath." She paused to look at me if I am understanding her words.

"Also, right now, it's Manik in this position and I have complete trust in his ruling. He has been broken enough to not fall in love or mix emotions in his life. If he demotes me, or brings a consort, or decides to stay unmarried forever we will still accept it. Because Manik's priority is the well being of his territory and we are ready to sacrifice our life so this is nothing."

Her trust in Manik is bringing a new feeling in me. Should I trust Manik like her? Should I push Alya away from my life as she is not making any sense? Should I get jealous of the bond they share?

"But he killed my parents. He wiped the entire Murthy territory." I said in a defending tone as if it will bring her on my side.

Alya frowned. "I have nothing to add about this topic, Nandini. But if I were you, I would still be on Manik's side as he wouldn't do anything which would harm his people. I was with him when he was completely devastated and I was with him when he became the Boss, so I can confidently assure you to remove the thought of seeing Manik in a badlight."

It was so easy for her to say as it was my family and not her's. She wasn't there when I saw my entire mansion getting burnt, she didn't see Manik in his dangerous avatar, she didn't see him hungry for more blood. It was me who saw everything in person and no matter who says anything I will not think otherwise.

"Will you accept if Vivek brings consort?" I said remembering her love for Vivek.

There was a pindrop silence in the room. "Never. And those emotions brought downfall in our life, didn't it? That's why it's better to be practical and remind ourselves that Mafia world is not a fairytale."

I could not say anything to her. She had so much trust in Manik just as the way he trust her. They both shared a unique bond than everyone present here. They are alright with everything as long as they get to have the power.

But what about me? How can there be a princess without a fairytale? Then why did my parents narrated me only fairytales if Mafia world is different. Why did he say marrying Harshad would make my life a fairytale?

Why?

It all feels like I am a secondary character in my own story and someone else is writing my life. I have no control over it. My bubble of fairytale is bursted.

After Alya left my room I pondered over any chance to make my life a fairytale but all the opportunities are closed. Because to have a fairytale I need to have a prince along with a princess.

And Manik is not my prince so is Harshad. Both do not fit the characteristics of a prince, which left me with a single option. Give up the fairytale dream and cry life long.

In the night, I heard someone knocking on my window. I felt scared as it could be the moonlight devil. I clutched my duvet close to my heart and chanted my parents names as if they would protect me from it.

"Nandini! Nandini!" I heard Harshad's whisperings outside the window and sighed in relief.

It was not the devil!

The window creaked as I opened it slowly to reveal Harshad in his winter head cap. "What are you doing here, Harshad?"

"I could not meet you in the broad daylight due to Manik's order but I wanted to know your well being. Are you okay?" He asked looking around to see if anyone would spot us.

Such a sweet person! He is the first person who is concerned about my wellbeing. "I am good, Harshad. But please go away, you will get punishment if anyone spots you here."

"I don't care. I can fight for you, Nandini. Afterall, we are getting married and I have to make you comfortable around me. You have to know that you are marrying an angel who will never make you cry." His words are already making me cry.

When was the last time someone tried to make me feel comfortable?

"But you hit me, Harshad. And nobody speaks to me in such a tone let alone hitting me." I said hitting the window pane in anger.

"Sorry, sweetheart! You know I am an angel right? I never even raise my voice at anyone but staying here is affecting me. I think Manik is manipulating me and I am turning into a monster like him." His face filled with sadness. "I wish I stayed in America and lived happily without coming into this mess and trying to save you. I would still have a peaceful life and my everything is destroyed after meeting you."

I felt guilty for being a reason for someone's sad life. "I am sorry, Harshad. I really feel sorry for everything happening in your life. Even I wish you did not meet me and stayed in mainland away from my messed up life."

"Shh! Don't cry. Your tears are not worth over this, Nandini. If I stay in America then how come I can save you? I have to make you happy right? Maybe I am here to bring happiness in your life despite getting all the backlash for my sacrifices." He consoled me.

A few seconds later I calmed down. He pulled out a cake from a bag and moved it infront of my eyes. "Look what I got for Princess?"

"A full cake? All for me? Won't you scold me for eating it at this time of the night?" I said clapping my hands with excitement.

"Scold a princess?" He faked holding his heart in pain. "How dare a common man like me to scold a princess? I promise to give you full cakes every single day and I won't even ask a piece of it. Are you happy?"

I nodded my head and took the cake box with utmost happiness. I can live my entire life eating only cake and I have no other desires.

"Well, won't you make me happy?" He questioned making a pout.

"Oh! Sorry, tell me what do you want? My shoes?" I said removing my shoes from my feet and dangling infront of his face.

They are so comfortable in this cold weather and I am sure it's the best gift Harshad could think.

"I don't know if you do things knowingly or unknowingly!" He rubbed his face with both of his hands and came closer to the window. "I want all the jewellery my mother gave to you yesterday."

"All?" I questioned. "But that's cheating, Harshad. You gave me only a single cake and you are asking for everything. I will give you one earring." I negotiated with him.

"That wouldn't suffice, Nandini. And I am not asking anything from you right? I am asking my mother's jewellery which belongs to me, her son and not a stranger like you. Am I right?" He said pointing a finger at me.

He has a valid point. Ofcourse, it's Harshad's items since it belongs to Niyonika.

"But what if the Queen asks for the jewellery?" I questioned him bringing out the jewellery boxes.

"She won't ask you since there are no parties for our wedding. It is only the wedding day and by that time I will give you one of the jewellery so that you can return it back to me, okay?" He suggested and I agreed.

This is bad! I don't have the jewellery with me and Harshad took everything. I sat with a pout without eating the cake and Harshad laughed.

"You gave me, my jewellery to me, Nandini. So there's no cheating here. Infact, you won this game because you got a free cake giving me my things to me. You did not give anything from your pocket." He said putting all the jewellery in his cake box. "You are a smart cheater who took advantage of my innocence."

I laughed feeling superior to him and stuck my tongue out at him. I got a free cake manipulating him and he got nothing. Poor Harshad, he gets manipulated by everyone.

...

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