The series of questions popping in her mind were not getting quelled irrespective of the fervour she displayed for receiving those answers. The crowned prince was once again unmoved by her demands and requests to tell her at least the basics of the story of Suryagarh so that she could make sense of all the happenings around her. Meera was not a Chauhan, but she was a princess. Meera was not even a royal, but her portrait did find its place in a sequestered location of the museum, and the tales of her broken heart and untimely demise cascaded down numerous generations.

However, Aarush chose not to give her any straight answers and rather led her out of the palace. They were supposed to go to the erstwhile not-so-Chauhan princess's chambers in Agni Bhawan to carry out the blood ritual. Once again, she was unsure of the entire situation, but she gingerly followed him, twiddling with the ends of her green kurti and creasing the fabric.

They egressed the gates of the palace, ambled down the same alley they had taken the previous evening, walked past the resort's entrance, and began strolling down the now familiar path to Agni Bhawan. Again, they didn't need tickets to enter the premises as the government officials and the security guards flashed their toothy grins at the prince, bowed deep, and parted the bustling crowd for them to enter without any checks or inspections.

Once she was past the threshold, her heart thudded with ebullience. She had nearly gone into the old palace the previous day, but Aarush took her to the museum instead. Now that she knew she was indeed heading inside the regal palace she had only seen in pictures, she couldn't rein in her excitement.

The edifice fashioned out of sandstone stood tall in front of them, proud of its heritage and history. The golden hue on the structure had the ability to capture anyone's attention, and the fine inlays on the walls and pillars—very similar to what she had seen inside the royal quarters—had her gleaming with joy. However, there was a tiny impediment in her endeavours. She had barely taken her device out to take a photo of the facade when her companion's phone began vibrating in his hands.

He glimpsed at the screen and furrowed his brows. "I have to take this," he muttered. Glimpsing at the girl, he said in a very stern fashion, "I am stepping away for just a minute. You will stay right here. Do not go anywhere else. I will be back in a jiffy."

Before she could respond with a nod or utter a word, he rushed back to the gates and exited the premises within the blink of an eye. She stomped her foot. "What does he think of himself? Has been issuing orders since yesterday. 'Come with me to the old palace', 'Be nimble', 'Keep waiting here'." She huffed. "I am not supposed to take orders from him. He can be the prince or whatever of Suryagarh, but I am not one of his subjects."

Twisting her lips, she frowned and contemplated. For a change, it would be His Highness Prince Aarush Chauhan to receive a shock.

***

She gloated at the stunt she had pulled. That of disobeying him and slipping away not into the palace but rather to the museum she didn't get the chance to explore the previous day. Giggling and simpering at the mere thought of him getting astonished upon not finding her where he left her, she pranced around the hall.

The multiple chambers dividing the museum on the ground floor had the artefacts received from the royal family as well as from the excavations in the area to dig up structures older than even Agni Bhawan. The glass cases protecting the relics from the tourists had LED lights illuminating the insides, and while the sparse crowd walked past the antique pieces after casting one look at them, Shreya couldn't help but stop at every display, read through the plaque highlighting what the artefact was and who it belonged to, and murmur words of appreciation each step of the way.

From the shattered mirrors the queens used to the torn outfits once adorned by the kings and the princes, she found it all. But she was quick to note that nothing from the princesses of the kingdom was on display.

She absorbed all the information printed on the electronic screens of the ornamental tablets affixed to metallic stands, paying extra attention to the chamber where the rusted and blackened pots and pans from the kitchens of the yore were put on exhibit, but as she joined the queue to enter the next chamber, the same feeling of getting watched came to the fore. She could tell someone was around, staring at her, for the hair on the back of her neck had stood up, and she was mildly uncomfortable.

Heaving a sigh, she quickened her steps and stuck closer to an elderly couple hobbling around the museum. They entered one of the chambers where apparently weapons of war were put on display, and she did not think twice before nearly clinging to the octogenarian's cotton saree.

The couple halted in front of a particular glass case behind which lay a battered and rusted sword, and Shreya's attention was immediately captured. The once-shiny exterior and the once-sharp blade were dulled over time, and the flecks of rust were very much perceptible. The hilt had the same royal insignia she had seen in the new palace's walls. Her gaze immediately went to the tablet carrying information about the weapon.

"Abhimanyu Singh Chauhan," she mumbled as she read the details. "King Abhimanyu Singh Chauhan... circa 1684 to 1765 AD."

"King Abhimanyu Singh Chauhan, 1686 AD to 1766 AD. Elder son of His Majesty Yogendra Singh Chauhan and Her Majesty Sumitra Singh Chauhan."

She was instantly alerted, and she whirled back to find Aarush standing two feet behind her with the same air of nonchalance and indifference that irked her and intrigued her. She gulped when she discerned the slight irritation dancing in his eyes. He had found her, and he was going to admonish her for disobeying him. But she was surprised once again when he strolled towards her very casually.

"1686 to 1767?" She pointed at the plaque she had been reading from. "I think you are mistaken. The dates differ here."

Amusement twinkled in his orbs, and he hummed, sighing at the end. "Perhaps."

She tucked her hair behind her ears. "Your ancestor?"

He nodded. "He was one of the most chivalrous warriors the kingdom has ever seen. A very just king. A wise man. An able statesman."

"And who was his queen?"

The earlier irritation was back in his countenance. "Queen?"

"He must have had a queen, right?"

He huffed before looking at her once over. "Her Majesty Suvarna Singh Chauhan. She was the youngest princess of Sumedhnagar. A tiny kingdom northwest of Suryagarh."

She bobbed her head and went back to scrutinizing the majestic sword.

"That's Abhimanyu's sword. Some say it's a very lucky weapon. He won many a war with it. Wars that Suryagarh was sure to lose because the enemies were larger in number. However," he suspired and raked his hands through his hair, "he conquered every battle."

She remained silent for a moment, biting her lips once in a while as her gaze traversed across the length of the blade. "Are you going to scold me?"

He chuckled. "For?"

"I didn't stay where you asked me to. Did you think I escaped?"

He didn't let the smile waver as he allowed a raspy breath to slip past his throat. "Oh, Princess, you are way too hilarious. Had caging you been my motive, I could've done it the moment you stepped foot in Suryagarh, and no one could have stopped me. Not even you."

The way he spoke and the manner in which he stared directly into her eyes caused the same rush of exhilaration coursing through her veins.

"I didn't. Because that's not my objective. So, there is no question of escaping. If you wish to be a part of the ritual, I will take you to Meera's chambers. If not, I can request and try to convince you. If you still aren't sure, I can ask someone to escort you to Udaipur or even Mumbai."

She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest. "I agreed to be a part of this ritual already, but I... I am..."

"You are?"

"Bored! I am bored!" she screeched. "Aarush, you are supposed to entertain me. I am your guest and the only key to breaking the curse. Shouldn't you look into matters pertaining to my amusement? I like talking, and you are not talking to me. I am supremely, utterly bored."

A genuine grin developed on his lips, and his arms outstretched towards her. "Let me entertain you."

***

A courtyard existed between the entrance and the main structure of Agni Bhawan, and the floor was made of golden-red sandstone. An ancient lake lay on one side, and the surface of the estuary had ripples forming due to the slight drafts of the wind. The embankments had a series of damaged sculptures of apsaras in varied dancing postures. A garden existed on the other side—well-maintained, square-shaped, alluring, comprising breathtaking blossoms, and boasting sweet aromas. The lush green blades of grass swayed with the zephyrs, making the entire atmosphere fused with bliss and ecstasy.

The imposing facade of the three-storied palace had thick posts and decorative domes running along the length of the premises. She could perceive the semi-illumined corridors and passages up the stone steps, as well as the multiple pillars with elephantine designs and embellishments. Tempted she was to dart up the steps and sprint down the alleys, explore the depths of the palace, and click the most attractive pictures she could.

And when she was finally inside Agni Bhawan, Aarush didn't keep quiet at all. He had one of his employees—Suyash Singh—accompanying them, and the man remained two steps behind the duo as they explored the palace. Aarush, on the other hand, led her up the stone stairs from the foyer and began disseminating information at an alarming pace, gesturing at all the structures and chambers in the building. She was highly impressed, for the kind of facts the royal was in possession of regarding the architecture were so detailed that had she not known better, she would've declared him a figment of the bygone era rather than a living, breathing man from the 21st century.

Another inner courtyard lay beyond the foyer that had those thick elephantine pillars. Multiple winding corridors interweaved with one another at right angles to lead them towards the inner chambers, the king's quarters, the queen's residence, the royal kitchens, and the chambers of private audiences and commoners. He spoke at length about how justice was served to the subjects of the kingdom in the chamber of commoners while matters pertaining to the security and welfare of the citizens were uttered in the chamber of private audiences. He also gave her a detailed breakdown of how the legal system and economy worked in that era and how the laws were strict and stringent in Suryagarh, some of the more severe felonies resulting in a very public and very brutal flogging to death.

Shivers rushed down her spine when he motioned at one of the dark and dank stairwells from the ground floor that could lead them to the prison. Devoid of light and sunshine they used to be, and many people languished in jails before they could get justice for deeds they never committed. She was surprised by the air of calmness and coolness in him when topics of death and morbidity were being discussed, and she wasn't sure if she had the zeal to keep the conversation alive about the slimy and filthy dungeons where captives were held.

So, she steered the discourse to a different issue. "Why was she called Princess Meera if she was not a royal?"

He was confounded by the sudden change in the topic of conversation, and he took some time to ponder over it. "It's a lengthy tale."

"And you are not going to tell me?"

He remained silent for a moment before a slight shake of his head conveyed his answer.

She clicked her tongue and thrust her phone into his hands. "At least take some nice pictures of me, will you? I have to cater to the demands of my hundred thousand followers on social media."

He was puzzled because of the touch-screen device in his hands, and a frown creased his brows. His gaze darted back and forth between the phone and the girl who busied herself with patting her hair and thinking of a pose she could muster for the best Instagrammable story, but he was surely left wordless.

"Your Highness," Suyash Singh rushed to Aarush and bowed deep, flustering and fumbling, "with your permission, may I?"

Aarush blinked at Suyash Singh before peering at the girl. "What?"

"Aarush! Click my picture," she yelled, her spine resting against a nearby pillar. "And make sure you capture my profile. My profile looks better in photos." She beamed and placed a hand on her hips. "Whenever you are ready."

Aarush blinked at Suyash Singh before peering at the girl. "What?"

Suyash Singh was a panting, wheezing, sweating mess as he silently pleaded with the girl to stop speaking with his shoulders slumped and palms joined in supplication. "Ma'am," he nearly cried, "please."

She clicked her tongue again. "Aarush, click it. Quick!"

Suyash Singh wiped the perspiration off his chin and bowed in front of Aarush again. "May I, Your Highness?" His hands were itching to take hold of the girl's phone from the royal. "Please, Your Highness. Allow me."

The unmoving Aarush blinked all over again before peering at the girl. Letting out a rash breath, taking a moment to steady himself, he waved his hands at his employee, dismissing him. "I will..." He cleared his throat. "It's alright... Suyash Singh."

The man nearly whimpered but stepped back, watching in horror as the royal indeed turned the camera on the phone, pursed his lips, and took a few pictures of the girl as she morphed poses in quick succession. From pouting her lips to throwing a flying kiss at the device and finally letting her fingers sift through her locks, she was satisfied when she heard a couple of resounding clicks. Squealing and rushing to Aarush, she snatched the device from his hands and swiped on the screen to check if she was indeed looking good or not.

In the meantime, the nearly weeping Suyash Singh was at the receiving end of a deathly glare from the crowned prince. It was a silent order. This little anecdote should never fall on anyone else's ears unless the man wished for a brutal punishment at the hands of Aarush Chauhan.

"Ooh, these are good," Shreya chirped, finally centring her attention on the royal adjacent to her. "Let's go?"

***

The steep but narrow stairs caused her immense difficulty, and she could only marvel at the sturdiness of the medieval people, for she was panting and gasping for breath after ascending the three stairwells. The inner sanctum was at the extreme end of the third floor, and she had to take a lot of pitstops and drink a lot of water, courtesy of Suyash Singh, to keep herself hydrated and not feel exhausted. Leaning against the balustrade of a passage from where she could see the ornate wooden door of what Aaursh was referring to as the inner sanctum for the royal women, she tried to catch her breath.

She was once again discomfited because of the coolness in his demeanour. He was not even respiring harshly as opposed to the mess she was in, and she could tell her gorgeous hair was stuck to her perspiring forehead. She tried hard to dab at the corners of her mouth and wipe the sweat off her face without ruining the light makeup she had applied, but she knew all too well that she was steadily becoming unsightly and unattractive due to the sweltering heat in the air.

She saw him occupied with his phone, and she was immediately relieved. He was not paying attention to how ugly she was looking at the moment. But she gasped within a second. He was not paying attention to her because of how ugly she was looking at the moment! The mere realization irked her, and her shoulders drooped. A grimace formed on her features, and she was back to sulking.

"Anything wrong, Princess?"

She twiddled with the ends of her kurti. "Nothing," she mumbled. A pout formed on her lips and she let out a puff of air. "I am tired."

His brows went up and he stuffed his phone in the breast pocket of his black pinstriped jacket. "Already?"

She huffed. "Yes."

"Is Princess hungry too?"

She clicked her tongue in exasperation due to the raillery in his intonation. Much to her astonishment, he was grinning at her. Genuinely. But a teasing glint was shining in his eyes. "No, I am not hungry. I am... I am... It's so hot!"

"Oh!" He nodded. "So Miss Indian American can't handle the good old Rajasthan heat."

She twisted her lips and crossed her arms in front of her. More so when he chuckled. "I am your esteemed guest, Mr. Chauhan. You should not be teasing me. Also," she flipped her hair, "this beautiful girl in front of you is the only key to breaking the curse. So, you should be thanking me and kissing my hands and treating me to the best food your kitchen can come up with. Who knows when I change my mind and scurry out of Suryagarh all because the crowned prince dared tease the stunning and enigmatic Shreya Awasthy." She looked down at the sweaty state she was in and pouted. "I am stunning and pretty most of the time, by the way."

He didn't let the smile falter or waver. "God, you are different than her, aren't you?"

Though spoken in a very light murmur that shouldn't have been perceptible to her ears, she still caught it all too well. Her brows went up. "Who?"

His gaze softened, and he took some time to trace the features she boasted.

His silence was unsettling, and she glanced at Suyash Singh, hoping he would tell her why Aarush was still gazing at her with so much tenderness and an inexplicable sentiment that indicated he could do anything to freeze the moment then and there. However, Suyash Singh was a good ten feet away with his head bowed down as his eyes were trained on his shoes. "Who, Aarush?"

"Meera..."

She was startled, and the moment she snapped her head in his direction, she could see the same shock reflected in his eyes too. As if he had not planned on saying it. As if he couldn't believe he had let the whisper—the sanctified and consecrated noun—come out of his mouth. He didn't lower his eyes or look away. She didn't either. Nothing else mattered. Just the two of them, staring at each other, trying to unlock the deep mysteries they held in their hearts and minds.

He was the first one to lower his head and peer at the sandstone floor.

She took a moment to get over the arcane and sudden moment. "Meera? How would you know what Meera was like?"

Confusion marred his features as he looked at her yet again. How would he not know what Meera was like? Wasn't he one of the only two people alive who exactly knew the girl?

A potent memory from a lifetime ago flashed across his mind, interspersing with the reality, jumbled, each piece scrambling for his attention. One second he saw Shreya standing across the corridor with her hips against the balustrade in the bright lights of the sun. The next second he perceived the enigmatic princess, laughing and giggling, standing across the very same corridor with her waist resting against the same barricade with only a couple of earthen lamps to keep the dark alley illumined.

"You have to be nimble, Princess," he said.

"And I am nimble, Your Highness. You are a bit too fast for my taste," she said, simpering.

He chortled. "You are slow like a turtle. The enemy is not going to give you the time to respond. When I am such a splendid teacher, you should be a good student too and learn. Listen," he tapped his ears, "to what I say."

Her cheeks shone under the faint lights and she smiled wider. "Enemy? We both know you are my biggest enemy. You make me practice with that stupid sword of yours every morning and every evening. Have some mercy on me. I am a delicate princess."

"Delicate?" He scoffed. "Are you sure?"

She huffed and let her cheeks puff up in annoyance. "Why do you always tease me?"

He shrugged. "Why do you always beg and implore me not to? You are a princess. Use your wit. Come up with a sly response and usher me into silence."

She let the smile drop and her shoulders droop. "You and I both know it. I am not as witty as a princess. I am not as pretty as a princess. I am... just me. Ordinary."

***

Author's Note:

It's unedited 😭😭😭. I will fix the errors later, and I will be posting one more update this upcoming Wednesday ☺️☺️☺️.