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Abhinandan POV

"No, I do not," I said, and she immediately shook her head and stood up from the couch again.

"This cannot happen," she said, and I immediately held her hand and asked.

"Why are you always in a hurry to run away?" I asked, and she looked at my hand holding hers.

"How can you even think like this? This is pure betrayal. This is cheating. How can you even think of betraying your parents?" She asked in pure anger and low voice, and I pulled her slowly towards me. "This cannot be done. This can never happen. I cannot support you in cheating on your parents," she added with a worried voice, and I pulled to make her sit beside me.

"We can talk about this later," I said, and she shook her head.

"First, you should agree that we will not do it no matter what," she said, and I lowered my gaze for a moment before nodding calculatingly.

"We will thin—"

"No, just say 'no', Abhi. This is treason," she said, and I immediately lifted my gaze when I heard my name from her mouth.

"Okay, we will not do it," I stated, and she inhaled deeply and gulped. Her gaze softened, and she placed her other hand on mine, the one holding his.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked, and I lowered my gaze. "Ummm," she said. Last night was the most embarrassing night for me. I could not even believe that I did what I did.

First, I tried to consummate with her and failed terribly. Second, I ended up hurting her and, above that, called the physician and saw her touching my wife between her legs. How could she? I still could not digest it. And above all, I panicked seeing her wince in pain. That was the moment when my embarrassment peaked.

"Better," I immediately said, and suddenly, she placed her hand on my chin and lifted my gaze to hers.

"I want to know the truth," she said, and I did not know why. Whenever she played by her age, I lost my senses and control. I could not lie in front of her.

"I am telling you the truth," I said, and she nodded.

"Now, can we talk about this?" I asked, and she inhaled deeply before nodding.

"But, my name must not come in between. I do not want attention. I am helping you only as a friend," she said, and I nodded calculatingly.

"So," I said and placed the scroll before her. It had the list of departments and the names with their deposed number of staff.

"See that this is kitchen's staff, and it has four hundred people in it. Two hundred and eighty women and one hundred and twenty men. They wo... work together. I do not know how many are needed and productive. So—" I said, and she stared at the scroll momentarily.

"I think you should first consult the Kitchen's head to know how much staff are needed for a month. I think all of these are for the peak months, too, when there are feasts or guests in the Kingdom. So, half of them can easily take a month's break. And, I think the holidays should be given to the good workers first," she said, and I nodded, listening to her carefully.

"Very well," I exclaimed. So, I think the holidays will have to wait another month as the Kingdom is having a welcome feast for their new... Bride," I added, and her eyes widened in shock.

"Wh... what? What does that supposed to mean?" she asked, and I smiled a little.

"Baapusa asked me to arrange a feast to welcome you. So, the feast is around the corner," I repeated, and she stared at me in shock and then shook her head.

"No, no, no, no. I do not want to see anyone. How can I? They do not even know me. And I do not even know them," she said, standing up and walking away. Her fingers fidgeted against each other, and I immediately held her hand.

"That's okay. You will love meeting new people," I said, and she tried to pull her hand from mine.

"But they will not. I do not know how to talk properly. What will I talk to them about? What if any of them asks me something?" she exclaimed, and I could see the nervousness and fear dripping down her face. I shook my head.

"You will be fine,"

"No," she looked into my eyes. "I do not want any feast or meeting new people,"

And I stared silently into her eyes.

"Why?" I questioned.

"Be... because they will not like me. And what if they know who I am? They will make fun of you and your parents and your family," she said, and I bit my lip a little.

"You are overthinking it. You will be fine. They will love you," I tried to say, and she pulled her hand and walked away from there, almost into the bathing room.

"No one does," I heard her say, and I immediately stood up to march after her.

"Trisha, listen to me. This is your worst habit. You always walk away while talking," I tried to say, but she disappeared into the bathing room. I halted in my steps at the door. My fingers scratched my forehead.

"Trisha, Baapusa wants to know your answer. And this is important." I tried to call her, but she did not answer.

"Trisha," I called again and sighed deeply. So, at least we can talk about the holiday plan?" I raised my voice a little, wondering if she would not be able to hear me.

She had not answered yet, and I could not help but punch into the wall with frustration.

"Trisha," I called again, and I looked at her walking out of the bathing room. Her hands were working on smoothening her hair, and my gaze froze over them. They had great volume, and the way they spread over her back and down the curve of her waist raced my heartbeats.

"It's a 'No'," she said, walking past me. I rolled my eyes.

"Why?" I asked and inhaled a deep breath, seeing her collect her hair in her hands and then make a huge bun. "I want the world to know you,"

"Why?" she asked. It is not like you married for the world to know me as your wife. And, now, you do not even wish to have a baby with me. So, what am I to you? And if I have to leave one day, why make such a grand appearance and fool everyone?" She added, and I bit my lips.

She was giving me the most challenging time of my life. And, especially, standing in a long gown of white in colour.

"Trisha," I breathed. "Feasts are important. This is how the commoners and villagers connect to us. They love to see how the Kingdom is blooming, especially when it has a new member,"

"New member?" she immediately turned to look at me and chuckled. "I think I should be introduced as a... umm, nothing now," she said, and I sighed deeply.

"Aur aap jaiye, hume taiyaar hona hai, Maasa or Daadisa ko bhi bhej diya aapne. Ese acha thodi lagta hai. Naya naya vivah hua hai or aap yaha hai, sab log kya sochenge. Or ratri me aap vaidya ji ko bhi le aaye, unhone kisi ko bata diya to? Sab log hume bewakoof samjhenge. Jaiye hume snaan karna hai. Apne kaksh me jaiye,"

"And you should go. I have to get ready. You sent Maasa and Daadisa away, too. This is not good. We are newly married, and you should not be here. What will people think of us? And, even at night, you brought the physician here. What if she tells anyone? Everyone will take me as a fool. I am to take a bath, and you should leave. You should go to your chamber," she said, walking towards the table where everything related to her attire was kept.

I noticed her sitting on the couch and raising her eyes on the plates. She sighed profoundly, picked up a pair of toe rings, and suddenly looked at me.

"Aap bichiye laaye the hamare liye?"

"You brought toe rings for me?" her question stunned me, and I shook my head slowly.

"I have not. I said only to save you from my mother," I explained in my defence, and she shook her head.

"Unbelievable. So, the ultimate liar accused all of them of lying," she taunted me in a low voice, and I walked closer to sit beside her.

"Trisha, I want the feast and celebration," I said, and she looked up into my eyes.

"Are we still playing? What do you want? If yes, until how long?" she asked, and I bit on my lips.

"Fine, I will tell Baapusa, Maasa, and Daadisa that you do not like to have a feast. Maybe their consultancy will help you better," I said. She immediately stood up from the couch, and I held her hand.

"Laaye hai hum bichiye aap ke liye,"

"I have brought toe rings for you," I said, pulling her to sit beside me slowly. I grabbed the wooden box I had walked in with, opened it, and took the pair of toe rings out. They were very simple, tiny and weightless.

"Here," I said, showing her. Her eyes looked at them for a moment before meeting my eyes.

"I have a little bit of money saved in my home. I will pay for them," she said, and I shook my head.

"You do not have to," I declared, and she shook her head. She picked them from the velvet cloth and bent forward to slip them in.

"I would like to. So that no one accuses me of marrying you for the money," she said, and I lowered my gaze.

"You tell me? What was I supposed to think, say, or behave after knowing that my best friend, whom I trusted with everything, hid things from me?" I asked, and she straightened before looking at me.

"You should have trusted me. You should have known that if I hid something from you, then it was for own good," she said, and I shook my head.

"You say whatever you want, Trisha, but those things mattered to me. I asked you if my father sent you to me, and you lied right to my face," I said, my voice rising, and she stood up from the couch.

"Yes, because your father did not want you to know," she said in equal anger and voice, and I could not stop myself from clenching my jaw.

"Can you please stop playing behind my father? For once, could you tell me who I was for you? Who the hell I am to you? Everything you do has to do something with my father. Even your agreement to this wedding is because of my father. Because I told you to make babies for him... obviously through me," I said, and she glared at me.

She shook her head slowly. "You are unbelievable," she said and closed her eyes.

"I am getting late. Maasa wanted me ready, and I should get ready. So, better wrap this up and rest in your chamber," she said, and I could not believe how she was ordering me to stay in my palace.

"I will not. This chamber belongs to my wife. And I can stay here as long as I want," I said, putting my leg on another's, and she rolled her eyes.

"And, see me bathing like you did on the river's Ghat the other day," she said, and my eyes immediately widened.

"What?" I was shocked. "What did you say? I did not see anything. Even I protected you from those cheap men. They were watching you," I said, and she lowered her gaze.

"I was not naked. I had clothes on my body," she said, and I shook my head.

"You were almost naked. Your legs were visible, your arms were visible, and your hair was open," I said, remembering the day, and she walked towards me with anger.

"Then how is one supposed to take a bath if not even bare?" she asked in equal anger, and I looked into her eyes.

"Inside the bathing room where no one sees you," I said, and she scoffed.

"Almost ten girls gave bath to me the other day, and they had seen me naked. Almost naked," She said, and I immediately shook my head.

"No, that's impossible," I said, and she chuckled.

"Yes, it is, and you pulled the blade out for the poor physician," she added, and I could not believe that women were experiencing this torture in the Kingdom.

"And Maasa knows about it?" I wondered if Trisha was getting treated, especially because she was an outsider.

"I bet she does," she said, and I stood up from the couch and walked towards her.

"So, you want me to talk to Maasa so that I won't help in that?" I asked, and she lowered her gaze. I could not stop myself from holding her arm and making her sit on the couch.

"So, this is not only one thing?" I asked, and she looked up at me.

"No, this is everything. The wedding, the change, I hate change," she said, and I bit my lip a little and nodded.

"I am sorry. I feel... like everything will get better slowly," I hesitated a little, and she stared at me for a moment before looking away. "I know everything is new, and all of this is because of me. But I promise I will try to help you with everything. Let me know whatever you want, and I shall see," I tried to say, and she palmed her face.

"Maasa got suspicious of us. She thought something happened," she said, and my brows knit with confusion.

"Like what?" I asked, and she looked at me.

"Like," she looked away. "Like what happened," she finished, and I stared at her confusedly.

"And, how does it bother her?" I tried to ask, but she looked at me.

"Because it is not advisable to consummate against someone's wish. And she did not want that," she said. I felt a sudden ache in my heart.

"It happened against your will?" I asked. My voice weakened, and she shook her head.

"No!" she said, and I did not know, but this conversation was growing awkward and difficult. I could not understand what she was trying to say and, above all, what she wanted.

And, above all, why was she angry?

She palmed her face suddenly, and I sat beside her and closed my eyes momentarily.

"At least tell me what is bothering you. Is it because of the feast or last night?" I asked, and she inhaled deeply. I could not help but notice the soft curls dancing around her face. Her henna and Mahavar-inked fingers looked beautiful with the white clothes.

"Nothing," she breathed and looked at me. I am just feeling a little tired," she said, and I stroked her arms a little and tried to say something.

"Do you want to go out?" I asked, and she looked at me and then lowered her gaze to her clothes.

"I need to get ready first. I cannot go out in these," she said. I immediately clapped twice, and an attendee walked in.

"Make her ready quick," I ordered, standing up from the couch.

"What? And, you will stay here?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"No worries. I am just taking a quick nap. Mind if I take it on your bed?" I said and walked towards her bed.

"Wake me up when you get ready," I added, and she looked at me confusedly.

"You are not playing with me?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"Not at all," I declared.

I lay on her bed, and her heavenly smell consumed me immediately. I noticed her footsteps walking away, and since I lacked sleep last time, I fell asleep quickly.

I woke up when I heard the soft hand touching me.

"Yuvraj," I heard her sweet voice and opened my eyes, inhaling a deep breath.

"Wow!" I could not stop myself as soon as I saw her sparkling in yellow attire. She looked like nothing less than a bride, and I shifted a little and licked my drooling lip a little.

"Where are we going?" she asked, and I looked around to find an attendee still there.

"You can leave us alone," I ordered, and she left in no time.

"So?" Trisha asked, and I straightened up to stand up. She looked absolutely astonishing.

"Beautiful," I muttered in a low breath, and she stared at me. She was wearing a red stone necklace that spread all over her neck and slightly on her chest. Her hands were full of red and green bangles, and the thick waist chain in her waist had bells. Her waist was beautiful. She was not thin and not very fluffy either.

"Toe rings?" she asked, and I immediately looked into her eyes.

"Hnn?" I hummed absentmindedly. Her eyes had kohl. It was the first time she was wearing kohl.

"Nazar na lag jaye aapko,"

"May God protect you from evil eyes," I muttered in a slow voice, and she gulped, lowering her gaze.

"Toe rings?" she said again and forwarded her hand before me. I could not help but notice all her fingers with the diamonds and gold rings. My fingers held her hand and turned it upside down to see the hand harness in her hand of sun flower's design.

She tried to pull her hand back, but I tightened my fingers.

"Abhi," she called slowly, but I just could not stop myself from taking her hand closer to my lips. But when I did, she playfully hit my lip with her finger.

"Toe rings?" she said again, and I did not know, but I felt like touching her lips again. I really liked it when she got timid.

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