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Trishalini POV

As the priest asked him to say, he began to take the oath.

"Hum, Abhinandan Mahabalesh, Ishwar, apne Purvajon aur Samaj ke samaksh agni ko saakshi maankar shapath lete hain ki hum apne Rajdharm ka sadaev palan karenge. Hum apni Maatrabhoomi ki suraksha, praja ke kalyan, aur dharm ka rakshan ko apni teen pramukh prathmiktaayein manenge.

Sabse pehle, hum apne Rajya ki suraksha ke liye pratigya karte hain. Hum apne Samraajya ko baahari sankato se bachane ke liye, aur antarraajyaa sthirata ko banaye rakhne ke liye poori nishtha se karya karenge. Hum apni sena ko majbooti denge aur apne praja ko surakshit rakhne ke liye uchit niyam lagu karenge.

Dusra, hum apne praja ke kalyan aur unke hit ko apni prathmikta maan kar, nyay aur imaandari se karya karenge. Hum praja ko avashyak sansadhan pradan karenge, jaise bhojan, jal, aur suraksha, aur unke saath achha vyavhaar karenge taaki unka jeevan sukhad aur samriddh ho.

Tisra, hum dharm aur naitik akhandata ka rakshan karenge. Hum apne dharmik aur sanskritik virasat ka sanrakshan karenge, aur apne rajya ke paramparaon aur sankaro ko maante hue, ek imandaar aur nyayapriya Raaja ke roop mein apna uttardayitva nibhayenge,"

"I, Abhinandan Mahabalesh, before God, my ancestors, and society, taking the sacred fire as a witness, pledge to always uphold my royal duty. I will regard the protection of my motherland, the welfare of my subjects, and the preservation of dharma as my three foremost priorities.

Firstly, I pledge to ensure the security of my kingdom. I will be dedicated to protecting my realm from external threats and maintaining internal stability. I will strengthen my army and enforce appropriate laws to keep my subjects safe.

Secondly, I will prioritise the welfare and interests of my people, working with justice and integrity. I will provide essential resources such as food, water, and security and treat my subjects well to ensure their lives are prosperous and content.

Thirdly, I will uphold dharma and moral integrity. I will preserve my religious and cultural heritage, respect the traditions and values of my kingdom, and fulfil my duty as a just and righteous ruler." he finished, and I gulped silently.

My hands were joined, and I lifted my gaze to notice that the Rajguru leaned forward and applied the red Tilak on his forehead.

And, suddenly, he looked a thousand times more beautiful.

"Now, Yuvraj should take the throne and the crown," Rajguru said, and I noticed him inhaling a deep breath. He sat silent for a few moments and then looked up at me.

I wanted to talk to him, ask him what he was thinking, and have him in my arms so that I could shower him with love and ease his pain.

Strangely, it was not out of empathy or humanity; for the first time, I felt a different kind of feeling for him. Something that was mainly for him. It was mixed up with likeliness, pride, possessiveness and attraction.

A different kind of attraction that was beyond his appearance or heart. It was to his soul.

It was something beyond what I had already experienced with him.

He looked away, standing up silently, and I stood aside, but he immediately looked back.

And, this time, my feet moved.

Taking the steps, I stood beside him and held his hand.

The day we married, there could have been many misunderstandings or emotional confusion between us, but he made some promises to me, and I made some promises to him.

And, over anything, promises were meant to be kept and fulfilled.

We both stepped forward, and I heard the trumpets blow. Goosebumps appeared on my body as he stopped before the throne and touched its arms with his fingers. There were many things going into his mind. And It was not difficult to see that he was in pain.

He would be.

His finger cut his finger to see him sitting on the throne. The same father whom he hated for so long and still had not apologised.

He gulped and stepped forward to sit on the throne. I waited for him and looked back at Baapusa and Maasa. They had broad smiles on their faces, and Maasa nodded, looking at me.

I looked back at him.

Our hands distanced from each other, and I could feel my knees shaking as I stepped forward. My jewellery tickling pierced the silence, and as I sat down, I noticed many faces change.

Many were not happy.

"All hail the Samrat Abhinandan Mahabalesh!" the announcer yelled, and I heard the people repeating.

"Maharaj Abhinandan Ki," the announcer exclaimed, pitching his voice even higher. I felt goosebumps in my arms.

"Maharaj Abhinandan ki jay!"

"Maharaj Abhinandan ki jay!"

"Maharaj Abhinandan ki jay!"

"Maharaj Abhinandan ki jay!"

People repeated, and suddenly, he held my hand and looked at me. There was love in his eyes, but more than love, there was respect in them.

And, all my life till today, I realised what I had been missing so dearly all these years.

They were wrong; he was wrong, and I did not want money, Kingdom, or power. I desired this: the love, respect, and pride in someone's eyes.

And, of all people, I did not expect it from him the most.

"Maharani Trishalini Ki Jay!!"

He hailed in a weak yet deep voice, staring into my eyes, and I immediately recalled the day I threw the dirty, muddy water at him. A tiny smile appeared on my face. I was about to cry.

I did not know what was happening.

The hailing continued until everyone showered us with rose petals, and I looked at the familiar faces with broad smiles.

Rudra Bhaisa, Nandani Jiji, Agastya and Ranvijay.

But there was someone; a corner of my heart was missing—my father.

Lowering my gaze, I inhaled deeply to excuse myself mentally and calm down.

"Now, you should take off your turban," the Rajguru said, holding a plate covered with red velvet cloth.

I noticed him leaving my hand, taking his turban off and placing it on it.

His face was red.

It was not blush, not heat; it was silent crying when someone wanted to break apart but was not allowed to.

Baapusa stepped forward, and I looked at him smilingly, taking his turban off and placing it on his head. He closed his eyes for a moment, and suddenly, his hand held mine gently so as not to make it viable for everything to see.

"Samrat Abhinandan Mahabalesh!" they hailed, and I gulped, blinking silently.

He opened his eyes, and I noticed the tint of redness in them.

Pulling his hand back, he stood up.

I stood after him, too, and we bent down to touch Rajguru's feet before Baapusa, Daadisa and Maasa.

Nandani Jiji walked towards me, and we both hugged each other. She patted my back, and when she pulled back, I noticed the tears in her eyes, "I am so happy for you; congratulations, Bhabhi saa,"

She muttered in a low voice and looked at her brother.

"I cannot talk to him. He looks so upset and sad," she said, washing the rolling tear off her cheek.

"He is hurt," I muttered.

She lowered her gaze and smiled weakly.

"He will be okay," I managed to say, and she smiled.

"I am so happy for both of you," she said, and I smiled.

"You should tell him by yourself," I suggested, and she shook her head.

"He hates me," she said, and I shook my head.

"He just pretends; he does not hate anyone," I said. She looked up at him and nodded before walking past me and to him.

He was standing with Rajguru and Baapusa. Nandani Jiji stepped towards him, and he looked at her. He looked away and muttered something to them before stepping towards her. A smile appeared on my face when he hugged her gently.

And, seeing them talk, I felt a softness in my heart.

But I did not know that the softness that appeared in the different versions of him would make my heart a lot.

"Trisha," suddenly, Maasa's voice caught my attention, and I turned my gaze to her. She had a weak smile on her face.

"I do not know how you did it, but I will always be indebted to you for this deed," she said, holding my hand. I lowered my gaze, shaking my head slightly.

"It was my... duty," I muttered, and the weight of the word 'duty' felt false in this regard because there were two worlds colliding inside me.

One was the world of Abhi and I, and the other was the world of I and the Kingdom.

Duty was not the right word for a part of me. Because, being a wife, it was never my duty to hurt him with anything. But, being a Prince's wife, I realised it was only my job to stand beside my husband's challenging times.

I had mixed emotions about it. I was happy for him—he would sit on the throne now—and I was sad because he was sad about it.

"It was not, really," she muttered, and I looked into your eyes.

Inhaling deeply, she stared at him before moving her gaze back to me.

"I know he is sad and probably hurt, but he loves you so much," she said, and I gulped nervously. "I feel you will be able to distract him from the pain with love and make this new life beautiful for him," she added with a smile, and I lowered my sight to our hands.

"I will... do everything to keep him happy, Maasa," I muttered, turning my head towards him.

The way he cried back into his chamber and stood for me, I could not help but feel something blooming in my heart.

He deserved all the love and care of this world. He had a pure soul and a caring personality. He could marry any princess or many princesses to become the Samrat; he had the argument ready. But he did not want it.

And the way he made it clear before everything stole my heart.

All the while, he was not lying when he said that he had something for me in his heart.

His confession of love was not false.

And, today, I realised it.

He meant to hurt me on our wedding day, but his intention of marrying me was not only because of hatred or to hurt me. It was many things that were hard for him to express with everything that was going on.

"Are you okay?" Maasa asked all of a sudden, and I looked back at her.

"You look different. I mean, are you tired or upset?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"No," I muttered.

I just wanted to talk to him. I was dying to be close to him, and I did not know why, but I wanted to hug him tightly.

"I think you should rest for a while. These days must have been hectic for you. First, your wedding, then rituals, and then this, and I need to talk to you about something later, as well," she said, gently caressing my head. I nodded.

"What happens now?" I asked, and Maasa inhaled a deep breath, and a smile appeared on her face.

"The first feast will be thrown by the new King," she said, and I stared blankly at her.

"So many feasts?" I chuckled weirdly, and she smiled.

"Not just by the new King but the new Queen as well," she said, and I stood stunned.

"Wh... what?" I asked with shock, "What am I supposed to do?" I asked, and she smiled.

"Well, if you want to rest, you can, or if you want to stay here, talk with the woman. I will be glad," she suggested, and I smiled, lowering my gaze.

Talk to the women about what?

But, since everyone was here, walking out on them did not seem quite well. And suddenly, Daadisa's voice caught my attention.

"Trisha," she muttered, and I turned to look at her. She had a cute, happy smile on her face.

"Congratulations, my dear," she said, and I smiled wide before kneeling to touch her feet.

"Thank you, Daadisa," I did not know what else to do.

"Well, I did not know Raj was planning this. It is too soon for Abhinandan to take on all the responsibilities," she said, and I gulped silently. I mean, he is twenty-two, and many Kings are made even at ten, just like his great-grandfather, but my child is a soft soul. It will be cruel for him," she said, and I could sense the pain in her voice.

"But, I am happy that he is married to you. You two are perfect for each other, and he loves and respects you so much," she added, and I smiled.

"Ji, Daadisa," she said, stepping closer to hug me loosely.

"Are you happy?" she asked, and I looked at Maasa, unable to understand what I should reply.

I did not know what I felt because I felt a hundred thousand emotions splashing against me.

"I am," though, I managed to say.

She smiled, placed her hand on my shoulder, and said.

"Come, I should introduce you to my old friend," I smiled and held the edge of my veil's left side before smiling at Maasa and walking with her.

"Maharani Samiksha ji, meet my granddaughter-in-law," Daadisa said. I greeted an old woman sitting on the couch and bent down to touch her feet after pressing them respectfully for a while.

"There is no need for it," she chuckled before holding my shoulder and pulling me sit beside her. Daadisa sat beside me, and I looked away from her momentarily to find him talking to Rudra Bhaisa. They hugged.

"How is all going?" Daadisa's friend asked, and I immediately looked at her and nodded.

"What?" I cleared my throat a little. "I mean..." I inhaled deeply.

Her smile grew even more comprehensive, and she held my hand.

"Oh, my dear, are you feeling nervous?" she asked, and I lowered my gaze. My cheeks turned warm and red.

"Aw, Naina Devi Ji, your granddaughter-in-law is as divine as beautiful. Samrat Abhinandan was not wrong when he said no Princess of the Empire could steal his heart." I felt a tickle in my stomach and heart hearing her call my husband, Samrat Abhinandan.

I heard soft laughter and immediately looked in his direction. My heart sank, finding it was not his—someone else laughed.

"You know I have known him since he was a little boy," she said, and I looked back at her. She smiled.

"I would not lie, but I told Naina Devi Ji that I would like my granddaughter to be wed to him when he was born. Well, she was not born yet," she said and laughed.

"Daadisa," and suddenly, a young, beautiful girl walked towards us and smiled, looking at her.

"Here she is, my granddaughter, Parvati," she said, and I smiled, looking at her before adjoining my hands.

She joined her hands as well.

She was splendid.

"She turned nineteen this year, and we were to send the proposal, but I found out that little Abhinandan has already grown into a man," she said and chuckled.

I could not laugh, let alone smile.

Parvati was beautiful, and I bet Abhinandan had not met her, or he would have gone crazy for her, knowing they were meant to unite.

"But, I must say, Naina Devi ji, they look perfect together," she said, and I fisted my dupatta's edge on my lap.

"Indeed," Daadisa said, and suddenly, I noticed him walking towards us.

I stood up, and he smiled weakly, looking at Daadisa's friend.

"Pranam, Daadisa," he wished her and bent down to touch her feet.

"God Bless You," she said, and how his gaze moved to Parvati made me feel something itch in my heart. His brows knit with confusion, and suddenly, a broad smile appeared on his face.

"Parvati?" he asked, and Parvati laughed.

"Yes,"

He laughed.

"It's been so long. We met almost ten years ago," he said, and I stood silent, tightening my jaw.

I do not even know any girl.

Then, how had she appeared all of a sudden?

"How are you doing?" he asked, and she nodded.

"I am doing good," her voice was something to die for.

I felt tight in my chest, and suddenly, he turned back to look at me, placed his hand on my back, and pulled me gently closer.

"Well, have you met your Bhabhisa?" the moment he uttered those words, I could not help but feel the redness on my cheek.

Parvati's smile vanished, though she nodded.

"Y... yes, she is beautiful," she managed to say, and he nodded.

"Quite exquisite," he said, and I did not know how he was managing to bring out such decency and charm while being suffocated at heart.

"Trisha," suddenly, Rudra Bhaisa stepped closer towards us, and I smiled.

"How are you?" he asked, and I stepped forward, and I just could not stop myself from hugging him.

He caressed my head, and I stepped back.

"I am good. How about you?" I asked, corrected my dupatta over my head and looked at him.

"Well, I cannot be any happier for you and Abhi," he said, and I smiled.

"And, if you all do not mind, can I take the new King with us?" he asked, and I noticed Ranvijay, Agastya, Ashwin and many men standing behind him.

"Uhmm, I will see you later," he muttered in a low voice before walking away, and I noticed them going away.

I did not know why, but the more I tried to talk to him, the more he went away.

I wanted to ask if he was okay.

My eyes did not look away before they all walked away to some other corner, and I could only see a little of his face, talking to some people through the crowd.

"Trisha," Daadisa's voice shook me momentarily, and I immediately smiled before looking back at them.

Her friend pulled me back and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"You know, I had been there when you wanted his attention, but he had all the right reasons not to give it to you," she said, and I lowered my gaze.

"Hnn, I remember my days," Daadisa said, and I turned my gaze to look at her.

"How they were like when he was King?" I asked, and she smiled, looking slightly up.

"Very long," she muttered, inhaling deeply, "I used to look after the Kingdom's responsibility all day and try to pass my time with my maids and some friends, playing ludo, chess, or just talking. But nothing could be more beautiful than spending a little time together before we would fall asleep. We talked very little. And, many days, it was just getting involved physically without even speaking a word," she said, and I felt timidity running into my nerves.

Why was she so open about it?

Or, it was customary for her age.

"I cannot deny that. I mean, the Kings are meant to do only three things over everything: Wars, running their Kingdom and bed their wives for the heirs," Daadisa's friend said, and I gulped, looking up, trying to spot him.

"Every man?" I asked, slightly turning to her, and she nodded, inhaling deeply.

"A person is born naked, but when he starts wearing clothes, he can't strip them. Kingship is similar to that. The rope of its responsibility is so tight around the neck that one could take every breath struggling, and that too, to fulfil those responsibilities only," she said, and I blinked, lowering down.

"And, what happens to love?" I asked, and she chuckled suddenly, knitting her brows.

"Love? What is that?" she asked. I moved my gaze slightly to Daadisa, and she was silent.

"If being a Queen, fulfilling your responsibilities, maintaining your status, and always waiting for him is called love, then there will be plenty of it," she said, and I felt an ache in my heart.

He would not do that. He loves spending time with me.

"Love is only for a few months after the wedding when the spirits and sparks are high. You are energised all day and night; you are desperate and willing to go through this, thinking it will end one day and everything will be like before. But, soon you realise that this responsibility, this King and Queen, this relationship is not for a week, month or few years, but a way of living," her words pierced something inside me. It was making me weak, and the more I was hearing, the more I wanted to go near him and ask him if this was the life for us now.

And she laughed all of a sudden.

"It's even bad for women who share their husbands. Like me," her words stunned me, and the mere imagination of him even liking someone would make the soul leave my body.

I inhaled deeply and stood silent.

She smiled all of a sudden.

"But, you are a lucky one. Abhinandan is a different man," her words hurt my cheeks with weak emotions.

I did not come here to marry him to become the Queen. I came for him, to be with him. And what would be the point of anything if he were running away from me?

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