Rudra clutched Abhedya and Swarnima's hands tight. He knew someday he would have to tell the truth and he had framed sentences, memorised the facts and prepared his dialogue. But 'now' when the moment arrived he lost his ability to think and speak. So, Swarnima got up to get water for him. Abhedya on the other hand was losing his patience he just could not imagine his father with anyone other than his mother. He always thought that a love story like their's was one of a kind and the love his parents had was hard to find. But seeing his father secretly entering the house of a girl and wishing her with so much love .. was something he could not process.

Swarnima returned with two glasses of water and offered the men. Rudra drank in one go and Abhedya smashed the glass of water on the floor breaking it into 1000 pieces just like his heart was broken. He looked at Swarnima with disgust and accused her with his eyes.

Swarnima lowered her eyes took Rudra's hand in her's and asked him politely, "take all the time you want. You want me to call everyone?"

Rudra nodded his head negatively and said, "No! I will do it."

"Abhey! Please sit and listen to me very patiently and quietly."

"What's going on? I am hell pissed dad!! I don't have time for your fucking talks, so come straight to the point else I AM GONE!! I AM DONE!" Abhedya raised his hands and said with finality.

"Abhey, you remember I told you that 'that' girl is very special, I meant it. This girl you see here is not only my heart and soul but the reason your mother and me are living. We love our boys but 'this' girl is our world." Rudra said looking lovingly at Swarnima.

"Mom?!! Does mom know about you and her? Who is she dad!??" Abhedya was confused partly because there has always been just one more person his parents have loved more than him and it was HER. But she is not alive.

"Yes, Abhey. I know what you are thinking and it is correct. SHE WAS NOT DEAD. SHE IS ALIVE. SHE IS RIGHT HERE WITH US, INFRONT OF YOU. SHE IS OUR SWEETHEART 'SWARNIMA' OUR BABY 'NIM' and YOUR 'SONA'."

Rudra who was now in tears telling Abhedya the truth he was hiding for years.

Swarnima was rubbing his back consoling him. She had used all her courage to not break down. She always yearned for her FRIEND and wanted to talk to him like before but she could not reveal the truth to him. Now when he knows she didn't know how he would react? Will he accept her? Will their friendship be like before? Will the emotions that were buried, surface? Will he ever love her like he used to? Most importantly will he ever FORGIVE her for hiding herself from him?

Swarnima's chain of thoughts was broken when Abhedya's broken voice raised doubts,

"You are joking, right dad? To hide your scandalous acts you are using OUR SWARNIMA'S name?? Are you even listening, dad?? You.. dad just... forget it. There isn't any point talking dad. I am going bye!"

Rudra held Abhedya's hand and with tearful eyes pleaded, "I WOULD NEVER LIE ABOUT HER. You know that, don't you? Nim was saved by MA...her grandmother... but..."

Rudra could not complete and broke down completely. Swarnima consoled, "please control CHACHU! You cannot be so weak. Papa would not like it? Would he?"

Abhedya was a mere audience to the scene in front of his eyes. His father was broken and Swarnima was consoling him. She just addressed him 'CHACHU!!' Something SHE said to his father and he addressed her father chachu!

Their fathers were not brothers by blood but brothers by bond!

Rudra continued, "Abhey, SWADESH and RIMA were attacked but MA came on time and saved Nim and her brother DHEYA. Six years before, after carrying out an extensive search I found out that Nim and Dheya were alive and I immediately left to get the kids but the kids were still not safe and it was in the interest of them that they don't come here. When MA passed away Swarnima came here but she has to hide from the world and no one should know about her. Yes, she is hiding but not to just to protect herself but this STATE of OURS!

She is our PRINCESS Abhey. THE PRINCESS OF SWARNBHOOMI...the HEIR TO THE THRONE.

Who has to be protected from the threats we receive daily from our neighbours, RAJATBHOOMI. They ruined our life years back but this time we won't let them win Abhey. We won't let them take our Princess away from us!!"

If the fact that 'this' Swarnima was his 'Swarnima' was hard to process the fact that she was THEIR PRINCESS fell like a bomb on him. He sat on the sofa hid his face in palms. He didn't know how to react? What to say? The real bomb, however, fell when Rudra added the information that, "ABHEY... YOU ARE THE PROTECTOR OF THE THRONE. It is your DUTY TO ENSURE THE HEIR TO THE THRONE STAYS SAFE AND SECURE."

Abhedya looked at him with confusion and asked, "ME?? PROTECTOR? WHEN? HOW?"

"Since the time she was born the QUEEN selected you as the PROTECTOR. You were so protective about her, you never let anyone come close to her, never denied any of her demands, you were like her shadow, so she thought YOU were the most 'SUITABLE CONTENDER' for protecting the 'PRINCESS'." Rudra enlightened his son.

"I did that because I lo..." Abhedya was about to tell them that he did all because he LOVED his SONA but he stopped midway.

Rudra also revealed, " I was a protector too, my son. Swadesh was my king who I failed to protect from that..." Rudra again broke down but this time Abhedya held his father.

"Abhey, I have never forced my decisions on you and this time too you will be given a choice, you may choose to be the PROTECTOR or you may decline, then we will conduct a fresh search for the PROTECTOR to the Throne. Take your time Abhey, but choose wisely. It's our Nim... she has already been through a ..."

"Chachu please!" Swarnima didn't let Rudra complete.

All this while Abhedya didn't look at Swarnima but now he did and raged, "Nim had different eyes. Her eyes changed colours... what she felt reflected in her eyes. But her eyes are just BLACK and EMOTIONLESS!"

"She wears lenses and thick spectacles to hide those beautiful eyes, "Rudra said looking at Swarnima.

Abhedya was shocked to hear this. He didn't realise that she could be wearing lenses.

"Half of the boys in the state would surely be running after her if they saw those beautiful eyes of our NIM." Rudra now smiled and removed her spectacles.

Abhedya just stared at her. He could not stop looking at the girl in front of him. He did see her without specs for a few minutes but from afar hiding behind a tree and now seeing her so close without those hideous specs of her's he was captivated.

"And we surely don't want that. Do we, Abhey?" Rudra asked with a tease.

"Abhey?

Abhey?"

Rudra called Abhedya several times before shaking him.

Abhedya dropped his gaze and feeling a little embarrassed asked, "what were you saying, dad?"

"Umm... I was just asking that would you like it if Nim has unnecessary fan following?" With a heavy weight lifted from his chest, Rudra felt relieved.

Abhedya didn't answer his question rather he requested, "dad, I need time to process the information... can I just go? I need fresh air."

"No Abhey. I am afraid you cannot. The police are still searching for the trespassers and they are close by. They have opened the lockdown but have asked everyone to be alert. You may or may not choose your duty but just for today can you be with Nim? Please drive her to the Devi temple and then NGO." Rudra requested Abhedya.

"One, I am not her driver. Two, she can drop her plans if it's risky outside." Abhedya declined curtly. He knew he sounded rude but he was just not in his senses.

"Yes chachu. I can go on my own." Swarnima confirmed.

"But you will go? What's so urgent? You can go some other day." Abhedya was irritated with her stubbornness.

"I am getting late chachu. I will leave. Bye." Swarnima didn't bother replying and went inside her room.

"STUBBORN!! IDIOT! If it's risky she should not go. But no!! how can a PRINCESS follow rules!!" Abhedya remarked.

"She cannot go on any other day, Abhey!! One, it's her parents' death anniversary and there is hawan every year to be performed. Two, it's her birthday and she has promised the girls at the NGO, yes, the same one your mother goes that she will celebrate with them." Rudra used the same tone Abhedya used.

"Dad, what happened to chachu and masi? You never mentioned? How could you hide for so long? Were you ever gonna tell me? Where is Dheya??" Abhedya questioned his father.

"What happened to Swadesh and Rima you will not be able to hear nor I am in a position to tell you... at least not now. Dheya is undergoing treatment... you see, he is not exactly 'normal'. He has grown physically but mentally he has not. He may not survive long Abhey.

I hid the information because I knew the day I would tell you, you would cross borders to meet Nim which would have been unsafe for both of you. However, I planned to tell you on your 21st birthday because then you will be officially handed over the duty of the PROTECTOR to the Throne." Rudra cleared the mystery.

Swarnima returned from her room and said, "I'll take your leave. Bye."  She took keys from the stand when Abhedya took them from her and offered, "Come, I will take you" and left the apartment.

Swarnima looked at Rudra who gestured her to go and gave a thumbs up.

She went out and locked her apartment. Rudra never used door to come so he will leave the way he came via the 'Wall'.

Swarnima came down and saw Abhedya struggling to open the door of the car when Swarnima giggled and told him, "this is not the car it's that one" and pointed at a white Toyota Fortuner.

"Of course! The Princess will have many cars! My bad! Should I clean the car first 'princess'?" Abhedya commented in a sarcastic tone.

Swarnima's smile disappeared. She quietly went to the car and sat.

Abhedya hated his tone, his actions, his gestures. But he was not in his control. He had his dream girl right beside him but she was not the same girl he dreamt off. He had his best friend with him but he was not able to talk to her. He had his soulmate with him but could not feel the connection.

The 'Swarnima' he knew and the 'Swarnima' he knows now, are two different persons and he cannot treat them the same way. He justified his actions to himself and reversed the car in speed and left the building.

"Which Devi temple, madam wants to go? Tell me fast. I can't take you the whole day." Abhedya asked rudely.

"The one outside the Camp Gurudwara." Swarnima didn't like his tone but she knew what he was going through. He must be hating the person she is now. Close yet so far. Honestly, Swarnima herself didn't know herself anymore. The new Swarnima had no natural behaviour. She followed the guidelines to appropriate behaviour. When and how to talk, laugh, express. The gestures, the actions, the emotions were all exhibited as per the rules. Rules laid by the Queen.

"Yes, Your highness! you will be there soon. Please sit back and enjoy your ride." Swarnima just stared outside the window listening to Abhedya's comments.

Both were silent. Abhedya was still fighting his heart and mind. When a speeding car came in front of them and Swarnima shouted, "WATCH OUT!!!" And turned the steering causing the car to spin 360 degrees. Abhedya applied breaks and took deep breathes when he realised that Swarnima was also panting. 

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Abhedya asked with concern.

"From the accident? No!" Swarnima sounded hurt.

Abhedya knew what she meant but turned the ignition on and drove. Soon they reached the temple and Swarnima got down. She came to Abhedya's side and suggested him, "there's a snack counter on the other side. I will take time so you can go and grab something to eat. You haven't eaten anything since you got up."

"Yes, your highness! So thoughtful of you. We are so lucky that our princess is so concerned about our needs.

You do what you want. I don't need your instructions okay!! I eat, I don't eat! It's my bloody choice." Abhedya almost shouted the last part.

Swarnima took two steps back as a reflex to his rage. She left towards the temple immediately without saying anything.

Abhedya shut his eyes tight and regretted his anger. 'Damm you Nim!! Why? Why? Why did you do this to us? I hate you for this Nim!' Abhedya drove to the snack counter coz hungry Abhedya was even more dangerous than angry Abhedya.

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Dear Readers

This update reveals the first twist of Abhedya and Swarnima's story. Yes! They were childhood sweethearts but fate played its game and separated them. But now when they are together both of them are messed up and burdened with responsibilities.

Swarnima is heir to the throne and Abhedya is her protector.

After years Abhedya was with Swarnima on her birthday. Will he celebrate it the way he used to or will he continue being ignorant. Find out in the next update.

Stay hooked

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Word meaning:

Chachu- father's brother. Father's friend in context here.

Masi- mother's sister. Mother's friend in context here.

Devi- female deity

Gurudwara- place of worship for Sikh community

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Lots of love!