Sakshi entered Rashmi's room only to find her daughter smiling while reading something. She was holding a piece of paper in her hand and focusing herself in it. Sakshi frowned as she walked closer. She did not informed her daughter about the proposal yet so before there's a news from other side she thought to prepare Rashmi beforehand.

"What are you reading?" Sakshi called.

Rashmi was startled when she heard her mother's voice. She turned her head towards Sakshi and immediately put the paper in wooden box. She turned and smiled.

"Mother when you arrived? I am sorry I was little distracted"

Sakshi frowned "what were you reading that made you so engrossed?"

"It's just casual thing" Rashmi smiled again "why are you here mother?"

Hearing that Sakshi remembered why she was there so she smiled "I was here to tell you something"

"What?" Rashmi asked.

Sakshi sit beside her and took her hand "how do you find the second prince of Samrat?"

Rashmi frowned. She don't know why her mother suddenly asking this but still she replied sincerely "he...looks good. From his beauty to his skill does not lack anything"

Sakshi nodded "so do you think if any girl marries him  will be lucky?"

Rashmi nodded again "of course. There are many people singing his achievements in war and describing his skills which even reached Virat. For someone like him it will be a luck for any woman to marry him"

Sakshi was satisfied with the answers so she smiled more delightfully "I knew my daughter will always have such maturity in her. Now I am totally confirmed that my decision was not wrong. You even admire him"

Something stuck in Rashmi's heart. She felt like something is wrong in between with her answers.

"Mother what decision you are talking about?" She asked.

Sakshi smiled "your father and I have decided to propose marriage to Samrat"

Rashmi frowned "marriage? For whom?"

Isn't it Kaushik's proposal discarded from the other side? How come it's happening again?

"Why are you so clueless? Who's marriage it could be? Of course yours and second prince" Sakshi replied shaking her head.

Rashmi's eyes widened in a instant as she gaped at Sakshi. Her marriage? How come it suddenly brought up? She couldn't help but suddenly stand up and looked at Sakshi with shocked expression.

"Mother, how come things had changed into this. Are you teasing me?"

"What are you talking about?" Sakshi frowned "is this  matter something to joke about? This is serious matter decided after good thinking. Your father also wants it" she also stand up seeing her daughter expression.

"No, this is wrong mother. This shouldn't happen like this" Rashmi shook her head.

"Are you insane Rashmi? Do you know what are you talking about? You are already at marriageable age besides what does second prince lack that you are suddenly denying after praising him so much?did not you say you admire him?" Sakshi frowned.

"Mother you got me wrong" Rashmi shook her head "I do admire the second prince but just as a hero of the country not as a lover or with any romantic affection. Mother admiring and have romantic thoughts are different" Rashmi tried to explain.

"Rashmi you are still young to understand this. You need to focus on the things you have now" Sakshi replied calmly "about this marriage thing you should leave it to us, your parents to decide for your own good and accept it"

"Mother, I agree I am not in such age to take big decision but I am also not too young to understand what kind of feeling I have for other person. I am already 20 mother. And I do understand what's love and infatuation"

Sakshi frowned totally dissatisfied with her daughter's remark "Rashmi you are still arguing about this? Can't you see your sister is happy to the arrangement we made for her? She knows what to do then how could you ignore it?"

Rashmi felt tired and suddenly her head started to ache "mother,elder sister is happy because she loved her fiance even before the arrangement is settled. How could she not be happy to know she is going to marry the person she loves from heart? But I am clear about my feelings for second prince, I accept I do admire him for his heroic work but that doesn't mean I will marry him as my husband. This two has totally different meanings. Just because I admire him it doesn't mean I need to marry him and love him"

"Enough" Sakshi almost shouted "you are behaving too rudely. Your father and I have already proposed for this marriage. We are now waiting for them to reply. If they say yes then I don't want to hear any argument coming from you about this matter anymore. We are your parents and will never do anything to harm you. Besides Prince Vaibhav is a suitable candidate to be your husband. You will be happy in future even if you think you are not happy yet" at the last her voice softened.

"Marrying the person I don't even love hiw I am going to be happy in future?" Rashmi asked.

Sakshi chuckled "you are worrying about that? Silky girl, love will happen if you give chance to it. After marriage both of you will live together so even if you don't have any love then after knowing him better you will fall for him. What's there to be so anxious about it?" She reached out and gently stroke Rashmi's head.

"I am not worrying about it mother" Rashmi shook her head "I am saying that I..." She bite her lips "I have fallen for someone else and I want to marry him not the second prince"

Sakshi's hand stopped as she gasped "what did you say? You....you.." she backed away with shock "who is that person?"

Rashmi sighed. She knew this would happen but she don't have any choice now but to tell the truth "he is Arhan"

Sakshi got double shock hearing the name. Suddenly her face filled with rage "you ungrateful girl, how could you think of something like that? Do you want your father to die out of anger? I was so wrong thinking you are over with him but you are still sticking in that point?" She couldn't help but feel angry "from today onwards you are not allowed to step outside this room. No matter what you are not allowed to oppose our decision" then she turned around and walk towards the door.

"Don't let the Princess out of this room. She is confined here until we allowed her. Understand?" She ordered the maids who were standing on door before leaving.

Rashmi look at the door then suddenly her eyes filled with tears.

On the other side, after talking to Chityakanta Manik walk towards Nandini's room. As he entered he saw her lying on couch with a book in her hand. She was reading it while Atropa placing some snacks on table beside the couch.

"Your majesty" Atropa bowed as she saw him walking inside.

Nandini turned towards him and smiled "your majesty, you are here at this time?"

Manik smiled "the sun is above the head so thought I should visit here"

"But the lunch time is still little late"

Manik nodded "why? Can't I come beforehand?"

"That's not what I mean actually" she pulled herself up and sit on the couch.

"I thought to visit you in advance. I don't have much work today so spending much time my wife is not wrong either is it?" He asked as he too the empty seat beside her.

"How can I refuse your majesty?" Nandini sighed.

Manik find it funny as he looked at jet helpless expression. He never thought about it but now seeing her like this he think this kind of expression is quite entertaining. He reached out and grabbed her hand pulling her towards him.

With a sudden tug the unprepared woman on side forcefully fall in his arm. The position was quite intimate as he smirked. Have he ever thought of teasing any woman like this before? That kind of thought never crossed his mind untill recently and now with their position he finds it satisfying.

Nandini don't know what happened suddenly as she found herself in his arms. How come this happened again? She was not prepared for such action either nor did she thought he will do such thing. She tried to get away but the strong arms around her did not let her anyway.

On the side Atropa lowered her head farther, her face turned red seeing the scene. Their innocent eyes got ruined by the couple on couch. She shook her head mentally. Manik clearly saw it but ignored it like nothing happened while Nandini's face turned red too. This kid of action was something she never experienced before but what she don't understand is how come her cold attitude husband turned into like this? What kind of mystery is it? She was about to open her mouth when she heard the room door flung open and someone almost screamed.

"Sister in law"

Atropa almost jumped hearing the loud voice and turned to look at the person striding inside with a hard face.

What happened this time?

Note:-

I am thinking of changing book name.

What do you guys think?