A month passed by in a blur with Ruhena taking care of Zaroon and him being getting all clingy he could get. He was recovering well in her care as his plasters were took off an week ago. In between half a month, Ruhena took a rein of responsibilities of the palace in her hands and sleeping in his protective arms has become a habit now.

She has started to smile more often and this was all because of Zaroon!

«Flashback»

It was 5 in the morning where in a room, 2 bodies were seen perfectly all entangled up with eachother. The melodious call of prayer was heard in the near distance as birds started to peek out from their nests and the cherry lipped lady finally stirred from her deep slumber of sleep.

Opening her eyes, she adjusted her blurred gaze and her silvery gaze got settled on his peaceful sleepy face. With eyes closed, his bangs slightly covering his clear forehead and falling over his closed eyes, his long lashes were kissing his edge of well defined cheekbones and his slightly parted lips were giving off a babish yet elegant aura.

The dangerous power he always exude seemed to vanish at this moment and this sudden realization let her blew out a soft breath of satisfaction as her warm breath kissed his face in a sensual manner which seemed to pull him out of his slumber.

Waking up all wrapped in his embrace like a little cocoon and his head softly snuggling in her cold yet warm neck felt like all the zoo of butterflies has made a permanent home in her stomach. His hold slowly tightened around her slim waist making it's way in her shirt and the light tickle of his fingers slowly started to roam across her bare waist, an indication of him waking up.

He slowly opened his eyes and unconsciously tighten his hold on her pulling her closer in his embrace. A small smile curved up at her cherry lips while her beautiful eyes met with his sluggish yet heartwarming gaze and a low whisper of morning wish fell out of her inviting mouth "Good Morning"

He breathed slowly taking her floral scent in and wished her morning calmly "Morning Rooh" the room reverted back to silence. It was their daily routine to wish morning and kept laying in eachother's arms until the time to offer 'Fajr Prayer'.

"What is our relationship"? Zaroon broke the silence asking in his usual calm yet icy cold tone as he fully turned towards her coming face to face. Ruhena was a bit baffled at his sudden question and blinking her eyes innocently she replied softly "You got married to me......" It was like she wanted to let out something more but stopped midway and the second her words fell out of her mouth, he dangerously got closer to her.

No words were exchanged after that but his glare deepened with every passing second. She was confused at his reaction but still kept her calm. Even he didn't knew which of her word triggered his anger but unknowingly it did "Go on. Complete what you wanted to say" He finally voiced out despite his unusual irritation.

"It's nothing....." Her words drifted off in the air as his glare intensified at her angelic face and she finally voiced her mind out "It's been an month that i am noticing you changing yourself, you are taking care of me in every possible way, you are providing me with all the rights as an queen of this kingdom but......." She trailed off as she cautiously looked up at his face and continued again.

"You got married to me because of your vengeance! After marriage you never left a chance to degrade me and tagging me with your revenge. You came close to me whenever you wanted and the very next second you disrespect me making me feel like i have no other identity other than your vengeance. I admit, your closeness sometimes left me confused but it always felt like heaven to me and just when i started to think that maybe you are changing, you would always do or say something which lefts me shattered at your hurtful words. The confirmation i always wanted never came from your side"

She felt like a burden has been lifted off her shoulders, she felt relaxed after letting out her thoughts and doubts. She finally did! His green eyes were boring deep in her soul and lips were sealed off in a trance. He kept quiet for whole 5 minutes as his eyes flickered in slight anger, a bit confusion and with a hint of helplessness as well.

"I did married to you out of my anger and intense hatred for your father but not even for a moment, i thought to separate you with myself, divorce wasn't even the option for me. I don't love you but the thought of letting you go away from me always makes me breathless. You are mine and i would like to keep it this way till the day of judgment........" His voice was extremely possessive and dominating as he stared deep in her eyes. His eyes were shooting daggers and the hidden threat in his tone was clearly evident.

"Mera Nikkah toh tumse Ta qayamat rahe ga or tum 'Meri' jab tak yeh jahan rahe ga"«My marriage with you will stay till the day of judgment and you being 'Mine', as long as this universe lasts»

***************

Ruhena was in closet room choosing a dress from the cupboard and finally picking out a light peach coloured dress, she turned to leave but her earring fell off her ear and rolled down the small space between the cupboard.

She huffed in irritation and placing the dress on the nearby sofa, she sat on her knees to pull out the earring. She wandered her hands in the small space and accidentally her little hand touched something circle in shape. She slightly frowned and hurriedly pulling her hand out, she switched on her phone's flashlight and again bend down on her knees.

She bend her face too and with the help of flashlight, she caught the sight of big red button attached to the wall. Her frown deepened and not keeping her curiosity in check, she pressed the button.

She instantly flinched out of fear as her wall infront literally slid aside like a door. Her beautiful eyes widened in shock as she stood up from the floor shivering from head to toe. Fear was lurking deep in her core but still she peeked inside the room which she accidentally discovered today. All she met was darkness and darkness was the only thing she couldn't dare to fight with.

She turned on her heels and ran outside. She hates darkness! Getting out of the closet room, she took a quick glance across the room and terrace but Zaroon was no where in the room. Without wasting a second, she walked outside "Where is Zaroon"? She anxiously asked Talal who respectfully bowed his head while replying in his respectful yet stern tone.

"Greetings to Her Highness! His Highness is in his study........" Talal trailed off as Ruhena ran straight to the study room. All the bodyguards frantically followed their queen who seemed quite unusual today.

Without knocking on the door, she marched inside meeting her husband's enchanting gaze. Some people were sitting opposite him on the sofa with files in their hands whereas he was sitting casually opposite them with a cigar in his hands.

As soon as he saw her, he put his unfinished cigar on the astray pouring water in it. No one understood his weird action but Ruhena did. A soft smile was on verge of breaking out but her mind buzzed with the secret room in their own room. The people stood up and bowed their heads in respect greeting her "Greetings to our Empress"

She softly nodded and took hurried steps towards Zaroon who stood up the second he saw her here "Meeting is adjourned" His deep cold voice echoed in the room. They nodded and just as they were turned to leave, they widened their eyes in pure shock. Was there someone really born in this world who could drag their king like this?

Well it was happening infront of their eyes, their Queen was really dragging their king out of the study like some damn prisoner! Zaroon eyes sparkled with amusement as he quietly let Ruhena drag him wherever she wanted. He was no doubt shell shocked at her bold action because Ruhena never initiated any kind of physical contact till date but today she did. Finally!

He was happy at this little progress. As they reached their room, Ruhena dragged him straight in the closet room "Rooh where......." He trailed off as he saw a dark hollow type passage.

Ruhena loosened her hold on his hand and Zaroon took slow yet hurried steps inside the dark room. She followed behind and grabbed the end of his coat to waver off the affect of darkness on her. There was only darkness inside the room but still they could make out the furniture in the room.

He pulled out his phone and turning on the flashlight, he trailed it across the room. A study room? They both frowned in confusion and Zaroon looked at the wall for a switch and finally he did found it. As soon as he switched it on, the utter darkness which was oozing out from this room vanished in a second and lights graced the room.

The interior, paint colour, furniture, each and everything was ditto same as the study room used in palace. Although the dust was frozen on everything but each and everything was orderly organized and was placed perfectly. Even the books were in alphabetic order just the way Zaroon liked.

The second Zaroon turned after switching on the lights, he felt his whole body stiffened at the sight of the big portrait on the wall. Ruhena frown deepened at his rigid body posture and quietly held his hand in her delicate ones. She followed his gaze and felt her breath hitched in her throat as she felt a chill crawled right through her heart looking at the portrait.

She didnt know why she was feeling scared but just asked herself in mind, How can a single portrait of a person create such fear in someone? Such power and intimidation!

Dark green eyes just like Zaroon but more intense and destructive. His enchanting features were same like Zaroon as he was sitting on a royal chair dressed in a Black three piece suit with a big cigar in his hands. His one leg was placed on another while he was glaring deep at the person who probably took the picture.

The arrogance was dripping from the way he was holding the cigar in his hand and the big ring with a alphabet 'Y' in his finger was unknowingly putting pressure on Ruhena's shoulders.

The man in the picture was not present here but his overly mysterious aura and the warning deep in his green eyes was enough for Ruhena to fear him. Her hold unconsciously tightened around Zaroon's hand which brought him out of his trance. He let out a deep breath and softly squeezing her hand he walked ahead with her infront of the portrait "Meet my father.......Yardan Hamdaani"

Ruhena widened her eyes as she turned to look up at him who was staring respectfully at the portrait "H-how can......" She paused to clear her throat and continued "How can he be your father? I have seen your father at the mansion but he......." Her words drifted off in the air as the clouds of confusion surrounded her.

The man is the carbon copy of Zaroon or she say, Zaroon is the carbon copy of this terrifying man in the portrait "He is my father by face and Dad at home is my father by blood" Zaroon's answer didn't cleared her confusion but increased it "My father and mother died in a plane crash when i and Zimal were only 2 years old then Dad took our responsibility. Dad is my real father's younger brother"

So this means, Dad and Mom are not his real parents. Silence fell in the room as they both quietly stared at the portrait. After a prolonged amount of time, Zaroon turned away and his eyes caught a paper on the table. Zaroon picked the paper after putting aside the pen which was placed over the paper, he first dusted off the dirt and as he read, his eyes crinkled in a mysterious yet dangerous way as he clenched the paper in anger.

~Beware of your blood~

Just this line was written on the paper which was an indication that the letter was incomplete, his father was surely going to write this letter to someone, maybe to his dad but something must have happened which made him leave this letter incomplete.

He looked around the table and he picked up the small calender stand but that was not the what caught his attention. It was the date! His father used to mark daily dates and the last marking was.........the day he died. This means the day he started to write this letter, he died. Was it a coincidence?

He placed the paper back on the table and walked towards the portrait "I promise, if your death wasn't of natural cause, i will brutally finish off those people. I will kill them with my own hands, piece by piece, bone by bone" His deep, cold voice echoed loud in the room as he took a oath to finish off his parent's murderer.

The murderous glint which passed through his jade eyes was the same as the man in the portrait was passing, terrifying and purely destructive. He stretched out his hand to touch the portrait and soon frowned as he hesitantly took off the big portrait from the wall.

Ruhena visibly gasped as a big metal door came in their view. So many doors and secret passages in their own room why were they not aware of this! Zaroon tried to open it but the door seemed to locked from the other side "There must be a way...." Zaroon mumbled under his breath and his mind instantly striked with a blurry memory.

"Rooh wait here" With that he walked out of the room. He sped fast in his steps straight towards his palace study and entering the room, his gaze swept past the room and settled on a beautiful blood flower portrait "Found it" A satisfied smirk pulled up at his lips as he walked towards it.

He pulled off the portrait from the wall and as expected the same metal door as their room came in his view.

*********
Ruhena was stood dumbfounded in her place as Zaroon walked out ordering her to wait here. She sighed and decided to check the books in the shelves. She picked out a random book and dusting off the dirt, she started to see it's contents.

She was looking at the contents when she felt a movement in the room and looking around she found no one but understood that movement was from the other side of the door. She cautiously took some steps back as the door infront of her started to open.

Just as she made up her mind to run away, Zaroon stepped in and Ruhena took a sigh of relief running towards him "I thought, it was someone else" She took a deep breath to calm her frantic heartbeat.

"Look" Zaroon voiced out as he took a hold of her delicate small hand and let her look inside the other study "Wow" Ruhena whispered in astonishment. Who would have thought that there were actually 2 study rooms side by side with exactly the same interior, size and furniture too.

"I guess father build these 2 identical studies secretly. He was a genius" Zaroon's cold yet smooth voice fell in the room but he didn't knew his guess was absolutely true.

Yardan Hamdaani did build this studies under his strict yet secretive supervision! He was true to his name, King!