The Unfair Agreement

Chapter 4

"Chin straight, one eye closed , shoulder straight, …what do you see now Indira?"

" I can only see that apple father"

"Good, stretch the string to the fullest...….. now when you release the string your hands should be stern and no movement in the lower body, feet firm on the ground. Get it?"

"Yes father!"

" on the count of three

1

2

3!"

A sharp shooting sound echoes in the surrounding as the arrow cuts through the foggy atmosphere...….. yes you are right the princess is trying to practice how to shoot arrows in extreme climatic conditions...…

The arrow running at its maximum limit  hits the exact slice that was just above Arjun's head!!!

"DADDY DID YOU JUST SEE THAT I HIT IT !!! I HIT IT!!!!".

Says the 15 years teen jumping around her father  chirping with happiness and victory filled in her eyes.

" FATHER!. "

Roars her father reminding her that she is on battle grounds now and any relations or emotional bound will only lead her to the an extreme scenario...…

"sorry royal father"

Says the girl her voice just above whisper...…..

Though she hates the fact that her training yard which her father calls as battle grounds separates her from her father or should I say her beloved daddy.

Her father stands stern handing her another arrow.

It starts drizzling and soon a heavy downpour is witnessed.

" Arjun another apple on your head!"

Poor Arjun takes another apple with shaky hands shaking not due to the cold but due to his low confidence on his lady Indrayani.

The girl or Indrayani stands still in that heavy downpour her body stiff unaffected by the rain as she shoots the arrow piercing the apple with in a blink of an eye and without her father's commands!

Arjun looses his consciousness as he feels revealed instantly at that movement.

Indrayani looks at her father with proud eyes and is greeted with furrowed brows.

" You have violated the rules of battle ground...….

Always remember. Never I repeat NEVER ACT WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE  GOD OF WAR!!

How many times am I supposed to tell this to you"

" I am sorry father"

" Don't let the pride take over you

I punish you with shooting arrows continuously till this rain stops!

AND REMEMBER NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO OFFER FOOD OR DRINKABLE WATER TO THE PRINCESS!!    AM I CLEAR!"

the servants standing under the semi open shed respond " YES YOUR MAJESTY" in unison.

The kings walks out of the grounds.

The princess left alone with her arrows. She aims her arrow repenting her mistake, not the one of breaching the rules but the one of hurting her father...…

The arrow cutting the straight flow of water hits the center of the board each time piercing the preceding one...….

That day

Both arrows and the princess learned how to be ambitious about ones aims in their life.

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Samrats POV

"Condition?".

I raise my self still pinning her to the couch unwilling to let go of her sweet aroma that is surrounding me.

Her thick lashes feels heavy with those big tear drops in them. She avoids my eye contact each time I try to gain one.

Irritated by this avoiding game of hers I focus her eyes on mine directing her face as her soft cheeks are now squeezed under my rough hands.

She's disheveled, her cheeks turning to a shade to deep pink,  she looks like an angle under me, like an angle I kidn*pped from the heavens to make my hell feel like a heaven for once.

I sit on the couch, distancing myself from her, I don't believe myself, and I cant see more tears in those transparent light brown eyes, though she is the naughty enough to pull her stunts like killing me!! Seriously.

Did she even consider winning?.

How cute!

But that's not the issue though I will teach her how to be obedient.

She sits straight adjusting her saree and ornaments her eyes beheld by the floor as she says... " I wish to make a treaty for this marriage."

After a movement of silence I finally say

" I am all ears"

She hesitantly speaks.

" I want to challenge your highness to an archery match. And whosoever wins the match the other has to fulfill his/her wishes."

I get it. I know where this is heading to.

"  so you want me to arrange a competition for both of us in archery and if I win you will marry me and if you win you won't? Is that what this is?"

"Absolutely your highness " she says with a hint of happiness flowing in her sweet voice.

How much I want that voice of hers to go hoarse screaming and moaning my name.

But for now I suppress all my monstrous intentions and say

"And will you enlighten me as to why will I go through all this trouble for a prisoner of war my lady?"

She widens her eyes for a split second, quickly recovering herself she says

"Because if you do so I shall reveal all the trade, military, economic and other secrets of Bhadravati to you my lord"

Secrets.

As if my kingdom needs one.

Hmm but liked the shift of tone though.

"I like how the word my lord sounds through those lips"

( my lord is a phrase used by both servants as well as the queens, or wives  to address their husbands)

She stiffens at my comment. I lean in on her shoulder trying to touch her neck with my nose tip and ask.

" or have you already accepted me as your Lord sweetheart?"

She turns her head the other side trying to hide her shy expression.

What????

Has she really accepted me but is unable to express because of our circumstances.

Well I know I am a charmer

But anyway.

" I shall grant you this request of yours . But don't be in misconception that we still need all those military secrets of your.

My wife Tara is lightning speed in such things.

See you at the arena on the third day of the Maha Kali festival sweetheart"

I bid her adieu walking out of her chamber which technically is mine unwillingly.....

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Indrayanis POV.

I am standing on the balcony of my room as I look around the view of the garden

Its marvelous.

Searching through the garden I notice Samrat sitting beside a lady who seems to be pregnant as he is holding her big stomach with care and love filled eyes.

A sharp pain strikes my heart at this heart warming scene.

I run to my bed collapsing myself on the fluffy bed tears pricking my eyes. I am only able to hear one sound. That deep manly sound which said

" have you already accepted me as your Lord?"

Why am I remembering this?

Have I?

Really?

When was it?

Was it at the time I felt his lips?

Or was it when I visualized the bravest aura on the battle field?

Or was it when I saw him holding another woman in his arms?...…..

I don't know what my reason is but all I know is that I want to be the one sitting at her place.

YOU UNFATHFULL CHILD!!  Is that all to offer your father in heavens!!

The one who raised you to what you are today!..... is this how you trade your loyalty? To a male body? Was that all that was needed to waver you?

My subconscious mocked at me.

It's not that I have fallen for him!!

I try convincing myself.

Who do you think you are trying to fool?

I am a part of you! And I know what you feel each time you walk into his fragrance.

You get caught in his lust eyes  like a fly embracing fire...….

The need that you feel each time when his warm hands run along your skin burning every inch of it.

Don't try to misguided me. You can probably turn a blind eye to this but I cant ,I like to face the truth!!

My subconscious brings my true feeling to the surface.

I press my face deeper into the covers thinking to myself

Only if we would have met in different situations things would have been different...… only if...… if I was not a princess and he were not a king...…. if he were not my father's murderer...…. if he was not married at all...…. if he could reciprocate my feelings...…. things would have been different...…

My eyelids feel heavy

They feel burdened.

I want to escape this situation.

Soon

I fall in a deep slumber of dreams..... in my dream I feel a prince is  sitting beside me in front of the holy flames.

It's the day of my marriage .

I am dressed in a bottle green saree which is the symbol of prosperity. And he has draped his bottle green silk dhoti across his waist.

Sitting stern on the pooja peth ( altar) as he nods praying to the holy flames at the direction of the priest.

He looks at me

ITS SAMRAT!!

I am so happy.

how much I want this dream to be true...…

His eyes full of love as he asks me to place my right hand over his for Kanye Dana ( a ritual in Hindu wedding where in the bride officially belongs to the groom after the bride's father pours water over their overlapped hands and hands over his daughter to the groom)

That small gesture of his eyes warms by heart bringing back the life in it.

I shyly place my  right hand decorated in mehndi and heavy ornaments over his.

Tingles run all along my body at his simple touch.

He slightly caresses my hand with his left one as it is free at the movement .

His left hand travels all the way till my exposed waist giving me gentle strokes of his touch on it. I twist and turn under his touch taking care that no other person is able to notice this shameful act of ours.

My father comes forward with a silver jar. Smiling through his tearful face he tilts the jar............................to pour the water...….. but...….

Blood flows down the jar. I look at my father with scared expression and see his right eyes ripped off...…blood oozing out of his exposed wound as he says " Is that how you are going to repay me my daughter ".

I open my eyes at such turn of events.

I sit on my bed as morning light shines across the room glittering, shining every silver and golden metal placed in the room.

I am sweating profusely, panting , huffing at the dream which I encountered.

I clutch my heart with my hands unable to remove the pain stuck within and I say.

" I am sorry dad I fell for him!!!

I am the worst child a father could have ever had!"...…

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