Chapter 202

Chapter 285: The Pair That Loved

Lord Akash plucked a flower on his way up the steps of the Castle door, paused, turned back, plucked another, and then resumed his traverse through the Castle doors and into the living room.

Seated in armchairs positioned across from each other were Payal and Kushi, both immersed in keen conversation, while the latter poured tea into the two teacups. Between themselves, they appeared youthful in their animated dialogue and, presently, laughed on recounting at some humorous memory before looking up on hearing him approach.

Lord Akash slid to a knee beside his wife and offered her a flower, "For my beloved wife..."

Smiling, Payal accepted the gift and kissed him lightly on his lips, before leaning back to watch as her husband offered the second flower to Kushi, "And for my lovely sister..."

"Oh, Akashji!" Kushi pouted, taking the flower, "You mustn't go about extracting flowers from their homes!"

"But don't they look more divine within your hairs than in those bushes," commented Lord Akash, kissing his wife on one hand while her other hand placed his offered flower in the plaited cresses of her hair.

"I cannot but see murder in this deployment," sighed Kushi, gently twirling the flower by its stem between her thumb and her forefinger, "And yet, I must not chastise you but thank you for your affections that even in their littlest forms help lift the moods of our mundane day."

A single eyebrow of Lord Akash's rose, "You do speak philosophically these days. Tell me, has my Brother to play any part in this transformation?"

Kushi grinned, "Perchance. But I suppose it was only late in coming, for being a First Lady demands that I abide a mind prone to philosophical tendencies."

"That you may," said Lord Akash amiably, "As long as you don't philosophise into my wife's ears and make a sagacious scholar of our child."

"What is wrong with our child being a scholar?" asked Payal pointedly, her stern gaze on Lord Akash.

Alarmed by his wife's disapproval of his bespoken comment on the career of their child, Lord Akash took care to pick the next words in his defence, "My darling, I only meant that our child be permitted the liberty to be wild and wily at play, before he be sat to read and calculate."

"That is of course the only way it will go," assured Payal, a smile lighting up on her face, "But you mustn't be too hasty to suppose it would be a boy. I'd much rather a girl, so she can become a befitting sister to our Anarkali."

"Sister or brother, it will be our blessed child," said Lord Akash, and he kissed his wife coolly on her lips.

Their innocent armour sent a flutter in Kushi's heart and she found herself longing for a certain someone.

"Pray, where is my lord?" asked Kushi, looking expectantly in the direction of the open central doors.

"He was discussing some matter with Om Prakash as I trudged up the lawn," said Lord Akash, picking up a third teacup and pouring tea into it, "I am certain he will be in any moment."

And sure enough, just as he had said it, a shadow appeared in the doorway that had been illumined with the afternoon sunlight.

As he emerged into the Castle, Lord Arnav noticed the happy company in the living room and nodded at Payal, "Good evening, Payal. I hope you are well."

"I am quite well, thank you," Payal smiled up at him, "Wouldn't you join us for tea?"

"I would like to, but you must excuse me this once," said Lord Arnav apologetically, "There are matters that need my attention."

His eyes fell on Kushi and instinctively his expression mellowed.

Acknowledged, Kushi arose with a cup of tea in her hand, "Would you prefer I bring it to the chamber, my lord?"

"To the library, Kushi," replied her husband, "That is where I will be." Kushi was about to follow after him but he nodded to the untouched cup on the table, "Bring your cup of tea along with mine."

He walked on and Kushi, after placing both cups of tea on a tray, carried them to the library upstairs.

In the solitude of the library, surrounded by the scent of old books and last night's candles, Kushi and Lord Arnav sat on armchairs before the window that overlooked the garden outside.

After a minute of their silent sipping, Kushi placed her half-finished cup on the table beside her.

"Something worries you?" Kushi asked, reading the concern etched on his forehead.

"I am not worrying but consolidating," said Lord Arnav, sipping his tea.

"Is it some pressing matter that you cannot discuss with me?" Kushi prodded, wanting to help but not wanting to offend by intrusion.

Lord Arnav looked at her, his gaze softening, "It is not anything you should worry about, but if it will please your curious mind to know, I will tell you."

Kushi tilted her head, "How easily you suppose my request to be out of curiosity, when you know it is not."

Lord Arnav grinned roguishly, "It is only rarely that I can tease you for your childish inquisitiveness!"

Kushi frowned, "I am not your child, you know!"

He looked surprised. "It's good you reminded me, I was beginning to forget," he let his mouth curve to a smirk as he sipped his tea.

Kushi tossed her head in a proud stance, "Then allow me to remind you: I am the First Lady of Arhasia, your most endearing wife!"

"So you are!" Lord Arnav acclaimed, in false astonishment, "And what a fine wife you are! So diligent and so respectful. Tell me, what do you think of your husband?"

Kushi leaned forward as though she was to convey him a secret, "He is the most vicious man there is to be found on this planet!"

Lord Arnav's eyes lighted with mirth before darkening with desire, "And you are the most annoyingly delicious among women."

Kushi looked at him and saw in his eyes, that he wanted her. But she decided to toy with him a while more. Looking away, she claimed self-importantly, "If you had the habit of shaving your beard regularly, I would have happily named you the handsomest."

"Oh, so it is my beard that offends you, is it?" Lord Arnav kept his cup aside, got to his feet and leaned over her as though to kiss her but, instead, granted her an agonizing feat of grazing his rough cheek against her pearly smooth ones.

"Oh, my lord, stay yourself, I say!" protested his wife, trying to push him away.

She struggled to her feet, fighting his proceeds, and then was about to make away, when with a quick tug, he pulled her to him and both of them fell onto the armchair that he had been sitting on.

Kushi struggled to arise, but he kept her locked to him, positioning her firmly on his lap.

"My lord," Kushi panted, "How you play! You tire me greatly!"

"Don't tire yet!" pleaded her husband, "I am only in the beginnings of exhausting my strength."

"You are simply dreadful!" Kushi laughed, and then she stilled, feeling his hands tighten their hold on her hips.

Trying to divert his mind, she provoked, "What was it that had been in your mind when you came in today?"

Lord Arnav inclined her closer to him, shifting her weight on his lap easier to lean his head against her shoulder, "My thoughts were centred on two accounts: one, that in three weeks it would be time again to bring a hermit to the Castle."

"Is it their anniversary so soon?" Kushi mulled in surprise.

"Yes. It is," Lord Arnav said, a note of grief in his voice, which made Kushi hastily enquire, "And what is the second thought that you were concerned over?"

Lord Arnav leaned back into the armchair and spoke in his vague, official tone, "I am aware of numerous rumours that, among authorized barges, there are ships that arrived on our coast that were not sanctioned to harbour or port in Arhasian soil. I have increased reinforcements but, so far, there seems to be no need for it."

"If there is no such danger perceivable as of now, why must you be worried?"

"What angers me is that I have received confirmation from trustworthy sources that guns have been imported into Arhasia, despite my stringent prohibition of them on my land," Lord Arnav sighed, "It is not unknown to me that the General has one in his name, resting in a chest in this very house of mine."

Kushi paled, "Are you going to have a fit and fight him over this?"

"No, I am not," frowned Lord Arnav, "He knows I will not like him sporting it and if he does, I can take action against him. But the mere thought of it and many other guns being here..."

A shiver of spite passed through his frame and Kushi embraced him close to her, pressing his tired head to her bosom, as she ran her fingers affectionately through his hair, "It will all be well, my lord. It will all be well..."

Lord Arnav kissed upon her neck and looked up at her, "What would I do without you?" Kushi smiled kindly in return and then he whispered, "Kushi, you are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen."

Her cheeks turned scarlet from his intensely enamoured gaze.

"You are beautiful too, my lord," murmured Kushi, admiring the golden dust in his chocolate-liquor eyes.

"But your beauty surpasses all," he alleged, "The beauty of your soul is so overpowering that I am nothing before its radiant virtuousness."

"You may see beauty in my soul but no one can deny the strange beauty of your heart."

Lord Arnav blinked, his eyes vague, and Kushi kissed his forehead, "Your heart, my lord, is so unique...so precious... There is a warmth in your coldness and a fragility in your strength."

Lord Arnav's eyes moistened. How truthfully she understands me. His voice nearly broke when he asked, "If it is fragile, would it not break?"

"Yes it would," confessed Kushi, kissing him softly on his eyelids that had closed upon the touch of her gentle lips.

"Then will you hold my heart, my wife?" he asked, yearningly, "Safe from hurt?"

Kushi smiled through the tears rising in her eyes, "But my lord, you already gave me your heart, the day I fell into your arms from atop the rosebush."

"Queer it is that you would know it," he smiled weakly, "Ever since you fell into my arms, I have felt myself fall at your feet, asking you to see me... to love, to remember...this cold, heartless beast."

Kushi held his hand and began kissing the tips of his fingers, "Well, cold, heartless beast, know this: that you always are and always will be the warm, loving Prince of my life."

In the golden light of the setting sun, Lord Arnav dark eyes danced with a hungry glint, "I may be your Prince, but you are my Goddess."

"Goddess?" Kushi eyes lit in amusement, "I thought you didn't believe in gods and goddesses!"

"I don't!" he asserted with an ingenious smile, "But this goddess I must worship day and night: it is for this I survive now."

"Really?" Kushi touched her forefinger to the tip of his nose and then ran it down to his lips, whereupon reaching, he kissed it. Smiling, Kushi withdrew her finger and pressed it to her lips.

Delighted, Lord Arnav asked eagerly, "Shall we go?"

"Where to?" Kushi blinked.

"To the altar in our bedroom," he whispered lusciously, "It's time to offer this goddess my nightly offerings."

Kushi blushed deep red.

As he lifted her into his arms, and began crossing the distance to the door, she whispered coyly into his ear, "And may I add, if your offerings are pleasing enough, your goddess might take heart and grant all the wishes you bid of her."

"I know," he purred in a low voice, "Or I will make her."