"Princess, you can't do anything about it now. So can you quit sulking and show me that gorgeous smile?" Prince Udayveer was in a great mood. After all, he had won another round against the ever-stubborn Princess Maanyata. He wanted her to accompany him to an important hotelier conference and a party afterwards. Maanyata had tried her best to decline the offer, but we all know once Prince Udayveer decides to do something, it's considered done. Technically, Maanyata had lost two rounds. Not only did she have to attend the conference/party with Uday but Rajmata also made her promise that she would not interfere with Udayveer and her attendants' decisions regarding her outfits for the events.
"Your charm might work on other girls and even my family, but it doesn't work on me. So why don't you give up?" Maanyata shot back at him, adding her typical Indian curse words. She was in a foul mood, which Udayveer returned with a smile. Sometimes even he couldn't understand how Maanyata could make him smile by insulting him. If it was anyone else saying even half of what she says to him, he would have lost his temper, and the person would have to spend at least a month at the hospital. But it was Maanyata. Her defiance made her even more charming to him. So far every girl he had come across was almost too easy to get. Just his status would lure them into claiming they loved him, but he knew better. They loved Prince Udayveer, not Udayveer. That was probably the most important reason why nothing Maanyata ever did (except having an affair with Aakash), no matter how rude, made him furious. He couldn't understand how a girl, especially a really poor girl, not enjoy being a princess. How could she resist him? Prince Udayveer! THE charming and hot Prince Udayveer of Jaigarh.
Maanyata was looking out the window because the weather was turning out to be beautiful. They would hear thunderstorm and lightning far off, but the breeze was amazingly soothing. Only if he wasn't here with me. Udayveer's words brought her out of her thoughts, "Ahh Princess, how many times have I told you that Udayveer never gives up? And sweetheart, you are going to be at my mercy for the entire day. So might as well behave," There was a hint of a threat in his voice. Of course, this was only to intimidate her so she would listen to him. He would never ever hurt her.
Maanyata snorted, giving him a hateful look, she added, "And Udayveer, how many times have I told you that I am NOT scared of you? Do whatever you want, I don't care. Haan nahin toh." Before Uday could respond to that and continue their oh-so-common arguments, the car came to a screeching halt.
"What the hell! Today of all days," Udayveer tried turning the key in the ignition again, but the car won't start. He didn't bring any guards or anyone with them because one, he wanted to spend some time alone with Maanyata, and two, he knew he could take care of her. And now this. Swearing, he got out of the car, opened the hood, and started checking out the engine compartment. Having a ton of people around to take care of his cars, he never had to do much himself, but he loved cars so knowing more about them was more like a second nature to him. His attention was diverted with he heard the door open and shut.
"I should have known. Udayveer, please, this isn't funny," Maanyata was furious.
"Should have known what?" He was confused only for a split second before realizing what she meant. "Listen, Princess, if you think I have done it purposely, then as always, you're mistaken. You're forgetting it's my conference and my party we're going to. Why would I mess it up?" A confused look appeared on Maanyata's face. Of course, she hadn't thought about that. When it came to Udayveer, she accused, yelled, abused first, and thinking came last, if at all. "Maanyata, go sit in the car. I'll figure something out." A second after he finished the sentence, it started pouring. The wind was going crazy; it was surely going to be a memorable thunderstorm.
"You are with me. So of course, everything has to go wrong." Maanyata screamed those words because already with the rain and thunder, it was way too loud. Without saying anything, Udayveer grabbed her hand and started running towards the left, off the road. At first she struggled, but then when she saw a small barn materializing in that direction as they got closer, she let him lead the way. In a few seconds, they were standing in front of the barn. The door was open, and it was dark in there. It may not be a royal barn, but it was a shelter from the unforgiving rain and cold, and they weren't going to decline it. It took their eyes a while to adjust to the darkness, but slowly they started seeing outlines of the various tools. The barn maybe deserted now for the winter, but it must have been used as a storage place for some crops and/or animals.
"Great! Now we're stuck in this dark, God forsaken barn in the middle of nowhere." This time it was Udayveer complaining. He tried making a few calls, but there was no service.
"Good! Serves you right. Prince Udayveer must also experience how common people actually live," Maanyata was enjoying this. It was like another adventure for her. Rain, thunderstorm, a dark barn, it was too much fun... correction: It would be too much fun if Udayveer wasn't with her. Sighing, she walked around the barn, and her eyes settled on a lantern a few feet ahead of her. She grabbed it off the floor and started searching for a match to start a fire, which she found close by. Carefully placing the lantern in a corner away from the windows, she turned around only to see Udayveer smiling at her.
"Is there anything that you can't do?" Udayveer's expression gave away his feelings. He was totally in awe of her. Even in her simple outfit, she looked stunning. Observing her ever since she was trying to put on the lantern, he saw how adorable she looked while she was trying to focus hard on doing something. Her hair was a mess, and she had almost no makeup on. Yet she was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid his eyes on. Her simplicity touched his heart. There wasn't fakeness about her. The fakeness he grew up with, the fakeness he saw around all too much. It took all he had to restrain himself so he won't approach her and touch her stunningly beautiful face. Although he had done that a few times before to irk her, he just thought that now wasn't a good time. That might give her a wrong impression. Something like that would only scare her and drive her farther away from him. At the moment, he couldn't even imagine that happening.
"Yes, I can't seem to get rid of you," her cold response snapped him out of his thoughts. Sighing, he came closer to her.
"Maanyata, please. The truth is we're stuck here for who knows how long. Can we at least try and pretend that we don't hate each other? That you don't hate me." The emphasis on 'you' and 'me' came across all too clear.
"You're saying as if you love me," Maanyata replied knowing all too well that he hated her just as much as she hated him.
Fan Fictions
Anupamaa
