I am so sorry for updating this so late! I hadn't written part six (I have now, but I will only be able to post that after I write part 7 at the very least) so I refrained from posting this. But, with any luck, part seven will be written soon and I can post part six asap. Till then, enjoy Manyata and Uday meeting again!
part five
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"Aa gaye aap dono?" Komal gave in to her urge to touch her daughter's cheek lightly, pushing a strand of hair off her face. To her heart's delight, Manyata did not push her off or make a face, but simply stood there, a soft look in both their eyes. She reluctantly let her hand drop. "How was the shopping?"
"Very good," Unnati declared, ignoring the moment between mother and daughter tactfully. "Aunty, what do you think of Manyata's dress?" She indicated that Manyata spin, which the older girl did with a laugh.
Komal had to pause to stem her tears. "Beautiful," she finally managed to say. "Utterly beautiful."
There was an odd look in Manyata's eyes as she tilted her head to one side and surveyed Komal, before a mischievous grin broke out on her face. "Aakhir aapki beti toh hoon," she chirped, and Manyata told herself that it was only because of the promise she had made herself to behave that she had said this, and not because of the way Komal's affection was plain on her face, and definitely not because Manyata's heart warmed at it and had her biting her tongue to keep her from calling Komal Maa.
Before Komal could respond, Manyata had hurried Unnati away and to her room. Unnati let Manyata pace for a bit, muttering to herself. All that the younger princess got were snippets that made no sense. She began to unpack the shopping bags, which spurred the other girl into action as well. The clothes were taken out, admired one more time, before Manyata hung them up in the closet. The shoes, and they had picked up a few pairs of those, five for Manyata and two for Unnati, they took out of the boxes and Unnati made Manyata try them on again. She kept hers back into a shopping bag and set them to one side while Manyata neatly placed hers in order on the floor of her closet. Neither noticed the door open or the prince who was leaning against the frame and observing them.
"So," both girls jumped in surprise at the interruption. "I'm guessing the shopping was fruitful."
"Tumhe knock karna nahin aata kya?" Manyata shot back.
Uday smirked. "Aap toh meri honewali patni hai. Zaroorat kya hai knock karne ki, eh Princess."
"Toh tumhe tameez nahin aati," she smiled sweetly back. "Aise bolo." The smile dropped and was replaced immediately with her usual glare. Uday liked to privately term it the 'Uday is right and I don't want to admit it' glare. "Yahaan kar kya rahey ho?"
"Unnati ko lene aaya tha," the look he gave his sister was affectionate.
Manyata hid her embarrassment at forgetting that by turning to thank Unnati for the day, shooting her a smile. The two girls hugged, and Unnati pretended not to see her brother's expression over Manyata's shoulder. Or the way his eyes lingered on Manyata's bare legs when the girls broke apart.
"Dada, hum chalein?" she picked up her shopping bag and exited the door, patiently waiting for her brother to move.
Uday made a show of looking Manyata up and down. "Not bad Princess, not bad at all," he commented, before turning and letting Unnati slip a hand into the crook of his arm. Both prince and princess of Jaigardh cast a glance at Manyata before walking away. Unnati grinned, wide and open and easy, while Uday smirked, eyes glinting with amusement and challenge.
The fight and attitude drained out of Manyata the second they were out of sight and she sank down onto her bed. She let her head fall into her hands, hair messily draping over her face. Sighing, she pushed her hair back and straightened.
"Theek hai Yuvraaj Udayveer," she said to herself. "So you want to turn me into Rajkumari Manyata. Fine, go ahead. I'll learn all you can teach me, all everybody wants me to learn. I'll be the princess of Rajgarh that the people expect."
Her eyes narrowed and she stood. "But I will not be your Manyata. That girl does not exist. I am my own person, I make my own decisions."
"You want to play games, Udayveer?" The glint in Manyata's eyes as she smirked, raising her head challengingly to her empty room, would have made Udayveer proud in just how much it made her look like a royal. "Bring it on."
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please let me know if it lived up to expectations!