Heya lovelies!
Enjoyed the pooja sequence? Thanks for all the lovely comments (though they have reduced again, so beware!). Here's some more AR moments for you! Don't forget my speed boosters! :)
Enjoy!
Chp. 31 My heart beats for you
Ridhima reached Princess Muskan's quarters and knocked. Muskan asked her to enter. Ridhima was panting but she managed to tell Muskan that everyone was waiting down for her.
"Fine, you may leave," Muskan told her curtly.
Ridhima stared at her.
"Leave now!" Muskan said once more.
"But Princess Muskan, your stuff-," Ridhima was saying but Muskan cut her short. "Don't bother, it's no use to me, you may keep it," she said.
Ridhima just stared at her unable to understand this woman. She turned and left as Muskan went down to the main hall.
Ridhima entered her room and closed the door behind her. She sat on the bed for a while thinking of all that had happened. She found it incredulous. She looked down at herself, the sari and jewels had perfectly adorned her beauty. She approached the mirror and checked herself. She couldn't help but admire herself. She was indeed looking like a princess! But it was not a reality it was more like a dream. She sighed. She slowly took off the jewels and accessories, changed into her own clothes and put away all the jewels and accessories with the sari into a box. Normally she would have just thrown that stuff away because if Princess Muskan thought that the clothes once worn by Ridhima were no use to her then Ridhima also didn't take charity! But because they had such sweet memories associated with them, memories which were precious for Ridhima, she kept that stuff. She lay in bed with the rose given by Kunwar Armaan twiddling in her fingers. All that had happened that evening still felt like a dream but the rose in her hand was proof that it had all been true. Her heart was filled with endless joy.
The moon was shining brightly in the starry sky. The calm of the night had enveloped the entire city and a soft cool wind was blowing. Armaan leaned against the window and thought about the day's events. Everything had seemed incredulous yet it had all been real. He was very joyous today. His happiness knew no bounds. A smile played across his lips as he thought about the moments he'd shared with Ridhima. When he thought about Ridhima, his smile widened even more. For Ridhima, this day was very special as she had met her dream prince today for the first time- a prince whom she loved. He wondered what would be her state today. She would definitely be crazy with joy. As he thought over the evening he realized that whenever he was supposed to be with Muskan, he had been with Ridhima. This thought gave him immense joy. He felt as though Ridhima and him was a couple made in heaven and God too had given his consent to their relationship hence every place where his to be wife was supposed to be, Ridhima had been there. He remembered when Ridhima had slipped in the corridor and he had held her in his arms. He had been inches from lifting the veil and seeing her face when she had pulled away. But then it was good because if he'd lifted her veil and they'd come face to face then even Ridhima would have had known that Maan and Armaan were one and the same. She would have had recognized him! But it suddenly struck him that Ridhima could have possibly seen him. He couldn't see her face but she could definitely have seen him! Oh gosh! What if she recognized him?! But the question was had she recognized him? He needed to find out first thing in the morning.
The first rays of dawn cracked through the dark sky. A serene calm hung over the palace. Ridhima woke up, took a shower and dressed up as usual. She said her prayers and thanked God for all his bounties and special favors and got to work. She had a few potions to make for BR. She went into the kitchen and began cleaning the herbs and crushing them. Physically she was in the kitchen but her mind was still thinking about the events of the previous day. After preparing the potions she left the kitchen and just walked, not knowing where she was going but just letting her feet guide her. Her mind was still occupied with the events of the previous day replaying in her mind for the millionth time. Suddenly a sharp sound broke her reverie and she realized that she was on the third floor and the sound that had broken her reverie was that of swords. She was near the swords room! Did this mean that Kunwar Armaan was practicing inside at this hour?
The whole corridor was deserted and she thought of getting away from this place before she was spotted. But then a thought occurred to her. Yesterday when she was with the Prince she hadn't seen his face. She had kept willing herself to look up but she hadn't mustered the courage. Could she now just peep in and have a look? But what if she was caught? The last time she was caught it had been Maan who'd seen her. She decided to take a chance and peep in. She moved towards the window where flimsy curtains were hanging.
As she saw through them she was awed by the sight. He was practicing with his back to her but his movements were crisp and swift. Unflinching concentration and precise movements just left her gaping. The angular planes of his back, the flexing of his muscles just left her stupefied. She felt his magnetic charisma attracting her towards him. But she still hadn't seen his face. She was just lost in his charm totally oblivious to her surroundings but a sudden movement near the door jolted her to reality. To her horror she saw a few people leaving from the room and she realized that if she stayed where she was she would end up in deep trouble. She moved backwards slyly her total concentration towards the door and on not being caught. She kept on moving backwards and then without realizing, she banged into something, someone rather and was saved the embarrassment of falling down as he held her just in time.
Ridhima's eyes were closed. She opened her eyes to find herself in Maan's arms when she had been hoping to catch a glimpse of her Prince. Maan's one hand was firmly wrapped around her waist and the other held a sword. Ridhima couldn't help but stare at him. He had a perfectly muscled physique. She couldn't help but notice the defined muscles of his torso, the lean curve of his hip. His sparkling blue eyes fixed on hers and she found herself lost in his eyes. As Armaan gazed at her in his arms, he was mesmerized by her enormous almond shaped eyes. Her delicate pink lips. Her long silky hair. The sword went to the floor with a bang and before he knew it his hand went to her face and he found himself brushing away the strands of hair that covered her beautiful face. Ridhima was too lost to say anything.
Suddenly the lights went off and since there was no window in the room either, it was plunged into darkness. This brought Ridhima and Armaan out of their reverie and Armaan felt Ridhima stiffen in his arms. Her heart was thumping, due to the fear of the dark or due to Maan's presence, she didn't know. He knew she was afraid of the dark. He held her by the shoulders and said in an assuring voice, "Relax Ridhima, you're not alone here, I'm with you."
Ridhima nodded as she felt comfort in his words and she tried to calm down. Armaan smiled thinking that she had faith in him.
"I'll just look around for the candles," he said.
He had hardly moved a few steps but Ridhima couldn't stand there and decided to follow him. She moved quickly in an attempt to get to him fast but failed to see the sword fallen there due to the dark and tripped on it and fell on Maan, the impact of the push sending them both to the floor. Maan was shocked by what happened. He looked up at Ridhima's face and was once again lost in her eyes. But he also couldn't ignore the feel of her silky hair fanned across his bare chest as she lay on him. He could feel the fragrance of her freshly shampooed hair. Her innocence and beauty just drove him crazy. He felt a sudden urge to kiss her but checked himself because he didn't want to create trouble. One hasty or wrong move and he would lose Ridhima forever.
The lights came on again and he tore his eyes away from her face and Ridhima realized that she had been staring at him. She looked away embarrassed and got up. Maan got up but couldn't suppress a smile as he realized that he had the same effect on her as she had on him. However, he sensed her embarrassment and decided to salvage the situation but before he could say anything she said quietly, still looking away, "I'm sorry."
"It's alright, you needn't apologize. It wasn't your mistake. But what were you doing here so early in the morning?" he asked.
Ridhima was taken aback at the sudden question. "Er, I... Um," she stuttered but then suddenly asked, "What are you doing here? I thought it is Kunwar Armaan who was practicing here."
Armaan was impressed. "Well, of course kunwar Armaan practices here but does that mean I can't? Oh, you mean you came to see Kunwar Armaan?" he asked sounding amused.
"What? No!" she blurted. Maan grinned.
He slipped on a T-shirt and picked the sword, he gave Ridhima a questioning look.
"Well, I was lost in thought and wasn't looking where I was going," she replied, though it sounded lame, she hoped he would buy it.
"What is it that is bothering you so much?" he asked concerned.
She had been thinking why had Princess Muskan done, what she did yesterday, but couldn't find any answers. She contemplated whether to tell Maan about what had happened last evening and found herself agreeing in the positive. She decided to get straight to the point especially because it was nagging her.
She asked, "You said that Kunwar Armaan didn't believe in love until after his alliance was fixed. So does Princess Muskan also love kunwar Armaan as he loves her?"
Maan gave her an incredulous look, "when did I say Kunwar Armaan is in love with Princess Muskan? And how would I know if she loves him too or not?"
"So you mean to say he's in love with someone else?" she said sarcastically.
"Whatever, I don't know, but why do you ask?" Maan queried sheathing the sword he had been cleaning he didn't know what she was getting at.
"Well, you know last evening when you told me to go and ask Princess Muskan to get ready as Kunwar Armaan would be there to escort her to the pooja,..." she narrated everything that had occurred the previous evening conveniently skipping her closeness to the Prince.
Maan pretended to be shocked but at the same time he was relieved because she didn't say anything that linked Maan and Armaan.
"You mean it was you with the Prince last night?" he asked.
She gave him a sheepish grin and nodded.
"Ooh... Lucky girl! So what happened?" he teased.
"Nothing," she said.
"Oh yeah," he teased.
"Nothing!" she said hitting him playfully on the shoulder.
"Okay, okay, fine," he replied.
"But what I don't understand is why Princess Muskan asked me to go in place of her?" she said.
Maan had been so excited since last night that he hadn't even given it a thought, but now that Ridhima mentioned it he was forced to think about it too. He couldn't find any reason why would Muskan do so.
"Maybe she doesn't love the Prince?" he prompted hopefully.
Ridhima gave him a how-can-you-think-that look and said, "I don't think that would be very good."
The sky outside the palace was now changing rapidly from deep velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then slowly to pink shot with gold. Maan and Ridhima went their ways but each one still thinking the reason behind Muskan's act. As Maan pondered, he realized that since their alliance had been fixed, Armaan and Muskan had never as much as had a conversation! This was something weird. Was it that Muskan was not interested in this relationship? Because if it was so, it would be easy for him to put an end to this relationship and it was good for both of them. Whatever it was he needed to find out and soon.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
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