Chapter - 6 Glancing nervously around the ballroom, Prachi tried not to trip on the hem of her gown. A hush descended on the entire room as she came into view near the top of the staircase even before the butler could announce her presence.
"Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Shahjahanpur – Princess Prachi!" he declared unnecessarily as all the occupants were already turning around to stare… many of them had never seen a real Princess in their lifetimes, much less having her share the same ballroom as them.
Nodding politely and smiling at the many people staring awestruck at her, she descended slowly down the stairs with all the regal poise marking her royal birth. The King, who had been sitting at the high table with many of his nobles, stood up and walked towards her for the customary greetings.
Extending her hand automatically towards him, she smiled warmly as he bent down to press a light kiss on the back of her hand.
"You look beautiful, my dear," he said, with something that sounded like pride in his voice.
"And you look as handsome as ever, Your Majesty," she said, winking at him, feeling strangely elated after the passage of her initial nervousness.
Smiling, he turned towards his many acquaintances, waiting for their introductions to her. With a sigh of relief at the absence of a certain Prince, she got lost in the social whirl that had been a part of her childhood from as far back as she could remember.
"Your Royal Highness, I'm so pleased to meet you."
"
Her Grace, the Duchess of Mukti!" droned on the butler, announcing the new arrivals.
"Your Royal Highness, I must say, you look lovely!"
"
The Marquess and Marchioness of Lindingburg!"
"Would Her Royal Highness, honour me with a dance?"
"
The Countess of Damdon!"
"
His Royal Highness, the Prince of Saharan – Prince Milind!" the butler declared enthusiastically.
A respectful silence descended upon the gathering, as Prachi whirled around, feeling her heart beating furiously at the sound of the name of the very person she had dreaded meeting again.
Nodding absently at his peers, his eyes traveled across the room searchingly before they landed on her flushed face. Dark piercing eyes met melting chocolate ones before they traveled towards the other side of the room. Apparently disappointed at the absence of the person he had been searching for, he turned his attention towards his father who was standing right next to her and made his way towards them.
Curbing the impulse to take a step back at the raw masculinity radiating off him, she forced herself to smile pleasantly, as the royal codes demanded him to exchange niceties with her before addressing his father.
Sticking to the Royal Code of Conduct, he turned towards her reluctantly, taking the hand she offered and pressing a kiss on the back of her hand, his eyes catching hers and holding fast. His stubble tickled her delicate skin, and she suppressed a shudder as the memory of yesterday invaded her thoughts.
"Beta, aap Prachi ke saath dance kyun nahi karte?" suggested the King jovially, with a knowing twinkle in his eyes.
"
Her Royal Highness, the Princess of Shahjahanpur – Princess Ayesha!"
Milind's head swiveled around as he straightened up, forgetting the hand clasped in one of his. A smile of slow male appreciation spread across his face as he looked at her beautiful sister walking down the stairs, looking perfectly at ease with the discreetly admiring glances thrown her way. A murmur went through the crowd as everybody got a good look at the vision in a burgundy velvet gown with her coppery locks piled high, leaving a few tendrils to caress her cheeks teasingly.
Disentangling his hand from hers, he made his way towards her; smiling into her sister's gray eyes as he bent to press the customary kiss on her hand. Fighting the feeling tightening her heart in knots, she watched him accompany her to the dance floor just as the musicians started a slow melody.
He still limped a little, she noted dispassionately, feeling unreasonably annoyed at being so easily dismissed. Standing stock still at the realization that he had managed to invoke a feeling so completely alien to her, she turned her back on the pair to find herself almost bang into a man talking to the King.
"Before hum humari friendship ki beginning 'sorry' se karein, main aapko usse pehle hi 'its ok' keh deta hoon," he said, grinning down at her with merry dark eyes.
Seeing her baffled look, the King supplied, "Prachi, miliye humare bete Neev se."
"Pleased to meet you, Your Royal Highness," she said automatically, extending her hand towards his.
"Wah, toh ab formality bhi humein jhelni padegi…" he said thoughtfully, taking her hand in one of his. "Toh then how about a perfectly formal dance, Princess?"
Saying this, he led her towards the dance floor, his grin back in place. Putting a hand around her waist and holding the other clasped to one of hers, he swayed to the waltz with the easy grace of someone who had done this a hundred times before.
And ofcourse he would have, she thought absently, he was after all a
Prince!
"Ab dekhiye, aap humein insult kar rahin hai," he said with mock gravity as she remained silent, her eyes drawn repeatedly to the pair dancing a few feet away from them. "Itna handsome Prince aapke saath dance kar raha hai and aap uske bhai ko dekhi jaa rahin hai! Itna bhi bura nahin ho main, maam!"
Blushing at being caught staring, she giggled helplessly at his childish tone, looking into his laughing midnight black eyes so like his brother's but whereas Milind's eyes could be cold and most of the times were, his were filled with laughter and merriment. Two brothers and both so different…Ah, who was she to judge? As if she and Ayesha were similar!
"Ab toh aapne hadh hi kar di! I'm fishing for compliments here and you're laughing at the seriousness of the situation!"
She burst out laughing at the offended look he put for her benefit. "And agar main aapko compliments na doon, toh aap kya karenge?"
"Main…" he replied, thoughtfully. "Aapse shaadi kar lunga! Aakhir isse badi punishment aap ke liye kya hogi?"
Her eyes widened as something clicked in her mind. Neev! Prince of Saharan! She was to be his wife!
The song changed at that exact moment to signal the switch in partners. With a last curious look at her stunned face, he twirled her about to get caught by strong hands that immediately pulled her close before she tripped. A familiar feeling shot through her and she raised her eyes to confirm what she already somehow knew.
"Prachi…woh main…" Milind began, misinterpreting the look still plastered on her face. "Kal jo hua…uske baare mein…Main bas itna kehna chahta hoon ki…I'm sorry."
Shaking herself out of the turbulent emotions swirling inside her, she replied softly, aware of the warmth of his hand pressed to her waist and the hand guiding her through the dance, "Dosti ki beginning sorry se nahi karte."
___________________________________________________
"Tu kya hamesha mujhe gussa dilane ke bahane dhundta hai?"
Chuckling at the irate tone of the woman dancing unwillingly with him, he replied pulling her closer to whisper by her ear, "Tum jab gussa hoti ho na…tab tumhari aankhen ek hungry tigress ki tarah ho jati hain. "
Tightening his hold on her as she struggled to put some distance between them, he continued, "Tumhari jo ye naak hai na…jo hamesha aasman mein chadhi rehti hai…ye bilkul tomato jaisi red ho jati hai."
"Neev!" she almost screamed in anger. Seeing the curious looks of the dancers nearby, she quickly amended, knowing that they would become the gossip everywhere soon if she wasn't careful and gossip about a Princess was always considered to be negative. "Neev, mere…my foot is hurting! Mujhe please chair tak escort kar do."
Grinning, he caught her under the elbow and 'escorted' her off the dance floor and into a chair giving her no time to fake a limp.
Glaring at him, she hissed, "You are
despicable!"
Unimpressed by her show of the royal temper, he bent closer to her to say," And you, maam, are a really bad actress".
Before she could think up a suitable retort, the King's voice demanded everyone's attention. Everyone stood in respectful silence as the King of Saharan marched towards the raised platform where the musicians had been playing. They retreated gracefully, bowing as they went.
"So," began the King. "On this special occasion, I have a lovely surprise for the most beautiful ladies of this evening…"
He looked first at Ayesha and then at Prachi as he said this, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind about whom he was talking about. "I wholeheartedly welcome, my dear friend and his wife – the King and Queen of Shahjahanpur!"
Polite clapping greeted this announcement, while Ayesha's face broke into a breathtaking smile as she stood up and Prachi made her way towards the platform, greeting her parents as was proper for a Princess in front an audience.
Ayesha stood quietly beside Neev, gazing at her stepmother as a feeling of foreboding crept slowly up her spine. They had come to witness the wedding! And now that Milind was well enough to attend it, there would be no reason for delay. Oh, but how could she marry this jerk standing next to her!
Her eyes widened as another thought occurred to her… How in the world was she going to face her mother after getting her sister married to the man
she had been supposed to marry?
____________________________________________________
"On this joyous occasion, I'd like to make another announcement," said the King, putting an arm around his friend, the King of Shahjahanpur. "As you all know, our families are about to be joined by marriage."
Prachi caught Ayesha's stricken look and bit her lips in mounting dread of what was to come. How could she have forgotten this!
"And hence, me and my esteemed friend here, would like the betrothal contract to be signed at this auspicious time itself."
An involuntary gasp could be heard from Ayesha as she stood a step back, stepping on Neev's foot. With a curse, he glared murderously at her and then at Milind who shrugged helplessly as he came to stand beside him.
Seeing her mother's worried frown at the negative reactions in front of her, Prachi said soothingly," Aap fikar mat kijiye, maa. It's just…it's just nerves."
Casting a doubtful look at her older daughter, she beckoned to Ayesha to come onto the stage. The Kings, unmindful of everything, beamed approvingly at her.
On legs that felt like lead, Ayesha walked slowly towards the platform followed by Neev who could hardly keep the expression of thunderous outrage off his face. Amidst the clapping, Ayesha picked up the quill in a hand that shook and positioned it above the parchment. Silently she read the words…words that promised her to a man she hated, and who hated her equally.
"Beta, sign karo," said the Queen, putting a supportive hand on her shoulder.
Taking a shaking breath, she signed her name in her rather sprawling handwriting.
Ayesha Amrita Saran Shah. ______________________________________________________
Hie guys, please dont kill me! got damn busy so couldn't find time to complete the chapter. Really sorry!
Temme how you liked this chapter, hope i havent disappointed you all much! 😊 Edited by gurl.enchanted - 17 years ago
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
