"I was in the wrong your majesty", she grabbed hold of the ipad. "I will let you get back to work".
The queen packed her belongings in a turtleshell backpack and hung it on the king's coat hanger. Then, she took off her socks and lay quietly on the hardwood floor staring up at the ceiling.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Rishabh seemed annoyed at the forced silence.
"..."
"You clearly have something to say Madhubala so why are laying there all constipated? Speak up!"
She giggled like a schoolgirl for a good minute. "Even the back of your head makes my heart race".
"Incorrigible!" he sneered at her.
"Only for you", she kept on grinning like an idiot.
"Exactly what do you like about me?" he puckered his brows, giving her side glances.
"Everything. I like everything about my honey. Your lips, your eyes, your nose, your shoulders, those abs, the fat fingers, your legs, even your toenails". She curled her hair around her finger and continued. "And, your deep voice, the way you speak, what you speak. And your heart".
"Is that it?" Rishabh didn't know what made him prompt on her annoying ramblings but he couldn't stop a sly smile from creeping up on his lips. So he tried his best to hide it.
"There's more. I like when you smile, though you rarely do. I like your tears too butI hope I don't see them again. And, just like now, I think you look so sexy when you're frustrated".
"Umm?" Rishabh was about to pull his hair out.
"Shows you're honest".
"Aah!" he paused for a second. "Enough!"
He pulled his chair out and smashed the table in from of him. It took a total of two minutes for his majesty to jump from residual annoyance to distraction to flaming rage. He suddenly sat up from his revolving chair and raced toward his wife.
"Follow me!" he yelled and she obeyed. Soon, they were in the master bedroom of the monarchical palace. Terrified servants followed close behind. "Privacy!" he commanded and the entire compound emptied out.
The queen's giggling session wasn't over yet as she swung from side to side, looking up at him and then down at her fiddling hands as he tried to calm his anger.
"Fine. If this is how you're going to be then here is what is going to happen. You and I are going to sleep in there together", he pointed to the king size bed. She offered a lopsided smile and he dragged her inside shutting the doors behind him.
She jumped up on the mattress quite content with his proposal. His expressions changed again but all she noticed was a focused look in his eyes, a one track mind as he advanced toward her. He lowered his torso facing her and slowly let his weight drop on the legs caging her from either side. One of his hands supported her neck and the other traced along her spine. He leaned in for a kiss and she invited him in with closed lids.
But he wouldn't stop at that. His tingling fingers found their way down her tissue tee unhooking her brassiere and travelling up to her bosom.
"Stop", the queen grabbed his wrist and twisted it until he yelped out in pain. "Your hands have lost their way". She let go of his hand and began wiping the smudged lipstick off the edges of her lips. Rishabh could hardly sit still when she cupped the rim of her lower lip with her two fingers. He ignored her warnings and resumed where he left out.
"Rishabh Mohan Kundra do you not hear my voice?" she pushed him off her with full force.
"Madhubala Rishabh Kundra", he retorted in an equally strong tone. "What are you doing playing with a man?"
She straightened her clothes and checked up in the mirror on the vanity table.
"Answer me!"
"I am not playing", she responded.
He pulled her back on the bed and hovered on top of her. "Did I force you to come here?"
The queen took her time to respond. Judging by the stern look on her husband's face she decided it was best to turn on the formal tone. "No. I came in willingly my lord".
"Enough with the 'my lord' bullshit. Who am I to you?"
"My husband, my lord".
"Again with the my lord? Your husband, that's right".
"Did I or did I not make it clear that you and I would be sleeping together in this bed tonight?"
"You did. Very clear".
"Then, is this a joke to you?" Rishabh's feelings were straddling somewhere between extremely frustrated and borderline hurt. He couldn't quite decide.
"No, I am sincere. Is it to you?" The queen was quite good at redirecting questions like a hotshot lawyer.
"Do you know this wifey? A man doesn't refuse a woman who walks right into his arms whether he likes her or not".
"That's why I am not giving in", she reasoned. "You know what the best thing about one-sided love is?" she gulped in on the saltiness in her throat. "I get to make the boundaries and only I get to break them. Kissing you wasn't bad but I would like to save some things for when you're truly in love with me". Even her reply was overflowing with confidence.
"Seriously? This woman! For now, just leave. Go back to your palace and get your head on straight".
"I don't want to".
So this woman was going to say everything on her mind tonight?
"Buzz off girl!"
She could tell man was softening up as he crawled back to his usual sleeping position, offering her a little space to jump in if she wished. And she did, laying face to face with her husband. So close that she could count all his eyelashes.
"Even your lashes are..."
"Pretty", he finished her sentence. "Don't you have something new to say?"
She used the back of her hand to clean the pink stain off his lips. But her fingers settled on his stubble. She began playing with the hairs- up, down, center.
"Girl watch where you're going!" he casually scolded her.
"When I was a kid, I used to butt in between mum and dad just to do that. I like a man with a scruffy beard".
"Too much information", he whispered in a sleepy voice as his eyelids became heavy from her massage.
"I love you hubby".
"I know".
She nudged him slightly.
"Shut up! So noisy". He offered her his right arm and pulled her in closer with the left. The couple slept peacefully through the night tangled in each other's limbs.
The next morning, there was no trace of Madhu. Instead, Rishabh found a sticky note glued to his forehead.
"I am not going to give up on the Swiss money trail", it read. "Come see me for a bit when you've thought it over with a clear mind".
Oh hell no! The woman wasn't getting her way, not like this, not on this matter. The king darted out the room last night's clothes. Thankfully, no staff had returned to the compound fearing consequences. Her majesty was seated in the library next door typing away at light speed.
"What the f**k?" was the first thing he announced as he barged inside the library. Madhu smiled knowingly and bowed in greeting. He waved the sticky note in her face and screamed so close to her eyes his saliva landed on her lids. She wiped it off, making sure he noticed what a disgusting act this was.
"Are you deaf or just dumb?"
"..."
"Answer me! Know. Your. Place. Woman. You are number two. Number. Two. Servant. To. The. King. Am who am I? I am your king. Your ruler. When the king says jump, you should ask how high. Instead, you are sitting here rebelling. Disobeying my direct order. When did you become that courageous?"
"..."
"Why won't you answer me? I told you not to stick your nose in the Swiss dirty money yet your tail sitting right on that trail. Are you stupid?"
"..."
"Loving your country, patriotism and pride, sound nice in textbooks. But you should learn to control your emotions in the big bad world. Understand?"
"I don't want to", she gave a straight answer. "Also, it's not pride or patriotism that has me digging cash graves. I don't love my country at all".
"You don't?"
"It could drown in the sea bed for all I care".
"Then?" Rishabh seemed beyond surprise.
"I am digging for trouble because I love you and I need to protect you".
"I have my men to guard me, you just smile for the cameras. That's your job". Rishabh tapped her on the head.
"And if I don't?"
"You think I hate you so I am doing all this? Security checks, restraining you, stopping you from getting into messy things...You think I am like this because I hate you?" Rishabh was starting to get angry again.
"No, I know you don't. Just trust me, okay? There is something shady in this stew".
"How irritating! I am trying to keep you out of trouble woman. Get a clue! I know too, something is not right. But now is not the time to go bull fighting. And if we have to pull out the weapons, I will go alone. It's too dangerous for you to handle so just sit still woman!"
"I am not afraid of battle. Who am I? Daughter to two great martyrs. Sister to second lieutenant of the Royal Marine Corps. I got iron blood running in these veins".
"Sheesh, useless pride!" he scoffed.
"Look here, these are numbered accounts", she pulled up her analyst's noteook. "So even if we have the trail we can't tell who is behind the transactions. It could be anyone with the pin because they can all deposit and withdraw money. Even if the enemy knows, this won't draw suspicion. They know we can't catch them with this evidence".
He closed her laptop and rotated her chair toward him. "Please don't Madhu, you will lose".
"Oye fool, do you know what fight ruins a woman? It's not when she fights against a man that she loses, it is the battle for men that undo her. Right now I am fighting for my man so I am bound to come undone. I have accepted my fate so you accept yours. Trust me, why don't you?"
"I trust you. Have I ever said otherwise? More than anyone in this palace, sometimes more than the thoughts in my head, I trust you Madhubala. You are the only person in this world I can trust".
"Then follow me. I know what to do so just let me have my way please".
"You'll burn. They will scathe you Madhu. These are dangerous people with deep rooted claws".
"Rishabh, I am only vulnerable in front of you. Outside, I am cruel and I am ruthless. So, don't worry about me. Just save yourself from impact. When it all goes down, close your eyes, stuff your ears and shut your lips. I will handle it all myself. Just pretend I am naive and let me fight for you". For the first time in a long time Rishabh was out of words in the argument.
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