Dressed in her power black business suit with a body hugging pencil skirt to match, Madhubala commanded the attention of a gathering of the nation's most influential officials.
"A crisis is upon us and what I ask of you is to put your expertise together to create a feasible operational plan to decipher this money trail without, and this is important, without bringing it to the notice of the commander in chief". She sat up from her chair at the head of the table and walked around the room scanning for electronic devices.
"I assumed that we were all professional adults here and no one would dare play the middle school games of telling on the queen but I guess I thought wrong. Ms. Mathur, please confiscate Mr. Shah's tablet pc this instant".
"Pardon me for the interruption your majesty but...the king has the right to know", Mr. Shah raised an eyebrow and a half clearly annoyed at the once nameless commoner ordering him around as the queen.
"Who's your boss Mr. Shah? Is it me or is it my king?" She looked him straight in the eye like if he spoke one wrong word this would be his last day on earth.
"And if you are this in awe of my king, I suggest you resign from your position as the national reserve directorate and join the military. Our king is the leader there". This clear jab invited roaring laughter from Mr. Shah's colleagues but the damage was already done. Rishabh had probably got a wind of the situation by now and would barge in any second.
And...right on cue. His royal highness burst open the wooden doors looking for his wife.
"What the heck do you think you are doing?" he walked toward the queen aggressively pointing a finger in her direction but she remained unimpressed by his display of power.
He repeatedly poked her shoulder with the same finger and asked the same question again. This time, punctuating each word with a pause for dramatic effect.
"Sit your ass down Mr. Rishabh Mohan Kundra", roared the queen and the whole room fell into uncomfortable silence. Then, she turned to the crowd and ordered, "what are you all doing still sitting here? Don't you see the king and queen need this room to themselves? DISS. MISS. SED. OUT!"
Her eyebrows were raised two floors high and eyes so wide open Rishabh could count the veins bulging out.
"Why are you still standing?" she turned to her husband. "Didn't you hear me when I said sit your ass down Kundra?"
"Madhubala?"
"Don't you 'Madhubala' me. Sit. Down".
He obeyed like a terrified house cat and she leaned down on the leg of his chair, looking up at him.
"Why? What's the problem? Tell me. I am listening".
Rishabh thought about raising his voice but considering how bipolar his wife appeared at the moment, he decided against it.
"Why are you meeting the ministers alone? Why not nudge me about it?" this was probably the most polite he'd been to her in ages.
"And if I did, would you let me?" she asked and he knew exactly where the conversation was going. The king had dug his own grave yet again.
"No", he pouted.
"And do you inform me, verbally or otherwise, about your cabinet meetings?"
"Never", he sighed.
"I have to find out like the rest of the palace staff, isn't it?"
"Yes", he suddenly felt like a kindergartner being disciplined by his teacher.
"Therefore, my dear king, please let me do my job without interruption. I wasn't interfering with your territory so you don't have to worry. And about how the chain of command works, you are the boss but sometimes you don't have to know. I resolve things on my own and then I decide whether or not your participation is required. You do not get to walk all over me, understand?" She delivered her punches in the most loving of tones but he still felt the sting where she wanted it. With those sad looking eyes she'd called him out on his wrongs like no one had dared in years.
"I told you already Madhubala..."
"Aan, aan, aan", she reminded him again that the name was off limits until their work talk was over.
"I mean, my queen, I am not in favor of you jumping in head first into this dirty money pond".
"I told you I don't care what you think". Here came the aggressive tone again. "This is my playing field and I get to decide what goes. When I need your opinion, I will look for you. But don't forget you put me in charge of the financial affairs when I was crowned".
"I see you've found a loophole in my error free system". This was one of those rare occasions when he acknowledged her intelligence.
"Yes, my lord".
"Know that I won't hesitate to use a royal stay order to stop you if I must".
"You are still the boss sir. Do as you see appropriate". She nodded and slowly picked her weight up off the ground.
"Some way you treat your boss", he scoffed.
"And some way you treat your wife", she muttered turning away to face the wall.
"What did you say?"
"I dare not repeat myself for my lord might get angry at his rebellious queen".
"So now you know sarcasm?"
"I didn't want to learn but my lord's stubbornness forced me", she replied still facing away from him.
"Don't tell me your confession of love is all thin air now?" the king was getting riled up now.
"No. This is called tough love. And I think you really need it right now", she retorted.
"What is your problem Mrs. Kundra?"
"I have many problems my lord, I acknowledge my limitations. However, this does not take away from the fact that I am a human being...with real feelings...and wants. And I want respect. Please..."
"Look at me. Madubala. Look. At. Me".
"Tell you what? Don't be my husband for a while. If it were up to me, I wouldn't want to see your face at all but since you're the king I have to keep up my duties. But other than the official responsibilities, don't hang around for a while". She was staring him right in the eye, her tears refusing to stop despite her tiring efforts to contain her emotions.
"What's wrong?" he finally melted a little.
"You are being an asshole. That's what's wrong. I can't deal with you anymore. No matter how much I love you, this isn't right".
"Why?"
She was practically hyperventilating now and Rishabh had no idea what to do next.
"I have had just about enough of your sexism and mansplaining and calling me out in front of the staff without any rhyme or reason. Did you think I was your slave? Or a fangirl who would swoon at your actions? Yes, I like you and sometimes when you misbehave, I look the other way but there is a limit to everything. How do you think I felt when you told me to 'know my place'?"
"Madhu..."
"You are always saying, 'you are number two', 'you are below me'. Like I don't know that? I have plenty of people to remind me of that. That's what I have been told all my life, I exist to serve you...as a queen. NOT as your wife. PLEASE, please learn to distinguish the two. Or else, love or not, we won't last long. I have had it up to here giving you the upper leg in the relationship. The world does not revolve around you Kundra and certain not our marriage. I am not asking you to love me back, you don't owe me anything. But if you wish to continue this union, you better pick up your slack. I am not taking anymore of your middle school bullying. Got that?"
Rishabh looked on like a deer in the headlights as his wife blew snort into a tissue paper and drew in deep breaths to silent her tear muddled sighs.
"Need a hug?" he asked hestantly.
"No need", she answered with a hint of embarrassment due to what had transpired. Clearly, none of this was planned seeing how carried away Madhubala had gotten. She hit herself in the head twice reminding herself to snap back to the present.
"Fine. I need one", Rishabh pulled his wife into an embrace and whispered close to her ear, "I am sorry".
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