Chapter 1: Below
Chapter 2: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/104172930
Chapter 3: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/105170805
Chapter 4: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/105416380
Chapter 5: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/105451272
Chapter 6: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/105525350
Chapter 7: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/107002029
What you are about to read is Donna Paulsen approved.
[Chapter 1]
The Night to End All Nights
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, lived a king who ruled his subjects and their hearts with grace. His valor was known to all; his power praised and revered. The king married his prime minister's daughter, a woman synonymous to poise. Her majesty was orphaned on her wedding night. As she walked around the holy fire for the seventh round, her father breathed his last breaths. She had but one brother left. His majesty generously offered to pay for his education abroad. Now, only the royal couple reside in the palace. Some unwanted pests mark their seasonal presence. Namely, Deepali and Sikander not royal by blood or mannerism, only empty titles that grant them entry in to the servant quarters. They had bartered for the rich quite life mostly because his majesty left them no other options.
"Either live in the city or the kingdom retreats your titles", he told them and they agreed. Now, they were only granted entrance for eid or diwali.
Her majesty made regular appearances in public charity events, maintaining a safe distance from the commoners against her better judgement. Her appointed guards followed her to the washroom, the showerheads were checked and double checked before she stepped in. Her toothbrush was scanned for poison and the vanity guarded by lasers to nip potential assassinations in the bud. Even making her way to the bedroom was no easy job. She had to memorize several security codes and scan her thumbprints just to get five minutes of her husband's time. Not that she craved it very much.
He was a rather cold man, cold to her that is. It was almost as if she did not exist. He would find time for political dinners, even public displays of (conservative) affection but not a private moment in the palace. She did not remember having a single one-on-one conversation with him post their wedding. The marriage was not forced from either side. In fact, the proposal had been in the works since his majesty's coronation. Granted the sudden passing of the prime minister had shifted the order of events, she failed to understand his hostility.
Given the flocks of paparazzi always busy planning a security breach, the King had prohibited his Queen from stepping outside the palace without written consent. Even a walk to the garden meant waiting days for her request to work its way through the tedious bureaucracy in to his majesty's hands. Fed up with the usually overdue requests, the Queen contacted her good friend, the Dutchess of Cambridge, to design an exquisite botanical garden of ox-blood hues. Her likings were distinct and mannerism in favour of solitude. Whether this was out of preference or learned helplessness, was hard to tell.
Today was another quite affair in the central palace as the King was scheduled to eat his morning meals in the Royal Ancestral dining hall. The servants set up plates for the royal taster. This carefully structured food ingestion ritual meant passing the meal from the taster to the Queen and if both of them survived, the King would be served his day's calories.
Traditionally the job of the taster alone, the Queen had volunteered to check for poison following two brutal assassination attempts claiming the life of an aged heritage taster. The Queen, as usual, struggled chewing the red meat delicacies. It took half a glass of wine and three very chirpy, high pitched voices of the palace maids for her to swallow the smallest piece of meat.
"May it please the queen, I present to you Pacific Salmon Caviar with red wine sauce".
The head chef, evidently proud of his creation, plated the star of the meal. She looked at him unconvinced. Not one of the dishes was made to her liking. Not even the drinks. She had never complained for the last twelve months but her birthday nearing, Queen Madhu VII was not in the best of moods.
"I appreciate you making foods compatible with his Majesty's pallete but, kindly place a vegan dish in the menu every blue moon. A bed of lettuce or cabbage would be a good start. He does not need this much protein".
Before the chef could react, the ever familiar entourage made an appearance with announcement of respected titles as the holders entered the room. Either Madhu had fallen behind schedule or the King had made a sudden appearance. She stood up startled as the King took his place without waiting for the rest of the ministry.
"Do not look at me funny and eat up", he glared with puckered brows and the men picked up their forks in shame. This was the first time King RIshabh had come remotely close to using colloquial language. The Queen instructed the servers not offer untasted food to the King.
In another unexpected turn of events, the king insisted on eating the two side dishes Madhubal had not yet tasted.
"Your majesty, I do apologize for the inconvenience. I am yet to try the dishes in question. I will serve the rest of the food may it please the king".
"May it please the queen, I would like to have the caviar".
Rishabh was being surprisingly persistent and even sparingly playful.
"If in agreement with your majesty, please allow me the chance to taste the meals first".
He signaled in an okay, still eyeing her moments making Madhu increasingly nervous. She picked up the medium rare steaks, trying hard not to appear disgusted from the pink muscle. But, he saw her discomfort.
"Is the queen's health in order, royal physician?"
"Yes, your majesty", the man spoke with food still in his mouth.
Rishabh ignored the unhygienic act and focused on his queen still struggling with the same piece of meat.
"The royal taster has tried them. I trust my men, my queen", he hastily took away the plate from her.
She was almost too shocked to comprehend what had just transpired. Her husband had addressed by her first name. He had, for once, paid heed to her dislikes even if out of selfishness and his next remark would leave her in utter confusion.
"Why do you eat this if you don't like it?"
"I am traditionally vegan. I only consume the meat because you enjoy eating it. I am your taster and after the two almost successful assassination attempts, I cannot afford to lose you or..."
Before she could finish her sentence, she felt warmth engulf her fingers. As his touch pressed on her veins, the blood flow accelerated and Madhubala realized she had said too much. This extent of affection was unacceptable as the King had repeatedly declared via handwritten letters. This was, however, the first time he had conveyed his wishes in person.
"My queen, we shall continue our conversation in my chambers. The ministers are ordered to scan the premises prior to our meeting".
The queen hid her flabbergasted expression underneath a symmetrically curved smile. As she walked into his grand law library, the king closed the doors behind them.
"My lady, I am sorry for interrupting you earlier. I have had a lot on my mind".
She nodded reassuringly, as if she understood what it was like to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Seeing how much he suffered each day, more times than not, Madhu let go of her grievances and tried to comfort him. She would become the sponge who soaks up his insults if it meant seeing him smile by the end of it. But he never came.
Something was brewing in tonight's air, he couldn't pinpoint the change but they could both sense it. He was drawn to her beauty like a moth to the flame. Her aura became his muse and he simply let go, cut open his heart for the night and let her walk in. "Madhu", he called her by her name for the first time since their first meeting. "I am tired". She smiled a bright smile like she knew what he meant the moment he opened his mouth.
"I have no one Madhu. I am lonely and so tired. I need sleep".
She looked at him with loving eyes, all the anger as good as smoke. Her slender fingers tidied the pleats of her skirt and she patted the space next to her gesturing for him take a seat. He complied with relief healing his worried face. He laid his head on her lap, smiling as her massage sent chills down his spine.
He wished time would stop this minute, his worries in her heart was all he ever wanted.
"Say nothing", she whispered close to his ears. "Me too. I am tired too so let's just sleep".
She watched as he let go of his inhibitions and fell in peaceful slumber. She lifted her body from underneath his and straightened his frame on the sofa.
"I love you so much it makes my insides hurt. I wish you would need me more. But even if you don't, I will protect you. You don't have to worry a lot. I am here always".
He smiled in his sleep and she flushed pink from the realization of what she said.
"Alright, you win". She gave up too easily and grabbed a book to pass time.
The next morning he found her slouched on the floor, one hand holding on to half read novel and another entangled in his fingers. He admired this rare sight for a minute and then shook her awake.
"Aouuh! The drool is all over the place Mrs. Queen".
She didn't try to disguise her annoyance and instead expressed it exceedingly.
"I know I have to keep up appearances for my lord. You don't have to make it obvious every chance you get. I have my toiletries and a change of clothes in the handbag. You need not walk the walk of shame with me. I have made it so that you don't have to explain to the world why you spent the night with your lawfully wedded wife. My lord need not trouble his head with my worries".
She left him alone in the dark room to bear the sting of her words. He'd hurt her countless times before but after that night, the revenge didn't have the same meaning as before. She was no longer the enemy's daughter, she'd become an unfamiliar being. A person that stood by him when the world revolted. Without any rhyme or reason, she placed her trust in him and that irked his guts inside out. Why? Just why would the woman who was supposed be his sworn enemy lay down her life for him every day?
There she was again searching his food for poison. If it were up to him, he would rather topple the tables and leave everything in ruins than see her carelessly risk herself this way. But it wasn't up to him. Too many people were watching and he convinced himself that she was below him. That this were her job so he'd do his part and torture her the best he could.
A/N: The sleeping scene was taken from King 2 Hearts (2013 MBC Network Korean Drama). This is by far one of my favourite shows to watch.
Anupamaa
