FF: Royal Pain Season 2: link pg 140 - Page 71

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Chapter 14

Lost and Found

The king woke up to a pungent scent coming from the sheets he lay in. His wife was sound asleep in a pool of urine. She was the source of the unpleasant odor and this got him tense beyond belief. He caressed the apple of her cheek trying to wake her up.

"Honey, good morning".

His heartbeat grew louder with each passing second. Was she okay? As he began dialling the hospital with one hand, Madhubala caught the other.

"Good morning", she kissed his hand still unaware of her accident.

"Let's get you washed up", he eyed the stained bedding long enough for the queen to realize she had wet the bed.

"I am sorry", she repeated countless times. "I will change the sheets. I have never done this before" .

"It's okay. We'll call the hotel staff. I need you to calm down. I love you, I am here".

He scooped her up in his arms and headed to the bathroom. She was still apologizing profusely.

"Madhubala, we will get through this. You are my wife and we are a team for better or for worse".

He sat her down in his lap undressing her, washing her shaking body. He convinced himself the queen was worried about her brother. But even his head would not believe this explanation. The woman who had hidden the shooting and a murder for one whole month would not be bothered by petty nightmares. Something was very wrong and she was not telling him the entire truth.

"I love you", she finally spoke baring her body and hiding her soul.

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"We are going to see Kesh honey. You ready yet?"

This had been the one question on the tip of his tongue everyday since the incident. Rishabh had been using honey a lot. Knowingly or unconsciously, he didn't care. Nor was he bothered by his determined love for his wife. All he knew was, he would listen to the silence until she was ready to talk. The woman who took secret flights to see her brother lay hidden in a hotel room refusing any human contact but his occasional visits. He had been operating domestic and foreign affairs from his pop up office in the suite next door to the queen. He had visited his brother-in-law twice every day for the past thirty days. Not once had Kesh questioned why Madhu did not come. They shared an understanding and Rishabh was merely an outsider looking in. An intruder. This loneliness was eating him inside and today he would try once again to revive his queen before he flew back to the kingdom.

"I have waited patiently for you to speak Madhubala. I sit by your side, for hours on end, hoping for a sign. Give me something. Why is my queen not sleeping in bed with me? Why is she placed against the corner wall of a foreign hotel room like a fetus? Why is she not talking to me except to say sorry? I forgive you for whatever it is you did or do or want to do. Please just come back. I miss you and I love you. I am here no matter what".

"No matter what?"

She looked at him with kohl eyes. There was spark and a shimmering hope that his wife was back.

"No matter what Madhu".

"Okay", she offered him his hand and he took it. She was in his arms again, strong and fierce. Just the woman he married.

"I ask the king to hold off any questions. We do not mention this to another soul. Forget what happened. Kesh has completed his work abroad. We will fly down for his graduation in July. Until then, I request the king call in full military protection. I want my brother home safe. We all go back to the palace like we were meant to. We have bigger fish to fry. I am sure mother queen was not idle the days we have been gone. Thank you for staying with me. I was afraid you would want a divorce".

He swallowed his pride, questions and inhibitions down his throat. His queen was back and that was all that mattered.