Chapter Nine
The last of details for the night are taken care of and nothing was left to be done, but lock themselves in the room and sleep off the tiring day.
Kripa and Angad had personally seen the Duke and Duchess off, after the long boring, full of nonsensical gossip, dinner. And both of them couldn't have been more glad that it was over. They both were more glad that this one beings Melly's first dinner as Angad's wife, she had done an excellent job as a hostess.
At the top of the stairs, Angad abruptly took her waist and then scooped her into his arms. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You were beautiful tonight, Melly." He turned into the stairs that lead them to their wing.
"I was nervous. I've never had dinner with royalty." She loosened his tie and undid the top button.
"You weren't with me? " He kicked his door open and then kicked it close. Setting her down, flipped the lock. Lazily, he stretched; kicked his shoes off.
She was already heading towards the bathroom when he took her arm. "Aren't you nervous now? I'm royal enough."
She turned and rested her hand on his cheek. "I don't love everyone. I love you, Angad." She rested her cheek on his shoulder. Never had she thought it would be so easy to tell him she did. He scooped her into his arms again and carried her to the bed. When his body covered hers, it didn't seen as heavy as it should have. Her breath hitched, his fingers slid down the long of her neck. Her heart beat frantically over the small contact. Originally her hands lifted to stop him. Before she couldn't stop her or him. His mouth took hers with innocence and temptation filled her. The hand she'd lifted to stop him, met his cheek. She traced him there. When he lifted her face to taste her neck, she shuddered once. "Angad." Her heartbeat was drumming in her ears, behind her eyes.
His jacket was lost somewhere, he left her lips unsatisfied to explore the rest of her face. Need was so high that made him lose his ability to think. Want sped through him so unexplainable fast, he lost himself in it. His hand slid around her waist and up her back until his fingers met the zipper of her dress. His lips still moving on her face, he drew the zipper slowly down. Stopped right before her hips.
He felt like he had a lifetime. The entire night seemed like a lifetime. He felt no need to rush her or him. More, he felt she deserved to be loved gently, patiently, with every tender stroke and soothing murmur.
He slid his hand down the exposed sink of her back and felt her rise against him.
"Soft," he whispered in her ear before kissing it. "Beautiful." He said drawing the dress away to find yet another silky material. It clung to her like early morning dew on a rose petal. The material dipped low, exposing her, front and back.
Taking her mouth again, he brushed his thumb lightly over the swell of her breast, watched her eyes open and looked down into them. He touched her face and then brushed her hair away. "I feel like I've wait for you my entire life, Melanie. My entire life," he repeated in a whisper before taking her mouth again. She closed her eyes again and let his lips sink into her. No one, all the guys who she'd she knew, who'd liked her, who she had dated, in the last year made her feel anything like the way Angad made her feel with a small touch.
Slowly, her hand traveled down his steady back. The other tugged at his shirt. He changed the angle of the kiss, took her deeper. She feel deeper in love with him. Without thinking, she slipped her hands under his shirt. He was strong. He'd be able to deal with everything once she was gone. She opened her eyes and a tear slid down the side of her face and met his skin.
Shocked, he looked down at her, brushed the tear away. "I won't touch you until you don't want me to, Melly."
"No." She took his face. "No." She brought his face down to hers and kissed his forehead. "It's not that." She drew his shirt away and her hands flowed over his skin. It was soft and warm, just like his heart. She reached for the clasp of his pants.
There was a knock, hard and abrupt, on the door. At first she wasn't sure she heard it. When it came again, louder, more impatient, Kripa lifted her hands to his face.
"Angad," She moved her face from his lips. "There's someone on the door. Go see."
He rolled out of bed, pulled his shirt back on and buttoned it. In front of the door, he ran a hand through his hair, and then opened the door. Kripa walked up behind him, tying the belt of her robe. Bennett was standing in front of them. Kripa noticed the look on his face and almost shoved Angad away.
"What's wrong?" She asked.
He looked at Angad behind her. "Dad." Instantly, Angad was pushing him away and running towards his room. Kripa rushed behind him.
A million thoughts ran through his head, he forced himself to stay calm. But he threw the door open of his parents room and saw his father lying on the bed, breathing heavily, and his mother crying, sitting beside him.
"Dad." He rushed to him and sat on the bed beside him mom. "What happened?" he asked his mother.
"Chest pains." Eve said with a sigh walking in with Kripa. Eve stood behind her mother and massaged her shoulders. Kripa stood behind Angad, and placed her hands on his shoulders subconsciously. "I told him he needs to rest."
Yash managed a laugh. "I'm fine."
"Dammit, Dad!" Angad said in anger. "Why can't you just take care of yourself for us?" He wanted to shake his father and knock some sense into him. He also wanted to hug him and know he was fine. He reached for his hand when Kripa squeezed his shoulders. "I love you." He said gently. "Your slowly really getting to be my old man."
Yash smiled, closed his eyes again, and fell asleep. His shoulders relaxed and he closed his eyes, Kripa leaned down and kissed his hair. "He's okay," she whispered.
Angad turned and held him mother. He had Kripa, his mother needed him. "He's as good as new. I'll take care of both your things tomorrow. Stay with him." He kissed her forehead. "And rest now. Good night."
She nodded and held him a moment longer.
Kripa closed the door half way, and then turned to Angad. He was walking away from her already. She called his name, but he'd turned towards the bathroom without stopping.
Walking into the closet, she drew the robe away from her and reached for the zipper of her slip under her arm. The silk pooled at her feet, she stepped out of it. Blindly, she picked a night suit hanging in a hanger. She pulled the squared neck, spaghetti strap silk shirt over her head, it skimmed her thighs. She pulled the pajamas and dressed in them.
She climbed into bed, waiting for Angad. When he came back, she looked at him a moment. Then, undecidedly, she held her hand out to him. She could feel life pump into her again when his fingers touched hers. He sat beside her, she turned and took his face in her hands. She touched her lips to his forehead in understanding. She kissed his nose in affection, his cheeks in friendship, and his lips in love.
"Dad's going to be fine," Angad said to assure himself.
She shook her head and nudged his face against her neck. She wrapped her arms around him and rubbed his back to sooth the tension away. "I know he is."
She thought he didn't need her, now she realized that he didn't anyone else right now but her. He shifted his face and pressed it against her chest. "I was so scared." He said and held on to her tightly. He never cried in front of anyone, not even his mother anymore. For the first time he felt like he could cry with Melly. He was always responsible for others, he always felt like he had a country to care for and no one for him. He always felt he had to be someone else and never just himself.
Now, after such a long time, in the safely of his room, and security of her arms, he felt like someone cared for him. There was someone who he could rely on, trust. Someone if front of whom he could be himself.
She was combing his hair still. He shifted his face and kissed her chest. "Thank you." he said.
"For what?" She asked pulling the blanket over them both.
Mia stopped at the door when he saw Angad sitting holding Kripa, she turned and stood behind the door.
"For being here for me. I couldn't be weak in front of mom. I've learned that although she is my mother, I've to be stronger than her. And, today, I've realized if there is someone I can be weak in front of, it's you."
She kissed his hair. His hands slid under her shirt and rest over her waist and stayed there. "What will I do if you're always weak, Angad?"
"All I need from you is love. I'll take care of the rest. All I need to know is you'll be right here every night." He closed his eyes, laid his legs over hers, his head against her shoulder. "I can't believe I'm married."
"Nor can I," she whispered. She wouldn't be here forever, she realized and then she'd have to find someone who would love him like she did. "I love you," she said loudly.
Mia turned around and walked back towards her room. She'd come to see if Angad had been alright. She had been to worried to see that moment ago. Seeing Angad so close, emotionally, to Kripa, made her feel better and worried him. She knew Kripa would be with him whenever he needed her. But, not forever. Somebody was going to lose their life. She was going to lose her son either way, even if Kripa saved him. He could live without her.
Yash was sitting-up in his room. She slid in bed beside him and hugged him. "You should be sleeping."
"I don't feel like it." He stroked her hair, kissed her hand. "Angad's alright?"
"Kripa has him." She turned her mouth and touched his very gently. "I don't want to lose him, Yash."
"We won't."
She looked up at him. "Kripa will save him." She said with a nod. "What if she loses her life? What if Angad can't forgive us for that? He won't forgive himself for that."
"We won't lose him or Kripa. You just have to let Kripa know you accept her as Angad's wife. As the lady who will rule beside your son, in your place."
"I can't." She pressed her face against his shoulder. "I love her. But I can't tell her that after throwing her out of our lives then. I was unfair. I don't have the guts to face her."
"You will." He said and holding her he shut the lights. And thought about everything long after she fell asleep clung to him.
Angad awoke the next morning holding Kripa against him. He ran his hand down the soft curve of her shoulder and her bare arms. God, she looked beautiful even in the morning, sleeping mindlessly after a horrifically terrifying night. He wished he could wake her and make love to her now in the light of morning like he had wanted to in the light of moon the night before. He turned her to her back and kissed her forehead. She woke, and he felt her body shifted against him, pressing them closer.
"Morning," he whispered brushing his lips over hers. He had planned to let her be and go, but now feeling the skin of her arms against his fingers, his mind changed so quickly. She was sleepy and vulnerable. "Melly, I need to make you mine." It sounded so stupid, but it was so true. He needed to touch her, love her, keep her.
"Hmmm." She arched against him, her neck stretched back and he kissed it. "I want to be yours." Her hands fisted in his hair, she felt her skin tingling, her legs melting, her heart sinking. "Angad, you have a breakfast to attend."
"I just got married." He said. "I could be excused." He reached for her shirt.
"Angad." She giggled now; the heat flowed over and away. He blew gently in her ear. "Angad." She grabbed the front of his shirt pulled him closer and then away; but he was to strong. Again he lowered his mouth, this time to her chin, and moved down then center of her throat, down to her chest, to where the silk of her shirt began. She moaned this time, then giggled as he blew against her neck. "You're good at making my insides flip around, Angad. My heart is doing jumping jacks. See." She pressed his hand against her heart. "Now go." Quickly, she covered his mouth with her hand. "No. You promised your parents you'd take care of everything."
He kissed the hand that covered his mouth, and then her forehead. "So much respect for your husband."
She laughed. "Of course, as it is, you'll have to work extra hard. You're not very talented in everything you do."
He grinned down at her. "Nope, not in everything. But, I am in bed." He said and winked. "You'll know soon enough." He kissed her mouth loudly. Then he got out of bed and pulled her with him "I've got a job for you," he said walking both of them into the bathroom.
"Angad, you won't be a devil."
He turned with a naught look, leaned into her as she did into the counter. "I wasn't thinking that, but…" he trailed off and kissed his cheek. "But for now, I don't some random lady walking around my room in the morning anymore." She was touched by the simple statement. "So you can stand here and go over my appointment book and we can listen to the morning new together. Okay?" She nodded. "The day you let someone else come back in here in the morning while I'm here, I'll know you don't love me anymore."
He took her into his arms. "It's never going to happen. I can't stop loving you. Even if you leave, I won't let you, but if you suddenly do, no one can take your spot. Not for the rest of my life. I saw Ma and Dad go over their day almost every morning growing up." They both though of the time Kripa and Angad had mimicked his parents. "Emotional morning," he mumbled.
She leaned back, "I was quite sensional a few moment ago." She gave him a sexy little kiss on his cheek. "Where do I start?"
"I can start with the shirt." He reached for hers and she whacked his hands away. "Sorry, I'm just kidding. My appointment books will be here in a moment with your breakfast. You can send it back and tell my secretary to cancel that breakfast I have; it isn't important. Send the party an expensive gift, a sorry card, and tell them I'll reschedule. I want to eat with everyone else. Make sure Dad is getting something healthy." He pulled his brush out of his stand and his toothpaste. "I realized for the first time yesterday my parents meant so much to me, Melly." He turned the tap on and looked at her throught the mirror. "I'm glad I know what you mean to me this early."
"I'll turn your t.v. on." She said brushing her hand down his back. "Where's the remote?"
"Second shelve." It was hang on the wall far back, with a tall glass shelve built into the wall beside it. She took the remote and turned the news on for him. When she turned, he had shaving cream spread on his face and a razor in his hands. She pulled her own toothbrush and brushed her teeth in the sink beside him.
The news buzzed in the back, Angad would look up every once in a while if anything worthwhile came on. He wipped his face with a towel, and tossed it on the counter. Kripa shook her head and took the same towel to wipe her own face and mouth. It smelled like him. Even now that they were married, she knew that if everything worked out perfect she would be with him forever. Even then, it felt so good, so awkwardly wonderful, to know that sharing a comb, a towel, a bed, a room, a life, was so easy and permentant.
She watched the easy way he pulled his shirt over his head, and the careless way he tossed it on the floor. Messy, he'd always stay that way.
"I'm going to lay your cloths on the bed." She said and walked out of the bathroom as he stepped into the shower and shut the stained-glass door of the shower. She picked him a picture perfect navy colored suit, with a suitable tie and laid it down on the bed. Then, fixing he hair in a near braid, she pulled a night robe over her night suit and found his appointment diary, asked his secretary to cancel the breakfast and to send a sorry gift. She made sure that the breakfast for Yash for suitable. Then, because she wanted to, she took a cup of herbal tea for Yash and went to see him. Angad would be in the bathroom for sometime.
She knocked on their door and waited for an answer. She opened it in peaked in when a approval was voiced. Yash was sitting across the room in pajamas, legs cross. He grinned to see her. "Morning, cheer."
"Morning." She smiled and closed the door behind them. She wanted to know where Mia was, but could finger out how. "I made you tea." She handed him the cup.
He took her, he hand with it, "Thanks. Sit." She said and patted the spot beside her. "Mia's in the shower, she'll be in there for sometime." It angered her how quickly both Angad and his father understood her.
"Are you feeling better?" She asked instead.
"I was never feeling bad. Where's Angad?"
"He's taking a shower." Because she needed to she touched his cheek. "He was scared for you." So was I. She was, but she couldn't let him know, she couldn't let anyone know. He needed her, and his family him.
"Tell him not to worry about me. I've a heart much younger than his."
Kripa smiled, just like him, she thought. "Of course you do. I'll see you at breakfast."
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead as Mia walked out of the bath. "Okay, don't worry."
She met Mia's eyes, stood. "Good morning."
"Good morning." She replied. The lady had the power to make so much place in her husbands and sons heart.
Kripa linked her hands behind her back and walked out of the bathroom. Angad was dressed in his pants and his shirt, bottoned half way, when Kripa came back. She picked up the appointment book from the bed and waived it towards him. "Ready?"
"Blow me away." He said walking to the mirror to comb his hair.
"Breakfast has been canceled," she began. "You're clear from now to ten-thirty. It's seven now. You have a meeting with the senators at eleven, your discussing-" she squinted at the writing, "-wages? Yes, you're discussing raising minimum wages." She moved beside him in front of the mirror, where he was wearing his tie now. "You were free for lunch, now you can have it with me." He grinned at her through the mirror. "Three, you and Eve are going to a orphanage for a charity."
"Let Eve stay home," he said, fixing his tie. "I could go alone. She should stay home and rest."
"I'm sure that'll be fine." She glanced down the rest of the day's appointments and then shut the book and got his coat, helped him with it. "Once your done with that you have a small press meeting for an interview," she turned him from his shoulders and fixed the perfection on his attire. Then buttoned the coat that fit him so handsomely. "I'm sure it's about your coronation in five days and your married life."
"You should be with me," he lifted her face and kissed her mouth. "You're a part of both my coronation and my married life."
"They called you, not your wife. You're free after that," she said. Maybe she should, it would be a public place and anything was possible a few days before his coronation "Bennett and Neha are taking care of anything else. Neha's leaving in two weeks," she reminded him. "You should get her something nice."
"You're perfect." He said and traced the smile on her lips with his finger. "And, you have a drugging smile." He kissed it.
"Thank you. I'm going to go shower. Your mails and faxes are in your office."
"Melly." He took her shoulders and turned her to look at the picture behind his bed. "Look at that picture." He said and wrapped her arm around her shoulder, pulled her against him.
"It your family."
"It's incomplete." He said looking at it. "I always thought Kripa would complete it. But I was wrong, you will."
"Took an emotional pill, Angad?" She asked turning.
"I don't know. Go shower." He pressed his lips against her forehead, her hair, and sighed. "I love you. Go shower." He said again.
"After I pick up your towel." She picked it up and tossed it with his dirty cloths that a maid would pick-up later in the day. "See you at breakfast. Mail and faxes in the office," she reminded him before disappearing.
Her day was like any other hadn't been. It actually felt like she was married to Angad and her family was hers for the first time. Breakfast was louder than it had been ever in her life before. Eve was fussed over by Phil, who had breakfast with the family after a long time himself. Their children fussed about their breakfast. Bennett and Neha teased and played along with Scarlet and Travis. Angad fussed over his father and his mother only sat there grinning. And, Kripa, she was able to fuss over everything that happened. She found herself serving someone or the other. She found herse;f telling Angad again and again to stop drinking coffee, a cup every five minutes. She realized for the first time that he loved coffee.
Then, everyone was gone. Angad to his first meeting, Mia and Eve taking care of the coronation arrangements. Bennett doing his own things, and Neha her own. She was left at home with Yash. When he came home for lunch the three of them had it together. He found it so wired that she could sit with his father, whom she'd known for such a small amount of time and laugh with him like they'd known it each other for a lifetime. The easy way the had with each other reminded him of the easy way Kripa always had with Yash. Both his parents had considered her daughter and he knew they would have been just as happy to have her as a daughter-in-law. Now they did, of course he wouldn't know that for a long time. It made sense now, Yash though Melly was Kripa, and therefore was comfortable with her. She was comfortable with him, because she was like that with everyone he figured and smiled into his glass of water.
Then he was gone again for his confrence. And, while he sat in the back of his stylish car, he thought of Kripa again. Why? He wondered. Why was it that sometimes with he looked out at Melly and thought of Kripa? Why was it that the easy way of her with his family made him think of Kripa so precisely. Her habits… he closed his eyes. He was married to Melly, he was in love with her, he wouldn't keep thinking about Kripa. Yes, he'd always love what he had for her, but Melly was her today and would be her tomorrow. No one, not even God, could change that.
The confrence was everything he had expected and more. It was everything from the day he was born, to what he wore at that moment. He answered questions about everything. Kripa was never brought-up. Melly was the one person the conversations and questions began to revolve around. No one asked why the young girl who once lived with them left and never came back. The girl who was's Yash's best friends daughter.
By the time he had finished the confrence, he was beat. He had answered questions about himself which he didn't even known right answeres to. The crown outside the confrence hall was everything he had expected it to be. People loved him as if he were a movie star. More, girls loved him. Everygirl, of every age, ran-up to him. A month ago, he would have flirted with every girl who would have come to him. Now, he simply gave his autograph and moved to the next person.
The line seemed endless, he had to be patient. In four days now, he would be coronated. Keeping his fans happy before that was a good idea. Once he was tired of signing his name a few hundred times, he began ignoring people. One last one he thought when a small hand with delicate fingers extended in front of him. He looked at the hand and then at the face it belonged to.
Melly was smiling at him.
Relief pumped into him the moment he took he hand and pressed his lips to her palm. Nudging people away he went to her and holding her close, gave her mouth a loud kiss. There were cameras clicking more a minute, and the spectators clapping for the new couple.
"What are you doing here?" He asked.
"Protecting." She slid her arm around his waist as he draped his around her shoulder.
"Who?" He glanced the crowd, and then signaled his guards that he was ready to leave.
"Myself." She said after a thought. "You're always around so many beautiful ladies."
Grinning he looked down at her. Placing her finger under her chin he tipped it up. "Yet, I love you."
The clouds above them growled and dark gray coulds rolled over them. In the third week of September, rain wouldn't be a surprise. He brought his hands to her face as the first drop of rain fell freshly against her forehead.
"Have you ever dreamt of being kissed in the rain?" He asked. Thunder rumbled overhead and the clouds erupted in the first rain of the season. She was drenched in rain and in love, as his mouth brushed hers. It was sweet, the rain, his mouth.
"Angad." Her hands crawled to his cheek in a whisper. He scopped her up into his arms and spun her around as she laughed with her arms around his neck.
"I love you!" He screamed the words and had heads turning to look at them.
"Angad." She clutched him around his neck even when he stopped. "What's wrong with you? What's happening to you?"
"You are." He kissed her forehead.
"Let me down, sweetheart." Rain poured down his face, against his eyes.
"Of course," he set her down on her feet. "Now I can go home and eat." He took her arm and patiently they walked towards the car.
"Pig." She said as they slid into the dry of the car. Impatiently, she ran her hands throught her hair. "I havn't gotten drenched in the rain since Nick was a small boy. When I was…" She trailed off, her smile became small and sad. Since she was a small girl and her Eve, and Angad had played in the rain with Yash and Mia screaming them to get inside. She wondered once again when will Mia accept her again?
"What happened?" He'd seen her smile change, her eyes darken.
She shook her head and cushioned her head against his shoulder. "Nothing. Just remembered something. How was the conference?"
"Oh I only wanted to kill myself a few times. What were you doing here?" He asked again.
"I wanted to surprise you." She shivered and took his hand when a unexpected roll of thunder howled outside. The truth had been, she'd been around him since the beginning of the confrence. It had been risky business to be around, her face covered with a light veil. But, she had wanted to make sure. She was armed, there was a small gun in her left boot right now that she would exercise if felt the need to. Every part of her prayed, that she would never have to use a gun with Angad around. It would be a battle if she ever tried to fire. He was so important, she couldn't risk anything. She linked her hand with his. Fear ran through her, warming her blood like fire. No, she couldn't risk his life, even if that meant a few extra months of this mission.
He noticed how quite she had suddenly gotten. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked covering her hand with his.
"No." She said simply. "It's nothing big."
"Melly." He shifted her body and took her face. "If you miss your family we can go see them."
She shook her head. How was she to explain to him that he was her biggest worry. "I'm just worried about the day when everyone finds who I am out." That was accurate enough. How would she face him once he knew she was his Kripa?
The car came to an halt. His door was opened, and a black umbrella sheltered from the blistering rain. Inside, the house was quite like always. He peeled his coat off and laughing hung it on his arm. She looked at him and smiled at his laughter. "I'd like to see myself kissing my wife in the rain on every magazine tomorrow."
Kripa rolled her eyes and gave his cheek a pat. "Honey, you should see a doctor. It will help you a lot! Now, we need to dry you up so you don't get sick."
"Yes mom," he said and gave her cheek a affectionate kiss.
She caught his ear in time, twisted it mercilessly. "Devil!"
Hey guys,
I hope you guys enjoyed the part! Check page 32 for my post with the link for my new FF's i'm to lazy to find the link and post it again here. And, Just so you guys know, I think I'm going to end up picking between Island of Mistakes and Heaven and Hell... I'll pick if they are the top two!
Hugs and Kisses,
Neha😛
Tum Se Tum Tak
Ganesh Kartikeya
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