"Father, do you know Abhijit?" Maira asked, turning towards her father.
With the mention of Abhi's name, both the faces changed. Shivraj informed Aaradhya about Abhijit on that day itself when he was found at the gates.
Aardhya felt anxious hearing that Abhi is from the Rose kingdom and for some reason fear crept in her heart. So she accepted Shivraj's decision to keep this hidden from Maira.
"Father. Do you know Abhijit?" Maira asked again, causing the couple to regain their senses.
"Abhijit who?" Shivraj asked calmly like nothing happened and sipped his tea.
'Raghu, you've gone beyond your limits. Now you are causing differences between us. Huh? I will look about you later' Shivraj thought to himself.
Maira looked at both of them silently for few seconds and said, "He is my friend, father"
"Ohh.."
"In fact.. More than that" Maira stated.
"What? What do you mean by that? And don't speak like this again Maira. This will just cause damage to your reputation. You are to rule this kingdom in the future" Shivraj remarked and placed his cup down.
"What damage will this all do to me? And what does that to my position. Recognizing my dear ones and announcing them to people will cause some damage?" Maira questioned.
"Maira you need to get trained for this position, for this you need to be careful with your words and people whom you are taking under your wings. Don't spout those words carelessly. They will damage your reputation" Shivraj said sternly.
Maira brows knitted in confusion and said, "Father.. I don't know what you are thinking, but he is like my family. And when I consider someone as my family they are special to me and I care for them" Maira stated.
"If recognising family members and talking about them brings me that bad reputation then the fault is not in me but in others who think like that" Maira remarked.
"Father, I don't know why you tried to hide this thing from me but please remember this.Don't Do this again. I won't forgive this" Maira deadpanned.
"Maira, is this the way how you talk to your father? Where are your manners?" Aaradhya scolded Maira.
"Huh. Manners. Please, I will give respect when you respect my feelings." Maira said with a straight face.
"Maira, we are your parents. We know what is good and what is bad for you. Your father did this for your own good" Aaradhya said seriously.
"Mother, if you are thinking this as good then sorry to say this, this is not good at all" Maira deadpanned.
"Mai.. Maira" Aardhya was surprised by Maira's words.
"Mother, I respect and love you both a lot. After knowing the truth about my identity my every move and every thought was all about you two. To meet you, talk with you and be with you."
Aaradhya and Shivraj felt something struck in their throats. They understand what kind of struggles she needed to go through to reach them. It was not easy to hide herself in the lion's den itself.
"That time the only people that were by side and kept me sane were the Raghu dada, Raji ma and Abhi. I can say they're the only reason for where I am today, for being here with you today.."
"But you guys are trying to distance me from them. I don't know what you are thinking but let me just say, they are the most important people to me."
Maira took a deep breath to control her emotions and continued "I don't blame you guys for what happened in the past. At that time as parents you guys did what is best to your children. But what you are doing now is not at all good. You want to take away the most precious people from me."
"The people who raised me, who stood beside me, who protected me from dangers, who look after me when i am sick, who encourage me, who looks at me like maira not any princess, who loved and shared their joy and hardships with me. You both want to separate me from them which is wrong"
Maira looked both of them and her eyes welled up with tears and said "Mother, father, please don't do this. Your place remains the same in my heart. Please don't let your insecurities blind your eyes"
Aardhya sobbed hard after hearing maira words, shivraj sat silently there without saying anything. Each and every word maira said is true and they also know that but something is overpowering that.
'Is it true that my insecurities are the reason for this situation' Shivraj thought to himself.
"Father please speak. What is your motive behind all these? At first i thought it would take some time for you to understand but no, there is no change in your actions. Please tell me why you did all this? Is it because you thought I love them more than you? Or else you felt threatened that dada and ma will take over your place?"
Maira hit the bullseye. Shivraj looked at maira with shock written on his face. Yes that is the reason he tried to separate them. He wants his daughter to love him and aaradhya. Not to anyone.
Maira understood the look on Shivraj's father and she understood from where he was thinking. She needs to change their mind before things become worse.
Maira took a deep breath and drank some water. She placed the glass on the table elegantly and looked at shivraj with a determined and serious look.
"Father, mother. Let me ask you one question? What will you guys do when raghu dada and raji ma keep my identity as secret or neglect me after having their own children?" Maira questioned.
Both of them were shocked and surprised by the maira question.
'Yes what did we do when that happened? But we never thought about this because of our trust in both of them' the couple thought the same.
"See, you don't even dare to think about that situation because your trust in them is so deep that not even me can shake that" Maira deadpanned.
"Let's say that even if they had children they won't treat me low. But they don't want to put me in a tight spot so they don't have children. They have so many situations where they can leave me alone or submit to an enemy but they never did that. In fact they never dare to think about that. They dedicated their life to you both" Maira stated.
Realization hit them very hard and both of them felt ashamed of themselves for thinking the dearest people to them who served them for years will take away their daughter.
"So please don't let your insecurities or any other thoughts create an edge between us. I treat them how I treat you. But that doesn't mean you are inferior to anyone. You both gave birth to me and until today I did everything to just meet you. Please understand this" Maira said and turned around to leave.
"Maira" Shivraj called, but maira didn't stop and left the room angrily.
"Shiv. what should we do now?" Aaradhya sobbed silently.
Shivraj stood at his place and lost in deep thoughts. 'Did I make a mistake?'
Maira left the room angrily and went to the garden to cool down her thoughts. She went towards a tree at the corner of the garden and sat under the tree silently.
The temperature around her is very hot due to some reason and suddenly it turned gloomy. Maira hugged her knees and a tear rolled down from her eyes.And in an instant she started sobbing silently.
Maira suddenly thought of abhi and left the place. She went to her room to freshen up. She can't meet abhi in this state. He will easily find out soon so she freshened up and left the room.
Maira went towards the abhi door and took a long breath before nodding the guard to open the door.
Abhi who was sitting on the couch and looking into the sky suddenly turned around to see who was visiting him at this time.
"Maira"
After looking at abhi maira couldn't stop her tears and a tear rolled down her face.
HAPPY READING!!!