"What did you say Fanat?" Asked Ixan in tense as tears dropped from her eyes.
Fanat walked to her and held her in an embrace, trying to console her. "Please don't cry Ixan. Yah theek hai (it's okay). Please stop crying, you are messing up your face. We have visitors, you cannot meet them in this state".
But Ixan could not stop the tears and she continue crying.
"Oh no! Why have I even tell you this? Look, he's absolutely fine".
"Has prince pial knows that..?" Asked Ixan, still crying.
"I don't think Lihan could do anything to keep him disturb. But he will know by himself. It's not something that can be hidden. He could feel it".
"Why didn't you tell me earlier? I should have not rejected him in the first place. Oh my God! Forgive me please. What have I done?" said Ixan, still crying.
"It's today that Lihan was telling me. He was afraid of what will happen to prince pial if you contradict his request again. That's why I gave you opinion to accept his offer. You see, MANIA is a harmful disease. So far if you agree to be with him, the thing will be easier. It's a pain of love in the heart. It just happens, unexpectedly you have seen someone and you will fell in love with him excessively that you cannot live in peace without him. And if you don't get what your heart desires.. then anything can happen".
"What will happen when someone tried to separate us?" Asked Ixan, trying to clean her face with a side of her veil.
"To tell you the fact, .. A person will DIE. So please try and understand, do not ever leave prince pial for the sake of his life and for the sake of his people. Because if anything happens, you will never forgive yourself".
And ixan bent down her head in worried, trying to clean the tears of her eyes.
While prince pial was looking at himself in the mirror, feeling bissful in his mind. Soon after adjusting the collar of his dress he turned to Lihan, smiling. "How do I look?" He asked.
"Like an 60s century guy" answered Lihan.
And prince pial slightly beats his shoulder in fun as they both laugh together.
"I have arranged everything in accordance. And your horse is waiting for you outside".
"Well you should come along" ought prince pial.
"I don't think I could. Don't get overexcited prince, you know how the things are. If the queen didn't see the two of us, she will suspect something. But don't forget to collect my food if you get some" said Lihan.
And prince pial laughed.
Ixan has cleaned her face and redo her make-up. Then she carefully turned to Fanat before she speak, "Fanat, I promise to myself that I will be with him forever in my life. I pray that God will give me the strength to fulfill my promise at any moment in my life".
And Fanat answered, "I pray you will succeed no matter the hardship and pain of life. God will never let us down. Now, come on, time is running. Thank goodness uncle has agreed, now we have no tension".
"And who's that talking behind my back" said Ding, standing by the door.
They turned and look at him as they both laughed.
"You're welcome father!" Said both the girls in excitement.
Ding also smiled and entered the room. He was taking some bags in his hands. Fanat ran and collect the bags from him as Ixan gave him a warm embrace.
Ding smiled and kindly released her from his body, trying to face her. And he sounded, "What now, daddy's doll? Look here! It's our traditional foods. I am sure our prince will like it".
"Great!" Exclaimed Fanat and she added, "but.. not sure whether Lihan will come".
"Why?" He asked.
"The queen is back. It will sound questionable if the two of them are not to be found in the kingdom. The queen will suspect something".
"This is understandable" answered Ding.
"Let me go and prepare the foods. Please father you help Ixan prepare well before I finish".
"Don't worry, go on" said Ding.
"Your highness, there's a good news. Princess Nar of Wyoming will be in Keswick hopefully at dawn" said Jes.
Queen lisha become excited for hearing the report and she sounded, "that's really a good news Jes. I will now try to see that everything has moved perfectly. And I hope pial will agree with this alliance".
"Of course my lady. That's a great news really".
"Thank you. Tell the commandos to inform the people to get ready and prepare well for the arrival of our guests. We don't have much time".
"Yes your highness" said Jes. She make a bow and left.
"Hopefully my wish will become true. Where is prince pial?" Self-talked queen lisha.
At that instance, prince Yoon came and bow to queen lisha. And he sounded, "Your highness!".
As queen lisha came to him and embraced him delightfully, "call me mother. I am proud to be call this name by you and your brother. Tell me, where's he? Princess Nar will be here shortly".
"I am sure it's something very important that takes him out. But he won't take long time. Maan kee chinta mat karo (don't worry mother). May l help with anything?"
"Krpaya krpaya, sunishchit karen ki sab kuchh theek ho (yes please, make sure everything goes well). I handle you this work. I will go look after the foods and decorations".
"Theek maan (okay mother)" said prince Yoon and he walked out.
Ixan and Fanat has cleared and cleaned the house neatly. As the food was also ready.
Fanat released a hard breath before she talk, "thank God, everything is fixed. What remains now ... Hmm! The mat" she ran inside the room. In a few seconds she came out, holding a brown mat in one hand and a food basket in the other. And she gave the mat to Ixan, "take it. And let me put the food in the basket".
And Ixan collected the mat. "Let me fetch the water instead of standing here" and she kept the mat down. She walked to Ding's room and seek his permission, "Father, may l go and fetch water for the house activities. It will just take a moment".
By the time Ding was knitting. Then he dropped it down and answered her, "you may my child but don't be late. And do not spoil your clothes".
"Okay father" answered Ixan as she turned to go before they heard a knocking on the door. "Who is that?". And she walked to check. By opening the door she saw Lihan standing and he smiled. Ixan surprisingly released a genuine smile and greets him, "good morning Sir".
And Lihan responded pleasantly, "please l am not sir Ixan ma'am, it's Lihan. How are you and the family?"
And Ixan smiled. "We are all fine sir Lihan. Please excuse me let me call father. Father!" Called Ixan. "Please come out, we have a visitors" she added in loud voice.
As Ding rushes out of the room. And delightfully he sounded, "welcome sir. Please come in. You're highly welcome".
"Good morning uncle" greeted Lihan respectively and added, "but l am so sorry, it's just me. The prince has so much work and he couldn't be able to come along".
Ixan felt bad but she faked a smile. And she ran back to her room. As Fanat followed her.
Ding turned to Lihan and smiled, "please don't mind. She has been desperate to see your arrival. And we're happy you came on behalf of the prince. Please come in" and he welcome him inside.
As Lihan whispered to him before he enter, "I am with the prince. This is a joke I asked to play on Ixan. But don't tell her, he will sort it out".
Fanat was trying to console Ixan. She continues, "Please Ixan don't be sad. It's only a matter of urgency".
Ixan looked at her in worries and responded, "then why didn't he say so earlier?"
"I thought he's scared. You know how things are. But tell me, are you now worried for not seeing him whereas I am here, your father is here, the guest sir Lihan was also here. We should forgive the prince. He will come next time".
"Exactly!" Said prince pial.
Hearing a voice, they both turned back. Unexpectedly they saw Ding, Lihan and prince pial stood by the door. Ixan felt abashed and didn't know what to do. She swiftly cleaned up the tears of her eyes and close her face with her hands in shyness.
"Hay!" Exclaimed Fanat and they all laughed.
Queen lisha was busy arranging different beautiful colors of flowers with her maids. Some flowers are arranged in a vase while some are arranged in the royal fence and gardens. And in the other hand, maids were busy arranging different delicious types of foods including; biriyani, samosa cake, chicken makhani, aloo gobi, masala chai, snacks, drinks and others.
While prince pial and Ixan were sitting outside on a mat. The place is peace and quite but only the bird's cries. They were sitting close to each other.
As prince pial held Ixan's hands in his kindly before he spoke, "I don't know how to thank you for accepting me. I was really nervous and scared. I feared that you will never accept me in your life. Really thank you".
Ixan was still looking at prince pial as little tears dropped from her eyes.
"What is it ixan? Have l said something wrong?" Asked prince pial in cautious as he tried to shed her tears.
"No your highness, l regret it. I have been wrong for keeping you worried all this time. I never know what will happen. Please will you forgive me?" Said Ixan in worry mood.
Prince pial kindly smiled and shed the tears of her eyes with the tip of his finger. "Ixan! You are very right. For a great lady like you is your honor to praise your dignity. Had it been you simply follow my thread, I should probably feel like you're not the same lady I sought for my life. I am really blessed for having you".
She smiled cutely as she bent her head on his shoulder. "You know what? My mother always used to tell me that this world is not just enough for us. There's a life ahead of us which we need to prepare for it. Winning this life is not just enough for us. My mother has been trying all her life, trying to live happily with my father but no ... She only suffer until the end of her life. I felt sorrowful whenever I remember my mother's life".
"There's something I need to ask you Ixan. Why are you scared of the kingdom?"
Ixan raised up her head and smiled. Then she looked at him and utter, "my mother is also a queen. Of how and where she get married, my father never want to speak of it and neither did she tell me. She has been worried all her life. The only thing she told me is to be strong wherever and however I found myself, l should never break-up. I was born in this village. Since I was born, fanat has been my childhood friend. We do many funny things together, we eat together and do everything together that's the reason we have became more close to each other. My only question to my father is how he got the wound of his leg which he never told me. But I hope one day destiny will take me to the stage to know the story of my lifetime and my mother's life".
Prince pial held her hands kindly and spoke, "I am very sorry for all what you have been through. I will be happy if you allow me also to tell you my story".
And ixan smiled. "First eat the food please. It's going to get cold" she said and open the basket. She took two plates and a spoons. As she put the foods in each of the plates, giving him one plate and she take other. "Please take it and eat" she sought.
And prince pial collect the plate, "thank you" he added.
"You're welcome. Now you can tell me your story" said Ixan as she took a spoonful of the soup.
Prince pial smiled and sounded, "well, it's not much to tell. I have never know how my mother looks like coz she passed away when I was a little child. And my father is a king of Keswick earlier before uncle Rout took the realm. At that time, the queen and uncle Rout were not married yet. Before my father's death, he gave my responsibilities to my uncle. I was raised together with Lihan and Yoon".
"Prince Yoon is your elder brother. I mean a blood brother?" Asked Ixan.
And prince pial chuckled and answered, "he's the queen's son. We don't have any close relationship with him but he's my great brother. I really love him and appreciate his kindship to me. You cannot understand ixan, love is a boundary that doesn't withstand relationship or blood. Prince Yoon and I, we don't have blood relationship but for me he can willingly give up his life. That's why apart from Lihan, l trust him the most. He's royal as he's among the royal family".
"And Lihan?".
"Lihan is a son of a poor family. During his mother's lifetime, she used to be a singer to my mother. My mother was really pleased with her so when she became weak. My mother took Lihan and continue taking good care of him. He's such a very good person and gradually we became close. I tell you this, I trust Lihan more than anyone".
"And more than everyone?"
And prince pial laughed. "No one will contest with you" he sounded funnily.
And they both laughed.
"Tell me, is the queen not your real mother?" Asked Ixan, looking at prince pial in concern.