👑Twenty~

Snehanvi woke up hearing certain noises, and found a few maids setting up her room with certain expensive items. She sat up on the bed, staring around and realising that though she had closed the door the previous night, she hadn't locked it.

Hence, the maids got the entry to her room. She looked at the room and was impressed, as well as in awe to see the things brought for her.

"Don't people care about privacy here? Or it's me who they think to be devoid of any privacy?"she thought, before asking,"Uh...aaplog yeh sab kiyu kar rahe hain?"(Why are you people doing these?)

"Rani Bai has asked us to set your room,"one of them replied.

"Servants bhi English boltey hain yaha?"Snehanvi thought and asked,"Kaun hain Rani Bai?"

"Hum hain Rani Bai?"Durdhara's voice startled her and she looked at her, staring at her personality, and identifying her at the same time as the beautiful lady she had seen the previous night.

Snehanvi got down from the bed immediately, realising that she was talking to a royal lady, while admiring Durdhara's look.

Durdhara's Look

"Bai Sa, taiyaar kardiya hain humnein. You just check everything once please,"one of the maids said, and Durdhara gave a nod and said,"Well done."

They bowed to her and Durdhara raised a brow as they were leaving. Hence, they bowed to Snehanvi as well and went away quickly.

"G...Good Morning, Rani Bai...Bai Sa...Rani Sa,"Snehanvi stammered, unable to make out what she should address Durdhara as.

The latter laughed and said,"Why are you being so nervous? You can call me by my name."

"No no...how can I call you by your name?"Snehanvi said.

"Why can't you? You're older than me in the case of relationships."

"You're...are you Princess..."

"Princess Durdhara of Ratnagiri? Yes I am. Also, your brother-in-law's wife."

"Prince Hardik."

"Yes, Prince Hardik's wife. We both are younger than Veer Dadabhai, I mean, your husband, the crown prince, Virat Singh Shekhawat. So, you have the right to call us by our names or nicknames."

"Uh...but...it seems like you're a little bit older than me. Is it so?"

Durdhara chuckled and replied,"I have heard that you're in your early twenties. Well, I am in my late twenties. Yes, I am older than you, but that doesn't matter."

"It does. Now I really can't call you by your name. In fact, I think all of you are older than me here, in both age and experience. What should I call you then? This is so complicated!"

"It's alright. Relax. We don't mind such petty things. Now, get ready properly, and come downstairs for the morning aarti."

"Aarti?"

"Hmm! We perform aarti twice everyday. Everyone takes part in the morning aarti, unless they fail to wake up due to some reasons, and the ones present at the time of evening aarti, participate during that time too."

"Oh! But...I don't think anyone will like that...I mean...me attending the aartis."

"Everyone in the palace attends it...uh...your name?"

"Snehanvi Kothari."

"Okay, everyone in the palace attends the aartis, Yuvrani Snehanvi. You're free to come as a palace dweller too."

Snehanvi chuckled and said,"Don't address me as Yuvrani. I am a commoner."

"Not anymore. You're the wife of the crown prince now. I know things are complicated, but you have to learn the decorum of the royal lifestyle. You're a part of it now. Jaiye, taiyaar ho jaiye,"Durdhara commanded.

"Ek baat pucchu?"Snehanvi asked, fidgeting with her lehenga's chunri.

"Shoot!"

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because I feel that's what I should do as the daughter-in-law of this family. What's done is done. It was accidental and bitter, but we can't back out of our responsibilities, can we?"

"Don't you hate or dislike me like the rest of the family members?"

"That's a good question. The answer is no. I don't carry preconceived images regarding people, prior to knowing them properly. We have just met,"Durdhara replied and went to the wardrobe, while saying,"This room is one of the guestrooms, so you don't have a walk in closet or such things, but if you can carry yourself well, we can hopefully shift you upstairs to the room you should be in. Let's see. Things won't be easy." She handed Snehanvi her outfit and jewellery. "Wear this."

Durdhara started leaving when Snehanvi called from behind,"Jiji,"and she turned around.

"Did you call me?"

Snehanvi gave a nod and said,"You're like an elder sister, strict, yet a guiding figure. So...Jiji."

Durdhara smiled slightly and said,"Title accepted. What do you want to ask?"

"Is there anything else I have to follow?"

"There's a lot. But for now, cover your head during aarti, that's a common thing, yet I am telling you. And yes, let the men of the family leave for work, I'll show you around then,"Durdhara said.

"Jiji...kya aap...aap madat kar dengi taiyaar honeh mein? I have never got ready in a royal way,"Snehanvi requested and Durdhara gave a nod before locking the door.

The royal family gathered at the palace worshipping room after sometime, wishing each other good morning.

"Kya baat hain, lagta hain raat bhar koi soye nahi hain. Sab uthkar agaye aaj,"Shalakha commented while Rishabh said to Shubman,"Yeh inka kuch karna parega."

"Bua hain humari. What are you saying?"Shubman said while hitting his hand, and Suryavardhan cleared his throat while entering the room, followed by Virat, who was about to enter, but Hardik held his hand.

"Dadabhai!"he called and the former cupped his face, saying,"Why did you return?"

"Don't ask me that. You tell me, what can I do to get that girl out of your life?"

Virat sighed and said,"We can't do anything for now. Don't do anything stupid, Harry."

"But..."

"No! Don't!"

Hardik gave a nod, looking down, and Virat gave him a hug and said,"You concentrate on the new projects which Baba Sa will be giving to you. Hmm?"

"And what about you? Who will think about you?"

"Everyone is there for that, dear."

"No one's there. Nobody thought about you. Dad too thought about his own political..."

"Hardddikkk! Don't say such things again. I did what should have been done and Dad backed me up. When will you learn politics properly?"

"Never! If learning politics means killing the happiness of your own family members, then I don't want to learn politics,"Hardik declared.

Virat sighed and patted his cheek, saying,"Grow up. Chal andar chal."

They walked into the hall together, and Rishabh and Shubman came to their sides at once.

"Stop stressing yourselves. I am fine,"Virat said to them before they could say anything.

"Rani Durdhara kaha hain?"Meenakshi asked. "Harry?"she added, looking at Hardik.

"She had woken up before me, Mom. She must be around,"Hardik said.

"I am here,"Durdhara declared while entering the temple hall with Snehanvi, and everyone looked at her and then at Snehanvi, who was looking pretty in royal look.

"Wow! Badi Bhabi Sa is looking so beautiful,"Rishabh stated.

"Yah! Very pretty,"Shubman added, while Durdhara set the loose end of the saree over Snehanvi's head.

"Bahurani Sa, may I ask you the reason of bringing this girl here?"Meenakshi asked.

"Mom, she's also living with us now. Moreover, we cannot run away from the truth. She too needs to learn about the traditions of our family, just like I have too,"Durdhara replied while covering her own head with the loose end of her own saree.

She brought Snehanvi and made her stand beside her, near to Virat, while Hardik came beside her and murmured to her in a disappointed tone,"Dhara! Why? What was the need?"

"We have to normalise the atmosphere here, Hardik. Please co-operate. Please,"Durdhara requested, lowering her tone.

"Very well, then Veer and the new bride will do the aarti today,"Suryavardhan declared, much to Virat's disappointment.

"See! See how disappointed Dadabhai is? Don't do these things Dhara. I don't like anyone hurting Dadabhai deliberately,"Hardik said.

"You really think I want to hurt Dadabhai deliberately? How could you?"Durdhara snapped back.

Since Snehanvi was standing close to them, she overheard them and felt bad as Durdhara had to hear from Hardik because of supporting her.

"Aaiye Veer,"Kadambari Devi stated and Virat reluctantly went ahead.

"Now do you need an invitation?"Meenakshi asked Snehanvi, in a low tone and she nodded a no and followed up slowly.

Virat took the aarti's thaali from the priest's hand and Snehanvi held the corner, staring at him in fear as his jaw was clenched.

She could understand very well that he wasn't pleased doing this, but had to do it against his will, once again because of her.

They did the aarti together, somehow, while Durdhara tried to pacify Hardik, but he went ahead and stood beside Meenakshi, and she frowned.

Virat left the aarti's thaali, and it almost slipped, but Snehanvi held it somehow and passed it into the priest's hands.

"Harry, come, now it's yours and Rani Durdhara's turn,"Kadambari Devi said.

"We have an important meeting at the office today, Daadi Sa. Let's keep it short,"Hardik protested at once, and Meenakshi said,"Let's proceed for breakfast. Shall we?"

Suryavardhan gave a nod and they took blessings from the God and the priest out teeka on their foreheads before the family walked out of the temple room and the maids and butlers gathered to take blessings.

"Hardik! Humari baat toh suniye,"Durdhara pleaded while holding Hardik's arm and he freed his arm from her grip, saying,"You really disappointed me today."

He walked away when Rishabh and Shubman came and stood on her sides.

"Yeh Bhai bhi na! Always overreacting,"Rishabh stated.

"BS, please don't mind,"Shubman said.

"Now what's this?"Rishabh asked.

"Bhabi Sa's short form,"Shubman replied, while Snehanvi came and stood near them.

"Arey Badi Bhabi Sa,"Rishabh said and went to her. "Hi! I am your chhota devar 2. Rishabh Singh Shekhawat. And this is your chhota-most devar, Shubman Singh Shekhawat, aka Maan Singh."

Shubman did a namaste while Snehanvi said,"What shall I call you both?"

"You can call us by our names,"Shubman said.

Snehanvi looked down and Durdhara said,"She's younger than all of us, Maan."

"Okayyyyyy then I have a suggestion. Jaipur ke Princess Maan Kanwar ko Maan Bai bolte theh log, you call our Maan Singh as Maan Bhai. No, actually Maan Bai bhi chalega. LOL! So princess coded,"Rishabh said, and Snehanvi ended up chuckling as Shubman grabbed Rishabh's neck, saying,"Then call this guy Rishu Rani."

"Oh come on, both of you. Behave!"Durdhara said. "Yuvrani Sa, you can call them Maan Bhai and Bhai Sa."

"And you can call me by my name. Please. This Yuvrani thing from you sounds so...."Snehanvi went quiet as she noticed Meenakshi coming there.

"Everyone's waiting at the breakfast table. I hope you three haven't forgotten your etiquettes after mingling up with this common girl?"she said.

"Mom! She's one of us now,"Rishabh protested.

"Rishi! I don't want to hear a word from you. Come. And you, Snehanvi or whatever, don't come there now, as Veer will get triggered by seeing your face. Unka din bura jaayega. Also, Harry too might leave without eating, after seeing Virat's sour mood. I don't want my sons to starve because of you,"Meenakshi said and pulled Durdhara along after commanding her sons to follow up.

"Aap dono jaiye,"Snehanvi said.

"But Badi Bhabi Sa, aapka breakfast toh..."

"Maan Bhai, I'll be fine. Main baad mein kha loongi."

"We'll make sure that you do so. You don't go anywhere, okay? We'll send your breakfast,"Rishabh said and went away with Shubman, telling him about how bad it was to behave like that with an innocent girl.

"Rani Bai, it's better if you take care of Hardik...ONLY Hardik. You don't have to be with that girl,"Meenakshi said to Durdhara while taking her towards the dining hall.

"I am sorry Mom,"she said and removed Meenakshi's hand from her arm. "I have always lived under my free will. Nobody ever told me what to do and what not to. I always did what I believe was right. And now I believe that supporting that innocent girl is the right thing. Hence, I will do that."

"And what if your husband get disappointed because of it?"

"Our relationship isn't so weak, Mom, that his disappointment will break it,"Durdhara said before going ahead.

"Harry, there's a foreign project coming up in your hand, I'll like you to handle it well,"Suryavardhan said to Hardik, who gave a nod.

Durdhara came and sat beside Hardik, and Suryavardhan added,"Rani Durdhara, I'll like you to help Harry in his new project too, since you have a good experience in fashion and business matters."

"Alright, Dad,"she replied in brief before looking at Hardik, who looked away.

The breakfast was silent, and Virat didn't speak much, like he usually did, discussing various matters about business or state affairs.

"You people are supporting that girl, while nobody is seeing how unhappy Dadabhai is,"Hardik murmured to Durdhara.

"You cannot order me to do as per your wish, Hardik. I'll do whatever I feel as right. Also, I didn't shove that poor girl inside Dadabhai's bedroom or something. I am just trying to help her learn the royal lifestyle, that's it,"Durdhara murmured back, passing him a strict glare.

"Nobody has ever looked at me like that,"he said, frowning hard.

"Aadat daal lijiye, because I don't fall in that category of nobody,"Durdhara replied.

After the breakfast, everyone dispersed for their respective work, while Durdhara directed a maid to take food for Snehanvi.

She went upstairs to her room to see off Hardik who was leaving for the office, but found him leaving without bidding a bye to her.

"You really want to continue arguing with me regarding such a trivial matter, Hardik?"she asked, holding his hand.

He looked at her and replied,"As long as Dadabhai has problem with that girl, I'll have it too. And since you have already selected your side, let this argument continue."

He untangled his hand from her grip and walked away without another word, leaving Durdhara looking on and sighing.

************************************Here goes the update. Keep Reading and Keep Vommenting Guys.😘❤️