👑Twenty Two~

Snehanvi looked at the front yard lawn of the palace, where her and Virat's wedding reception party was being held. She was dressed in a royal way by Durdhara, who had not only convinced Virat to let her stay at the palace with the family, but had also pleaded him to stay in the party for the family's sake.

Shubman and Rishabh had also sided with her and it's because of them that she was allowed to stay with the family instead of being sent away to a distant country, alone.

Snehanvi knew that Durdhara had risked her own marital relationship with Hardik, in order to support her, and she was feeling guilty about it whenever she was seeing them standing apart from each other.

Virat walked into her room and cleared his throat, and she turned around, looking away from the window.

Snehanvi's Look

"Who got you ready like that?"Virat asked, as he remembered Anushka wearing a similar kind of outfit on their reception night.

"Durdhara Jiji,"Snehanvi replied in a lowered tone, looking down.

"Come with me,"his command startled her.

"Where?"she asked, and he replied,"People are here to see us, you precisely. We have to make an entry together. I hope you can understand this much, at least."

Snehanvi nodded and came to his side, and walked beside him as they moved through the grand corridors of the palace.

"At least you got ready as a would-be queen should. Glad to see that. This look is suiting you well,"Kadambari Devi complimented Snehanvi, as soon as they came downstairs to the hall. "Rani Durdhara, after they make an entry, take her to the royal seat and be with her most of the time."

"Okay Daadi Sa,"Durdhara obliged.

Virat and Snehanvi walked ahead, while she felt nervous and Shubman came to her side and whispered,"Come on Badi Bhabi Sa, you can do well. Be confident and smile. Jo jitna puche, answer in brief. That's it."

Snehanvi gave a nod and he slowed down, letting the couple walk ahead, while Durdhara came to Hardik's side and held his hand, but he left her hand and walked ahead.

They had a bitter argument the previous night too regarding her forcing Virat to let Snehanvi stay with the family, though he didn't want her to stay. Hardik had scolded Durdhara because for her Virat had to do something against his will again.

Durdhara felt bad, getting ignored by the man she loved the most, but she had never learnt to compromise with her ideals and her ideals said that Snehanvi should be supported.

The party started with a formal introduction of Snehanvi, done by Suryavardhan himself, and when a few aristocrat guests asked about the background situations leading to their marriage, he told them a partially got-up story regarding how they had bonded well since a few months and Virat had finally accepted to take the responsibility of her guardianship, saving her from a criminal family, where she was getting married forcefully.

Snehanvi had no option, other than agreeing and remaining quiet. She talked to the people who approached her and congratulated her. Durdhara remained beside her constantly, before introducing her to Mahendra and Sakshi, who had been invited.

Hardik approached them and Mahendra gave a hug to him. "I hope you're keeping my princess happy?"he said with a chuckle and Hardik looked at Durdhara, who said immediately,"Of course, Dadabhai. He is."

"Good to know that. Now, I heard that your company is tying up with the Sinclairs. Right?"Mahendra asked.

"Yah! We are going for a new foreign project and the investers are Sinclairs Group. They're apparently building their company's branches in India, and our building & infrastructure company had grabbed the deal. One of the branches will be established here in our city as well,"Hardik replied.

"Well! That's a great news. Andrew Sinclair is really a good entrepreneur."

"Did you say Andrew Sinclair?"Hardik asked.

"Yes! Come on Prince Hardik, you don't know the name of the person who's investing in your company? What's wrong? Is something off?"

"Uh...no not exactly. Actually, I hadn't got a chance to check into the matter properly. I had just made the presentation. Rishabh had executed it. Dadabhai's wedding was so sudden and things are moving so fast after that...I..."

"It's alright. I can understand. I know you're sensitive regarding your Dadabhai, but please don't forget my sister amidst all these. Hmm?"Mahendra said, before Suryavardhan called him and Sakshi, and they excused themselves before leaving from there.

Durdhara made Snehanvi take a seat, as she had been standing and talking to the guests for a long time.

"I'll send something for you? Hungry?"she asked.

"No Jiji. I am fine. Thank you,"she replied.

"Rani Sa, come here please,"Kadambari called Durdhara and she excused herself from there and Snehanvi took it as a chance to talk to Hardik, on finding him standing at a distance, talking over the phone.

"Andrew, I can't believe we'll be working together. That's a great surprise,"Hardik was saying over the phone.

Andrew chuckled and replied,"Me too buddy. I am eager to visit your country, your city, and learn more about the culture there."

"Sure sure! In fact, why don't you stay here with us? Enjoy the hospitality of our Amber Taj, buddy."

"Sure. I would love that. Also, meeting your beautiful wife will be a pleasure too,"Andrew joked when Snehanvi called Hardik.

"Bhai Sa!"

"Andrew, I'll talk to you later. Let me know when are you coming,"Hardik said before disconnecting the call and turned towards her.

"What did you call me?"

"Bhai Sa. Uh...Jiji asked me to call..."

"Your Jiji isn't the head of the family that whatever she'll say will be followed by everyone."

"Does that means you don't care about her feelings at all?"

"How dare you question me like that?"

"I am sorry if I am offending you, but I think, you shouldn't be so harsh upon her for following her ideals and supporting me. She's doing what she believes to be right. She's a royal. She's not common like me. She's strong-minded and has her own willpower. Please don't think wrong about her and push her away from yourself just because of this trivial matter. She's getting hurt internally. Can't you see how sad she is?"

"She's sad because of her own actions. She's supporting you, and hurting Dadabhai's sentiments while doing so. I won't tolerate that. If she wants to be with me, she has to learn whom to support and whom not to."

"Aren't you trying to control her like this?"

"What?"

"If you really love her the way she is then aren't you forcing her to change her opinions for of your convenience?"

Hardik stared at her, going silent and she added,"Love doesn't comes with terms and conditions, Bhai Sa. You don't like me, I am fine with that. Your Dadabhai doesn't like me, I am fine with that as well. But that doesn't give you the right to behave rudely with Jiji and treat her indifferently. She loves you, she does everything for the family, takes care of everyone, every little thing. She's a princess, she has been raised with extreme love and has been pampered to the core. She can simply leave you and go back to her home any time, and far as I have heard about her elder brother, he will gladly keep her there. Will you be able to stay without her if she does that?"

"She'll never leave me and go."

"And knowing that very well, you're taking her for granted, right?"

"From where did you get this much confidence to speak up to me in this way? You remain quiet generally,"Hardik said, passing her a stare. "You aren't Bhabi Maa, she was different. She had the right to question me and scold me. You don't have it."

"I know that well, and I don't want to take her place. I did my duty as a sister. I did this for my Jiji."

"Your Jiji?"Hardik asked and chuckled. "Seems like Dhara has earned a follower. Miss.Snehanvi Kothari, you're the would-be queen, according to the norms. I hope you know that queens don't follow others. Do you know that?"

"Queens don't, sisters do. Only you can love your brother selflessly? I can't love my sister or what?"

"She's not your blood sister."

"So what? In that case you don't love Maan like you love your other brothers. Is it so?"

"Aye girl!"Hardik lowered his tone as there were people around. "Don't compare yourself with our Maan."

"See! That's the thing. You're a bias person."

"Aye what? How dare you?"

"I am very daring."

"I can see that. What exactly do you want from me? Why are you eating my head? Go accept gifts from people and sit there."

"I just want you to go and talk to Jiji and..."

"I will not. Huh!"

"Yeh aisey nahi maanenge,"Snehanvi thought and said,"Okay fine. I heard Jiji planning to go to her paternal home for some days. Now that some days might turn into forever if you don't talk to her or show your affection towards her anymore."

Hardik looked at her, his composure changing. "Wha..what? I mean, when did you hear her say that?"

"Why will I tell you? You don't like me, I also don't like you much. Just because you're my Jiji's husband, I am respecting you. Huh!"

"What a...STUPID! You're a stupid fool,"Hardik said before walking away, searching for Durdhara, as she was nowhere to be seen.

Snehanvi laughed and turned around, saying,"Yeh toh mazedaar hain in reality. Bacche hain." But to her surprise, Virat was standing behind her.

He walked towards her, with his hands at the back, and said,"You did well. Thank you."

He was going away when she called from behind,"Did this reduced your anger and resentment towards me, a bit, by any chance?"

"This isn't about us. It's about Harry and Dhara. And about my anger and resentment, well, I can't do anything about it for now,"he replied without turning back, and walked away.

Snehanvi sighed and went back to the royal seat and sat down. She was glad that her family wasn't invited and had said to everyone that she had cut off all the ties with them due their misbehaviour with Virat, which was true to a great extent.

Durdhara kept the things which Kadambari had asked her to keep in their palace temple. She sighed and prayed to God for the happiness of the family and Hardik, before she checked her phone's battery's notification.

"Charge dena hi bhul gaye hum toh,"she said to herself and went to her room. Putting the phone on charge, she got startled as she heard the sound of the door getting shut, all of a sudden.

"Kaun?"she asked, turning back and found Hardik walking towards her, taking slow steps.

She turned aside, asking,"Aap yaha?"

Hardik stared at her pretty appearance, responding,"Yeh room humara bhi hain. And this wife too."

"Badi jaldi yaad aayi aapko apne wife ki,"Durdhara said and he chuckled and held her arms, making her look at him. "Pallu kiyu charha rakha hain aap ne sirh pe?"

"I had gone to mandir. Daadi Sa had asked me to..."she started replying, about to pull down the loose end of her royal saree from her head, but Hardik stopped her and pulled her into his embrace, resting his forehead against hers.

"Aisey hi rahiye. You're looking more like the new bride,"he whispered to her while they closed their eyes.

"I am also a new bride, but you seem to fight with me like we have crossed years of marriage,"she said, a tear flowing down her cheek, and he wiped it away before cupping her face.

"I am sorry,"he murmured, and she shoved away his hands.

"You're not pardoned. You stay with your brother, I'll go away with mine,"Durdhara said, turning away from him.

"Jaayenge toh aap tab jab hum aapko jaaney denge. I'll stop you,"he said, wrapping his arms around her body, embracing her tightly.

"You can't, if I decide to go,"she said, looking at him fiercely.

"Are you challenging me, queen?"he asked, and she tried to push him away, but he turned her towards himself and kissed her.

Durdhara hit him on his hard chest, only to break a bangle or two, before he removed her heavy necklace and locked her wrists in his grip, breaking more bangles and pinning her to his chest, before they shared a deep passionate kiss, fierce and demanding at the same time.

Breaking the kiss, they shared a hug, confessing their feelings again, in soft words, and with kisses in between, while falling upon the bed, together.

"Bad! Very bad pic,"Rishabh said, clicking a picture of Devangini, who frowned and said,"Who asked you to click my pic then? You only asked me to stand."

"Actually I was checking my new phone's camera quality. Quality is excellent, model is bad,"Rishabh teased.

"Baat karna hi bekar hain aap se, Baujiraj,"Devangini said and started walking, while he followed up saying,"Waisey, I am going for trekking, tomorrow. Saath chalogi?"

"Why me?"she asked, stopping and looked at him.

He stood beside her, staring back, and replying,"Maybe because I'll love to have your company, reserved only for myself."

"And why so?"she asked, walking backwards as he moved towards her, slowly.

"If I tell you the reason, will you stay or run away from me?"he asked, staring at her face, resting his hand upon the pillar, against which her back had stuck.

Rishabh inched closer to her, as she said,"That depends on your answer."

"Can't you guess it already?"he said in a hushed tone, touching her cheek, resting his thumb upon her lower lip.

Devangini felt nervous, yet an unknown euphoria engulfed her. She hadn't felt something like this before. Rishabh's touch was warm, soothing and doing things to her, which she wasn't being able to ignore.

He inched his face nearer to hers but she looked aside, saying,"It's getting late, I must leave."

"I'll drop you home."

"I'll go alone."

"You won't be alone ever if you let me..."

"I can't!"she said looking back at him, a hint of hurt crossing his eyes.

"Why? Why can't you?"he asked.

"We aren't on the same level, Baujiraj. You're...you're a prince,"Devangini said.

"So princes aren't allowed to have feelings?"Rishabh asked sternly.

"Not for a common girl."

"You aren't common in my eyes."

"But in the eyes of others, I am,"she said before moving away from him and turned to leave.

Rishabh held her scarf and she turned back, saying,"Bachpana chhor dijiye."

"Tum apna zidh chhoro pehele. Hum tumhey chahate hain, Gini, aur tum sirf humare ho,"Rishabh declared, scaring her but also elating her at the same time.

"It's not possible, Kunwar Rishabh,"she said, and ran away, pulling her scarf from his loosened grip.

"You have to come to me, Gini. You have to,"he shouted from behind, while Meghatri heard everything, standing behind the pillar, and tears filled her eyes, alongside anger for Devangini.

************************************Here goes the update. Guys please check out "Della's Delusions," too. Keep Reading and Keep Vommenting Guys.😘❤️