"Why you have to go so early?! Can't you stay for one more day?! Please!" Ira asked, holding her grandfather's both hand to stop him from leaving.
"I have to go. I have so many works to do in Aaro. Your father is handling everything alone. I can't stay out of my kingdom for so long." Veeraj replied.
"Just one day, please." Ira insisted. She didn't wanted him to go. They spent only one day together which is nothing compared to how much she missed him
"I will come back next month on Coronation ceremony. I will spend more time with you then. But for now, I have to go." He reassures her so that she will not insist on him staying and will not be sad after he leaves.
He added "Beside that, Vaayu also need me. His responsibility is on me. I can't leave him alone for long."
Ira looked down. Vaayu indeed need her grandfather. In her grandfather's absence, Veer will try to trouble Vaayu in every possible way. Vaayu need Viraaj more than Ira.
"Ok, you can go." She said in low voice and looked up at her grandfather "But promise me, you'll stay longer when you come to attend the coronation."
Veeraj smiled and nod "I promise. I will stay longer then."
He then pulled her in his embrace and hugged her before leaving.
"Take care."
Ira nod and hugged him back.
He then broke the hug and cupped her face with his hands "See you soon." He placed a kiss on her forehead.
"See you soon." She replied "Take care."
"Your majesty, thank you very much for welcoming me with such a respect and love. It felt so good to come here. Everyone has given so much love and respect which I can never forget." He showed his gratitude to Abhiveera.
"Pleasure is ours your majesty." Abhiveera replied with a smile.
Veeraj then wrapped his hand arround Ira's shoulder "Please take care of my granddaughter. I know she will miss me after i leave so please take care of her. Don't let her miss me. If she do something wrong, you have all the rights to scold her but my granddaughter is so sensitive. Please don't let her feel hurt."
"She is not only your granddaughter but my granddaughter-in-law too. So you don't have to worry about anything. We will always take care of her and she is happy with us. Am i right Ira?" Abhiveera looked at Ira, waiting for her answer.
Ira smiled slightly and nod.
"See you at the Coronation Ceremony. And Raksheet.." Viraaj shifted his gaze to Raksheet who was standing next to Ira.
"I wish you the best wishes. I am sure you will become a great king."
Raksheet smiled softly "Thank you very much grandfather."
Viraaj smiled in response "I should leave now."
He cupped Ira's face with his both hands "Ira, be good. Always listen to your elders and your husband. Don't disappoint them."
Ira nod as tears started to form in her eyes. She quickly hugged him "I will miss you."
Viraaj patted her back gently "I will miss you too."
After saying by to everyone, Viraaj entered in his carriage and left from there. Ira didn't went inside the palace. She was waving at him until his carriage was out of her sight.
"Shall we go inside?" Raksheet asked.
Everyone has already left from there but Raksheet didn't. He wanted to stay with Ira because he know she will need him after her grandfather leaves.
She sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. She then nod and walked towards Raksheet.
"Let's go." She wrapped her hand arround Raksheet's arm and went inside the palace.
"Your highness, queen Avanya is asking for you in her chamber. The royal jeweller has come. Her highness want you to select the jwellery you will wear on Coronation day." Advika informed.
Ira placed the book on table that she was reading and stood up. "Ok, let's go."
She walked towards the door and stopped infront of Advika. "But you have to help me select the jwellery because you are the only one who know everything about my coronation day's look. From my outfit to my make up, only you know how i am going to look. So, you have to come with me." There was a slight smile on her lips, but that smile was covered by an demanding look on her face.
"As you wish your highness." Advika replied. She is the only one who know Ira's coronation day's look. And the way Ira was worried about her dress. Advika don't want to disappoint her later about her other stuffs.
Advika then led the way towards Avanya's chamber.
As soon as Ira entered in Avanya's chamber, her mouth fell open in wonder. Avanya and Neisha were sitting on the chair near the table and umpteen sets of jewellery surrounded by them. The jwellery was looking too expensive and shining from the distance already.
"Ira, you came?" Avanya said, catching Ira's attention "Come in quickly and see what you want to wear on Coronation day."
Ira quickly closed her mouth and smiled "Yes."
She then went towards Avanya and sat down on the chair next to her.
Avanya handed a set of diamond necklace to her.
"Take a look, do you like it?"
She took the set and touched the necklace carefully. Her eyes lit up on seeing that bright, gleaming necklace.
"It's beautiful." She whispered.
"Your highness, i have more beautiful necklace and other jewellery." The jeweller said as he searched for a more beautiful set for Ira. "How about Ruby. I think a Ruby set will enhance your beauty on Coronation day." He passed the set of Ruby to Ira.
Ira returned the diamond necklace to jeweller and took the Ruby set in her hands.
She took the necklace in her hand, a bright smile appeared on her lips but her smile disappeared when she think of the price of that necklace.
'It must be too expensive. We should not waste too much money on a necklace, beside i don't know if it will go with my outfit.'
"It's so beautiful. What you say Ira, do you want it?" Neisha asked.
"Yes, it's beautiful." Ira replied "But i don't want it. I am going to wear it only once so there is no need to spend so much money on it." She placed the necklace back and gave it to jeweller.
"But you can wear it other days too. It's not necessary to wear it only on special occasions." Avanya said, trying to convince Ira to buy whatever she want.
"Mother, I have so many necklace so there is no need to buy such an expensive one."
"Don't think about money. Choose what you want. You are the wife of the future king of Jwalana and elder daughter-in-law of kumar family. You can have whatever you want." Neisha took the necklace from jeweller and gave it to Ira.
"Do you like it?" She asked.
Ira looked at the necklace for awhile. She then nod hesitantly.
Neisha smiled at her to know that she like it but worrying about its price and gave the necklace to jeweller "Place it aside, we are buying it."
The jeweller took the Ruby set and placed it aside.
"Now, let's select a necklace for coronation day."
Ira looked at Neisha with wide eyes "What?Didn't we selected a ruby necklace for coronation?"
"No dear. We didn't. That Ruby necklace will not go with your outfit." Avanya replied while looking for another necklace for Ira.
"Then why are we buying it?" Ira asked anxiously.
"Because you like it." Avanya simply replied without looking at her.
Ira was silent for a while. She was just staring at them with a blank face.
"You are b-buying it just because... i like it?" She asked while stammering. She can't believe someone is spending so much money for her on a necklace just because she like it.
"Yes, if our daughter-in-law like something, why won't we buy it for her?" Avanya replied. She looked at Ira with a smile "You know what Ira, i wanted a daughter. After Raksheet was born, i wanted to have a daughter so that I can dress her and do her makeup and hair. I can buy her beautiful dresses, beautiful jewellery. We will cook together, she will join me and mother in gardening. i will teach her manners of a princess, to be kind, brave and smart. A cute princess, but.." her expressions suddenly changed from excitement to disappointment. she sighed and looked at the set she was holding. ".....Instead of a daughter, i got one more son, Ahil. That brat never listen to me!" She complained, remembering how stubborn Ahil was and still is.
He never listen to his mother and always do what he want, without caring about consequences. Doesn't matter how much Avanya scold him or beat him when he was a kid, he either run away from her or hide behind his grandparents for help.
Ira chuckled after hearing Avanya's words. She was thankful to have such loving family who prioritizes her happiness before anything else. Her likes and dislikes matters to them. Not like her biological family.
When Ira was in Aaro, she never got any dress or jwellery of her choice. She had to wait until Veera takes what she want and after that, Ira had to choose something from that Veera rejected, which was almost nothing. Veera deliberately used to buy most of the dresses and jwellery so that Ira can't get what she like and have to get satisfied with whatever she got.
This is the first time Ira is getting something of her choice. Even Vaayu and Raksheet weren't of her choice.
Vaayu was the one who chose Ira. When Ira was sitting alone in yard, wanting to spend some time peacefully without her brother and sister bothering her, Vaayu approached her. He was a unbridled and moody among other horses in tribe but strongest and fastest too. Even though Ira tried to ignore him and drive him away, he didn't moved an inch away from her. Instead of leaving, he came close to her and signalled her to caress him. He was the only one who understood Ira is lonely and need a friend. Even though he is an animal, he became a great friend to her.
And about Raksheet, it's the almost same case. Ira didn't chose him. Raksheet's grandfather is the one who chose Ira for Raksheet. And she had to marry him for the sake of her kingdom and her family. even though she didn't like him.
She had to marry a man whom she had never seen nor heard of before. But her decision of marrying him was the best decision of her life. She can't imagine that there would be another man as gentle and loving as Raksheet.
"Ira, look at this." Avanya showed a necklace of sapphire to Ira. "It will go with your outfit."
Ira took the necklace and looked at it carefully "Will it?" She asked.
"Yes it will." Avanya replied.
"Mother, if you don't mind can I ask Advika about it? Because she will dress me on Coronation day." Ira asked, pointing at Advika who was standing next to her.
"Sure. Why not?"
"Thank you mother." Ira then turned her gaze to Advika and asked "What you say? Will this one go with my outfit?"
Advika nod "Yes, it will."
Ira then turned to Avanya and said "Mother, let's buy this one." She gave the necklace to her.
"Ok, do you want anything else?"
"No! that's enough." She quickly replied, not wanting to buy something more and waste money on something she would barely use.