"Are you done staring? Would you mind to hold these bags or should I carry them all the way?" Raksheet asked, making Ahil come to his sense and take the bags from him.
"I am sorry." He held some bags and passed some to other soldiers. "Give me that." He tried to take the remaining one bag which is of clothes from Raksheet but he refused.
"No, I will carry it." He said, glancing at Ira with slight smirk.
"Isn't it heavy? Give it to me. I will hold it for you. You are a king, you shouldn't hold bags." Ahil again tried to take the bag but Raksheet drew his hand back and said strictly.
"No need. I will hold it." He then turned to Ira and asked "Do you want anything else? Want to do more shopping?"
She shook her head "No, let's go back."
"Let me hold it." Ahil said and walked towards Ira to hold the umbrella.
Seeing him coming close, Arjuna ran to other side of Ira and looked at Ahil with his angry yet scared eyes. This tall and big man tried to separate him from his future Queen. He wanted to punch Ahil in his abs because of the height difference between them but scared to do too.
Ahil narrowed his eyes on Arjuna, feeling jealous that in his absence, this little kid snatched his sister from him. She is supporting Arjuna instead of Ahil and it's making Ahil uneasy.
He held the umbrella and said to Ira, his eyes looking at Arjuna with jealousy filled in them. "Sister, say by to this kid now. Let's go back to palace." A hint of jealousy could be heard in his voice.
Raksheet scoffed and tried to hide his smile, seeing his brother acting like a child after a long time.
Ira nod and looked at Arjuna. "I should go now. We will meet soon." As she said it, she thought to invite him in her palace. She want to spend more time with him as she has never been around kids before.
"Do you want to come with me?" As soon as she asked it to Arjuna, there was three type of expression on three people's face. Shocked, happy and unbothered or like 'already expecting it'.
Arjuna quickly nod with wide smile but Ahil suddenly spoke.
"No!" His sudden yell made everyone look at him and Arjuna looked at him with angry face.
Seeing his brother suddenly yelling and knowing his jealousy, Raksheet asked to tease him "Why? What happened?"
Ahil cleared his throat, feeling awkward and tried to look normal.
"He-His parents must be waiting for him. He should go back to his home. Who will drop him back to his home later? I am busy, brother is also busy and sister don't know anything about city and streets." He tried to give reason but his brother has decided to make things hard for him and embarrass him.
"It's fine. I will ask a soldier to drop him back to his home. You don't have to worry about it." Raksheet said, making Ahil grit his teeth and glare at him.
"But still brother, the sun will set soon. It's almost evening in an hour. It would be better for him to go back to his house. His parents must be waiting for him." Ahil replied, gritting his teeths.
"Really?" Raksheet asked teasingly.
He nod and looked at Arjuna with his sharp gaze "Kid, go back to to your house. Or do you want me to drop you?" Even though his tone was polite but his gaze and when he took a step towards Arjuna, a shiver ran down in his body.
"No need! I am going!" Arjuna said and looked at Ira "By your highness." He then turned to Raksheet "By your majesty. I am leaving." He quickly rushed away from there. He tried to look behind to see if Ahil is following him. Ahil tilted his head to look at Arjuna and signalled him to go fast. He quickly ran away in the fear that this bad man will follow him.
Ahil sighed in relief that now no one is there to steal his sister from him. He tried to smile and looked at Ira "Sister, let's go."
She nod hesitantly, unable to understand what just happened.
In Jwalana palace, in evening.
Ira was sitting in her chamber, arranging the jwellery and other things she bought from market on her table to show her mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law. Of course, except for the clothes because only Raksheet deserve to see it.
When she was busy in arranging it, the knock happened on the door. She shifted her gaze towards the door and a bright smile appeared on her face. She stood up and ran towards the door.
"Mother, grandmother come inside. See what I have bought for you." She held their hand and pulled them inside. Sitting on the chair arround the table, she said "Of course Raksheet payed for it but I selected it for you."
Sitting on her chair, Avanya said "Oh dear, Raksheet's money is your money. And you thought about us during your shopping is enough for us."
"That's true. You didn't have to buy anything for us. You should have spent more time with Raksheet instead." Neisha said.
"I did." Ira replied "We spent a good time with each other but I still wanted to buy something for you two." She grabbed a necklace set from table and passed it towards Avanya. "Mother, this is for you." She then grabbed the other set and gave it to Neisha. "And grandmother, this is for you."
"Emerald?" Neisha asked "How do you know I like it?"
"And Ruby? It's my favourite!" Avanya exclaimed.
"Really?" Ira asked and sighed in relief that they liked their gifts. "I didn't know that you like it. I just thought that it would suit your personality."
"But really, thank you so much Ira." Avanya said "I really wanted to buy a Ruby necklace but couldn't decide the design. I thought to ask your father for help but he is too busy for his wife. Even after Raksheet's coronation, he is always busy in work." She looked at Neisha and complained "You gave birth to a workaholic son. He only love his work, not me."
Neisha chuckled on her complaint and replied "You know he do love you. And you know that he can't live without his work. Where is that Avanya that used to like his workaholic nature?" She asked teasingly.
Avanya shook her head, admiring her necklace. "But we should spend some time together too. He should leave his work and focus on his wife now. Father always spends time with you. He never ignore you doesn't matter how busy he is. But your son..." She sighed deeply "May be I am his second wife because the first is his work only."
Ira chuckled to see Avanya complaining and it reminded her of her husband. He is just like his mother. Always romantic and complains if he gets ignored by his wife.
"Fine fine, I will tell him to spend some time with you and let Ira and Raksheet take care of kingdom." Neisha suddenly spoke.
Ira's eyes widened to hear it and she shook her head repeatedly "No no grandmother, I can't."
"Why?" Avanya asked.
"Of course you can." Neisha said in her calm voice.
"No grandmother I can't. It's such a big responsibility. I can't handle it. I don't know how to do it. I don't know anything about ruling a kingdom. I don't even know anything about Jwalana."
Neisha smiled softly and held Ira's hand "We didn't know anything before becoming queen. I was nervous too. I was scared too. Avanya was scared too. More than me." She looked at Avanya and she said.
"I don't know whether Raksheet told you or not but before marrying his father, I was no one."
Avanya's words made Ira confused. She looked at her with confused look and asked. "What do you mean? Raksheet didn't told me anything."
Avanya took a deep breath and continued "I was a commoner. My father was a farmer. He was the head of farmer union."
Ira's eyes widened to hear it. She was curious to know how Avanya and Ashwant met if she was just a commoner because its hard for a king to remember everyone. It's hard to catch his attention.
"Then how did you two meet?" She asked, curiosity filled in her eyes. "Did grandfather selected you for father? How he choosed me for Raksheet."
Avanya placed the necklace on table and asked "You want to hear my lovestory?"
Ira felt a little awkward to ask but she managed to say "May I?"
Avanya smiled and replied "Of course you can. So let me tell you how we met. My father was head of farmer union. The king of Jwalana used to visit our home to know about farming and grain production and its price and to listen to our problems. After his coronation, instead of father, he used to come to meet my father. Most of the time the meeting used to be in meeting hall of village but when he used to come without informing, we had to welcome him in our house."
She smiled, recalling how their first encounter was with eachother.
"I first saw him when I went to serve him tea when he came to our house to meet my father. My hands were shaking in fear and my eyes didn't dared to look at him. With my shaky hands, I went towards him with tea tray in my hands. I felt him looking at me, not looking at me but staring at me while my father was busy explaining the situation of farmers and grain production. I was so nervous that my hands started shaking visibly. And my heartbeat....."
She sighed deeply and continued "I just can't explain it. I was feeling like my heart will come out from my chest if he continue to stare at me like that." She turned to Neisha and said "Your son was too much to handle. He was looking like a lion to me who want to eat me alive."
Neisha chuckled on her comment and Ira was listening carefully, enjoying the story.
"What happened after that?" She asked.
Avanya looked at her and replied "I served him tea quickly with my raised heartbeat and shaky hands and quickly ran away from there inside the kitchen. The whole day I was feeling like he is watching me. I could feel his eyes on me all the time, even though he wasn't there. I thought that was the last day I am seeing him. But he kept on coming to meet my father. Even after meeting him in meeting hall, he used to come to my house for 'tea' or 'discuss' some confidential matters. I tried to avoid him because he was the king and I am just a common girl who don't know how to talk to a king and behave infront of him."
"Ohh, that's why he used to go out in city often. To see you." Neisha said teasingly.