"What? Why does Vikram want to see me? I can't see him now I am tired..." Chitrangada replied, annoyed. Facing Vikram was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Chitra! How can you ignore me?"

She was interrupted mid-sentence, by Vikram who had already arrived inside her chamber.

"Vikram! What are you doing here ?"

She asked as he dismissed her maid.

"I was missing you so came to see you, dear. You kept ignoring me in the guest room" He casually strolled and stood in front of her as she took a step back.

"But you should not have come here. What if someone sees us." Chitra said nervously. He had never been so brash on his earlier visits.

"Don't worry about that."

He walked further closing the distance between them. She stepped back and felt the bed hitting the back of her leg. She immediately fell back on the bed and to her surprise, Vikram put his hands on either side of her bending over her pinning her to the bed.

He whispered in her ears "I just can't wait. I am so excited about our wedding."

Chitra looked blankly at his face, he was so close she could feel his breath on her face.

"Vikram what are you doing?" She asked fearfully.

He said, "Nothing dear, don't be scared. We are to be married in a week. This is normal".

His finger drifted across her face, evoking a trail of goosebumps and gentle shivers in their wake.

His eyes were back to hers, a wicked smile at his lips. "Do you know how to be sensual, Chitra ?"

She was scared out of her wits.

"I don't understand, what you are talking about," she retorted back, continuing to latch onto her indignation - lest her nerves reclaim her. Her lips formed a pout.

"Then you have a lot to learn," he replied. His smirk widened. "How fortunate that I am an experienced teacher."

Chitra moved backwards sliding from under him trying to sit up.

She said, "Vikram I am tired please leave me alone."

"You have such lovely assets, my dear princess - if only you'd display them to your advantage. For my eyes only of course!" He said silkily.

Her eyes widened in horror and disgust. He was talking to her as if she was a common whore!

"Vikram stop it!" She almost yelled.

"What's wrong Chitra. I am just..."

She said loudly "No just go...please !"

Anger glinted in his eyes. He grabbed her legs and pulled her forward pinning her under him.

"You will never raise your voice in front of me. Do you understand? I am going to be your husband. You will do whatever I say. Even now I have every right to do whatever I wish. Don't deny me anything ever else I will make your life a living hell."

He looked so menacing. She was terrified. She put her hands on his chest trying to push him off.

"Please Vikram. I am sorry...I can't..."

Her voice was muffled by his lips which he had forcefully thrust on hers kissing her. Tears flowed from her eyes as her lips were crushed by his.

After minutes which felt like an eternity, he left her lips and looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"One week, just 1 week then you will be mine. I have waited too long for you. Remember this!"

She waiting for the worst but he released her and left the room in a huff.

Chitra was feeling angry, hurt, repulsed all at the same time. She wrapped her arms around her knees curling herself in a ball trying to rub off Vikram's touch. She didn't feel like this with Shiv, she welcomed him.

She had never seen Vikram being so aggressive. He was usually nice to her. But today he had scared her. Shiv was so different. Always attentive, caring and so passionate. She sobbed silently.

*******

Raja Kirtiveer was looking at the letter which had just arrived. His chief advisor Mansingh stood next to him with a worried expression.

"What nonsense is this? Mansingh. Is this some sort of a joke !"

"Your majesty it's a wedding proposal from the Chalukya King Maharaj Bhojraj for the princess."

" That I can see! But doesn't he knows Princess Chitrangada is to be married to Prince Vikram this week? Is he trying to insult me! Preposterous !" Kirtiveer shook his head.

"But we need to answer something, Your Majesty! Chalukyas cannot be taken lightly."

"Just reply to them. Princess is already promised to someone else along with her wedding invitation. They are most welcome to attend the wedding !"

Kirtiveer replied angrily.

"Chalukyas are a mighty empire, your majesty. They wouldn't do something out of the blue. There must be a reason for sending this proposal." Maansing said modestly.

"What else can be the reason other than humiliating me and Vallabhdev?" Kirtiveer asked.

"I don't know your majesty, but we can not take this lightly," Maansigh replied.

"I am already busy with the wedding preparations don't bother me with these irrelevant things," Kiritveer said and walked out angrily from his study.

Mansingh looked at the royal proposal written with solid gold threads. As per his informants, their Imperial army was marching towards Navsarika.

"This is not going to end well," He thought.

********

Indu had seen Vikram leaving the Princess's chamber in anger, and realized things didn't go well for him. She smirked and followed him.

Vikram was fuming as he paced in his chamber. The tinkling of anklets and bangles broke his chain of thoughts.

"Good evening my Prince" Indu greeted him as she arrived with a jar of wine.

He didn't say a word but grabbed her by her waist and nibbled her earlobe. He didn't spend much time-wasting on courtship or foreplay with his other conquests which suited him well.

Indu placed the wine carefully on a table while he ripped at her knots at the back of her blouse.

"Not so fast my Prince " She giggled.

"Shut up woman" he growled.

He continued ripping away the knots and slid her blouse and the dupatta down her shoulders.

Then he worked on her lehenga which was soon discarded along with the rest of her clothes. As she was thrown on the bed, he discarded his clothes and followed her falling on top of her.

After they were spent and his anger was released in the afterglow he was stroking her back sipping the wine which she had brought.

"You look upset my Prince ?" She said pouring more wine.

"Your princess keeps testing my patience" he grumbled.

"Perhaps you didn't try hard enough," She said.

"Is she dumb or pretends to be dumb?"

"Oh ! she is smart enough" Indu chuckled.

"She will be mine in a week. Whatever may come she has to be mine by hook or by crook." He said in anger.

"He can't stop talking about her even while making love to someone else," Indu thought ruefully.

When Indu left Vikram's chambers she had decided whom to give the letter. Vikram was too besotted with Chitrangda to break the wedding. She needed to give the letters to someone influential. Someone who honours about the honour of Pratihars. She knew whom to approach. Though she had to be careful. What she was going to do was treason. Raja Kirtiveer wouldn't leave her alive if he knew of her treachery.