Next day morning Manik returned back to mahal before anyone could wake up. He is missing her a lot, same happening with Nandini, both forgot how to sleep alone?, they both are struggling to reach each other.

Parth came home with a pair of parrots, and some rabbits and pigeons, "bahurani sa!!! These are for you, they will entertain you"

"Bhayasa!!!! Call me Nandini'"

"Na na bahurani sa!!! Your husband will kill me"

All laughed "no he won't" Nandini said with pout

Parth smiled "Yuvaraj is very possessive about his things and persons, even he won't allow others to be friend with me as he is my friend, so you should deal with this life long as me"

Nandini laughed "Yes he is very possessive like a child"

All giggled

"Gratitude bhayasa!!! They are beautiful I will treasure them"

"Ok"

"Tomorrow Yuvaraj will come to pick you, But in our house we have a ritual when son in law comes to pick daughter for first time we all ladies play a game, we along with all dasis close their face with all your dupattas, to confuse them (Jodha Akbar movie scene copy) we even design your hands with mahendi along with all of them so that he cannot recognise, so you and all ladies apply mahendi to your palms" Parth mother explained

"Ji MA sa!" Nandini nodded

Parth wives, dasis, Nandini applied mahendi to both palms, Siya and jyothi took out all dupattas of Nandini and distributed among them. Nandini is tensed "what if Hukum don't recognise me?"

"Then To night he has to sleep alone" jyothi explained

Nandini blushed her cheeks went warm.

"I don't think Yuvaraj will agree for it" Siya said in teasing tone Nandini blushed more.

"No Hukum follows rules" Nandini supported

"Is it so? Out of all you are saying it bahurani sa?" Jyothi smirked Nandini cheeks turned to beet root colour.

"Yes..." she try to managed to say with confidence but she couldn't.

Both laughed

Nandini pouted "you both are bad you are teasing me?"

"You too agree bahurani sa, Yuvaraj won't sleep alone either he wins or not"

Nandini closed her face with palm to avoid them

Both laughed.

Here in mahal Badi MA sa explained Manik about the same ritual which Chauhan's had, she gave him some gifts and even reminded Manik to take a gift for Nandini of his choice, Manik accepted, he is eager to see Nandini, But one more night has to fall, he even thought about the new ritual and got tensed "what if I fail?"

All night both couldn't sleep, both are waiting for sun to come and they want to see each other. When puja completed Manik was about to go to parth house, Latha came to meet Manik

"Pranam Hukum"

"Pranam!!! What do you want?" Manik is frustrated

"I heard that you took accounts from didisa"

"Yes"

"I want you to give that responsibility to me, I will prove myself to you"

Manik looked at her for moment then smirked "from now on I will see accounts so no more discussion"

"You will? Why all of sudden?"

"Why can't I?"

"No I don't mean that but... you never get involved in ladies issues then how come now?"

"That was my mistake from now on which I want to correct them"

"As you wish, Hukum I want to invite you for paan to night"

Manik looked at her keenly "I don't remember that I allowed you to come near me? Did I? You lost that opportunity on our very first night when you demanded me for queen position then why now? Any way still my answer is no. And.... never ask me again" Manik said it in clear voice Latha got tears "Hukum I want to become mother"

"I am not any machine to produce a child and without any feelings I can't touch anyone you know that"

"Give me a chance"

"Latha don't beg for me, maintain your dignity, and don't spoil my mood" Manik sat on horse and went away, leaving Latha weeping.

Manik came out of mahal he remembered the night with Latha, after Hema fasico Manik was in disaster, same time he got married with Latha, Parth and Badi MA convinced Manik saying Latha is wise girl he will find peace, on their first night Manik expected a lady who really cared for him, so he enjoyed the intimacy with her, after their intercourse Latha was sleeping on his chest drawing circle Manik is playing with her hair, she asked "Hukum make me your queen"

Manik was shocked "you know that you are not elder one then how can I make you queen?"

"Didn't I satisfied you now?"

"So?"

"If you make me queen I will make you happy every night"

Manik eyes widened he frowned "Come again"

"Yes Hukum you make me queen and I will make you happy for life time as today, when ever you want I will come"

Manik got up from bed with a jerk "I thought we made love, I don't know that you are trading it with me, I am not interested in you nor interested in making you queen, first thing my father is king and my mother is queen, and I definitely will deny to make you queen in any way, gratitude for making my eyes open good bye I will never ever touch you again" Manik left her cake to his chamber.

After that day Manik never visited Latha again, she tried many times to make him come to her chamber but every time he refused harshly.

Manik took a small ride to get away from Latha thoughts and his anger, he want to go to Nandini in peaceful and happy mood. After a hour of riding he came back to Chauhan's house.

Chauhan and Parth received Manik in very formal manner, they did arthi and made tilak then came a group of ladies who did arthi sang songs and then asked him to enter. When he entered there are around ten ladies covered with dupatta.

Chauhan wife came forward "jamai sa!!! This our ritual when son in law comes home to take daughter with him, he should find his wife among these ladies if you can then To night you will stay with your wife if not you will sleep with my son"

Manik smiled frowned a little as all ladies are looking same.

Manik walked to each and every lady, he tried to find Nandini which is really tough task as everyone hands are having same mahendi and rings of Nandini he then got idea of the ring he presented on their first night and he checked again we got glimpse of it he held her hand and removed dupatta, it's Nandini all clapped Nandini smiled at him and bowed down touched his feet he raised her up and smiled.