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"You must have reckoned the purpose behind my visit by now, prince Raghuveer?" A small smile grazed minister Kashyap's face. Like often, his calm voice marked peacefulness but Raghuveer knew his real voice. Just like queen Anasuya, minister Kashyap similarly loved power, he can reach to any extent to wear that tag of power around his neck.

A light violet-coloured Angavastra was wrapped around his chest and back with its end laying perfectly on his left arm as he sat down facing him and Lady Sahasthra quietly sat behind her father with her eyes stuck to the ground, like the docile daughter she is. While minister Kashyap's single look spoke a thousand words, his daughter couldn't utter a single word and he never once bothered to take his daughter to a physician.

"How can I not? As you are visiting with your daughter alongside." Anyone else in Raghuveer's place will grab this opportunity however for him everything was different. Who said he doesn't want any political power? He would love to rule this kingdom but a tie-up with a man who can shamelessly bait his daughter to build relationships somehow didn't appeal to him.

A tiny smile filled with arrogance laced minister Kashyap's face as he observed the interior of the house.

"I won't beat around the bush, Prince. As you must have already heard about the demise of military head Bhupal son's demise?"

"I did, he had a cardiac arrest if I am not wrong?" Even Raghuveer knew that Bhupal son's death is far from a normal health issue, how can a hale and cheerful thirty-year-old die from cardiac arrest?

Kashyap gave out a humourless chuckle as he spoke, "Come on prince, every royal perfectly knows that he was assassinated by the queen's men."

"And how come you are sure about it, minister?" Somehow every political assassination was always linked to the Queen and most of the time they were right but this time it did not make any sense to Raghuveer. Sahastra being married to an outsider will indirectly reduce Kashyap's power so to kill his daughters' fiance would be a wrong strategical move and as far as he Raghuveer knows the queen always plays the right step with clever moves.

"I am not even that powerless, prince. But I can assure you that we will be getting solid proofs about this matter and for that, I will need an internal power like you beside me."

A burst of loud mirthless laughter boomed throughout the hall room and for the first time, Sahasthra lifted her eyes to look at Raghuveer.

"I must appreciate your humourless jokes, minister." Raghuveer managed to speak in between in laughs and his

mocking voice didn't go unnoticed by Kashyap but this time he has to control his anger and trap this prince, so he smiled as he spoke, "I do not joke, Prince. However, I can assure you that if you are married to my daughter your power at the palace will increase which raises your chances of having the throne after the king's demise."

"Of course. But minister, tell me, your status and power will increase thrice if you get your daughter married to Prince Dipankar, then why me?"

Lady Sahastra's head raised up with a sudden surprise hearing the mention of Dipankar's name and the yearning in her eyes did not go unnoticed by Raghuveer.

Before answering Kashyap turned behind and ordered his daughter to step outside the house and like a dutiful daughter she is, Lady Sahastra quietly walked out.

While Raghuveer was busily involved in talks with Kashyap, there inside the chambers sat Riya with a grim look on her face. Those waves of jealousy were now turning into curiosity, how pretty can that woman be? More beautiful than her? Her memories were lost but the strong belief that she is known beauty was alive in her.

"Hey boy, come here!" Riya called for Dhruvan who was happily devouring fruits as he sat at the end of the bed. After their gossip session, he became more comfortable around her, maybe he realised that Riya is no demon.

He slowly pushed that plate from his lap and stood beside her as he asked, "What?"

"Take me near that mesh, even I want to have a look at that so-called beauty-"

"What! Have you lost your brains? You should never spy on a royals conversation and also I can never lift you-"

"You don't need to!" Riya almost shouted but controlled herself, "Just lend me your shoulder so that I can walk till there."

After long threats from Riya about eating him alive and after longer contemplations about his life he slowly bent down to her level and Riya put her hand around his shoulder standing up at a slow pace. With clumsy steps, he helped her walk till the wooden mesh and Riya eagerly peeped through the holes to get a view.

It was a little comfortable to walk with his support as her legs still sore but nonetheless, the curiosity to see what was going inside the hall pushed her forward.

Riya's right hand lay around Dhruvan's shoulder as she unintentionally tossed all her weight on him trying to stand on her toes to get a clear view of that lady and Dhruvan was being crushed under her weight.

"Ouch, you are poking my neck with your nails," Dhruvan complained as he murmured, her fingers around his neck were poking him so hard that he was imagining holes on his neck.

"Just Shut up and let me see her!"

"No, you shut up and remove-"

"Shut up you stupid boy!"

Dhruvan did shut his mouth but poked Riya's neck in return for the pain he was facing and soon a miniature war broke out between them as they fought pinching each other's neck and cruising like five-year-old kids. Their fight was so loud that it could be heard till the hall.

"WHO IS THERE?" A loud angry voice startled them both as they stood frozen in their spot.

"We are doomed," Riya whispered and Dhruvan cried silently with an I told you so expression.

Dhruvan thought for a second and quickly pulled Riya to a side and opened a door at the corner of the room and pushed her outside shutting it behind her. He immediately removed an Angavastra from the nearby cupboard and threw it over his head and shoulders just like how ladies cover themselves.

Kashyap was furious to hear noises from that room, how dare anyone spy on his conversation? Even without waiting for Raghuveer's permission, he barged inside the room only to see something absolutely weird.

Dhruvan crossed his left foot over his right in a girly manner as he stood fluttering his eyes rapidly like a woman and his right index finger lay on his cheek as he blushed like a girl rubbing his right foot thumb on the ground.

"What the hell were you doing here? And why are acting like a woman-"

"Oh that," Dhruvan whispered blushing as he delicately pushed his imaginary hair behind his ear, "I will be playing the role of Seetha ma's character in a drama for this Maha Shivarathri."

Kashyap's face turned pale in disgust as he observed him and Raghuveer who stood behind the minister tried his best to suppress his laugh.

"What! Which idiot has selected you for the role of a woman and moreover why is Ramayan being played on Maha Shiva-"

"The troupe were smitten by my singing and acting skills so-"

"Why don't you show your talent to the minister, Dhruv?" Raghuveer suggested winking his eye indirectly helping him to go along with his act.

"Right!" Dhruvan cleared his throat and opened his mouth singing, "AhaaAhh-"

Minister placed his hands against his ears to block that screeching voice.

"Shut up you buffalo! Don't ever sing in front of me!" Shouting loudly, he marched out of the chambers and Raghuveer laughed silently as he returned back to the hall room.

Huffing loudly in relief Dhruvan collapsed on the bed nearby and Riya who was quietly hearing this act from outside the house burst out laughing catching her stomach and all at once she felt an intense gaze on her which made Riya turn around to see who it was.

A young woman dressed in some dark clothes stood near the stairs of the entrance, her eyes were wide as she gaped at Riya in fear-filled confusion and without any curtain-raising introduction, she realised who that woman is.

Her heavy ornaments and her beautiful features laced with innocence told Riya that this the beauty whom Dhruvan was praising about, that is Lady Sahrastra and with a terrified look opened her mouth to shout for help making Riya's heart drop to her foot in fear.

Now, she and Raghuveer are perfectly doomed.

***