I was asked to join Aarini in her room. She had sent her PA to call me upstairs and meet the King's sister.

I thought that doctor, the one who had effortlessly managed to mess with my brain, was the only guest we were expecting, but I guess that was not the case.

"Help me dress nicely and get ready." Aarini sounded restless as soon as I entered the room.

"what is wrong?" she was too occupied in her head to notice my use of foreign words.

"Yug's mom is coming here to see him." she finally turned to me. Her hands shivering and face indicating of how nervous she was.

But wow.

"This is exciting. Let's get you ready." I said excitedly as I moved further in the room towards her.

"Excuse me ma'am" another female voice interrupted. It was Aarini's PA, the same way like Brinda was to me.

"Minister Yug's relatives have entered this Royal Palace." She continued further. Aarini quickly dismissed her with a rapid nod.

"There is no time Jiera. We haven't yet decided on what outfit should I change into." she was panicking.

"I didn't not know you were so eager to impress your 'to-be in laws'" I joked.

She gave a hurried laugh at this and turned to open the wardrobe which was right behind her.

"Help me select one of them." She opened the wardrobe wide in front of me. I nearly fainted seeing the amount of heavy dresses kept in there.

"Are you sure you want to wear those?" I showed my disapproval. There were so many designed outfits, that looked so heavy, that I wouldn't even wear it in a traditional Indian wedding.

"Aren't these beautiful?" she thought there was more that she needed.

I just sighed in response.

"They are nice." I spoke, not so confidently. I still scanned through the outfits selecting the one that according to me would be the most suitable for a time like this.

She smiled picking up her 'OOTD'

She was sitting in front of the mirror, beautifully dressed, applying handmade kohl and flower picked scents when Brinda entered the room.

"You both are being called downstairs." She said, smiling more than usual.

"What's wrong?" I was able to sense something up here.

She continued smiling. Aarini, who was up until now focused on herself in the mirror turned to look at Brinda directly.

"What is it?" Aarini questioned this time.

"While you are at it.." Brinda spoke again, smiling widely. "..don't forget to carry some gifts downstairs."

We were both confused. But Brinda continued to clear it up for us.

"Minister Yug's mother have come along with a girl, who is supposedly his potential bride. They are all discussing his marriage downstairs." She still kept that long grin on. She thought she was delivering some good news.

I looked at Aarini and her face became blank, blood draining down.

"She is so beautiful, so pretty, so well behaved, like the perfect bride for our Minister." Brinda continued, unable to sense the atmosphere.

Have you heard about second hand embarrassment? Yes. That was myself in that room. I was internally urging Brinda to shut up hoping she can somehow hear my thoughts. But she just kept going on.

"They are planning to marry him off soon and I have never seen Your Majesty so excited about anything. He is practically rushing things up." She chuckled while she spoke.

"I am so excited I really hope things go well and-"

"Get out." I turned to look at Aarini who appeared as cold as she sounded.

Brinda was taken aback by this gesture, scared and timid like she had been always. She looked at me in fear . I just nodded in reassurance indicating that it was not her fault and asked her to leave.

She obeyed.

"Aarini." I sighed as I knelt beside her.

"I don't want to hear anything." She started removing all her jewelries. I could see her attempt to fight back her tears, and also how she couldn't hold them in.

I felt bad, more than bad to be honest. I was angry. How can Yug agree to this? I knew he liked her. I couldn't be wrong about this, because if I was wrong, I have done a terrible terrible mistake, giving that tiny bit of hope to Aarini.

"You said he liked me too." She turned to me. I knew I was to be held responsible for this. I really thought I had successfully made one royal member happy.

But I couldn't be more wrong.

I opened my mouth a million times but couldn't figure what I should attempt speaking ahead.

"I –I know." I stuttered my words out. I had to talk to Yug. I had to know what he was thinking.

Was is really all in my head.

"I'll fix this." I got up ready to leave.

---

Yug was getting all decked up when I barged into his room.

"What do you think you are doing?" he questioned me as he rushed towards the gate in an attempt to not let me in further.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" I stood fixed before him.

I could see his eyes wandering elsewhere, attempting to hide his truth.

"Just why are doing this?" my voice turned soft and desperate. He looked down at me with a face that read confusion. It was the first time his look made me feel pathetic.

"Why are you doing this Jiera?" I had never heard Yug yell at anyone. But the first I got to witness it, I was the victim.

"You think I cannot see, your tiny, little, useless tactics. Are you taking pride in it seriously?"

No one. Literally no one could shut me up like he did.

I couldn't comprehend what to say. But that doesn't mean I was any less sure of the fact that he had a special corner for Aarini.

"She is crying. Aarini." I said again. my voice softer than usual.

The look in his eyes, when he immediately looked at me, confirmed the tiny bit of doubt that I had. His eyes looked hurt, sorry even but more than anything, helpless.

"Don't do this to her?" I said again, my voice on the verge of breaking down. I was really rooting for them to be together.

"I did not do anything to her. I am sure it was you who gave her that hope." I did not know Yug could be that cold and rigid. My eyes started brimming failing the little bit of resistance that had held my tears in.

"I just made her realize what she had been feeling."

"Exactly. She did not act upon her feelings because she knew it had no outcome. Until you appeared. I don't know what is with your convincing power Jiera, but certain things have rules and you cannot always break them down." I had never, in my wildest dreams, thought that Yug can be so harsh. But this, what I was in the middle of, was practically a nightmare.

"Fine. I was at fault. It was my mistake that I worked towards what the two of you'll hoped for. But now you tell me what do I do. What do I tell Aarini?" I was speaking in between my sobs.

"I think you should leave Jiera. If my potential wife comes here, and sees you in my room, it wouldn't be all good. And about Aarini, don't worry. Remind her of the kings and princes waiting for her." That was all Yug said. and that was all I waited to hear from him.

I left the room, crying to myself rushing in my den, until I accidentally knocked into him.

Standing tall in front of me, his eyebrows drawn together in question as he scanned my wet face that was looking up to him.

"What's wrong?" he hardly whispered as he cupped my face in between his hands

"Nothing" I snuffled trying to free myself out of his grip.

"Jiera" he spoke again, his voice, audibly sad. I had managed to let myself out of his hands and without uttering anything more, I went straight to my room.

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