Thin white drapes of the window fluttered at the calm breeze forcing Arjuna to grab one of them to get a clear view of the crying woman who sat by the swing. Her face glistened under the sleek moonlight as she wiped her cheeks with her palm, when her cries deepened with pain he almost felt an urge to jump down the window to help her.

The conversation he overhead made his skin burn with anger, how can anyone treat a royal Princess with no regard? Every Princess always has the right to choose her suitor and has the freedom to reject one, or at least that was the principle their kingdom follows.

But here, this Princess was being married off to a man with no rank or status.

Arjuna squinted his eyes as he saw the princess stand up slowly making him wonder what will her next step be? Will she protest against this marriage or will she give up?

The silhouette of the princess slowly disappeared making him ponder over how different both the princesses' weddings were arranged. If things worked for good, one daughter will marry a king and become Queen of a nation but on the other hand, this princess would marry a man who was already married with no status.

Arjuna rubbed behind his neck jerking those thoughts out of his brain, his worry and contemplation about the situation won't get him anywhere. But for some reason, he stood at the same spot wondering if that princess might come back.

The crying shadow of the princess played in front of him as he kept wondering about. Maybe, all his thoughts are just a spec of his curiosity about how she looks in person.

Arjuna slowly walked away from the window trying to divert his thoughts, anything but that woman. He should have a discussion with Vikram before he goes to dinner regarding the issue they had come here for.

"Good evening, your Majesty," Vikram's croaky voice greeted Arjuna as he stood by the entrance of the room bowing down greeting.

"Vikram," Arjuna nodded, acknowledging Vikram's greetings, "I just thought about you. Were you able to gather any information regarding the bandits?" Arjuna asked, sitting on a cushioned wood chair. The chambers were brightly lit with several oil lamps and huge oil stands around the room almost, creating an illusion of a bright mid-day.

"Yes my king, our spies in Ramapur asserted that a few villagers were recruited about some work in the neighbouring kingdom."

Arjuna moved forward from his stiff position leaning forward as his golden bracelets clinked together, "What kind of work?" He asked, raising his left eyebrow with suspicion.

"That my Lord," Vikram drew a breath, taking slow steps towards his chair, "Is not clear."

"What?" Arjuna's eyebrows furrowed together as his palms fisted up in anger.

"It seems like those men who were hired never came back." Vikram chose his words carefully, trying not to anger his king even more, he slowly picked up the water pot on the tiny table keeping it aside as he knew what was about to happen.

"What about their families?" Arjuna asked folding his hands leaning back in the chair, the expression of annoyance deepened with the fact that his spies were not able to find enough information to give them a head start.

"Well, there is no trace about the men, but according to our sources their families receive a few silver coins once every two months."

And that sentence triggered his rage. Arjuna stood up pushing the table in front of him. All the things on the table fell down making a loud sound.

The water jug was saved at least.

"How could they not trace even one person when their families have some contact with them?"

Vikram stood right in his place not moving. It was his fault he thought, he knew how important it was to find these bandits information. Their time was limited in this kingdom, he should have been more responsible.

He kneeled down on his left foot immediately, bowing his head down to the earth.

"I failed in finding the information! Please Punish me, my king."

Arjuna closed his eyes, trying to control his anger as his nostrils flared. Vikram always took the responsibility of every stupid thing his men did, when will he understand that he was supposed to punish them, not the other way around.

"Stop this nonsense and get up! Go, fire those worthless Idiots! " He shouted, anger dripping down his voice.

He walked back to his chambers and put a gold chain around his neck, took his sword getting ready for the royal dinner. His mood was already rotten but he could not avoid this dinner.

Vikram stood near the entrance by the time Arjuna walked out and Vikram's head was still hanging low.

Arjuna took a long breath and stood in front of Vikram.

"Vikram raise your head and see me."

And when Vikram looked at him, he put his arm on Vikram's shoulder and said.

"Always remember this Vikram, never hold yourself responsible for something which is not in your hands."

Vikram looked at him with an expression which he could not decode, was that pain in his eyes or remorse?

"Don't overthink, after we are done with the dinner let us decide what the next step will be."

The dinner was more than boring, it was stodgy. He happened to meet Princess Priyamvada and to say she was beautiful would be an overstatement, she was a little pale in complexion with dark lumps of kajal near her eyes, probably to highlight her face but in reality, she looked like a pale untrained demon and those multiple golden bangles were not attractive, they just irritated his eyes. Priyamvada was bubbling with happiness unlike the other princess he saw today as he could still remember the agony in her cries, those tears and her hopeless heartbroken words. At the bottom of his heart, he wants her to put up a fight, at least by doing she can have her self-respect.

He noticed an empty chair beside the Privamvada, it must be for the crying princess.

He smiled to himself thinking about the name he gave her.

All at once, as if someone tapped his shoulder he turned around only to find a beautiful woman walking inside with her head down and eyes to the floor. Her bright parrot green dress looked mesmerising and the hall echoed by the soft jingling sound from her anklets and a sweet scent of jasmines engulfed him as she passed by. Even from a distance, he could say that she was the crying princess.

She jas changed her clothes but not her heart, the weary and sad look on her face making Arjuna frown invisibly.

He was almost disappointed when she sat at the end of the eating space, out of his sight. But luck was in his favour tonight, as she soon sat right in front of him.

Princess Chitra.

Her name was beautiful like her, he thought and throughout the dinner, he kept stealing glances to have a full look at her. She was silent all the while and he wondered how her voice would sound? Soft like how she looks? Or a little screeching like her sisters?

On the other hand, King Indradas was almost out of words praising Priyamvada but never once he cared to speak a word about Chitra which made Arjuna curious about why the king was not talking about his other daughter.

But when finally she looked up he found her eyes brimmed up with tears. He couldn't tear his eyes away from her face, he never knew that eyes could be so captivating, her eyeballs were dark brown with long dark lashes which kept fanning her pink cheeks. However, he was shocked to see her almost crying but when he looked straight in her eyes he found nothing but pain. Was she always sad? Or was it just a bad day for her?

Before he could find his answers she looked down hiding her face. Regardless when their eyes met again, he found a strong sense of determination to get rid of whatever pain she was facing. It shocked him as to why he was having such strong feelings towards a woman he barely knows.

Shortly after that, the dinner came to an end and before he could come up with an excuse to converse with her, she excused herself saying she was sick and walked out of the hall. Chitra left, taking sweet aroma and his smiles with her.

"Oh god, could she not act normal for a day?" Muttered Royal lady Chandrakala with a complaining voice, and when Arjuna looked around he found almost every one with the same expression.

So what he had guessed was right, princess Chitra was no one's favourite. And he was more than curious to find out more about her.