"Would you have come to me again, if not for the heir?", Anamika asked yuvraj.

Yuvraj didn't turned back and kept silence for sometime and then took a deep breath before giving his answer. "No", Anamika wasn't surprised or shocked but she felt the calmness within her and replied, "Thank you, Yuvraj".

He knows what was that for. He can feel her small smile for once in this unfortunate day and that is due to his answer which she wanted to hear. This is the closure that she was waiting for sometime. And he left the chamber immediately without any other explanation for his answer. Neither did Anamika expected anything as such.

When yuvraj reached his chamber, he ordered all the maids to leave the chamber for his privacy. Once they left, he fell on his knees and cried. Today he cried for various reasons, one greater than the other. First, he felt the guilt for not saving Saudamini and then that feeling weared off with the next information about his unknown and unborn child. Even though he has the power over entire Hindustan and the mighty kings whom he had defeated, he felt what a failure means. He cried for not being there to save his child or Anamika from the pain, others had put them through.

And last but not the least, his answer to her question. Anamika expected him to give either yes or no as an answer. But he couldn't tell her that his answer cannot be direct. Yet he gave the answer which she wanted to hear. But that doesn't mean that his answer was not genuine. He just told her half of the answer.

It was true that if not for the heir, he wouldn't even have realized what he had done to Anamika all these years. He might have realized it later on but that 'later' could have been days, months or even a year, if it's not for the prediction. And that's why he gave that answer which is true in a sense.

He totally forgot about his wife who sacrificed her rights just so he could have a heir for himself and the kingdom, for ten years that he dedicated to his war expeditions and also the few days that he kept aside for his second wife.

Yes, He wanted to have a heir but it wouldn't have mattered if he was not the only son of Ranasa. How he wished, he had brothers who could ascend the throne after him or their children. Then he could have easily avoided the second marriage and when it was time, he could have left for Sanyas(saint life) along with his wife.

He cannot say that Anamika doesn't understand his situation or position. Because she is more than understanding in this situation and that's the reason why she is still staying in this palace, in his presence, in front of him. Otherwise she would have left him on the day he decided to marry again. Though her only other option is to accept sanyas if she decided to leave, she would have done that without a second thought, if not the situation forced the decision.

He also knows that his answer won't change anything between them. He was determined to make amends for his mistakes before. Now although he knows that the chances of their relationship getting mended is too low, he want to continue making amends so that atleast in the afterlife he can meet Anamika's eyes without guilt since he would be satisfied with his redemption.

Thinking about this, yuvraj slept on the floor itself. The next morning came with a new determination for four people. Anamika, with a determination to not be weak in her child's grief and Yuvraj, with a determination to make Anamika happy for the rest of his life, to amend for the pains he made her go through till now.

Apart from these two, Ranisa and Ranasa also had some kind of determination. Ranisa, the one who had forced Anamika to do things which had hurt her in the name of responsibilities, now want to free her from extra responsibilities added on her. Ranasa, who had been blind towards the matters happening inside the palace and agreed to everything just so he could get a heir, want to do something for his bahuranisa.

With a new day and new determination, everyone started preparing for Saudamini's funeral. Although she died yesterday, they were too immersed in shock and grief due to the shocking truth that the funeral had to be postponed. Everyone assembled in the front lawn where the dead body was kept and the funeral procession was started immediately. Women were not allowed to come with the procession to the graveyard and Yuvraj did all the rituals as Saudamini's husband and completed the funeral.

Though he is angry with her for hiding such a truth for fifteen years, he never wished death for her. After coming back to the palace, everybody went to take rest in their chambers. By afternoon, a maid came to announce that Ranasa asked the royal family members to assemble in the inner court.

When everyone assembled including Yuvraj and Anamika who still wrapped herself in a silk cloth, Ranasa started to say, "I came to know about what happened yesterday and how the attack was planned for my grandson. Also the truth about the loss of my grandchild which I could have never known if not for Saudamini spilling it on death bed. I trust yuvraj with punishing the culprits, so I won't interfere in that. But we have guests staying in the guest palace, still not sure about whether the naming ceremony and crowning ceremony will happen or not. Though generally we don't celebrate anything for a month after the funeral of a royal family member, but I don't want to keep my grandson waiting, that too for a person who betrayed us by keeping the truth from us. So I don't want to postpone the ceremony and I want you all to come out of the grief before the ceremony begins. Everyone should enjoy the ceremony whole-heartedly and there shouldn't be any negativity around my grandson on that day. Prepare yourself for that. Now you all can go to rest".

Ranasa completed his announcement and started to leave but Ranisa stopped him and said that she wanted to ask them all something as well. When everyone was looking at her, she said, "With Saudamini's death, the children have lost their mother. Especially the months old baby who needs a mother, is now in the hands of maids. I wanted to say that I want to take full responsibility for her from today onwards."

Ranisa didn't want the child to be a burden on Anamika since she was the one who has been handling all the other children for years. Though others might think that it was Anamika's big heart and kindness but Ranisa knew her pain on seeing her husband's children who are not hers. Ranisa let the children go to their badi maasa whenever they wanted but now she don't want to repeat her mistakes especially after such a dark revelation from Saudamini. It would be difficult to look at the child without thinking about her mother's deeds. That's why Ranisa decided to take up this responsibility.

Yuvraj was about to refuse her proposal but before that Ranasa spoke, "OK. You can take up her responsibility". Ranasa also knew that it would relieve Anamika from taking care of two children. So he agreed to that and yuvraj also kept silence.

And that's how the naming ceremony was planned.

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Guys, Only 3 or 4 chapters left. That's what my guess is. Let's see whether I will be able to finish within 3 or 4 chapters.

Do vote and comment if you like the chapter.

Thanks,

SM.