I reached my kingdom and palace in few hours. I was damn tired and was hungry as hell.

I entered inside the palace and was welcomed by my mother and father's happy face. They looked so happy. They engulfed me in a warm hug once they met me.

"I missed you both so much. Mother, I missed your chicken curry so much.", I said grinning.

"We missed you too, Dear!", Father said and mother nodded.

"Come and rest! I'll cook you chicken curry for dinner. Okay?", She asked and I nodded vigorously.

"But, I want mutton!", Tamizh said.

"No. I hate mutton! Ewww! Who will eat that!?", I said with a disgusting face.

"It's tasty. It's just that your taste bud is dead.", He said and I shook my head.

"Okay. I'll cook both chicken and mutton. Don't fight.", Mother said and we nodded.

I took a hot bath and changed my dress. The whole day passed by spending my whole time with my mother, father and annoying brother. Tonight, I ate the most delicious food of my life which is chicken curry made by mother.

But, I was missing one person and I wished he could've been here with me. Arjun. His palace didn't keep me happy as much as mine. But, he was definitely something special.

I was feeling special. I heard sounds from the entrance and saw some soldiers dragging Ezhil whose face was brutally punched and blood was oozing out of his wounds.

Mother and father immediately got up as they don't know none of the things happened in Arjun's palace. I'm afraid how they'd react when they come to know everything.

They dragged him to the basement of the palace where I assumed the cells are located.

"Father, calm down. I'll explain everything what transpired in Arjun's palace.", Tamizh said. Tamizh pleased them more and finally made them sit on their seats.

"Ezhil tried to rape Thara. Arjun saved her on the right time. After catching Ezhil, Arjun put him in his cell where his mother threw a tantrum to make Arjun release Ezhil. I asked Arjun to send him to my palace and he gladly accepted.", Tamizh said and both of my parents gasped.

There was terror in mother's face. She came towards me and cupped my face. She looked at my wound where Arjun stitched.

"You're fine, right? My poor baby should've gone through a lot..", she said sobbing.

"Why did you lie about your wound?", Father asked. I looked at his scared face.

"I-I don't know how to t-tell you all.. I'm s-sorry.", I stammered. They engulfed me in a hug.

"I'm not going to let that bastard alive!", Father seethed. I never saw him so angry like now. He was clenching his fists in anger.

"Me either..", Tamizh said.

How would the empress and the emperor react when Ezhil is killed? I don't know if they mean their word but..... who really cares?

Tamizh and father left to the basement followed by the number of soldiers who were dragging Ezhil to the basement. I rested my head on mother's shoulder and she embraced me.

The image of Ezhil trying to take control over me and me, who was screaming for help and how he blackmailed me about that maid flashed in my mind.

"I can't get it off my mind..", I said looking at mother who was crying.

She hugged me and I felt her crying even harder than before. Before I could even notice, a tear slipped from my eye.

"You should've gone through a lot..", She said in between her hiccups. I stopped crying and looked at my mother's face.

"Look, mother.. I'm not crying. I don't want me to be a reason for your cry.", I said and she nodded wiping her tears.

We soon calmed down and I went to bed.

It's been a week and the day I go back to my husband's palace have come. Mother was packing the stuff I left after marriage.

The queen had left for a devotional tour which is miles away before one and a half weeks which I came to know before just a week.

This week was happy and peaceful because no one was there to mess with me. This is the best and happiest week of my life.

I didn't know what father and Tamizh did to Ezhil. They were trying to ignore his topic as they thought I'd get disturbed by the memories.

I wish he'd get a good and brutal punishment. Because, those awful memories were haunting me in the nightmare every day.

I was unable to sleep peacefully. But, I was able to sleep when Arjun was with me. I feel safe and protective when I sleep beside him.

Here, In my palace, I'm sleeping alone. A small thought that what if Ezhil escape from the prison and come to my room and try to rape me was killing me alive.

Me without beside him was the only thing I was missing through this week

"Ready?", Tamizh asked and I nodded.

"You're going to stay in Arjun's palace like you did last week?", I asked and he chuckled.

"No, because maybe I started trusting him that he'll take care of my sister well.", he said and I smiled.

"What if Aarthi mess with me again?", I asked him as I thought I want his advice.

"Just slap the hell out of her. Don't worry about the consequences. If something transpires like that, I'll have the news in 6 hours. I have spies all over your palace to keep you safe. Don't worry..", he said and it somehow calmed my nerves.

Tamizh with his men dropped me back in Arjun's palace safely. I waved a goodbye to him as he refused to come inside the palace and have a tea.

"Is Arjun home?", I asked a soldier as I couldn't find Arjun in my sight.

"He went to the training center to train new soldiers. He will come back today evening.", The soldier said and I nodded making my way inside the palace.

I saw Aarthi beating up a small boy. He seemed like only 7 or 8. What the hell?

I trotted towards her. The poor boy was bleeding but she still kept thrashing him.

"What are you doing, Aarthi? He's just a kid for God's sake!", I said pulling that little boy towards my side.

"His father have bought money from Arjun a long time ago. Now, both his mother and father is dead in a fire accident. Who will pay the money back?", She said.

Hearing this, the urge to slap her was uncontrollable.

"Are you in your senses? His mother and father just died recently and you're thrashing him for just money!?", I yelled at her.

"What else we're supposed to do? That useless dog ought to pay this now.", Chitra's voice came over.

"How can you call a little boy useless dog?", I yelled.

"Please tell them to leave me. I'll pay you in a month.", The little boy cried. I caught his hand when he was about to touch my feet to beg.

"How dare you, trash!", Aarthi said thrashing him once again.

I pushed her on the floor where she fell down with a thud. I saw anger building up in her. I secured the child and held his hand.

"How dare you, daughter of a concubine!", Aarthi yelled.

"Yeah. I dare. Because, it's my palace. My husband's palace. You have no right to yell here!", I yelled back. She got up from the floor ready to throw tantrums.

"Remember you're just nothing here!", Chitra yelled helping Aarthi to get up fully.

"I am everything here. Don't you dare peek your nose in our problem, Chitra.", I warned her and she backed off. Almost whole palace including soldiers and maids were looking at us.

"You're a filthy daughter of a concubine. How dare you behave to a daughter of a queen like this?", She sneered making me angry.

"I don't care what I was before, Aarthi. But now, I'm the main consort of the prince who's going to be the emperor of this dynasty. Always remember that you're under me.", I said smirking.

"How dare you!"

I looked at one of the soldier.

"Soldier, after Arjun, who have the rights to order y'all?", I asked the soldier and he looked at both of us.

"It's you, Princess Thara. You're the next to order us after Highness. If Highness one have half, the other half belongs to you..", he explained and I smirked at Aarthi.

"What will the side consort and concubines get?", I asked and he hesitated to say.

"N-Nothing. They will get nothing. If Highness wants, he might give some money and he can dismiss them anytime..", he said and I was surprised to know they can be dismissed anytime.

"Shut up!", Aarthi yelled pointing at the soldier who explained.

"Don't yell at that poor soldier, Aarthi. He's stating the truth. You might've been a daughter of queen. But, right here, in this palace, I'm the queen and you're just a pawn.", I said. I turned back to the soldiers.

"Considering the fact that Aarthi and Chitra thrashed this poor kid and abused him with words, they will be put in cell... without any lights or food. Just give them water.", I said and their eyes widened.

"You can't order them. They will not listen to you!", Aarthi said shooking her head in disbelief.

I looked at the soldiers and they immediately put cuffs on their hands and dragged them to basement despite their struggles. Mohana and Ganga who was watching this show was awestruck.

I went to the room along with that little boy. I made him sit on the bed and I was searching the medicine kit. I finally found it and plopped on the bed opposite to him.

"It will pain a little. Bear it and we can have snacks..", I said and he smiled despite his pains.

I started dressing his wounds. My hand was shivering. I was slowly wiping his blood with a cotton in which he didn't flinch.

"What's your name, little man?", I asked with a smile to distract his pain.

"Guna", he replied and I smiled.

"Nice name and what's your age?"

"I'm eight. Will be nine in 2 months.", He said and I was shocked that this little boy had to go through a lot of pains. I kept wiping his blood where the whole cotton was soaked in blood. I took another cotton and started wiping again.

"Thank you.", He whispered as drops of tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Most welcome, young man.. you have any siblings? Maybe I can help you."

"I have a sister who's 5 years old. If you can finish healing my wound, I can go see my sister. She's waiting for me and hadn't ate for 2 days.", He said and my heart broke.

"What about you? Have you eaten?", I asked.

"No", he mumbled.

"Don't worry. I will give you food, new clothes, new house and education. You and your sister will go to school from tomorrow onwards. Don't worry.", I said and he cried. I again caught his hand hand from touching my feet to thank me.

"Thank you so much! Thank you so much! I can't thank you enough! When I grow up, I'll surely do something for you. No one have ever helped us like this. Thank you. Thank you.", He cried.

"Save your thank you. After my husband comes back, I'll ask him to provide you all those I promised to.", I said and he nodded thankfully.

I continued to dress his wound. He had wounds on his forehead, cheek bone, hand and jaw. Aarthi hit him too harsh.

I was finally done when a maid walked in with a plate of snacks. I bought the plate from her and extended it to that little boy. He took the plate from me and ate like he hadn't eaten for years. I smiled.

I never thought helping someone would give me this much happiness..

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