The king's first wife

Who is he?

Due to previous breaches. Including the incident where the crown princess was sent to... Raniganj without any proof against her. The court has decided to dissolve Rani ma's powers regarding the internal Royal affair.
As of now, I, the King of Amer, with all the power vested in me give the position to my eldest son, the crown prince of Amer. Effective immediately.

He couldn't help but sigh as he stroked his wife's hair. Had been 2 days and she hadn't once blinked her eyes. Hadn't moved a single centimeter. He was worried about her but, the doctor said that she was just in a coma due to all the excessive travel and pain during childbirth and right after it, so he was able to keep his calm. Their son was peacefully sleeping between them and it was just the three in the room. He had asked to be alone with his...

Seeing her face after so many months... He could see her cheeks sunken in. And her hair dried. He could see dark circles under her eyes and her face had lost its shine.

Was hoping that she would wake up... Was hoping to tell her how much he had missed her. Was hoping to tell her everything that happened while she wasn't there. But she needed to rest. So, he let her sleep and decided to patiently wait for her to wake up and whenever she would, he was going to pour his heart out to her...

He was deep in his thoughts on what all he was going to change in the royal family affairs. How many traditions he was going to mend his way when the door was knocked on and immediately he looked back at it and there he stood. His brother-in-law. The one he had trusted with the most important thing in his life... His wife.

" Yes?"
" You asked me to come later... You wanted to know who. He is..." he reminded the prince of the time when a man had managed to grab his wife's hand. When a man had dared to look him in the eyes and a thousand questions flooded his head.

Who was he?
Where did he come from?
Why was he there?
Why did he hold her?
How dare he touch her skin?!
How dare he look Sohit in the eyes?!
How dare he show up at the palace?!
Did Pari bring him?
Did he do something to his wife?
Was his wife fine?

" Yeah. You... How did you let a man come to the palace and where did he come from?"
" That..." he looked down for a moment. Didn't know how to say it. Pranav himself had no clue who that man was. He had managed to gather the general information about whose kid he was... But he didn't know why he was there. And he definitely did not know why his sister would insist to bring that man along with her.

" Pranav..." he was taking too long and Sohit wasn't liking the wait. He wanted answers and in no way was he going to be patient this time
" He's the son of Badi ma in Raniganj and a local merchant. Has spent several years out of the Kingdom. Roaming in the outside world... As for why he is here..." he paused.
How could he tell the man who had tried everything in the book to get his wife back that his own wife had insisted on another man coming with her? How could he break the prince's heart? First off, he himself didn't know if something had happened while she wasn't there in the palace. Then how could he shatter the prince's hopes without having any solid proof?

" Why is he here Pranav? I want the answer. Now," Sohit asked with authority in his voice and his brother-in-law couldn't do anything but sigh
" Pari di asked for him to be there. She threatened to never come back to the palace if he didn't come with her. I don't know why. They could have forced her..." pursed his lips as he didn't want to say the next words, " Or..." but the prince didn't want to hear those words either.
" No," so, he shook those thoughts away and turned around immediately to look at his wife, " She was definitely forced. I know my Pari. Nothing more ever happened," kept a hand over her forehead lovingly, " and even if..." his voice faltered before saying those words. He was scared. Inside, he was a scared little boy who hoped with all his heart that his wife wasn't taken advantage of. He hoped that she hadn't fallen for someone new... He hoped that he had not failed as a husband in saving her in time...

Something had happened in his heart ever since he first held his son properly. Ever since he first saw that little bundle of joy his wife had brought along with her, something had changed in his heart, and felt responsible for everything. For his son, his wife, his parents, his sister, his brother, and especially the entire kingdom.
Earlier he was a level-headed man but now, he just couldn't stand injustice. Earlier, he'd take his time to formulate plans but now, he couldn't even think of waiting to think later. The anger in him was just ready to burst out and so was his love.

No one knew if this change was for the better or worse but a direct king who knew how to keep his subordinates under control wasn't a bad option.

" She's my Pari. Nothing will change that. Make sure that that man... What's his name?"
" Jai,"
" Jai. Feels hospitable in the palace. He's Pari's guest so he's mine. Once she wakes up, then I'll find out the truth. Till then, keep him as far away from her as you can. And keep him occupied," why would she let a man from there into the palace? Definitely, she had a good reason for it... Right?

He hoped she had a good reason... Not a bad one that would make him regret all his life.