Royal Enemies

CHAPTER 1 - ABHISHEK

(8 years ago)

"And what gave you the right to speak to the guests in that tone sir?"
"Being her father is enough."

Rakesh Kumar Chakrabortys words echoed in my head over and over as I stared at Akshita. The girl I loved, the girl I fell for. The girl I adored so much that I would do anything to protect her, to keep her from all the dangers, from all the evil in this world. Because she seemed, really seemed as innocent as she could with those teary grey eyes. Her rose shaded cheeks could make me week on my knees any other day but today was different. All I wondered as I stared at her pale, weary face was hurt she had caused me. The hurt I felt wondering who was I loving all along? The one I had looked forward to despise. I fell in love with a liar, a liar so kind that she didnt bother explaining.

"What are you doing here?" I managed to ask something. She raised her eyes from the ground to my chest, not meeting my eyes, she shouldnt. The right thing to do was not to look in my eyes with those despicable ones, the one which held anything but honesty. I could see her cheeks stained with tears and the fresh tears that kept pouring from her eyes. "Father is dead." She said through her trembling lips. Her voice broke and so did my heart all over again. Father the word only made sense. Not in last two years had she referred to him that, not once and now here she was, shameless. As the next word made sense to me, dead, I frowned. My heart snapped. He died?

"He cannot die." I told her. He would not die until I killed him myself. A sense of dissatisfaction surged me. she snapped her eyes to me. "But he is.. I..." she paused and so did my heart all over again. The redness and the swelling around her eyes made me rethink what I wished to do to her. For the first time had this happened that I felt numb around her. A part of me wanted to grab her neck push her against the same pillar she leaned on. I wanted to hurt her, so much that it almost scared me. And the other part of me just wanted to put a hand on her cheek, wipe her tears and pull her in my arms. But I chose silence. I chose stillness. She deserved nothing, not the love, not the pain beyond she was already in.

I considered her words. How could he die in just a week? In just a week of taking away what I adored once again? He took away my love from me too, filling me with everlasting agony of betrayal. He had never spoken a word; he should have kept his mouth shut. He should have let me live in that façade his daughter had laid out. I gulped. "Is it another lie Akshita?" I dreaded saying that name, the more I said it, the more I wanted to be gentle with her, like I had been from the beginning.

"No it is not Abhi..." she looked down again and her shoulders trembled. "But before that I want to apologize to you, I know it is too late Abhishek, but I really.."

"Please stop." I cut her off. My voice was again, soft like it shouldnt have been. Tears welled in my eyes thinking of the pain I felt looking at her, missing her in the same moment. She stood in front of me as Akshita, and not as the rose I fell for. My fists curled. "Please stop!" I repeated, knowing she was starting to call my name. I stood a step away from her.

"No, let me explain, please Abhishek..." she stammered again. Oh, for heavens sake, I did not need it. No, I did not want to know or hear anything she might have to say, because I knew if she explained, I would believe all her lies once again. I was too in love with her to do anything to her, I was too in love with her to not give her another chance, I was too in love with her to leave her. I was too in love to forgive her for the hurt she had caused.

I stared at the garden behind. My eyes finding the roses again. To hell with the roses, it pinched somewhere inside that I was once in love with them so much that a mere sight of them a couple weeks ago made me smile like a fucking fool. A smile of mockery broke on my face all over again. "I loved you Rose." I whispered and as if she heard me, she stared at me with desperation.