Agneya - The Unknown King

Chapter 11 - Parents

"Why are you setting up a pillow and blanket on my couch?", Rashmi asked angrily as she moved towards him but stopped midway as she remembered what he did the previous times.

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Agneya answered her, "I'm making it comfortable for sleeping.  Yesterday when I laid on this, it was not much comfortable.  So today I brought these".  Rashmi asked again frustratedly, "But why would you sleep here?  You left yesterday after hearing the truth and now came back again?".  He sat down on the couch and said, "Yes.  Now that you are my future wife, I have all the rights to be present here".

Rashmi got silent for a moment and then said, "You have already decided that I will be your wife?  Yesterday you said that-".  Agni cut her off and said, "Yes, I said that we will give our relationship a chance and I stand by that".  She asked hesitantly, "Don't you feel bad about being my second soulmate?". 

Agni looked at her for a moment and said, "There is no first or second soulmate, Rajkumari.  If Dakshesh was your soulmate, then neither would you have removed your mark nor would you have got another one after that.  It's just a wrong mark which is corrected now.  That's it".  Rashmi looked into his eyes in a daze as he continued in an intense manner, "I'm your only soulmate".

Subconsciously Rashmi nodded at his strong words which seemed like an order and without asking anything further, She went to her bed and closed the transparent curtains surrounding it on all sides.  She turned her back towards him and simply closed her eyes to sleep.

Agneya too laid down on the couch and looked up the ceiling and thought back to last night when he lost his composure.

Flashback

As he smashed a vase in anger, Agneya was restless and couldn't think clearly.  He very much wanted to leave this realm and just go back to his home, where his family lives.  But he controlled himself and closed his eyes to remember the reasons why he came here.  He fisted his hand as he once again remembered what Rashmi told about Dakshesh's mark on her. 

Agni punched the mirror repeatedly,  shedding few drops of blood, which anyways healed quickly.  As he laid his eyes on the statue of God, he remembered his father's words, "Whenever you feel that you don't have anyone to share your worries with, then just sit infront of God and just chant his name.  It's not just a prayer but an effective method to distract your mind from all other chaos and just concentrate on the name.  Later when you feel calm, think about the solution to your problems".

Agneya followed his advice and sat infront of the God to meditate and chant his name.  Once he was calm enough, he thought about Rashmi's words again and again.  And it became clear to him that the reason for Rashmi's anger and hatred is not her past love for Dakshesh but the hurt and betrayal from her own sister and family.

Agneya chuckled to himself for being so jealous of his cousin whom Rashmi didn't even think of as her lost love.  Neither did she want to snatch him back from her sister nor did she wanted her sister to leave him.  All she did was just be unbothered about them and mind her own business until someone deliberately provoke her.

Agni thought to himself, "If her previous mark was meant to be removed and I'm destined to be her soulmate, then there is nothing to worry about the past.  Only the present matters".

Agni smiled and said to no one, "I knew you were different when I saw the hidden admiration for you among the women folks even though they showed to despise you in public.  You are interesting Rashmi". 

Unknown to Agneya, on the other side in Rakshatra, Kalindi woke up in the middle of the night, due to restlessness and found the place beside her empty on the bed.  She looked around the room to search for her husband and found him standing near the balcony looking at the moon.

Kalindi stood up from bed and went near him and kept her head on his shoulder.  Abhyuday looked down at her and kept his head over hers.  Both of them grieved in silence for missing their oldest son.  Then she asked, "What happened?".

Abhyuday sighed and said, "I don't know but I feel restless.  And I feel like it has something to do with Agneya".  Kalindi looked up from his shoulder and was afraid to tell that even she too felt the same as it would increase his fear.  To let go off their worries, She asked, "Shall we go to the forest for some sword fight?  It would take off your stress". 

Abhyuday replied, "I don't think I could concentrate on anything.  And I don't think it is just stress".  Kalindi kept her worries aside and said, "Even I was restless but I believe that Agni will handle any issues there, in his own way.  Trust our son, Maharaj". 

Abhyuday hugged her and kept silent for a moment.  He felt selfish for only thinking about his own worries and neglecting a mother's worries.  Then he agreed to go the forest to have a fight in their secret Location. 

Flashback ends

The next morning, Rashmi woke up and found the couch empty.  She got ready for the day and her maid Dakini brought her breakfast.  Rashmi ate her food while keeping an eye on her frowning friend.    Seeing her not asking anything, Dakini asked herself, "Won't you ask me anything, Rajkumari?".

Rashmi asked, "Whom did you fight with?".  She knew about her friend who would fight with anyone if they are doing anything against her.  Dakini replied, "I met Damini while collecting breakfast".  Rashmi stopped eating for a moment and remembered how Dakini always fought against her own sister just because Charu took advantage of Rashmi's kindness.

Many a times, Rashmi would have woken up and prepared the plate for doing the puja but Charu will come in the last minute and plead to do puja which Rashmi would allow smiling at her cuteness.  Afterall that's what Rashmi was taught by her parents as the act of an elder sister, even if it is elder by a few minutes.

Rashmi came out of her thoughts by Dakini shaking her and asked her to continue.  As Dakini continued her story, "I fought with Damini because she had taunted that Rajkumari Charusheela will become a member of Royal family of Pranyakta but You will remain below her even if you take over the throne of Akashpura.  And-".

Rashmi finished her food by now and asked, "And?".  Dakini bowed her head and said, "And that these wouldn't have happened if you had not done something against the God by removing the mark".  Rashmi chuckled at her words and said, "These people think that it is impossible for a person to remove the mark.  But when someone showed that it is possible, especially a woman, then they want to make it as a taboo by socially outcasting her.  Anyways I have come a long way after facing all their despise for me".

Dakini nodded her head and said with sympathy, "I am glad that you chose to be a stronger person after knowing their betrayal.  These people who are blaming you for your decision to remove the mark, never appreciated you before for your excellence.  So I don't feel bad for them when you treat them bad". 

Rashmi laughed wholeheartedly on seeing, Dakini making scrunched faces.  As Dakini was cleaning the place and Rashmi was about to leave, Dakini asked, "Rajkumari,  Yuvraj was here that night.  So Why did-".  Before she could finish the question, Rashmi replied, "He is my destined Soulmate".

Glossary:
Samrat - Emperor
Samragyi - Empress
Rajkumar - Prince
Bratashree - Brother
Bhabhishree - sister-in-law
Acharya - Master/Teacher
Mamashree - Uncle (Mother's Brother)
Mamishree - Aunt (Mother's brother's wife)
Bade - elder or big
Chote - younger or small

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Hi guys,

Sorry for late update.  The day didn't start off well for me today so I started writing only in the evening.  Now it's fine.

Do vote and comment if you like the chapter.

Thanks,
SM.