Dilip entered his opulent chamber, his heart heavy with the weight of his nephews' words. As he sat on the edge of his bed, the grandeur of the room felt suffocating, the weight of his responsibilities crushing his spirit.
His nephews' words echoed in his mind, cutting deep into his soul. How could they think that he, their beloved uncle, would ever harm them? Where had things gone wrong ? Had he failed as an uncle ? Had he not been there enough for them ? These questions swirled in his mind, tormenting him with self-doubt.
He had always believed that if given a chance he would be a fair and just ruler, but now he questioned if he was fit to take the throne. The thought of his nephews living in fear under his reign was unbearable.
Dilip sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He had always carried the weight of his royal duty with pride, but now it felt like a heavy burden.
"Pratihari." He called, and a lady entered the room and bowed in front of him.
"Aagya Yuvraj." She said.
"Yuvrani se jaake kaho ki Yuvraj bula rahe hai." He said in a low voice, and a distant gaze. The Pratihaari quickly went away.
He sat there, lost in his thoughts, as the weight of their words continued to crush him. They seemed to have shattered his confidence, leaving him feeling lost and alone.
After some time, Yuvrani Aarvi entered the room, her regal attire and ornate jewelry contrasting sharply with the sorrow in Dilip's eyes.
He looked up at her, and couldn't help but notice the intricate details of her attire and the way her jewelry sparkled in the dim light. A sad smile appeared on his face as he took in the sight of her.
But seeing his grim state, Aarvi approached him with concern in her eyes.
"Kuch huya hai kya Arya ?" She asked.
And now that she asked, he couldn't hold back the wave of emotions that washed over him. Without saying a word, he reached out to her and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her shoulder. Aarvi didn't understand what was up with him, but she still wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as he let out a heavy sigh.
Dilip said in voice that was barely above a whisper, "Apne maikey laut jaao, Shubhey."
A frown appeared on Aarvi's face, "Kya ?"
"Maine Vanprasth ashram swikarne ka socha hai." Dilip said gazing at her sadly.
Aarvi's eyes widened in shock, her heart racing at the unexpected announcement. She broke out of his embrace, and looked at him with disbelief.
"Vanprasth ? Parantu kyu ? Abhi Grihast ashram mei kuch hi varsh toh beete hai. Kya aap mujhse sukhi nahi hai ?" Aarvi asked.
Dilip shook his head and stood up, caressing her cheeks, "Aisa nahi hai, Bhagyavati."
"Toh kya karan hai jo aap iss aayu mei Vanaprasth mei pravesh karna chaahte hai ?" She asked holding his hand.
Dilip sighed, "Vinda Anuvinda ke karan."
He narrated to her the entire conversation that had taken place between them. All the concerns that the little boys had expressed. Aarvi was shocked beyond words listening to it. She couldn't imagine two little boys thinking to such an extent.
She was extremely hurt, for her husband. Because she knew that after all the selfless love he had bestowed on them, he didn't deserve this.
"Mere bhatijo ke sukh se badhkar mere liye koi anya sukh nahi. Yadi mai van mei vaas karu toh woh dono abhay ho kar jeeyenge aur apne adhikaro se bhi vanchit nahi rahenge." Dilip said.
"Parantu mujhse kya apraadh huya hai Aryaputra ? Mujhe kyu swayam se dur kar rahe hai ?" Aarvi asked.
Dilip looked at her sadly as he said, "Tum Rajkumari ho, komalangi ho, van ke naam par tumne keval nandan-van dekha hai. Aur mai nahi chaahta ki tum kasht ka jeevan bhogo, Aarvi. Iss liye mera nirnaye hai ki tum apne Pita ke ghar laut jaao."
At that Aarvi cleched her fists, and looked at him angrily, "Mere tan mei abhi bhi rakt ki dhara beh rahi hai, mera hridaye abhi dhadak raha hai, meri shwase abhi chal rahi hai."
"Arthat ?" Dilip asked confused.
"Arthat mai jeevit hu aur swayam ke nirnaye lene mei saksham bhi ! Aur Mera nirnaye hai ki mai aapke saath vangaman karungi !" Aarvi exclaimed.
Dilip looked taken aback at her reaction. He had never witnessed Aarvi in such a flustered state before, yet he couldn't help but find it rather endearing.
Her expressions softened suddenly, as tears she was holding back rolled down her cheeks. She took a step towards him and held his hands.
"Arya, patni hu mai aapki. Jeevan ke sabhi aashramo mei saath dene ka vachan diya hai maine. Aur aap meri chinta mat kijiye. Aap jaha rahenge, mera ghar wahi hoga." She said.
Dilip chuckled and gently lifted Aarvi's chin, looking into her eyes with adoration as he wiped away his tears, and said, "Satya kehte hai. Purush kitna bhi bada yoddha kyu na ho, apni stree se nahi jeet sakta."
A chuckle escaped her lips as she lightly hit his chest before falling in his embrace.
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A/N
Aur apne pasandida purush ke saath vanvas jaane mei kaunsi sharam ?
<(￣︶￣)>
Waise Van mei jaa rahe hai lekin it's for the greater good 🌝
Btw you'll get a double update today as well ✨
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HARIHARESHWARI 14 : CHANDRA CHAYAYAM SINGHASANAM
Historical FictionThe stage is set for another leela of Bhagwaan Vishnu, where all the gods and goddesses play a significant role. Now starts the saga where heartbreaking curses, graceful boons and divine mercy combine to write a history to be remembered through the...
