Sanskar finally met up with my father to discuss the possibility of him and Swara being together. The discussion was intense, from what I hear. Sanskar confessed how he felt about her and requested him to allow them to court each other. My parents didn't take the news well and so the decision for Swara and Sanskar's union was put on hold. However, one unambiguous detail of the discussion was that my union with Sanskar was definitely getting called off.
My mother came in to break the news to me, and console me for what I had lost. I was elated, not because my mother came in, but because the engagement was called off. She then went on to inform me that the search for a supernatural groom for me had been resumed and soon, everything would be okay.
It was devastating. I had just dodged an unwanted marriage and opened doors for another one. At least, Sanskar was a nice person, God knows what this other guy would have in store. I needed Lucas at this moment, I needed him to tell me we could break out of this and fix everything, but he wasn't around. I was all alone to deal with everything all over again.
The loneliness and the walls of my room were suffocating me. I needed fresh air, and not from my own balcony. I had to go out. Outside the palace.
I packed my crochet supplies in a sling bag and took off. We're going into the woods.
Being a princess in the modern age is fun. Leaving the palace is hard, but not nearly enough for me to not do it, and people outside the palace don't care enough to not let me be.
As I reached the start of the jungle, I took a sprint and kept running until I couldn't see the outer world anymore. Panting, I sat under a tree and took a deep breath. My life was in shambles. Princesses back in the day had to marry a man to be able to take over their own kingdom, but Princes didn't need to do that. Somehow, in circumstances poles apart, I am still that princess. I can't rule my own kingdom unless I marry a man that's worthy of my kingdom.
"Ahm Ahem" I was startled by the coughing from behind me. In a swift motion, i pointed my crochet needle in their direction.
"Woahhhh" the man held my hand. "I'm not here to hurt you"
I stared at him with wide eyes, taking in his facial features. I know him. I'd seen him in the palace. I just couldn't point out who he was.
"I'm Laksh" he took my crochet needle from my hand as he walked and sat next to me. I continued to stare at him in confusion.
"Okay.. ouch" he says, handling me my needle and looking offended. "you don't know me, do you?"
I shake my head.
"I'm Laksh Maheshwari. Your could have been - " he paused, giving it a thought for a second. "Actually, nevermind. I'm the prince of the kingdom of Maheshwaris"
"Oh" i mumbled. "I'm sorry. I was sick when y'all came. I didn't get a chance to meet everyone"
"Hmm" he hummed. "So how are you now?" He asked.
"Fine, I guess" i reply.
"You don't seem fine." He replied. I turns to look at him.
"I know, I know. You met me five seconds ago, I'm not your best friend, yada yada, understandable" he mumbles in a calm, controlled voice.
"But" he pitched up. "that's the great part. You can talk to me and nobody will ever know anything about it"
"Except me, of course. But like you said - you met me five seconds ago so how do I matter anyway?" He stated.
"Like I said? You said that!" I shook my head in disbelief. The constant, unending blabber of men. They ask questions, give their own answers and complete the whole dialogue on their own. He smiled sheepishly at me.
