Ashwaki: waiting for Ashok

Krishna's uncomfortableness

Hellllooooo everyone!!!! Firstly I don't even know how long I've been on this "hiatus" from wattpad for hahaha. It's nice to be back though. I've just been really busy with the fam, studies and other things :) apologies for updating so late but please keep reading!!! (P.S this has been placed at #14 in the anticipation category!!! I can't thank you all enough and love each and every one of you! Also, please keep commenting feedback/ideas/opinions/predictions whateva in the world you wish. Hahaha this is long ok bye😂

RUKHSANA:

I pulled my hand out of Dhruv's gently and tried to sit up.

"Where's -?" I asked desperately.

"Don't worry about anyone just now. Your engagement is tomorrow, so you need to feel better by then." Dhruv's mother spoke up.

"Tomorrow?!" My voice almost broke.

"Yes. Tomorrow. The earlier you get married, the better, am I right?" She smiled and left the maids to look after me.

I was left alone in the room, stranded in my deep thoughts.

💕

KRISHNA:

"How could you put this in the middle of the corridor?! Pick it up straight away. Anyone would have fell. Imagine if it was the princess. She's already not well." I vented my anger out on the servants.

"Yes, Rajkumar." They obeyed silently.

As I was busy getting angry, I saw a horse carriage pull up at the grand entrance and the pathways were surrounded by orange flower petals.

I strained my eyes to see who it was; it seemed like someone important.

A man with blood-red silk robes topped with a glistening crown studded with magnificent jewels stepped off the horse and a middle aged woman came out of the carriage.

Maybe they were guests for the engagement.

Just as I was about to walk off, I saw mother walking out of the grand door with a veneration plate.

I stopped behind a pillar to secretly have a look. Who were these people? They seemed like a royal couple.

"Mother! Father!" I heard Rukhsana's voice coming behind the diagonally placed pillar.

I inhaled sharply as I realized they were her parents.

She ran up to them and hugged them, her eyes almost looking like they were glistening with tears about to fall onto her cheeks.

My eyes lingered on her solemnly serious yet miserable face for a while, until I heard the pattering of feet from nearby.

"Krishna, what are you doing here?" Father made me jump.

"Oh... nothing - I just went to check the horses in the stables."

Father looked at me as if the sun had risen from the West.

"Son, I know something is bothering you. It would be of great help to you and to me as well if you shared whatever burden you have."

"No father, what burden? Dhruv's getting married soon, mother is happy - what more could I want?" I tried hard to widen my smile.

"I have a feeling it is something to do with Dhruv's marriage, Son. If you c....." father trailed off as the priest interrupted our discussion.

"Samrat Ashok, the Royal Guests are here. You must be present to greet them."

Father gave me a concerning look one last time and headed off with the priest.

💕

"Well Greetings, Samrat. How nice to meet you." The pale headed man who was Rukhsana's father, said in a pompous tone. The pleasant wind whistled in my ears as I stood next to father.

"Greetings Samrat Agastya."

I watched them embrace wholeheartedly as they had met after 13 years.

"As you may know this is my wife, Rani Sumitra, my younger daughter Rajkumari Parthavi and of course my elder daughter Rukhsana who everyone knows from every kingdom." He said grandly, placing a hand on her head. She however did not express any emotion.

Dhruv shot me a mischievous look after hearing Rukhsana's name.

"Ah yes. Rukhsana has indeed mesmerized us with her values during her stay." Mother added in quickly. "We fully understand your pride."

After the time consuming veneration was done, Samrat Agastya's family proceeded onto the flower path that was decorated rather elaborately today than on any other days.

Once they were all seated for the welcoming lunch, vast amounts of platters filled with aromatic foods such as ladoos and piping hot jalebis were constantly gliding across the dining hall. My eyes flickered across to Rukhsana who was approaching the row where I was seated with a platter of Besan Ladoos, my favorites.

Heat flushed in my cheeks as she stopped and looked at me, her hands shaking with the ladoo loosely gripped in her fingers. I thrust my hand over my plate as to say I don't want any. I couldn't meet her gaze as she drew back slowly.

"Now that she's offering you something, it is only polite to accept it isn't it Krishna?" Mother commented as she saw what happened.

Rukhsana and I felt rather uncomfortable by her presence.

"Accept it. She's made it by herself." She stated. "I told her to make something easier but she made these."

I looked up at mother. So Rukhsana made them for me?

I still couldn't look at Rukhsana so I let her place a ladoo in my plate, however her tentativeness created an awkward vibe around us.