Metamorphic Switch

19. Clarification or Revelation or Deception

Pratima- Playing Chaya

Was it a dream?
A prince in my room? Requesting me to listen to him.
What am I?
A girl deceiving him?
Taking my silence as 'yes', the Prince started with his explanation.

"Chaya, all this is very deep. Our alliance is not just for monetary benefits or for uniting powers of our families. It's a revenge. My grandfather was engaged or let's say committed verbally to your father's bhua(aunt). She did the mistake of falling in love with a commoner who did not match the royal status. But she was in love and I guess love knows no boundaries.
She eloped with the boy and my grandfather took it upon his pride. He broke all ties between our families and a story of hate prevailed.
To search for the girl who ditched him became his motive. He wanted to hunt her down and kill her lover. The same was the case with your family. They were also hungry for her blood. To their disappointment, they never found her and to her good luck, she must be happy somewhere.
The hatred between families reduced with time and need. Our businesses were connected and for survival it was important to forget enmity. My father and your father have good business terms but their friendship is only for the namesake.
When you grew up, Ragini and you became friends. Genuine friends.
One day, when my grandfather saw you at our palace the history he forgot of his lost girl flashed his mind and a fresh wave of revenge seeped in him.
He called your father and proposed an alliance between you and me. He warned him if this time this alliance, by any chance is called off, he will make your family suffer. Yes, he is capable to do that. Your financial assets are depleting and the royal status is also not in a good state. Thanks to your father's autocratic status he will lose the elections also if we don't get married.
It is a win-win situation for your father. Our family has everything to keep his daughter happy and I am the 'hottest' property as per the royal norms."  The prince looked at me after his comment on himself.

I wanted to smile but I just rolled my eyes.

"It doesn't matter you agree or not. This alliance between you and me is sure to happen." Prince told me curtly.

"Is this why you broke into my room? To tell me some history between our ancestors, I was already briefed about?" The story was interesting and absolutely filmy but I was not in the mood to listen.

"The reason to break into your room was to check if you were doing fine. I have a sister too and I know what she goes through when it's that time in a month. I was regretting not asking your permission or understanding your discomfort. I can only apologise for a thousand times and more for it." The prince was genuinely sorry.

Shit! He was good.
Don't cry Pratima. Don't cry.
I just nodded my head.
"But that's for today. What about other days? You always behave..." I stopped speaking when the Prince widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows.

"You should not talk about behaviour. It wasn't my fault you misunderstood me for a chauffeur. No offence but do you have any chauffeur half as well-groomed or handsome as me?" The question from the Prince took me back to the day I was drooling over a royal driver.
I was sure my cheeks were red. Thanks to the only source of light being the moonlight and a dim light.
Prince turned on the bedside lamp and the yellow light fell directly on my face. Why does he do that? Say something which makes me blush and then turn on the lights. He was looking at me continuously.

I threw a pillow at him. "Stop staring, you creep."

He laughed.
Eh! Why? These hormones are making me feel what I don't want to feel.

"Sorry." He ruffled his hair and let out a groan.

My poor heart! I have a very, very, very, strong crush on Prince. Probably he was my bad boy with a golden heart. He was opening up. I wanted to hear him.