Warrior Hearts

Coming Together

My bosom heaving with the hurricane of emotions that are currently upsetting the sanity of my mind and heart, I brace myself against the balustrade; my clammy palms welcoming the cool comforting touch of the marble.

"His Highness is nothing but a passing ship in your waters. Your so called partner is with you until this season of spring ends. Once the honeymoon period is over, all the puppy love has worn away and he's had his fair share of your body and all that you have got to offer..." Anusha's words ricochet against the four corners of my mind.

The snide comments I heard back in the ballroom, complemented by what she said, are enough to shake my foundation of trust. Shaking my head, I shut my eyes and turn my face up towards the sky. No, not shake the foundation, but batter it completely. No matter how desperately I wish to thwart aside my suspicions and doubts, I simply fail to do so. Instead of allowing plausible arguments regarding why I should trust Manik to enter my thoughts - as I have promised myself and him to do - I can't seem to cast aside the image of him escorting that lady from my mind. Why would he do such a thing if his intentions weren't tainted? After all, conversations can be held in the ballroom, itself, and those acts that cannot be performed there in public shouldn't even cross his mind in passing.

"Princess?" Squeezing my eyes shut even tighter, I dig my nails into the skin of my own palms as my hands remain cupped around the balustrade. "I saw you depart from the ballroom. What're you doing out here?" I jerk my head in his direction with such force that my hair tumbles over my right shoulder. An incredulous scoff escapes my lips, my eyebrows raising in disbelief at Manik's inane question.

"I can't believe you have the gall to stand there, and ask me that!" I spit, my hands balling at my sides because of the raw rage that I feel towards the man in front of me. Seeing him has wiped away all emotions of betrayal, jealousy and despondence. Now all I'm capable of feeling is anger towards him. A guarded expression flits across his face as he takes a tentative step in my direction.

"Don't you dare," I warn, raising my palm to face him. My words stop Manik cold in his tracks, his wary gaze watching me as if he's waiting for me to physically lunge at him at any given second. "Go right back the way you came and find some other lady who is willing to handle your mood swings, your sick games, and your...your abuse!" I finish, my chest heaving by the end of my tirade with such intensity that I'm unsure if the bodice of my gown will be able to hold together.

"Excuse me?" Manik says, his demeanour the complete opposite of mine. Unlike me, he is the picture perfect gentleman - wholly composed and completely unaffected. "Might I remind you who began the sick games in there?" Jerking his thumb over his shoulder, Manik cocks an eyebrow at me. "I was not the one who allowed another man - who is not my spouse - to hold me closer than is deemed appropriate. I was not the one who gave their spouse the cut direct and allowed yet another man to cross the boundaries of decency."

"Don't you dare pin this on me, Manik Malhotra!" I bite back, refusing to let Manik unleash the entire night's blame on my shoulders, especially when I know I'm not at fault here. "You're the one who first forgot the customs of our society by escorting Malia out onto the dance floor. You began the jealousy games, and you're also the one who took them to completion. So congratulations, Your Highness, for you've defeated me once again."

Squaring my jaw, I glare at my opponent with more fury building up inside me with each passing second that he stands there as if he is the epitome of righteousness, and I, his wrongdoer.

"Oh for crying out loud, Princess, she asked and I obliged!" Manik exclaims, throwing his arms in the air in a show of disbelief. "Big deal! If you were aware of even a sliver of the jealousy that I have had to endure in there tonight, you wouldn't be defending yourself and attacking me like this." Shaking my head in utter incredulity at Manik's words, I cast my gaze away from him and towards the illuminated gardens.