Warrior Hearts

Palace of Love

A/N: Congratulations to us all for hitting a century! Happy reading xx

"Our friend has lost his goddamn mind." Alexis hisses through gritted teeth, once I've informed him about Manik's next plan of action. "For a king to be refused by a lady, and that, too, his wife..." Trailing off, Alexis shakes his head in disbelief. In complete accordance to his words, I nod my head.

"I don't think I will abide by Manik's words," I muse out loud, my eyes finding my husband in the crowd across the room. In response, as if he can feel me watching him, his confident gaze draws towards mine.

Behind Manik's brown orbs there isn't a sliver of insecurity that shows me a telltale sign that the gossip around us, regarding his masculinity especially, is affecting him in the least. In fact, knowing my husband, and his utter disregard for the world and their opinions, I genuinely do believe he's the least bothered by the yapping mouths that are going off all around us.

However, I'm not beyond wanting to protect his pride, especially if it is being slandered because of me. After all, I have made vows to Manik as well; marriage isn't a one way street.

"Darling, if I may be so bold to ask, may I have the pleasure of another dance?" Blinking, I stare at my husband's outstretched hand, his back bent in a small bow. Lord knows when he made his journey from across the room. My fingers twitch at my side for me to place my palm in Manik's hand, and accept his request.

Although my husband's expression is playful - a ghost of a smile dancing across his lips - his eyes are watching me with a resolve of steel that is silently warning me not to rebel against his instruction.

"Manik, what in God's name do you think you're doing?" Alexis hisses from my side. "If Nandini refuses you this dance, there won't be a living soul in here who won't jump to the inane conclusion that you're being cuckolded. You'll be fighting duels to prove your masculinity for the rest of your life."

In response to his friend's words, Manik offers Alexis a curt look that has the man retreating towards the wall.

"Message received," Alexis mumbles, raising his palms towards Manik. Having dealt with his friend, my husband slides his gaze back towards me, his eyes softening the second they land on mine.

"This is the moment where you reject me, Princess." Manik whispers through a smile, his voice low enough to only carry itself into my ears. I don't have to glance around to know that everyone's eyes are on us, watching, waiting for how the story will unfold next between Manik and I. "Refuse me, Princess," Manik urges, impatience creeping into his tone.

"Do pardon me, but my dance card is already full." I say, the words tumbling out of me in a breathless heap. They sting their way out of my throat, feeling foreign as they roll off my tongue. At once, Manik straightens himself, lowering his hand to his side.

"That's unfortunate," he says, shrugging his shoulder in a show of helplessness. "Maybe next time I shouldn't waste time dallying with other ladies, and miss my golden chance with the one who truly matters." Offering me a small nod, Manik turns on heels and begins to walk away from me.

There's a dry taste in my mouth, perhaps because the words that I spoke mere moments ago aren't those that I'd have chosen. I'm speaking for Manik, and what he wishes for me to say, instead of using my own head and making my own choices as I always do. I have always done what feels right to me and given the current situation, I'm strongly against Manik's plan of action. Yet, Lord knows why, I'm abiding by it.

"Everyone knows if a husband were to ask his wife for a dance, no matter how full her dance card is, she prioritises him above all else, and gives him that dance." Alexis says, his words solidifying my belief that whatever just transpired between Manik and I is wrong, regardless of what my husband believes.

"My lord!" I call out, my voice blanketing the chatter all around us into a hush. Although Manik stops, he hesitates from turning around, almost as if he isn't quite sure that he's being addressed. With great haste, I trail Manik's footsteps until I'm right behind him.

"My lord," I repeat, and this time the close proximity of my voice makes Manik turn around to face me. Not allowing him the time to protest in any way, whatsoever, I drop down into a deep bow.

"Do pardon me, my lord, but I seem to want to make space on my dance card for you." I say, rising to meet Manik's bewildered stare. "No matter however many gentlemen I offend in doing so." Smiling, I glance around the room. "And I'm sure if because of this the situation arises, you wouldn't mind fighting a few duels for me, my lord."

Gauging from the look in Manik's eyes, I can tell that he's ready to delve into an argument with me. Once again I launch into action before my husband can protest by slipping my arm through his and tugging him towards the dance floor.

"This isn't the plan, Princess." Manik tells me through gritted teeth, as he settles me into his arms as if it's the most natural thing for him to do. "Now everyone will deem you to be a silly lady who can't make up her own mind." The knowledge that Manik's anger isn't because of me, but for me, and for the repercussions that I will face, has my heart filling with more emotion for this man than I am possibly capable of holding within me.

"Then so be it, Manik," I say, gazing into his eyes, unblinking, because I wish for him to see that I thoroughly, wholly, mean each and every single word. "You're the besotted fool, and I'm the indecisive birdbrain. We do make a fine couple, don't we?" Grinning, I gently knock my forehead against Manik's, and the next few notes of music are drowned out in my husband's shout of laughter.

*****

"Tired?" Warm palms wrap themselves around my forearms, drawing me back towards their owner. I let out a low hum as I lean myself against Manik's front. Shutting my eyes, I rest my head against his chest, wishing for nothing more in this moment, but for him to take me up to our chambers, and wrap me in his encompassing arms.

"Let's retire for the night," Manik suggests, his palms rubbing their way along the length of my forearms. Nodding my assent, I allow my husband to wrap his arm around my waist and guide me out of the ballroom and towards our chambers.

I'm unable to pinpoint my finger on it, but something has changed between Manik and I tonight. There's a shift in the energy between the two of us; a mutual respect, and a sense of security, perhaps.

My trust in Manik has increased by tenfold because now I know that not only will he protect me behind closed doors, with his body and soul, but that he will also safeguard my pride and honour in front of the world; two things that I hold very dear to me. By doing so, Manik has shown me that he is not only capable of loving me, but of respecting me as well.

Mere adoration and a fondness for your partner is not enough to allow love and a relationship to flourish between two people. The palace of love is built by a culmination of varying bricks that all represent something or the other, but that are all imperative for the structure to remain standing, and weather the many storms that wish to threaten it.

Alongside adding yet another brick to our palace of love, I have learnt that Manik and I still have a whole structure that is under construction. He and I - the two of us - we've got a long way to go. But at least we're a work in progress.