The Mughal Princess (Completed)

17.

Vote Target- 190

Dev tasted dust for the second time in the last hour, the heavy callus hand of his warrior brother had slapped him across his face. His already bruised cheek now sporting Aditya's handprints.

"You disappoint me. You make me feel ashamed, never, never have I felt so low in my life Dev, I can't see Abeer in the eye  today." Aditya seethed barely contains the anger and humiliation.

"Bhai I didn't do it alone, Abeer Ali's sister too was involved, she was willing, I didn't force her into -."

"SHUT UP." Aditya yelled.
He had known of his brother's promiscuous ways, he had been famous for them in their town, however they had been limited to the common class as they all knew involvement with the royals meant a death sentence.

Dev had called one for himself.

"He wants to slit your throat at sunrise and there is nothing I can do about it." Aditya said sitting on the bed defeated.

"WHAT ? What do you mean ?"

"Exactly what you've heard, I hope it was worth all your breaths. Worth bringing shame on us, worth breaking my trust." Aditya said disappointed.

"No bhai, please forgive me. I do not care if I live to see the sunrise but don't hate me. Please."

"I will never trust you Dev, never trust you again, I will however always love you as I'm forced to by my heart. Justice will be served but I refuse to shed suryavanshi blood for it, I refuse to let you die." He said more to himself than to his brother.

"Maheen ab humari zimedari hai, humara maan ab unse judeyga, she will be our honour and pride." He said. He looked at his brother defeated. "You will marry Abeer's sister the same day when Prithvi gets married." (Maheen is our responsibility now, our pride will be interlaced with her name )

"Bhai I don't know her well enough to-."

"Enough. You are marring her." He said. "I have promised her honour and justice. I've promised that she is going to be a part of the Raghukul and she will be." He looked at his brother with certainty leaving no room for debate. Looking one last time at his brother he left the room.

(Raghukul - the clan of Raghu, it is the lineage of Lord Ram)

•••

The winds had changed their course following sunrise. Although the tension was thick and palpable in the palace air everyone knew better than to question.

Aditya had let Abeer and Haider know of his discussion- they were going to join the families.

Abeer had followed his father into his chamber to break the news of his sister's marriage to his mother. He knew his father had been right, as much as he hated the idea of it, he knew it was the right decision taken by his father and Aditya.

"Hadi I've been waiting since long, where were you ?" Meera said said as Haider and Abeer entered while she sifted through her wooden trunks looking for something. She hasn't bothered to look up or notice the presence of her son or the ashen faces of the two.

"Hadi have you seen my bangles, the ones you had got me, the glass ones I can't seem to find them."

"Maheen took them yesterday." Haider replied monotonously.

"And your let her ?" Meera complained shutting her trunk and finally turning around to see their faces.

"You are here." She said giving her son a wide smile. Her smile slowly chipped away looking at their faces.
"What's wrong ?"