Warrior Hearts

Explosive Return

A/N: Hey ya'll...Just wanted to put out a quick disclaimer: Brace yourselves for this chapter. I know I had to while I was writing it. Happy reading xx

Everyday that I'm forced to withhold the good news inside me, from those around me, is another test of my patience. And with each setting sun, and rising dawn, this task becomes a thousand times more trying. More than once, I find myself loitering outside Dadi's chambers, fighting an internal battle on whether I should simply go through with it, and disclose this secret with her first, instead of waiting for Manik's return.

Every time a member of the palace staff wishes me a greeting, I wish to yell out a reply with two simple words, "I'm pregnant!" Whenever Dadi or any other member of our family asks me a question, I wish to repeat those very two same words in answer to their query, regardless of whatever it may be about.

However, through some miracle I manage to keep a lid on the news that is eating me from the inside out. Alas, this also means that by the time the day of Manik's return comes around, I am brimming with impatience to part this news with him. Lord, I feel like a pot full of boiling water with a flimsy lid on it that's about to fall off because of the pressure at any given point of time.

The guards and Celeste are given strict instructions to inform me the second Manik steps foot into the palace grounds. He's supposed to arrive by nightfall tonight, as per his brief missive. But I'm unsure of the exact time that I should expect him at which is why the entire palace staff is on their toes, lying in wait for my husband's arrival.

"Your Grace, His Highness has returned." Celeste gasps, barging into our chambers, her breaths coming out in short gasps.

"Finally," I murmur, tossing the book that was doing a horrible job at distracting me onto the bed. Truth be told, the news that Celeste has just shared with me has put me in a generous enough mood to overlook her barging into our chambers without knocking, and I bet I can forgive her for a hundred other sins tonight as well.

"Where is Manik?" I ask, glancing around the room to ensure that everything is orderly for when he marches in here.

"His Highness is currently in his study," Celeste replies, her words causing the smile on my lips to falter. Manik's returned after all these weeks, and instead of first coming to greet me, he's locked himself in his study? Shaking my head to dismiss this negative thought, I decide to seek him out. After all, it is I who has some crucial information to share with him, not the other way around.

*****

"Manik." I speak my husband's name like the answer to my prayers as I shove open the study doors and stride into the room. I'm unable to help myself from beaming at Manik's side profile. He's seated behind his desk, his head bent over a mess of scrolls that are spread across every spare inch under his nose.

Manik's hair is a tousled mess atop his head, almost as if he hasn't brushed it for days now. Oddly enough, he looks pale and I can tell that he's also lost weight since I last saw him. Furrowing my brows together, I make a mental note to chide Manik for ignoring himself and his health in favour of work.

Biting down on my lower lip, I make an effort to formulate what I wish to say to Manik, and how I'll string my words together. Without turning around, I push the doors shut behind me, leaning against them for support while I plan my next moves.

Although I've mulled over the words that I will say to Manik a thousand times in the past week, standing here, none of those feel right. In fact, I can hardly remember them at all. The only thing I'm aware of at this given instant is the frantic thudding of my heart against the confines of my chest. However, unlike last time, there's something delicious about this sensation because today my blood is coursing with excitement and pure joy.