The Mughal Princess (Completed)

42.

Maheen sat in her room thinking about Mandira's words.

No she wasn't threatened by her words, she trusted Aditya too much to have the tiniest wisp of doubt cloud her mind.

Maheen was grateful for the time alone she got today, Aditya was caught up in work and had skipped lunch. She needed time to think about what Mandira had said, about Aditya and his father.

There was a knock on Maheen's door and the door was pushed open.

"Can I come in ?"

"When did you start asking me for permission." Maheen said smiling at her best friend.

"Things have changed Maheen, this isn't just your room." Gehna replied sitting beside Maheen on the diwan.

"Did you have lunch." Maheen asked looking at her friend who nodded.

"Mahi, I need to talk to you."

"What is it Gehna ?" Maheen asked placing her hand over Gehna's.

"'Mahi you know when Aditya and Dev had come to Agra, I had instantaneous developed a crush on Aditya." Gehna said with a chuckle. "How could I not he was so nice and of course he is very good looking." She said looking at Maheen who looked back at her with a knowing smile.

"But when all this fiasco happened and you married Aditya, all that attraction just faded away, he was just my best friend's husband to me." Gehna said playing with her fingers. "But after I moved in here with you, Aditya and I developed a different bond, he isn't just my best friend's husband anymore but he has become my best friend, from teaching me how to hold a sword to helping me find a place for myself here in Ayodhya, he has been nothing but good to me."

"Gehna .. why are you beating around the bush."

"Maheen .. you both are very special to me and I wouldn't bat an eyelid before giving my life for either of you."

"Gehna." Maheen said warning her.

"Well .. today, your mother in law, she said something's which did not fit well with me. I am worried about you Maheen and I'm afraid she is planning to use me against you."

"Like that would happen." Maheen scoffed.

"It won't. It will never. I promised you Maheen that we would never be another failed friendship like Meera Bua and Kanika, we are sisters. I -."

"Gehna you are still not coming to the point."

"I wrote to Abeer, he was at the border of Awadh, he'll be reaching tomorrow to Ayodhya. I want to go back to Agra." Gehna said shutting her eyes tightly waiting for Maheen to break all hell loose.

But something Gehna did not imagine of hearing was Maheen letting out a full blown laughter.

Gehna opened her eyes slowly to she Maheen still laughing.

"I.. I did not expect that." Gehna said letting out a nervous laugh.

"Me neither. Out of all the people Rani maa could threaten me with, she chose my best friend." Maheen said shaking her head in amusement. "I was heading towards your room yesterday when I overheard her conversation with Aditya. She was forcing Aditya, threatening him even to marry someone else, she knows about Dev." Maheen said.

"So that was why she created a scene yesterday at the temple."

"Probably." Maheen said shrugging her shoulders. "She cornered me this morning too, told me to pack my trunks for Agra since she was going to replace me." Maheen scoffed.