The Mughal Princess (Completed)

49.

The night had fallen upon Awadh and Aditya's fever had broken. Maheen had taken the doctor's warning seriously and had doubled the security to Aditya's chamber.

She sat on a chair which she had placed next to their bed and took Aditya's hand in hers.
She swirled her thumb over his hand and stared at him, a small smile playing at her lips.

He was getting better she knew, colour had returned to his face and he wasn't burning anymore. He seemed to have lost some muscle mass but nothing he wouldn't be able to recover.

Maheen bent down and placed her lips on his forehead and then kissed both his eyes.

She placed her ear on his chest and listened to his heart beat, listen to the only sound Aditya made.

"I hate seeing you like this, I hate that you don't respond to me and talk to me. I want you to open your eyes Adi, I want you to hold me, touch me." She hiccuped, her tears stained his white cotton kurta. "I want you Adi, I want you with me, always, I love you like I've never loved anyone, I love you in a way that I won't be able to love anyone ever again, I would be lost without you Aditya, I would stop existing without you." She said clutching his kurta.

She buried her face in his chest and cried. She knew that Aditya was much better than what he had been days ago but the thought of losing him had her trembling.

"I.. I didn't know.. I was so missed."

Maheen's body froze as she felt Aditya's hand wrap around her loosely. Maheen pushed herself off Aditya and straightened herself. Her eyes falling on her husband who looked at her with a small smile on his face.

"Adi ?" She bit her lip trying to hold back her emotions.

Aditya tried to push himself upright on the bed but failed.

"Let me help." Maheen said and rushed to help him sit upright.

Maheen sat beside him and cupped his cheek. A tear ran down her face.

"I.. I .. I've missed you, I've missed your voice and your eyes and .."

Aditya opened his arms and Maheen flung herself into his chest crying her heart out.

"Please don't do this to me ever again, please Aditya. I .. I will .."

"It's okay Mahi." He said rubbing her back.

"No it's not. There is no Maheen without you Aditya, I've been dead for days, I -."

"I'm sorry, I won't scare you again, I promise." He said and ran his hand across her face.

He bent forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"I was scared too when I saw that man trying to hurt you Maheen, I'm sorry that you had to see me like this but Maheen know one thing, I'd do this again and again and again if it that meant standing in way of any harm that came towards you."

"Adi-."

"'My queen, let's not fight about this okay ?" He said and Maheen nodded.

"I'll go ask for the doctor. He needs to check on you." Maheen said getting up but Aditya caught her hand pulling her down again.

"What for ?"

"Aditya, he needs to check on you. Don't -."

"Alright alright. Don't start yelling at me, go call for him." Aditya said and Maheen nodded.

•••

The doctor checked Aditya's pulse and then pulled his eye lids to check for pallor.

"You seem to be doing way better than I would have expected, I would suggest move around, let your muscles work again and drink a lot of fluids. I will be back in the morning to check." The doctor said and Aditya nodded his head.

"I would ask you to stay quite about Aditya's situation till the morning doctor. There are things I need to be sure of before-."

"Don't worry my queen, not a word shall slip through my lips. Please allow me to leave." He said getting up from the chair by the bed.

Aditya moved and tried getting out of bed but Maheen's hands wrapped around his arm.

"What do you think you are doing ?"

"Seeing him till the door ?" Aditya replied.

"Adit-."

"It's alright Rani sa, he can and he must move a little."

Aditya passed a sly smile towards Maheen and walked the doctor to the door. 

Maheen watched Aditya as he moved, his movements had slowed down, he had become half the man he use to be a few days ago.

"How long was I out for ?"

"Five days, five long painful agonising days." Maheen replied blinking back the tears that threatened to spill.

"Hmm." Aditya hummed walking towards Maheen. "No wonder I stink." He said sniffing the air.

He pressed his palm on her cheek and Maheen smiled at his attempt to crack a joke. She took his hand in hers and kissed the back of palm.

"Please, please never do this again. I am brave and powerful and everything only if I have you Adi." Maheen said as tears rolled down her cheeks. "Maybe you don't know this yet, maybe because I haven't ever told you, but Aditya you, you complete me, you ignite my soul and give warmth to being, I am nothing without you Aditya, Maheen is nothing without you." She said wrapping her hands around his torso and buried her face in his chest.

"Mahi. Stop." He said caressing her back. "Maheen, I'm sorry." He pulled her away from him and looked at her big doe eyes shining with unshed tears.

"You'll always have me Maheen, but someday if you don't have me physically there for you anymore, know that I'm always alive in here." He said pointing towards her heart.

"Like I have a part of you with me, there is a part of me inside you, you don't need me Maheen, you are enough on your own nevertheless you'll always have me, you own me, my heart, my soul, my body. I am yours Maheen." He said and kissed her forehead softly.

Maheen hurled herself against him again and latched on to him.

"Hey! I'm not going anywhere don't worry." Aditya said pushing back her hair from her face and kissed the tip of her nose.

"I know but-."

"But what ?"

"There is someplace you should be right now ?"

"Where ?" Aditya asked with a coy smile.

"In the shower." She said letting out a laugh.

"I agree." He said stepping closer to her. Maheen held her breath, the lack of distance was too intimidating. "Would you like to help your husband my Queen." He asked her barely in a whisper, his breath tickling her ear.

Before Maheen could reply, Aditya held her by her wrist and tugged her gently along with him into their bathroom.

AN: Has it been forever ?
Forgive me dear readers for this obnoxious long break. I've missed you as you have missed me and Maheen and Adi.
We are back, all the three of us.
Shower your love
Lots of love
xoxo