(#Book 1 of Rathore Series)
Sanskriti Chauhan, the princess of Udaipur, has been a rebellious royal kid ever since she started breathing. Being groomed to be a perfect wife for a modern day king before you could even spell your name wasn't something...
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The flowing wind carried a faint fragrance of soil and rain. The sky was darker and the weather was serene. However, the faint fragrance of coconut and sandalwood coming from my wife was a million times more alluring. She was a quite more silent than what she was in the previous morning. She was deeply engrossed in her thoughts as her mind constantly plotted ploys when she departed. She had a different urge and determination the previous morning. The silence she carried around was same as before but the reasons were different. She now looked almost broken and scared and maybe guilty too. I could only imagine the reasons that deteriorated her happiness to this extent. However, I knew better than to enquire her about her reasons. Especially when she woke up only a few hours ago.
This morning, when I woke up, I found my gorgeous wife already awake and staring at me intently. Not with a smile but with expectations. Her eyes reflected her insecurity. Her soul was bare for me to study. She needed assurance, not only that instance but for a longer tenure. She was uncertain about my position in her life. I found myself being guilty of her thoughts. Only if I had not let her go that night, she might have trusted me enough to let her secrets out the moment she let her eyes wide opened.
"Can we get some jalebison our way home?" I heard her asking softly. Her question was out of blue. Ofcourse, I agreed and asked her about any specific preference or vendor to be purchased from. She told me she once heard her assistant ramble about a small shop in the crowded part of the town served the best jalebis. Crispier than what the cooks at the palace makes.
Turning around, we entered into the narrower streets of the town owned and bustling by common publics. They partitioned away to let our car in.
"Do you want to come along with me or stay in the car?" I asked her.
"I'll come with you." She replied softly. Her otherwise enthusiasm was long forgotten. She looked a lot tired than usual.
"Are you sure? The public might.." I was cut off by her. "I am sure. I need some human interactions." She muttered absent mindedly. Raising my eyebrows in amusement, I asked, "What am I then? Chimpanzee?" A slow yet small smirk grazed her lips.
"Self aware?" She asked me making me roll my eyes. Walking to her side, I let her door open and offered her my hand. Taking it slowly, she got out of the car. By now, we were crowded by the public murmuring our names and entitlements.
"Kaise hai aap sab?" I asked them softly. They had elated smiles and glinting eyes by now.
(How have you guys been?)
"Hum sab theek hai, Kunwar Sa. Badhai ho nayi dulhan ke liye." One of them addressed my question.
(We all are fine. Congratulations on your wedding.)
"Dulhan bohot sundar hai!" A woman in her late fifties laughed out. "Bohot sundar bache honge aapke.." she blessed us, making us turn pink in colour.
