Knots Of Fate

18. The Chaotic Visit

In my defence, had been busy with sessional exams.

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Life, at various instances, leaves you puzzled at the middle of nowhere.

For the past three days, I had been at home contemplating the unusual proposal. I had availed for sick leave for the entire week and my boss was kind enough to sanction it, even though he knows I am far from being sick.

I needed enough time and space to decide anything. And fortunately, Mr. Rathore understands it.

Getting married isn't a child's play. As appealing as it sounds to be the crown princess of Jaipur, it comes with tons of responsibilities and requires mental strength like no other occupation.

After marriage, that is if I ever agree to marry, I'll have to resign from the current position. Not because the Rathores are reluctant to let their women work but because the company has a non- fraternization policies. After the contract is over, I'll be left with no job. Even if I do manage to get one, it won't come close to this one. The pay, the facilities and the work environment is better than anything out there.

And joining back onto the position of being an assistant to the man I had been a wife, would be too humiliating for me to compromise.

Moreover, my colleague's interception of me being involved physically with Mr. Rathore might actually get a stamp. They would never want to regard my determination and hardwork I put in the job but would directly jump onto the conclusion about how I might have slept with my boss to grab the position.

I sighed. There were too many cons to address.

My boss's face while pleading me to give this proposal a thought flashed in my mind. He was desperate enough to actually kneel down.

I snickered at the thought. Adyansh Singh Rathore went down on his knees to propose me, yet there was nothing romantic about it.

My thoughts drifted to the little angle whose giggles possessed the power of brightening up my world.

My reverie of thoughts broke at the sound of my phone. As I picked up my phone, I contemplated answering the call.

Finally, giving up on my adamant pledge to take the entire week off, I answered my boss's call. He might not have found the Kirori's file, after all.

"Hello?" I greeted.

"Vaani, i-its me Adyansh." He stuttered. Now, there is no way the confident crowned prince stutters on a call with his assistant.

"Are you okay?" I asked in an alarmed state.

"I a-am. Aarohi's not." He answered. "Aarohi had been down with fever for two days. Mumma had altered her between Tylenol and paracetamol. Today, I took a day off and had an appointment with the pediatrician by 3 pm. But Aarohi woke up an hour ago, and have been crying none stop. Her coughs sound dangerous. I-I am scared." He told me.

"I don't know what to do. She's fighting anyone who's trying to come near her- mumma, bhabhi, papa, me and bhai, we all have tried. She isn't letting anyone touch her. C-can you come to the palace, please? I promise I'll not make things awkward for you!" He rambled.

"Adyansh, calm down. I'm wearing my shoes now, give me fifteen minutes and I'll be there. Don't panic! I am coming." I told him, not noticing my slip up of calling him by his first name.

Hanging up the call, I ran towards my car parked in the garage. Driving it in a haste towards the palace, I entered the royal premises.

Throwing my keys towards the vallet, I jogger into the palace. By now, I already new the directions inside the humongous place.

Knocking on the door twice, I entered my boss's room, without even waiting for his permission.

The sound of painful wails filled the chamber. The source struggled in the arms of her grandmother as the queen tried to hold her still and coo simultaneously.

Aarohi, by now, was read as tears still cascaded down her chubby cheeks. I often wondered how come she hasn't started speaking yet. Maybe, it had been easier for her father to handle her had she been talking.

"May I, ma'am?" I asked Sanskriti Rathore. She nodded her head and forwarded me the wailing baby.

Cradling her closer to my chest, I tried maintaining my balance as she struggled.

Tapping on her back, I held her properly.

"Why is my baby crying, hmm? Is something wrong with my baby?" I asked her as I paced the room with her in my arms. With a room full of royals, I should have been nervous. My steps should have been flattering. But my attention was concentrated on the crying little angel to look at anyone else.

A violent fit of cough rumbling Aarohi's chest, wrenched my heart.

"Is my baby not feeling well?" I asked her. "Owie!" She pronounced with difficulty.

"Is it a owie? Is it paining?" I asked her. "Watew!" She screamed out. Ofcourse.

Looking back towards Mrs. Rathore, I found her looking at me and Aarohi with wide eyes. "Can we get her some water, please?" I ask her. She nodded in a haze before she walked towards the table with her sipper. She filled it up as I rubbed Aarohi's back.

Taking the sipper from her hand, I latched it to Aarohi's mouth. "Have you been thirsty baby?" I asked her as she finished her bottle. She nodded her head. I wiped her snout from the back ov my hand as she looked at me with her big brown eyes, identical to her father's.

"Aalu thisty." She managed to make me chuckle at the pronounciation of her name.

"So why hasn't Aaru been talking to everyone? Why hasn't she asked for water?" I asked her.

She turned her head to look at everyone before she snuggled back into me. She wrapped her tiny arms around my neck as it clicked me. She was shy. She still regards them as strangers.

"Do you know who they are, Aaru?" I asked her. She shook her head in negative.

"They are your family, baby. They love you." I told her.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked her. I had expected a ton of answers, nothing what I thought of was given by her.

"Aalu's mumma?"

You can't even imagine how cringe I can be. 🤡

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