Raunak: The Essence of Life

Chapter 23

I quickly hugged her and departed with Rana sa. He was looking at me whole time without saying anything but I was so engrossed in my happiness to notice anything.

We came to our Chamber and ate our food. At night Rana sa was writing something on a scroll with pen and a bottle of ink.

"What are you writing Rana sa?" I asked sitting beside him.

"I was writing to my family about our well being" He said to me at which I nodded my head.

A knock was heard on the door. Rana sa opened the door to find my step brother standing there along with some other men. 

"We are hosting a bachelor's party for the groom before his wedding come join us?" A man asked Rana sa.

"Of course why not, just give me a second" He said to them and come into the room for his sword and a small knife.

"Princess, do not wait up for me I will come a little late" He said caressing his hand on my cheeks and kissed me on my forehead before departure.

I lay on the bed reading a book silently. A knock come on my door and entered Manavi my step sister inside my chamber.

"Well isn't is my favourite sister?" She said eying me from head to toe.

"Why are you here?" I asked her suspiciously feeling that something bad is going to happen.

"Can not I come to meet my sister without any reason?" She said to me faking a hurt expression on her face.

"You can but I don't think you will" I said to her feeling angry thinking about all the bad she had done to me.

"Are you avoiding me on purpose? " She asked me smirking

"No I was not, just did not have anything to talk to you about" I said to her rudely.

"I have to tell you something Raunak" I said sitting on my bed comfortably indicating that she was going to be here for long time.

"What is it that?" I asked felling distress.

"You know Raunak it was me who was to be married to King Vikram?" She asked me at which I nodded not liking the flow of conversation where it is going.

"You know when I was promised to Rana Vikram my maa married you off to him instead because she wanted to keep me safe as you also know there were very bad rumors going around about him, but you know my maa was searching for a marriage alliance for me just after your wedding. He is King of Suryagarh" She said looking at floor.
I don't know what she was trying to do but I know that I am scared

She signed and continued further, "King Dhanush a 55 year old King with 2 kids but my mother wants me to marry him but I don't want to marry him you know why? "

She stood up from the bed and remove her duppata and I gasped seeing red marks on her hands and neck. They have turned blue. I gasped seeing her like this.

"It was his doing" She told me covering herself again.
"Why did not you tell to Badi maa? " I asked her feeling bad for her.
"I have but she is not listening me saying that it's normal. She is not  understanding" She said with frustrating tears falling from her eyes.

"I am sorry that you have to through this if you want me I can talk to Rana sa to help you" I said to her.

"No I am going to tell King Vikram that I was the one who was promised to him for marriage not you, I am the real princess you are just an illegitimate child of our father. You have always come in between my happiness even now you are happy with him and I am unhappy" She shouted at my tears flowing from her eyes.

Hearing her words made goosebumps rise on my skin my heart stopped beating for a second. I did not know what to do but I was so scared and felt suffocated. I can not loose Rana sa  now I don't think I have it in me to live without him. I love him but I don't think I will ever get to say that to him. The instant he will get to know about my truth he will hate me and marry with Manavi, after all she was a princess and I am a liar not even a legitimate child. 

I can not stand to see hate in his eyes. I think it is better for me to leave everything behind and start anew. My whole I wanted to be loved, after meeting Rana sa it somehow felt possible but now it is crushed too. I decided to leave this palace before he get to know about my lie. I know that I don't stand a chance against Manavi she was a princess no one will believe me in front of her. No one will take stand for me it has always been like that. I can not stand here thinking that Rana sa is going to support me specially when he will get to know about my lies. He will be heartbroken maybe devasted but in few months he will also forgot about me just like everyone else.

With tears flowing out of eyes I existed the chamber.

A/N: Hi guys! I hope you all are doing fine. Here's a new update with a little plot twist. It was coming one way another. What do you think Raunak should do?

Love you little little bunnies
Bye bye❤❣️