✔️Rise to Eminence (Ugly Duckling Princess III) (completed )

Chapter 13 Reunion

Adiya's POV

"It looks different in daytime right?" I asked Sahil who just gazed at the beautiful scenery that stood in front of us.

The roaring sound of waterfall, the chirping of the birds, the sounds of trees rustling in cold winds! Though it was still noon time, the sunlight was gentle.

"That's because we had visited this place at night time." Smiled Sahil. And again things were awkward.

The images of us hugging and embracing came back to me like a flash of wind. Those moments were intimate.
I wondered if Sahil still remembered that night.

I looked at Sahil and he looked at me. And then gulped nervously. Yes, he too remembered. The tension was thick.

"Let's climb the tree. We might be lucky enough to see the entire forest." He said pointing towards the highest tree. I was relieved be out of that awkward moment.

We both climbed the tree. I sat on the tallest branch while he stood on the adjacent branch, holding the bark of tree as a support.

We could see the entire forest. Guruji's hut too was visible.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I asked him.

He held my hand. "Yes it is" he said looking into my eyes.
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"No matter where I go! It's impossible to forget my student life!" I tell him.

"True!" He said. "There were no burdens, no worries, no pressures to perform. I still remember how learning was so much fun!" He said.

"So? Who are you?" He asked me.

I knew that the question of identity would crop up sooner or later. But I wasn't prepared for his reaction. What if I told him that I was a Princess? And that we had no future together? Whether my parents would accept a person who is not some Prince or a King.

"I do not wish to disclose my identity to you." I Said taking a deep breath. He looked at me, his eyes questioning.

Okay. This is going to be tough for me.

"May I know the reason?" He asked.

"I can't tell you. Maybe because I don't want to lose you. I know that once I would tell you my identity, you might not find us socially compatible for anything serious in future. What if we are not of same social hierarchy?" I told him.

"Hey calm down! When did I say anything about us getting serious?" He grinned.

"So all that meant nothing to you?" I asked him referring to that night. I was panicking. Wondering if he used me. If he did, then it won't take me another minute to take out the dagger that I had hidden in my clothes and slash his neck!

"Why are you so angry?" He was laughing.

"You!!" I was in rage. How dare him! How dare him to play with my heart!

He rushed in order to climb down the tree and I followed him. He quickly climbed down the tree and swam inside the river and I hastily followed him.

Suddenly he stopped. And I realised that I was standing on the big rock, close to with him near the waterfall.

He held my hand. "Your face would be the first and the last face I would love see on my death bed! Trust me! If I wouldn't have met you today, I would have regretted my whole life for letting you go!"

I calmed down! Okay that was fine by me. I would have killed him already if he would not have confessed his love to me.

"So that night meant something to you right?" I wanted to hear his admission for one last time. For the peace of my mind.

"What happened that night? I can't remember!" He laughed playfully and I punched his chest. He hugged me.

And I realised. We were back to the square one. It was already evening. The darkness had started evading the forest. The moon and the stars were out from their abode.