A Pull Of Destiny

11| A play of life

|CHAPTER - 11|

***

If anything, women are complicated and to deal with someone like Riya is next to impossible. Raghuveer has been trying to seek her attention for almost half-an-hour but she remained adamant about being angry at him. Never once in his life had he ever apologized, at least that was the rule he was taught. Men, and most importantly a prince of such a huge empire should never soften or apologize and that too, to a woman? Not even on your life.

Yet, somehow that logic doesn't make sense having Riya around him. She is different, a complete contrast to his boring life, even after her being able to walk he could not stand on his word to kick her out of his house, maybe her unsophisticated way of conversation, her child-like fights with Dhruvan and her top-most thoughtless flirting with him were just breeze of cool air in this mundane life.

Riya stopped by a store as she glanced at the accessories, she carefully picked a pair of green-coloured bangles and just like usual, Raghuveer was shocked. As far as he knows, women love ornaments and they exceptionally go crazy over golden ornaments but this woman right in front of him always runs away from them. She has no interest neither in the costliest of silk dresses nor in any eye-blinding ornaments. But for the first time, she as much as casted a look at some ornament.

"Do you want them?" Raghuveer asked as silently as possible, standing beside her and Riya didn't bother to answer him, and somehow after all these days she regrets forgetting her memories. Why is she so annoyingly dependent on Veeru? Or why couldn't she lose her memories with a pouch full of gold coins? Damn it!

"Hey, hey! How dare you! Put them down, I say! These are not your normal glass bangles, they are made from jade!" The stall keeper shouted loudly, startling Riya and diverting all the attention of the people towards Riya and her face flushed with embarrassment while Raghuveer's nostrils flared in anger.

"Really? And who are you to decide what she should buy?" Stepping forward Raghuveer stood in front of her, facing the stall keeper and with just a glance he knew that the man standing before him was no ordinary man. His rich silk clothing, the aura of power and the rage on his face made him shiver.

"Uh-tha-that, I-i" Involuntarily he visibly stuttered under Raghuveer's glare.

"Pack these." He ordered throwing a pouch of gold coins at his face and the stall keepers hands trembled as he quietly packed those jade bangles with his head hanging low.

And after that incident, Riya and Raghuveer quietly walked side by side enjoying the crowded cool night. The temple was surrounded by huge sandalwood trees letting out its pure fragrance.

"Thank you." Riya mumbled as she kept walking and Raghuveer raised his eyebrow mockingly as he spoke, "You know right, you should be more than thankful to the things I do for you."

"And you know right, that you are arrogant?"

"Whatever," Saying Raghuveer waved his hand in the air as if he was refusing her compliment and Riya's features moulded in distress thinking how he has no appreciation of compliments.

Walking at a slow pace they reached the stage where plays of historical epics were taking place. Every citizen was around the stage as they intently watched the drama unfold by the actors and every time the crowd clapped, applauding the actors mesmerising acting Riya couldn't help but feel euphoric as if she could see herself in those actors and likely, that thought didn't feel foreign to her.

A famous scene of Ramayana was being enacted. Woefully, it was the last scene of the epic. Riya quickly settled down on the carpeted ground pulling Raghuveer with her, though irritated he silently obliged by sitting beside her. It was difficult for him to apologise but he can compromise by doing this to reduce her anger.