Enigmatic Darkness

Chapter 36 - Flashback

20 November 1645

In an effort to cover the dark redness on her cheeks, Maithli smiled, dropping her head. Her reflection showed she was successful somehow as servants continued to giggled behind her without paying any attention to her blush. She was not going to show them the effect their words had on her. She was never--

Maithli shook her head, she had to get those thoughts out of her mind before she fail to hide the effects on her face and heart.

"Will you leave us alone, we want to rest," Maithli said in her princess accent filled with royalty syllables of we and us instead of I and me.

"Sure, Princess, as you demand," said the servants between the giggles and left her alone.

Maithli sighed. She loved to hear the giggles of her servant who were also her friends in this huge palace filled with expensive furniture reflecting utter emptiness. They were her only companions in the loneliness of heavy jewellery, high standard and lavish lifestyle. This time, however, she wanted to savour her moments and be away from every teasing to calm her racing heart.

It still seemed a dream came true. In fact when fifteen days back her father informed her about fixing her alliance with a prince of a neighboring Kingdom, she was in utter depression, for she thought she would became another accessory in another royal room.

But things changed when her eyes locked with the prince of Doon empire, everything changed. A blush that she did not know the warmth of and a moment she never thought her heart would skip its beat. A time that froze for eternity and a different destiny that was written for a mysterious history.

Smacking her forehead at his thoughts, she stood up from dressing table, freed from the heavy jewellery, and walked to her bed covered with drapes. Voices from balcony interrupted her and confusion marred her forehead. With baby steps she walked to balcony. Her room was on second floor and far from other rooms, making it harder for any noise to disturb her.

A young boy, covered in nightly dark covering, was entering the balcony. Maithli opened her mouth as her mind went in frenzy. Her shout softened into a gasp when she saw the face from her dreams looking right at her with those beautiful grey eyes.

"Prince, you here? You shouldn't have... If anyone see you then.." Maithli stepped to him with her hands nervously pointing around and her eyes searching for any other presence.

Abhayendra held her hand and giving a last glance around him, directed her inside the room. Her eyes were filled with worry even when her heart warmed with his presence.

"Don't be scared for me, princess. Its you am worried about." His smooth voice came with the turbulence of worry that laid in the depth of his eyes.

She narrowed his eyes at him as they stood in her room, holding hand and looking in each other eyes.

"Me? Am perfectly fine and really happy." She said a bit shyly as corner of her lips quirked into a smile she tried to bit back but failed.

He shook his head and broke away their eyecontact. A frown came on her face at his reaction.

Did she say something wrong?

"Am just not sure if you will be able to live with me. You have to live like common person you know?" His eyes found her eyes again but she could not decipher the meaning behind the emotions swimming in his eyes.

What would be wrong in living like common people? She did not understand his worry.

"I'll go anywhere with you, prince. I'll be with you even if we have to live in forests." Maithli said with an innocent smile admiring her lips and a shine in her chocolate eyes.