ABDICATION

*chapter 19*

The first thing I felt was a pang of pain in my head. I tsk and hold my head with my palms.  I pressed my fingers gently over my forehead to ease away the pain but then a gentle hand ran over my hairs and I felt peace.

"Mother. " I knew her touch. I open my eyes slowly and saw her smiling at me. I get up slowly and she sat beside me.

"How I got here? I don't remember coming home." I tried hard to regenerate the last memories of last night but I couldn't get any.

"Our dear king dropped you off." Mother said smiling at her.

"You mean the Prince. " I corrected her.

"That's same thing for me. Everybody knew he is going to be our king. But you tell me how you even crossed each there, the king?.. Weren't you at your friend's house?" Her questioning gaze was stern but there was still a smile on her face and that really bothered sanyukta.

"Where is baba and how is he now?" I asked her getting up and totally ignoring her questions. 

"He is outside. Talking to our king." My mother replied casually.

"What? Oh no. Oh no. Oh no no no no no." I was done. It's done. It's over. I'm so dead.

"But what are they talking about?" I asked mother but she smiles "you tell me. He bring you home. A king. Our king. Oh my God I can't believe it."

What is she thinking.???

"Mother. There is nothing between us. You know that right ? " I asked my mother.

"If it's not. It will be. You are pretty and he is charming.  You will be great together. I can't forget the image when I open the door, he was carrying you in his arms. But I will have to go to another town to get your wedding gown and we have to tell your aunt too...but.."

Is she already planning my wedding with the prince? She was supposed to be mad at me.

"Mom stop it. I was fainted and I was in a male arms. A girl. A unmarried girl in arms of a male? You should be crying and getting angry not planning my marriage." I whisper yelled knowing that the Prince is just outside the room.

"If it would have been just any other male I would have done exactly what you said. But he was the Prince.  Our king."

Oh no sanyukta, don't waste your energy here. she is too happy to understand the situation here.

"I'm going to talk to baba " I told her and left the room.

I saw baba closing the main door and taking his seat back.

"Where is the Prince, baba?" I asked looking around in room.

"He left. He had to rush. He was searching for someone. " baba said and rest back on the bed

"What did he talk about?" I enquired while taking a seat beside him.

"Nothing. I just treat his wound in hand while he told me what really happened in the forest. He told me that he found you in the woods. But how did you lost in the woods? Weren't you with your friends?" This time baba asked this question and she knew she can't dodge it anymore.

"I was.. I was with them but we went to market and I lost the way.." I said and looked away.

Baba looked at me for sometime.

Does he know already?

"You have to be more careful, my daughter. Thank God the Prince was there to save you " Baba patted my head.

I looked down and found something. I picked it up and examine it.

"What's this?' Baba asked me noticing the pattern.

"It's prince's dagger. He killed a Wolf with it last night." I told him.

"We must return it soon." Baba tried to get up.

"No baba. Don't get up. No need to bother I will return it. " I said and keep the dagger carefully in my hold. He smiled at me and laid back.

I too smiled and got up to leave. But then I stop and asked him

"You said he was searching for someone? Did he mention any name? " I asked baba.

"He was talking about a person, yukt?" Baba said and I lost my breath.

He what. He what? He WHAT?

"What did you say?" I questioned

"What I could say? I don't know any yukt so I told him that I don't know any yukt"

Oh no baba. Oh no.

"Then what did he say?" I asked again.

"Then he asked about how many children I have. I told him I only had a daughter in my whole life."

I'm so dead.

"Then?" I asked again almost on the verge of crying.

"Then he looked dazed and then suddenly he got up and left the place." baba told me and I could see he is confused too.

And it's only me who know the real truth. And now maybe the Prince knew all the truth too.

Oh God.

Will he send his man to arrest me now?

Will he punish my parents too?

Will he kill me or do something else. .

"Are you cold ? You are shivering.  " baba asked.

"Yeah it's a little cold here. I will get back to bed now. I think I need some rest. " I told him and turn around swiftly.

"Okay but don't forget to return the dagger. "

He remind me but how I could tell him that if I return this dagger to the Prince then he will kill me with the same dagger. Right then and there.

Thank you so much.

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