Warrior Hearts

Transgressions

A/N: It's one of those double update days!!! Happy reading xx

"Can you believe the gall of the man?" Throwing my arms heavenward, I release a scoff of disbelief.

"No, absolutely not." Rohit dutifully agrees with me, nodding his head in an attempt to further showcase his loyalty.

"Yes, thank you!" I exclaim, my feet driving me back and forth across the entrance of the palace. Rohit is seated on the upper most front step, his feet planted wide apart, hands clasped in between them. In stark contrast to his rooted position, I'm buzzing from one side to the other like a maddened bee.

"Always," Rohit replies, the barest hint of amusement slipping into his otherwise grave tone. Halting with a jerk, I cock my head to the side as I pin my gaze on him. With a huff that's loud enough for the stable-boys to hear as well, I plant my hands on my hips.

"This isn't funny, Rohit!" I chide the man in front of me. "Your friend cannot be sweet as honey to me one day, and treat me like I'm a thorn in his shoe the next. For crying out loud, these mood swings of Malhotra's are giving me whiplash!" The mere mention of Malhotra's name transports me right back to today morning.

"Formal," I scoff, releasing a bark of dry laughter at the thought of Malhotra's reaction to this harmless word. "Malhotra kept repeating this stupid word as if it were a curse. Does he even comprehend its meaning, Rohit?" I cry out with helpless frustration. "For Lord's sake, the man reacted as if I'd called him a bastard."

"Nandini," Rohit begins hesitantly. Frowning, I watch as his wary eyes loiter towards the weapon at my hip. "You might not like what I'm about to say next, but please do not spear me in half for that." Rohit pleads with me, moistening his lips as he braces himself to say whatever is on his mind.

"How can you expect me to side with you completely when you're doing the same thing that Manik is?" Rohit asks, his distracted gaze constantly shifting between me and my weapon. "You, too, must be giving him whiplash for all we know which is why the poor man finally broke and reacted the way he did today morning." Grimacing, I open my mouth to launch into a full fledged argument on my behalf. However, Rohit halts the words at the tip of my tongue by raising his palm at me.

"Think about it, yesterday you two shared such a magically intimate birthday ceremony and today you decided to shove him back into formal perimeters. How's a man going to feel if you keep swinging around like a pendulum?" Frowning, I allow Rohit's words to repeat themselves in my mind as I decide whether they make sense, or if he's simply siding with his long time friend.

"Manik was willing to follow a one-way street after last night, Nandini," Rohit says. "Hence, the bouquet of flowers. On the other hand, you're the one who decided to make a turn right back around, all three-sixty five degrees." The anger that mere moments ago I was directing towards Malhotra, now seems to have evaporated into nothingness.

"Oh," I murmur, disappointed. "So I'm the guilty party?" Narrowing my eyes at Rohit, I seek his for an answer. Reluctantly, the man nods his head in the affirmative.

"I'm afraid so," he confirms, genuinely looking miserable at having to hold me at fault. Furrowing my brows, I glare at the ground as my pacing loses some of its energy. Perhaps guilt doesn't possess quite the vigour that rage does. Entwining my fingers at my navel, I begin to fidget with my thumbs, unsure of what to do when I encounter Malhotra next; a confrontation which is inevitable of course.

"Ay, Nandini, let me help you out of your predicament," Rohit offers. Snapping my head up in his direction, I nod in earnest. Considering my current situation, I am a drowning woman who will clutch at a piece of straw just to give myself a hope of survival at the very least.

"Now I'm well aware that you and Manik have egos the size of Mount Olympus," Rohit says, matter-of-fact.

"The next words that you utter better be your path to redemption, Rohit." I warn, subtly nodding my chin in the direction of the weapon at my side. Moistening his lips, Rohit raises his palms in an attempt to show me he means no harm.

"I'm trying to get to the point that since you're going to be hell bent against apologising, I'd suggest you start calling Manik by his name, instead of his surname." Rohit's words rush out in a torrent, his gaze riveted on my weapon.

"Since when have names become such a big deal?" I exclaim with a huff of sheer frustration. "I mean, Malhotra - "

"Manik," Rohit corrects. Swallowing, I glare at Rohit through the corner of my eye as I begin pacing again as if my heels are on fire.

"As I was saying...Manik isn't even that special a name. Lord knows why the man who owns it is twisting his knickers because of it," I complain.

"Exactly, Nandini, since it isn't such a big deal, just give the baby his rattler. It'll save us all from suffering the wrath of his temper tantrum." Rohit says, his shoulders sagging forwards as if the mere thought of Malhotra's sour mood is enough to tire him.

"Oh, but you see, Rohit, this isn't Malhotra - "

"Manik," Rohit revises yet again.

"Manik," I repeat. Somehow Malhotra's first name feels foreign to me, as if the word doesn't quite belong on my tongue. "You need to stop siding with him, Rohit. I mean, this wasn't his only transgression of the day, and how many are you going to sit here and pardon like the benevolent friend that you are?"

"There's more?" Rohit asks, dropping his forehead into the palms of his hands.

"Exactly my point!" I cry out in agreement at the man's resigned stance. "Mal...Manik sent me a bouquet of flowers today, and can you believe the gall of the man? Instead of getting roses, or tulips put into the bouquet as the primary flower, he chooses Lisianthus'! For the love of the Lord, who sends Lisianthus' in a bouquet?"

This time, however, when I cast my gaze towards Rohit, he's watching me with a small smile. Sighing, I bring myself to a halt, my head bowing down between my shoulders in defeat. Shaking my head in disbelief at my own foolishness, I allow my shoulders to rise with uninhibited laughter. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that I have no transgression, whatsoever, to pin upon Malhotra, and so I am clutching at straws to do just that.

"You wouldn't happen to be speaking about me, right, Princess?"