"One side I hate him but the other side I want him by my side.. I like to spend time with him.. When I'm with him, I feel everything so easy.. Even I can face my fears with him.. I don't know what's happening to me..."

"It's good for both of us.. A cart is waiting for you outside to drop you back to the palace.. I'll come back tomorrow. You don't need to stay here with me anymore.." Manik said moving out while Nandini stared at him with expressionless face and uncontrollable tears. "And don't worry, Dev and Divya bhabhi are coming along to take with you.."

"Manik!" Nandini called out his name. "I'm not going anywhere.."

"Nandini don't.." Manik wasn't able to complete his sentence because there's a knock on their door.

Both turned to see Manav and Gauri standing there.

"You? Dev and bhabhi were going to come then?" Manik said.

Manav signalled Gauri something with eyes and she nodded. Gauri held Nandini's hand and takes her to a small room. While Manav approaches Manik.

"What you did bhai sa?" Manav asked.

"Nothing.."

"I and Gauri have seen and heard the whole thing.." Manav said looking at Manik.

"Bhai sa, do you even know what you did?" Manav said getting a bit angry.

"Manav, you very well know my reasons..." Manik said.

"Huh? Reasons? Just leave them for a second and think about your feelings!" Manav said annoyed.

"What feelings? I don't have any feelings for her!" Manik replied looking down.

"You can lie to me and everyone around but not to yourself.." Manav said.

"Manav, you know very well that why I said all this to her.. Yes I have some feelings for her but... but I can't let them grow more.." Manik said looking down.

"Why bhai sa? What's that stopping you? You both look so good and I'm sure bhabhi likes you too.." Manav said trying to explain Manik.

"No Manav, Nandini doesn't.. You know she thinks me as a monster and what I did today, after that I don't think she does.. If she felt for me a little bit till now, that must be destroyed by now because of what I said to her.." Manik said holding his head in frustration. "And I don't want her to feel anything for me because I can't see her hurt at the end.."

"Here you are wrong bhai sa.. I thought you know her well but you doesn't. You know once she started liking someone or considered as hers, she won't leave that person even if she need to go to any extent..." Manav said with a small smile. "Bhai sa why don't you tell her the about your feelings? What's that stopping you!"

"Nandini! She's stopping me to love her and you know how and why? Because I-I can't see her in tears... You very know that my revenge is very important for me and for that I need to find and kill Naman! And I'm sure about the thing that Nandini will beg to leave him but you know I won't! And that moment when I'll kill Naman... I-I will not be able to face her... I'll not be able to see her breaking down like that because of me..." Manik said with moist eyes. "If I'll control my feelings at this moment na then, her tears won't affect me that much later and I'll be able to fulfill my promise by killing Naman!"

"Please try to understand bhai sa... Ok, do what you want but please don't hurt anymore... She's in dark too like you! Please bhai sa.." Manav said hugging Manik.

Manik hugged him back. "You know anything about her past?"

"No... Gauri knows the fact that why bhabhi is scared from darkness.. But she didn't told anyone, not even me.. But she knows and bhabhi has told to not to tell anyone.." Manav said.

Just then they heard Nandini's sobs from inside. "You can listen to this now but you can't listen her cries when you'll kill Naman.. At that moment she'll need you the most and if you won't be with her because of this stupid logic of yours! And I know if she'll get to know the truth she won't leave your hand until her last breath..." Manav said looking at Manik with anger and hurt. "I'm sorry if I disobeyed you.. but you are wrong this time.."

"I can't do anything now.. She won't talk to me and leave from here.." Manik said looking down in guilt.

Manav smiled. "I know bhai sa that you are regretting what you did and I'm really glad that you regretted it.. This is the best time you both can know each other peacefully... And about bhabhi leaving you, then Gauri is there, she won't let her.." Manik smiled at his brother.

Here as soon as Gauri and Nandini entered the room. Nandini hugged her and cries silently, so that her cries couldn't go outside.

"Gauri, you know what he said? He said all..."

Gauri makes her sit. "I know.. I heard everything princess. And I don't think that our Majesty said anything wrong! I don't understand why are you crying when you hate him! You don't like him right then if he believes in this marriage or not, that's no point!" Gauri said.

"I-I don't know... I myself don't know why I'm crying.. I don't know what all is happening.. One side I hate him but the other side I want him by my side.. I like to spend time with him.. When I'm with him, I feel everything so easy.. Even I can face my fears with him.. I don't know what's happening to me..." Nandini said between her sobs.

Gauri smiles. "This is a beautiful beginning of a beautiful journey.. You know princess, sometimes we don't understand that what's happening to us but when we realize sometimes it's too late... And I want you to realize your feelings for him.."

"What are you trying to say?" Nandini asked wiping her tears.

"Princess, you like our Majesty.."

"I-I don't know..." Nandini said not knowing what's happening.

"I felt the same you are feeling.. Don't spoil your relation.. Our Majesty is so different from everyone around. The much I heard about him from Manav, he wasn't the same he's now... He's just like Manav.." Gauri said with a smile. "He's changed because of some incident.. Maybe princess, he have lost faith in love or something that's why he said all this.."

"You know what happened to him?" Nandini asked.

"No princess, Manav didn't told me anything clearly because he isn't allowed to do so but whatever it is, he's suffering from it and maybe in some frustration he said all this to you.. I know he doesn't meant that what all he said.." Gauri said. "You only told me once that your mother said that crying isn't the solution of any problem. Wasting your time in crying if you utilize it in mending your problems, they will automatically show you results.."

Nandini smiled at Gauri and hugged Gauri. Gauri too hugged her back. "So you are coming back?"

"Important staying.. with him.." Nandini replied with a smile.

Gauri smiled back. "That's like the real Princess Nandini"

Both of them moves out to see Manav and Manik sitting on the chair.

"I was waiting for you, let's go.. Bhabhi come.." Manav said looking at Nandini.

Both Manik and Nandini looked at each other.

"She's staying here only/ I'm staying here only.." Both Manik and Nandini said together and then stared each other while Manav and Gauri smirked.

"Ok then, we are leaving.." Manav said looking at Gauri.

"Take care princess and you too Our Majesty.." Gauri said with a smile.

"Say to take care of his heart which is pounding to come out of happiness that bhabhi is staying.." Manav whispered to Gauri and both both chuckled. Manik glares at them as he heard what Manav said.

"We will leave then bhai and bhabhi.. Take care.." Manav said and quickly escaped with Gauri. Both of them left.

Manik and Nandini are then left alone. There's an awkward silence between them. They don't know how to start and talk. At last Manik broke the silence.

"I-I am sorry Nandini.. I shouldn't have said that, I never meant that. I'm really sorry..." Manik said breaking silence and looking down.

Nandini smiled. All of sudden all her sadness felt like it was never there. "You must have said that earlier.."

"I know.. Sorry.." Manik said looking at her with an upset face.

"It's ok.. Just don't repeat that.. It hurts, okay?" Nandini said innocently while Manik nodded with a smile.

"Manav has bought some food for us.. So let's have it.. We didn't have our food till.." Manik said bringing the food Manav bought.

Both sat down. Nandini arranges the food in one plate. Manik smiles.

"Nandini I can't have food with you" Manik said while Nandini looks confused. " aree... because it's said that sharing the food from one plate increases the love between two person..." Manik mimicked her. And then both burst out laughing. Manik smiled seeing her laughing. I will never let myself or anyone to be the reason for your tears. I promise to make you smile always.

"Stop making fun of mee!" Nandini said with a chuckle.

"I wasn't making fun of you.. I just mimicked you.." Manik said with a smile.

"I know what you were doing.. Now have the food.." Nandini said forwarding him the plate. Both started eating together while stealing glances of each other in between.

Manik then notices a piece of rice near lips. "Umm.. Nandini, there's a piece of rice near your...mouth.."

Nandini tried to remove but wasn't able to. She then frowned to herself and licked the piece of rice with her tongue. Manik chuckled seeing her.

"What are you laughing at?" Nandini asked.

"Nothing.." Manik replied stopping his laugh.

Nandini smiled and then both continued having their food.

Both had their food and Nandini went to kitchen to keep the utensils away. While Manik layed the rug made by Nandini and smiled looking at it. He then drinks some water kept nearby.

"Manik, remove your kurti.." Nandini said coming from kitchen while tieing her hair.

Manik spill out the water out of shock of what Nandini just said. "What?"

"Eww.. Manik, what you did? And why are you shouting!" Nandini asked confused.

"What you just said?" Manik said.

"I asked you to remove your kurti..." Nandini replied innocently.

"And...why.." Manik asked gulping.

"What why? Your back is wounded na.. And you didn't applied medicine since morning.. So I made the medicine, that's why.." Nandini replied keeping the bowl of medicinal paste on the chair.

"Oh!" Manik sighed. "I thought you were going to.."

"Eeww Manik! Chee!" Nandini now realised what he must have thought.

"What's the need of eeww in that?" Manik asked folding his hands near his chest.

"Eeww is your dirty mind! I mean you thought that I want to... Chee Manik, you are so bad.." Nandini replied being annoyed.

"Why are you overeacting Nandini? It's normal na.." Manik said with a wink.

Nandini widens her eyes at him but then changed her lips into a sarcastic smile. "But now there's going to be something which isn't normal.."

"What do you mean?" Manik asked confused.

"Go and get the cloth from the kitchen and clean this mess which you have created by spilling water!" Nandini said with a smile.

"I'll do that? Are you serious? I'm a king" Manik asked her shocked.

"I'm damn serious! And you only told me that this isn't a palace Nandini. We are living as a commoners here and so we have to live like that only" Nandini said mimicking Manik. "Now do it!"

Manik nodded and cleaned the floor. "You shouldn't make me do this?"

"You shouldn't have spilled the water"

"You shouldn't have said that.."

"You should have controlled your dirty mind then!"

"You are behaving like a typical wife Nandini.." Manik said.

"I'm the one!" Nandini said with a proud look.

"So, there's much more that wives do..." Manik said moving towards her.

"What they do?" Nandini asked innocently.

"Don't try to be so innocent Nandini.. You very well know what I mean.." Manik said with a smirk coming close to her.

Nandini widens her eyes and pushes Manik back realising what he means. "Stop annoying me.." Nandini said turning around trying to hide her smile. She smiled looking down.

Manik too smiled seeing her shy. Manik then keeps the cloth back and opens his kurti. Nandini is turned around not looking at him. Manik then lays down and then Nandini applies the paste on his back. Manik smiled when her soft hands touched him.

After applying the paste, Nandini washed her hands while Manik wear his kurti again.

Both then lay down on the rug.. Manik again kept his arm opened for Nandini. But as yesterday when Nandini is confirmed that he is slept, she keeps her head on his arm. And as same as yesterday, Manik smiled seeing her doing such cute antics.

Both then slept. Nandini not before thanking her God and Manik with a smile on his face.

Hope you like it.

Sorry for this short and boring update ❣

How's the update?

What do you think is the incident Manik and Manav talking about?

How many of you are happy to know that both have some feelings for each other?

Few words for MaNan?

Thank you❤