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Nandani POV

I walked with the other attendees towards the dining hall as it was time for the afternoon lunch. We all worked hard to make all the varieties of dishes to present at the first meeting of him with the Kings of the princely states after Rudra became the King.

It was kind of important from the political as well as friendly point of view because if the states would not accept the new King, there would be difficulties in imposing the new laws and continuing the operations.

I was wearing normal clothes, the usual ones, definitely not what the queen wears.

I did not know but the moment I realised that he was in the controlling period something broke in me. He never told me, never even brought it into the light. 

I was mad and angry but mostly hurt because I could not see him suffering. I could not see him sleeping on the floor, I could not see him working for himself and after that working for an Empire, I could not see him eating normal food and then working hard to stay fit, I could not see him being my husband and still staying away from me. I was feeling as If I had made a wrong decision in choosing him, maybe I came his way. If I had known before that he was on a controlling period to become the King, I would have never done that. 

I did not know but the moment I get to know that he was in the controlling period I was not feeling like using any royal treatment either. No, It was not what I was doing to catch his attention or prove something, but it was more like, I was hurt to know that my man, my husband was sacrificing a lot for something and being his partner, it was right and duty to stand beside him in every good and odd.

I had removed my wedding bangles and wore simple green glass bangles that were also the sign of a married woman. Also, I removed everything that could mean royalty. 

I was holding the huge bowl of curry which we were taking to the dining hall. Stepping inside with other ladies, I could notice the Kings settled on their couches with their legs crossed in front of the square short tables. They were interacting, talking precisely and with the veil to my nose, I could see him sitting in the front, talking to Ranvijay about something.

The sound of our anklet bells caught their attention and suddenly Agastya spoke.

"Here, is the Lunch,"

The aroma of flavours and spices of the hot foot spread in the air bringing a slight smile to everyone's faces.

"Ranaji, if you allow, shall we serve the food?"

An attendee asked and he said looking at her.

"Yes, sure,"

The attendees spread to distribute the plates to the Kings and the attendees holding the bowls also spread to serve to food. I had the bowl of gatte curry in my hand and started serving everyone one by one like other attendees.

The moment I reached closer to his plate, I could feel a slight tension, the noise of cutlery touching each other suddenly turned sharper, and my heartbeats slowed down as I could feel his gaze on me.

And, a shiver ran down my spine when he suddenly spoke.

"What are you doing here?"

I did not answer anything and continued serving the curry in his bowl. 

But, suddenly he held my wrist and I stopped, inhaling a deep breath.

"Nandani, this is not your place,"

He whispered slowly and I slowly tried to get my hand free from his grip.

"Leave, right now,"

He said and I replied in a slow voice.

"No, I am also a normal person now. I have also given up on all the royal things and pleasures,"

I could sense him not liking my words and he said.

"Leave, right now,"

I pulled my wrist back from his hold and said.

"No,"

I continued serving the food and stood aside with other attendees when everything was served.

He signed to start eating and the Kings started tasting the food.

My eyes were fixed on him, sitting straight, not even touching the food and gazing low. The expressions on his face could tell that he was not liking it all, he was feeling angry, upset and mad after knowing I was serving the food.

"Bhaisa, what happened? Why are not you eating?"

Ranvijay asked looking at him and he looked at him back smiling a little.

"I am on a fast today,"

Ranvijay seemed convinced but my heart ached even more listening to it.

First, he was sacrificing everything for the sake of the Kingdom, now he was not even eating. And, I did not even know since when he was in the controlling period. I did not even know why he was in a controlling period.

A controlling period was a period like fasting but a bigger version of it. In this period, a person was forbidden to taste pleasuring food, live simple life and even he was forbidden to do other pleasuring things. I did not want him to do that. He was a King now, and for the betterment of the people, he had to take care of himself, he could not keep himself on a low diet, could not suffer and sacrifice.

But, since when he was doing it, maybe he started doing it after our marriage, but even before marriage, he was living a simple life like a normal person.

I inhaled a sharp breath and looked at him, still not touching the food.

I could not take it anymore and walk out of the dining hall. I did not know but it was like, the more I was trying to get close to him, the more he was pushing me away. Now, remembering the past, I was wondering if deliberately was pushing me away from himself.

Like, he never touched me before that night, and he never get seduced or attracted to me as I wanted. He did not even love me. That means, he was right, that I forced him to marry me, he could have let me marry anyone than the old King.

A lone tear fell from my eyes, realising I misinterpreted everything and he did not have anything for me.

He never had, I thought maybe he had something for me, but now I was feeling that he married me just because he wanted to take revenge on the old King.

I inhaled a sharp breath and came back to my chamber.

Tears fell from my eyes and I immediately wiped them from my cheek.

And, suddenly a familiar voice caught my attention.

"Nandani,"

I looked at Badi Masa's daughter-in-law coming inside.

"Jiji,"

I said and stood up from the couch. She was holding Hridaan in his hands and I smiled immediately. 

"How are you? Nandani,"

She asked and I took Hridaan from her hands, sitting back on the couch.

"Now, I am happy a little,"

I said, cupping Hridaan's cheek a little.

I met her when she came back to the Kingdom from her home, she asked me to give her the responsibility of Hridaan and promised that she would take the best care of him.

I wholeheartedly gave him to her after knowing she went through three miscarriages and did not have any child of her own, and then her husband died in a war, who was the son of the old King.

"I hope he is not troubling you, Jiji,"

I said and she laughed a little looking at me.

"Hridaan is so cute and thank you so much for giving him to me. It is like suddenly, I am alive again,"

She said with an emotional face and I smiled weakly.

"He also needed a mother, jiji,"

I replied and we continued talking about a few things about the history of Suryagarh. And, in the middle of the talks, she told me something important.

She told me about the ninth chamber of the Palace. She also said that only the King could access it and that the key to the chamber was still with the Old king. Until the key to the chamber was passed on the Rudra, he could not become the complete King.

"But, what is in the chamber?"

She shook her face a little and said.

"I do not know, I have never been inside,"

I nodded and suddenly.

"Nandani,"

My attention was caught by Rudra standing in front of us.

"Devarjisa,"

Jiji said and we both stood up. He greeted her with politeness and stepped forward closer to me and I could tell from his face that he was angry.

"I was just leaving,"

Jiji said and took Hridaan from my hands. We both smiled as she walked out of the chamber and I gulped when she left.

Rudra held my wrist tightly and I was frightened when she started walking towards the inside of the chamber to the bedroom. 

He brought me inside the bedroom and closed the door behind me.

I immediately touched my wrist as his grip hurt me.

And, he suddenly pushed me against the door asking in a threatening and angry tone.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?"

I gulped and furrowed my eyebrows a little trying to comprehend his face.

"Me?"

I tried to say, and he immediately cupped my cheek, making me stand on my toes to intensify the eye contact.

"Yes, you? Why the hell you were serving the Kings?"

He asked in an angry tone and I tried to calm down my racing heartbeats and balance myself a little. He had caged me against the door and honestly it was frightening a little.

"I was trying to help the attendees,"

I tried to say and he moved his hand from my cheek to my nape, cupping it and pulling me even closer.

"You - are - my - wife. You cannot serve any other man. You are my queen, understand,"

He said in a threatening tone and I inhaled a sharp breath, trying not to feel weak in my knees because of the close proximity and intensity of his voice.

"You cannot tell me what to do. Just like I cannot tell you what to do,"

I tried to say and he pulled me, even more, closer, his other hand raked around my waist and my stomach twisted wrongly. 

"You can tell me what to do. You are my wife,"

He said and I gulped before saying.

"Then drop this controlling period and live like King or I will do whatever you do,"

I said with a calm yet empowered tone, looking sharply into his eyes.

I saw his breathing turning faster, and the visuals of the last night started crossing my brain, my eyes unknowingly stared at his lips that were sucking me last night, not just sucking but eating me. I could still feel that sensation between my legs and during the bath today in this morning, I even saw the deep dark red mark of his love bite on my inner thigh.

Suddenly, he took a step back and held my wrist starting to walk away.

"No, way,"

He said and made me walk after him.

"Ranaji,"

I tried to say and took long steps to match his pace.

He took me to the dressing area and left my hand in front of the mirror, I took almost a spin when he left me and my back pressed against the mirror of the dressing table.

"Change your clothes,"

He said looking sharply into my eyes.

"Change yours too,"

I said trying to hold on to myself.

He angrily took a step forward and towered over me.

I blinked scaredly a little and he bent forward, making me lean backwards. Pressing his palm on the table, beside the sides of my waist, he stared deep into my eyes and said in a threatening tone.

"Strip,"

My stomach twisted very badly hearing the word from his mouth and I tried to shake my head.

"No,"

He came even closer and pressed his forehead against mine. Pulling the dupatta low from my head from behind he said.

"Nandani, strip or I will rip your clothes off,"

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