Conflict.

Siya ~

" Ranaji this is not funny. How could you fire an entire department? Those people have lost their jobs because of me." I broke out of my shock and walked to him before he could walk into the closet.

" They had enough loopholes that two amateurs could hack into my Computer, Little Flower." He replied, taking his clothes but I held his arm and turned him towards me, seriously. How could he do this!

" Then you train them, invest in them. Not fire them!" I told him, exasperated and extremely guilty.

" I had assumed that they had the required training while hiring them for salaries higher than fair." He looked into my eye and told me as my hold on his arm started to lose.

" Rehire them." I asked.

" I am not rehiring incompetent people." He was rigid.

" Please Ranaji. Please, please, please rehire them. Get them the required software update and training but please rehire them. Their families depend on them and laying them off like this will impact them so much. I beg you." I couldn't stop myself from tearing up and quickly averted my eyes away from his watchful gaze.

For a while, he didn't say anything but then I felt his index finger on my chin as he raised my head to meet his eyes before wiping my tears away.

" Never beg to me ever again, Siya. It is not befitting upon my Queen. I will hire them back but I don't want you to cry. I will be dammed if you do." He said is the most soft voice that I had ever heard him talk in.

" Thank you Ra..." He cut me off in the middle.

" Arjun." He finished the sentence for me, watching my face as if he was trying to read it.

" I cannot call you by your name, you are my King." I was the first one again to look away.

" I am your King but I am your husband first and you are my wife before you are my Queen." Was all he clarified.

" I can't." I protested.

" Is that your final word?" He asked, making me look at him again. The distance we were standing at initially was vanishing into thin air somehow and I don't think I could take it anymore.

" Hmm." I did not trust my voice as I hummed.

" Then I command you to call me by my name as your King." He had a playful smile on his lips and his eyes were shining in amusement.

" Have I ever obeyed your command?" I asked, keeping both my palms on his chest to stop us from coming closer to each other and raised a brow. That shut him up.

" What makes you think I will listen to you starting now then, Ranaji?" I couldn't help myself from smiling as I dodged myself from calling out his name and took the opportunity to run away from the room. I had to go and play Badminton with Jahanavi!

But I was so glad that he agreed to rehire them and as much as I loathed admitting this, he probably wasn't that absolute villain that I was making him to be. He most certainly wasn't sore on the eyes but lately, he was being a lot less sore to the heart too.

" But that does not mean I will not rip his suits or give him a hard time. He married me against my will." I spoke to myself as a reminder to the fact and perhaps, the first time I was needing one in these two weeks that we had been married.

Time was passing faster than sand perhaps maybe because I had expected the worst but the reality of things weren't as bad. Everyone here was loving and accepting and overly accommodating to my wishes and comfort. Preeti bhabhi and Maa were more like friends to me, Samarth bhai was my brother, Janu was my partner-in-crime and Dad and I went on more ice-cream dates than we told people at home and this is how the first month of this dreamy nightmare had gone by. My college occupied me in the morning and family in the evening.

I had even been home five times in this span of one month to stay and tomorrow, Rohit bhai, Cockroach and I were leaving for Ranthambore for our trip which I was extremely excited about but before that, I had college for which I was getting ready.

" When are you coming back from Ranthambore?" Arjun asked. Yes, I had internally started calling him that but not once on his face and that little annoying expression I raised out of him every time i called him Ranaji was what made my day on a daily basis.

" The day after next before forevermorrow." I gave him a sarcastic smile while he was wearing his suit jacket and adjusting his tie. I had not seen him in anything except for suits during the days and sweatpants with a T-Shirt and night and I was sure as hell that he did not own any casual at all.

" I will call Rohit up for the answer then." He said casually, getting used to my weird answers now and I think he was starting to realise that not bickering with me was the way to get answers from me.

" We will be back in two days." I replied grudgingly.

" See, it wasn't as difficult now. Was it?" He asked, amusing himself and I made faces behind his back. I had almost given up on angering him.

" That is a very mature thing to do." He mocked me as I found his eyes on me.

" I agree. Much more mature than marrying me." I replied back before deciding to get dressed myself. He did not respond to that. He never does and whenever I want him to shut up now, i play that card.

After all this, I get to make his life miserable but the trouble was, I was loosing the charm of that thought now!

" May you have a stressful and tiring day Ranaji." I called for him before he left the room and chuckled.

" I will most certainly try not to." Was his faint reply and I rolled my eyes.

" Siya beta your phone was unreachable so your mumma called me to let you know that Karan will come here and pick you up tomorrow morning." Maa knocked the door the said.

" Okay Maa but let's go and have breakfast now. I am so hungry!" I told her as we walked together. Preeti bhabhi and Samarth bhai had taken Jahanavi for a mini vacation in Kerala and Dad was in Manipur for some official engagement.

Maa and I had our breakfast together and she told me that she will be joining Dad in Manipal for 2 days and leave in the afternoon. They would both come back together before Holi. I bid her bye before leaving for college.

It was an extremely ordinary day at college and by the time all lectures were over, I was bored and tired and wanted nothing to do other than sleep.

So naturally, this is what I did once I got back home and changed into the most comfortable pair of shorts that I owned but failed to find a comfortable top so I did the second best thing. I took his T-Shirt which dropped even lower than my shorts but there was nothing more comfortable that this attire I was in and who cares? I'll wear this if I want to and then dropped myself on the bed, letting sleep take over.

Siya's Look ~

The next time my eyes opened, it was dark outside. My eyes landed on the clock which showed that it was almost 7 in the evening, meaning that I had slept for three hours and felt disoriented as fuck but there was not one drop of water in the room so I took the jug in my hands and walked out towards the kitchen when I heard something and for the first time in my life, felt embarrassed of what I was wearing.

" No wonder the King was so desperate to marry her. Just look at those legs and lips. What more would a man want?" Two Palace guards whispered to each other as I froze to my spot.

" You will loose your tongue for this." Before I could gather myself and deal with those guards, I heard Ranaji holding those two by their necks, chocking the life out of them while they apologised furiously.

" Ranaji...please let them. They will die!" I rushed to make my way towards them but his voice stopped me.

" You will not come near these two Siya. Stay where you are." There was something about his tone that did not make me want to defy it.

Thankfully, Papa who must have been right behind him, went and started beating the shit out of them, joining Ranaji.

" Please stop, both of you." I tried to break them up because had I not intervened, they would have killed those two.

" Siya is right Arjun. They will be properly looked after by the Security." Papa was the first one to calm down and I thanked the gods as Arjun finally stopped and Papa took those two away from us, the rest of the guards behind him.

Ranaji too started to walk in the opposite direction, and I couldn't help but follow behind him. He had freaking bloody knuckles because of me. I had to look after him.

" Ranaji....please wait." I called after him as I jogged behind him but he did not listen to me.

I had no idea where he was going but I had no option but to follow him.

" Wait Ranaji." I spoke up again but no response as we entered a huge room, the most grand of them all, the one I had never been in. It looked like it was made of Pure gold with the same flooring and the most exquisite throne placed ahead. It was the Throne-room, I realised as Arjun took his rightful seat, his eyes on me now.

" I am sorry." I spoke up but did not dare to walk any closer to him.

" What are you sorry for?" He asked, the anger still reflected very well in his words.

" For wearing this." I had no intention to apologise but for some reason, I could do almost about anything right now to calm him down.

But my words seemed to have angered him more.

" You will wear whatever you wish to without seeking for permission or apologising about it Siya and leave the rest on me. There is not one man who will be spared if he dares to do what they did today." His tone softened towards the end of the sentence and a shiver ran down my spine.

" You cannot get them killed Ranaji! Looking at me or passing comments isn't an offence for which the punishment is loss of life!" I was revolted by his words as much as I was discovering my newly grown respect for him.

" Do not be mistaken Little Flower, you are mine and mine alone. Any man who looks at you longer than three seconds will be dealt in a manner I find fitting and they had the fucking audacity to speak those filthy words for you.This is my kingdom and I run it the way I see it competent." He announced as he occupied his big, intimidating throne and I stood as far away from his as I possibly could and I shivered under his mocking gaze. I had never seen this expression on his face and honestly, it was scaring the hell out of me. It was as if he was bone chillingly mad.

I couldn't be anymore thankful than I already was that he was there and for me but I couldn't let him make any claim on me.

" The last time I checked, I was a living human being and not a thing to be possessed Ranaji. You may be the king and own this kingdom and the will of people here but you most certainly don't own me. I will not submit and neither will I do what you want me to. This is my life and I should be the one who makes decisions for myself." I don't know where this undiscovered confidence was coming within me in front of him but I was giving my best to not let it slip away. I may be all bold and fearless in front of him but today, there was just something extremely different about his voice, it was as cold and sharp as thin ice.

I had to save their lives even if it means that I'd have to hurt the man who had just taken a stand for me. Honestly, I was hating it but at the same time I did not want blood on his hands because of me.

All I heard was a laughter which oscillated in the otherwise empty throne room as he stood up on his feet and started to walk to where I was standing. His gaze, which was mocking me earlier had now turned stoic which rooted me to the spot I was standing at. I couldn't as much as attempt to run away.

" You are only helping me, Little One. I am not the one to back out from a challenge and when the incentive is as ravishing as you, how can I lose? You have been mine as much as I have been yours the moment my eyes fell on you. Do not mistake me for a Prince Charming Siya. I'm not him." He said as he stopped merely inches away from me and with the back of his hand, traced the single strand of hair which was framing my face right till my chin, his fingers still lingering.

As much as I wanted to hate his tone right now, I couldn't. Instead, I felt protected and overwhelmed and crazy.

" Please don't do this." I took hold of his bloodied hand.

" You have no idea about the ends I can meet for protecting you Siya. Even if it is from myself." He took his hand away from mine before leaving me all alone there and the loss of contact made me crave for his touch.

What was going on with me?

Since when did I want him to touch me?

This man was confusing the hell out of me and it was going to take a toll on me soon, this I was sure of as I sat there on the floor in the middle of the Throne-room and finally let the tears make their way out, the ones I had been holding for a while now and I felt like I was loosing my shit.

" What am I supposed to do anymore?" I asked to no one in particular, breaking down.

" These bloody clothes. I will never wear these clothes ever again." I made a promise to myself after finally collecting myself and even though I had been here alone for almost half an hour, it only felt like seconds.

I dragged myself from the floor and wiped my tears before going back to the bedroom and it was just as I had left it, empty.

I reached for my closet to take out my kurti to change but a feather touch on my shoulder stopped me as I immediately knew who it was and I turned to face him.

" What are you doing?" He asked and it looked like he had finally recollected his calm but my chaos was still twirling inside me. I was not going to explain anything to him right now.

" I don't want to talk about it." I did not mince my words and took two steps away from him. I was grateful to him but I was also mad at him for some reason.

" Why are you making it your business to care about people who do not deserve a second of your thoughts?" This time, he held my hands in his and dragged me to the bed bed, making me sit there and bent in front of me. His knuckles were even more hurt that earlier.

I raised his hands to assess them.

" You went back to them, didn't you?" I asked him, looking in the eye.

He gave a firm nod, not using his words and I decided to distance myself from him but he did not let me but stood up and sat next to me.

" I have already told you Siya, you cannot stop me from looking after you." He kept a hand on my cheek and once again, that ache in my heart started to subdue as he touched me and once again, the conflict rose within me. To let him in or push him away.

The latter won, again. I was not going to let him in, not yet anyway.

" I am hungry." I changed the topic, turning my face away from him and his hand withdrew.

" Let's go and eat then." He suggested but I shook my head in a no.

" Not before you let me take care of your hand." I said, reaching for the first aid kit and this time, he let me, as I cleaned his wounds and put the ointment.

The dinner was a silent affair post which he did leave me alone when I asked him to as I made my way to the Queen's Courtyard, sitting on one of the benches.

The slow, cool breeze was hitting my face as I rested my head back and closed my eyes for a while as my brain repeated all that had happened tonight when there was a loud noise before all the lights of the Palace blacked out and a sharp scream left me.

I wasn't afraid of many things but darkness was one thing that absolutely terrified me. I was still afraid of the monsters lurking in the corner and witches waiting for me to come out of the comfort of my blanket.

I heard Ranaji's voice calling for me and I immediately turned around and saw him standing a few feet away from me as moon light shone on his face, highlighting his cheekbones and jaw even more than usual and before I knew it, my feet automatically carried me to him and I threw my arms around his neck, clutching to the back of his T-Shirt, letting out a gasp, relieved to see a familiar face in the darkness as I felt his one arm placed very lightly just below my shoulder and another in my hair.

" It's okay, I am here. You are alright Little One. I am right here." He whispered to me, rubbing patterns on my back in a circular motion and his breath on the nape of my neck was sending a million butterflies in my stomach but I refused to let go.

" Breathe with me." He asked me once again, his hands dropping on my waist and pulling me even more closer to himself with a very gentle tug.

" Don't let go. Don't let go." I silently chanted the words like a prayer when I felt him scooping me in his arms but I refused to let go of my hold on his T-Shirt or open my eyes.

" I have held you to never let go, Siya." I heard his faint voice and finally after what seemed like a lifetime, I felt relaxed and assured, even when it was dark all around.

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