jagadeka veerudu athiloka sundari - part ten
Masterlist
(A/N- it's been a long long looooong time eh? apologies for the delay, I just had a massive brain block. so this one's for you! also happy new year guys, all the love to you.
~juhi <3)
Aarya woke up feeling refreshed, her heart light surprisingly. She knew she was surrounded by the enemy force who was waiting for her to make the wrong move but the only thing she could focus on was the fact that she was getting married to a man she thought she hated until a few days ago, and suddenly she couldn’t imagine her life without. Her akandas glowed a dull grey as the sunlight fell on them, and she frowned as she picked them up. “That doesn’t seem right.” She murmured as the dull grey enveloped her hand, spreading chills to every part of her that they touched.
She shrugged as she set them down and freshened up, walking out of her room.
The servants greeted her with immense respect, their eyes shining with something akin to fear and disbelief as she strolled past them all. “Where’s Bhalla?” She turned and asked, making one of the servants step away uneasily. “Er, His Majesty is still in his room. But we advise you not-” “I’ll get him out then, thank you.”
Aarya waltzed to Bhalla’s room, knocking twice and walking in after she heard no response. She looked around, frowning when she didn’t spot him. “Bhalla!” She called out, her frown deepening as she saw no sign of him. She exhaled, twisting the ring on her finger when a voice rang in the room, “At your service.”
Aarya’s breath hitched, turning around as she saw Bhalla step out of his washroom, hair wet and his loincloth clinging around his waist loosely. Steam came off his body, making him suddenly look all the more like a God. Her face flushed violently as she took a step back, turning away when her knee hit a table, making her buckle. Bhalla surged forward, wrapping his arm around her waist to steady her as he smirked down at her. “Instead of falling because of things, fall for me next time, will you?”
She just rolled her eyes, trying to stop the blood rushing to her cheeks as he stepped closer to her. “You have to- oh!” She slipped again as her knees gave out because of the bed behind her and she fell onto it, looking up as Bhalla placed both his arms on either side of her. Her eyes widened and he leaned in to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes dropping to her lips. “Your face is red, you’re sweating in my room and it’s generally cold this time of the year in Mahishmati. Is this because of me?”
“No,” Aarya huffed, her eyes falling shut as Bhalla nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck, his warm breath tickling her. “I’m still not used to your kingdom. Sundarsi is so much colder than here, in case you haven’t noticed.” “Is that so?” He murmured into her skin, tracing his fingers across her waist and revelling in her shivers. “I haven’t noticed, really. I was focused… elsewhere.”
“Flattery won’t get you anywhere.” Bhalla looked up for a moment, his eyes twinkling as they raked over her hungrily. “I have you on my bed now without flattering you, Aarya. Do you want me to start flattery now?” His hand on Aarya’s bare back slipped up, toying with the strings of her blouse while Aarya tried in vain to push him away. “Behave yourself, will you? This isn’t right.”
“You’re mine, and this is something everyone knows now. If people question my actions and affections I’ll serve their heads to you on a golden platter.” A smile crept on her face, still trying to get distance between both of them. “Although,” Bhalla pulled away, a smirk on his face when Aarya tried to fight the frown off her face. “I like listening to you, and you told me to behave.”
He got off the bed and pulled her to her feet, smirking at her visible anger. “What brings you over to my room? Is there anything not right with the services? I could-” “No, it’s none of that,” Aarya interrupted him, her eyes darting around his room as she walked around, all of her interest suddenly on the intricate works on the walls. “I was just… I wanted to see you and your kingdom, and who better to show me the place than you?”
Bhalla’s face softened as he observed her, a smile making its way onto his face as he waltzed over to her. “You needn’t ask, I’ll show you my kingdom. Come, get ready and I’ll show you everything.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and she smiled, brushing past him to leave his room.
His eyes locked on the akanda she left by his bedside, frowning at its dull grey glow as he picked it up, studying it. “Kattappa!” The general walked in, bowing to Bhalla who continued to study the stone. “I want you to do something for me.”
— — —
Bhalla waited in the stables, pacing around as he waited for Aarya to arrive, when Kattappa approached him with a frown. “Something is wrong in Sundarsi, Your Majesty. And it seems all the priests of their temples are worried about it, because whatever is happening over there, it’s not their doing. Either that, or someone is forcing an insider to do something.”
Bhalla’s frown deepened as he watched Kattappa put out the akandas, whose glow got weaker, flickering dark grey. “When a Sundarsi citizen uses their stones, they glow as white as the moon. Sometimes, the glow could change, but they never felt cool to touch when being used, or turned grey. It has started since their queen has come here, and now their general wants her back in Sundarsi.”
“What’s going on?”
The men looked up, watching Aarya walk in with a frown on her face. “Is there something wrong, Bhalla?” He shook his head, stepping forward and holding his hand out for her to take. He spared Kattappa a final glance as he shoved the stones out of her view while Bhalla helped Aarya onto a horse.
“Come now, let me show you my world.”
— — —
Hushed whispers echoed in the halls as Aarya swatted Bhalla’s wandering hands away, glaring fleetingly at him while he rolled his eyes, following her. “It was supposed to be a tour around your kingdom, Bhalla, not an opportunity for you to-” “I know, my queen. You don’t have to scold me so much.” He stared at her strutting figure and scoffed silently, his glare shifting to the soldiers guarding the halls. “Even my mother didn’t scold me the way you always do.”
“Well then, you better get used to this, my king. You’ll get an earful daily if you don’t mend your ways after we wed.” Bhalla smirked, opening his mouth when Aarya yelled out in shock, her bracelet snapping off and falling. The akanda at the very centre shattered in the air as the pieces fell to the ground, black as the night. Aarya held her wrist, wincing as Bhalla rushed to her, cradling her hand delicately in his while they stared at the broken stone in concern.
“This- this has never happened before,” Aarya mumbled, her eyes frantic as they looked to Bhalla, “Our stones are the strongest, this is not supposed to happen, Bhalla, what’s going on? This is a very bad omen, have I gone wrong anywhere?”
He shushed her, bringing her closer while Kattappa ran into the hall, eyes wide. “Your Majesties, please follow me.” They followed him as they all entered the courtroom, seeing the officials of Sundarsi present too.
Anjasi and Sadhana bowed, their frowns evident as they made way for the head priest to approach Aarya. “Your Majesty, there’s someone here to see you.” He said gravely, guiding Aarya and Bhalla to the palace doors. “Guruji, what’s happening? The akandas, they’re not supposed to-”
“Perhaps,” He sighed, staring at the man who walked through the doors of Bhalla’s palace, “he is your answer.”
Aarya turned, her face turning pale as she stared, the man kneeling down in front of her. Bhalla observed as the man kneeling took Aarya’s hand in his, bringing it to his forehead while the others filled the hall. Anjasi and Sadhana watched him with uncertainty, their grip on their weapons tight while Aarya pulled her hand away, stepping back.
“I apologise for keeping you waiting all these years, Your Majesty,” Rudra said, looking up at Aarya as though her eyes held all the answers in the universe. “But now, I have returned to make you mine again.”
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