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Rajgarh Palace – Queen’s Chambers – Early Morning

Aarohi stood by the window, wrapped in her shawl. The cool breeze drifted in, carrying the faint fragrance of roses from the garden below.

In her hands was the scroll Aviraj had given her the previous night.

She hadn’t opened it right away.

Because truth wasn’t the problem.

"Bharosa wapas banane mein waqt lagta hai," she murmured, tracing the royal seal with her thumb.

---

Flashback – Last Night’s Moment

His voice still echoed in her mind:

> “Tum mujhse door chali jao, lekin jhooth ke saath nahi. Tumhe sach ka haq hai.”

He hadn’t begged. He hadn’t defended too much.

He had just… looked tired. Human. Aviraj. Not the crown.

---

Palace Kitchen – Later That Morning

Aarohi surprised the staff when she walked in herself.

“Rani-sa?” the chef stammered.

“Bas thoda halwa banana hai,” she smiled faintly. “Aaj kisi ko zarurat hai meetha khane ki.”

---

Aviraj’s Chambers – Midday

Aviraj paced barefoot, his hair slightly messy, wearing a plain cream kurta. The mighty CEO, the royal heir, looked more like a worried schoolboy awaiting exam results.

“Usne file li thi… par kuch kaha nahi,” he mumbled. “Shayad... woh phir se dur ja rahi hai?”

He looked at the clock. Then the door.

Then—a knock.

He jumped to open it, trying to act composed but failing.

She stood there, holding a silver plate.

“Yeh kya hai?” he asked, startled.

She didn’t answer. Just walked in.

Placed the plate on the table. A small bowl of warm halwa and a glass of kesar milk.

He blinked. “Tum... khud banaya?”

She nodded, softly. “Tumhe yaad hai bachpan mein jab tumhare exam kharab hote the, kya mangte the?”

He smiled, boyishly. “Halwa.”

She sat on the sofa, calm and poised. He walked over and took a spoonful, smiling with eyes closed.

“Perfect,” he whispered. Then peeked at her.

“Tum... maaf kar rahi ho?”

She didn’t answer.

Just pulled a cushion and hugged it to her chest, eyes lost in thought.

“Maafi ek din mein nahi milti, Aviraj,” she said finally. “Par kabhi kabhi... ek chammach halwa bhi kaafi hota hai shuruat ke liye.”

---

They sat in silence. But not the heavy one anymore.

This silence had space in it. A little warmth. A little pain. A little us.

---

Balcony – Later

Aviraj stood beside her, both sipping coffee now.

He looked at her side-eyed. “Tum pehle jaisi banti kyun nahi ho?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Kaunsi waali?”

He shrugged. “Jo mujhe sunane mein bhi hass padti thi.”

She chuckled softly. “Aur tum waise kyun nahi bante jaise pehle the? Jo har baat pe zidd karta tha?”

He turned to her, mischievously. “Mujhe toh lagta hai main abhi bhi wahi hoon.”

He picked up a rose from the table, bent on one knee like a child doing drama, and offered it to her.

“Ranisa Aarohi Aviraj raghuvanshi, kya aap mujhe do minute ka smile dengi?”

She bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

“Tum pagal ho,” she whispered.

He grinned. “Aur tum meri ho. Bas thoda bhool gaya tha.”

She took the rose without a word.

But that smile?

She gave it.

---

Inside – Later That Night

Aarohi sat near the window again, holding the rose.

She hadn’t said "I forgive you."

She hadn’t promised forever.

But something had shifted.

She touched her mangalsutra lying in the drawer, but didn’t wear it yet.

Instead, she whispered:

“Aaj ek kadam usne liya. Kal shayad main bhi le paun.”

---

In His Chambers – Same Time

Aviraj was lying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling.

“Usne haan nahi kaha,” he said to himself.

Then grinned.

“Par naa bhi nahi boli.”

He clutched the empty halwa bowl to his chest dramatically like a teddy bear.

“Meri rani… waapas aa rahi hai.”

---

Final Scene – Palace Garden, Midnight

Both stepped out separately, without knowing the other was there.

And ended up under the same tree.

They paused.

He looked at her.

She looked away—then slowly leaned her head against the tree bark.

Aviraj walked over, careful not to make it too dramatic.

He didn’t say anything.

Just sat next to her.

Their hands didn’t touch. Their words didn’t join. But their hearts?

Maybe. Just maybe.

They were learning to speak again.

Without saying a word.

---

Rajgarh Palace – Royal Library – Late Morning

The sun filtered through antique glass windows, casting golden patterns on the polished floor. Aarohi sat curled up with a book, though her eyes weren’t really reading.

A familiar shadow fell across the floor. She looked up.

Aviraj stood there, holding two kulhads of chai.

“Yeh lo… adrak wali,” he said, smiling gently. “Tumhara favorite.”

She blinked in surprise. “Tumne banayi?”

He grinned childishly. “Nahi… par banwaayi maine khud se.”

He held it out like an offering.

She hesitated, then took it. “Thanks.”

They sipped in silence. Outside, the palace gardens buzzed softly with birdsong.

After a moment, Aviraj said:

“Tum wapas padh rahi ho, matlab... tum mujhe ignore nahi kar rahi.”

Aarohi smirked slightly, without looking up.

“Main tumse naraaz hoon… par tumhare chai wale effort se thoda impressed bhi hoon.”

He clutched his heart dramatically. “Waah… rani-sa ke mooh se compliment? Isse toh Raj Sabha mein record karwana chahiye.”

She laughed quietly, a sound he had missed deeply.

---

Royal Stables – Afternoon

Aarohi gently stroked her horse, Tara. She sensed Aviraj behind her before he spoke.

“You remember… we used to race here,” he said, hands behind his back.

She turned. “You always cheated.”

He shrugged. “Main toh bas shortcut leta tha.”

She gave him a long look, then spoke softly:

“Tumhare life mein bhi shortcut lena band karo, Aviraj. Especially jab rishte ki baat ho.”

He nodded slowly, the words landing like soft truths.

“Is baar... har modh pe tumhare saath chalne ka irada hai.”

---

Elsewhere in the Palace – West Wing – Secret Strategy Room

Veer Sahni sat before a sprawling map of Rajgarh, eyes sharp like daggers.

A junior aide entered. “Sir, Yuvraj-sa and Rani-sa ek saath nazar aaye aaj library mein. Chai pi rahe the.”

Veer’s hands curled into fists.

“Nahi… yeh toh nahi hona chahiye tha.”

He stood, pacing.

“Us ladki ko sirf sach nahi... Aviraj ka pyaar bhi wapas mil gaya toh hamara pura game khatam ho jaayega.”

Another aide asked hesitantly, “Par unke beech abhi bhi distance hai, sir...?”

Veer smirked.

“Mohabbat jab lautne lage… toh kuch palon ka sukoon hi basti bacha leta hai. Mujhe woh basti jalaani hai.”

---

Rajgarh Art Gallery – Sunset

Aviraj led Aarohi into the grand hallway of ancestral portraits.

She raised an eyebrow. “Kya yeh royal tour hai ya tumhare bachpan ke photos dikhane ka excuse?”

He grinned, pointing at a massive oil painting.

“That’s my great-grandfather—Maharaj Ajaysingh Raghuvanshi. Wahi jinhone pehla treaty banaya tha Anglo-Raj se.”

“Hmm,” Aarohi said. “Kaafi khadus dikhte hain.”

“Bilkul meri tarah,” he added cheekily.

She rolled her eyes.

Then, he stopped in front of a half-covered canvas.

She looked at it.

Blank.

“What’s this?”

He inhaled deeply.

“Yeh hamara hai. Tumhara aur mera. Maine artist ko bola tha—Rani Aarohi ke bina yeh frame adhoora hai.”

She looked at him, stunned.

“Tum abhi bhi... hum dono ke liye soch rahe ho?”

He stepped closer, not touching.

“Har din. Har ghadi. Tumse door ho kar samjha—rajya sambhalna aasaan tha… par rishtey ka bojh tabhi uthane layak hote hain jab pyaar samjha jaye.”

She didn't answer.

Instead, she turned to the canvas, gently brushing her fingers along its edge.

A small sigh escaped her lips—part pain, part soft acceptance.

---

West Wing – Veer Sahni’s Private Chamber – Same Time

Veer slammed a drawer shut.

“Agar unka rishtey ka rang wapas bhar gaya... toh main is game ka raja nahi ban paunga.”

He turned to his aide. “Unka trust todhne ka naya plan chahiye. Ek aakhri vaar.”

He picked up a photo of Aarohi—one taken by a palace guard secretly.

“Uske dil ko hila do… aur Aviraj toot jayega.”

---

Balcony – Midnight

Aarohi leaned against the cold marble rail, arms wrapped around herself.

Aviraj came quietly.

He offered her a small box—wrapped in velvet.

She opened it.

Inside: a pair of silver anklets.

“Tumhe yaad hai? Tumne ek baar kaha tha... ‘Raja ho ya sipahi, payal ki chhanchhan har dil ko sukoon deti hai.’”

She laughed, soft and real.

“You actually remember that?”

He looked away, bashful. “Main na... tumhare har woh lafz yaad rakhta hoon, jo tum bhool gayi.”

There was silence again.

But this time, it hummed gently, like an old song finding its rhythm again.

Aarohi looked at the anklets.

She didn’t say thank you.

She didn’

t wear them.

But she didn’t return them either.

Signal clear tha.

---

Final Scene – Veer’s Chamber

Veer lit a cigar, staring out at the moon.

“Game shuru ho chuka hai,” he whispered. “Aarohi aur Aviraj ke beech ka naya bharosa… meri sabse badi chhoot banne wala hai.”

“Ab chahiye ek jhooth, jo sacch se zyada gehra lage.”

End of chapter

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