Page 111 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

“No, that will be your and your wife’s personal wealth.”

“It is a political marriage, Bhaisa. Nothing is personal,” he retorted, yet I shook my head.

“No, that wealth is for you and the princess. You can contribute a part of it, if you wish. But we cannot put it to use directly for the kingdom,” I said, and he looked down, sadly, when Agastya spoke.

“Bade Bhaisa is right, Bhaisa. You may lend us the money and we’ll return it once we are well off—”

“Who is lending to whom?” Suddenly, Nandani walked into the meeting hall, looking fresh and radiant. My eyes immediately fell on her neck. Although she had covered it with the dupatta, I could still see the outlines of the dark bruise.

“Ranvijay Bhaisa might lend to the royal treasury,” Agastya informed her, and I shot him a warning glance.

“Why so?” She asked as she swept in my direction and stood beside me elegantly.

“We’re looking for a source of revenue to rebuild the kingdom and working on people’s welfare,” Agastya said, and Ranvijay offered,“Please have a seat, Bhabhisa.”

I scooted a little for her to sit, and she looked closely at the papers.

“How long can we survive with what we have now?” She asked, sitting beside me, and I frowned at the sudden question.

The room went quiet for a moment.

Breaking the silence, Agastya answered in a distressed tone,“Hardly, five years, if nothing bad happens—no extra expenses covered. We might survive these years, but with no revenue growth,” she nodded thoughtfully.

“And how long until we rebuild the palace's outskirts and sponsor the people's food and education?” He gulped nervously, sneaking a glance at me, shaking his head lightly.

“The reconstruction of the outskirts of the palace will take almost eighty per cent of the royal treasure,” Ranvijay answered instead.

“With that, we will have only one year to survive,” Agastya said. She turned to me.

“Ranaji, we must start the reconstruction process as soon as possible,” she began, and I looked at her uncertainly.“What I mean to say is, if the subjects live closer to the palace, the gap between the royalty and the people will lessen. Commoners will show interest in joining the royal army and staff, eventually building trust between us. When our people have faith in us, the neighbouring states can also place their trust in us. They will see that you are here, not just to rule but to provide,” Tuning fully to face, she spoke seriously,“Your claim on the throne is not temporary. So have a vision—a long-term goal in mind. You can attract investments and loans by showing that we are prospering and ready to offer. Once we have the flow of revenue right, we can use that to strengthen our defence system,” she suggested.

“But, Bhabhisa, we cannot risk everything just for this. If, in between, we are attacked, we might not survive the war,” Ranvijay brought up, and I nodded.

“He’s got a point here,”

Taking a deep breath, she sat straight and said,“Then, I will takecharge of it. Let me sponsor,”

Suddenly, a wave of shock and silence echoed loudly in the hall. We all looked at her, stunned.

“How?” I asked, and she lowered her gaze.

“Since I cannot ask for any support from Mahableshgarh,” she spoke, gazing at me.“I will conduct an auction to sell the extra jewellery I received from my kingdom and have as the queen of Suryagarh.”

I immediately denied.“No,” my brothers also showed disagreement.

“Why?” she questioned. I looked at her, lifting my brows, daring her to repeat herself. She locked her eyes challengingly with me.

“Those ornaments are mine. I can use them however I want. And I want to help. It is better to do it this way than simply donating them.”

I shook my head.“No, that's not happening,” I said.

“Why? They are mine. I can use them as I want,” she retorted with unwavering determination.

“No, Nandani, that is not happening. You’re right. They are yours, not meant to be spent on the kingdom’s affairs. So, it’s a no,” I clarified, and she immediately stood up.

“Then, I’m not asking you,” she exclaimed, and I inhaled a deep breath, not believing how she could say that.

“What do you mean?” I asked, and she looked at me like she had decided.

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