Page 57 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

I offered her a grateful smile. After she finished, I took the empty plates back and handed them to the attendees. I returned to my chamber. Suman wasn't back yet.

I wanted to meet him, ensure he had eaten, tend to his wounds, but I didn't know where he was. Thinking that lying in bed would do no good, I got up and went to the guards standing outside my chamber.

I had to find him or make him come to me.

“Can you let Ranaji know that I asked for him?” I requested.

“Yes, Ranisa,” he said, and bowed before leaving. On my way back to the bedroom, I asked one of the attendants to bring food, herbal paste, and gauze to dress his wounds. Shortly after, she returned with everything I had requested. I told her to place it on the table.

After a long wait, he traversed into the chamber.

“You called me Ranisa,” he playfully addressed me, saunteringcloser. I looked at him, amazed; my breath caught in my throat, yet I managed to nod.

I didn't know why, but after the wedding, every time his eyes captivated mine in intense contact, a swirling sensation sparked in my gut, like tiny birds flapping their wings inside.

He stood before me in a simple, plain maroon kurta, yet I found him attractive. Was it his chiseled features? Or his strong physique? Or the way he looked at me, as if he was stripping away not just my clothes, but my skin, my sanity, with just his eyes?

“Why? Everything alright?”

I found him standing mere inches apart and immediately turned my gaze south.“Have you got your wounds dressed?” I muttered in a low tone, gathering myself to look back at him.

“Not yet,” he answered, and I moved forward with the bit of courage I had and said,“Let me do it.” He receded his steps and looked at the food and medicine on the table.

“I've so much work to do.” He said. He was about to leave, but I held his wrist.

“Rudra, aap lad lijiye humse, jhagad lijiye, bol dijiye jo bolna hai, rulaana hai toh rula bhi dijiye, kintu apna adhikaar toh jataaiye hum par. Hum nahi keh rahein hain ki humse prem kijiye, parantu humein apni patni ke roop mein toh sweekaar kijiye,”(Rudra, fight with me, argue with me, tell me whatever you want to, make me cry even, but at least express your rights on me. I'm not telling you to love me, but please accept me as your wife) I desperately pleaded, my tone quivered, and he turned around to look at me.

“Everyone here addresses you as Ranisa, doesn't that mean you’re my wife?” He remarked, pulling away from my hold. I stepped closer and shook my head.

“No, that doesn't mean I am your wife. I'll not be considered your wife until you treat me like one. Actually, let’s just drop this. Yes, I'm your wife, and yes, they call me Ranisa,” I stated, wiping the tears off my face and adding,“So now take your kurta off and take a seat.” I pointed towards the couch, giving him a stern look.

He stared at me for a few moments; however, he pulled off his kurta and sat on the couch. I picked up the medicine bowl and sat beside him. I closely observed the wound on his upper arm and applied the herbal paste.

“I’m allowing you to do this only because you're worried forme,” He mumbled softly.

I glanced at him once. Bringing my attention to his wound, I remarked,“Oh, thank god, you can see I am worried. It would've been better if you had realised my feelings earlier.” His constant gaze on me made a sudden warmth spread across my face.

“Nandani, can I ask you something?” He asked, and I nodded,“Ji,”

“Will you answer honestly?” I lifted my gaze and blinked at him, nodding again.“You loved me so much, so why did you sleep with him?” I swallowed and went back again to dressing his cuts.

“You loved me, too. So, why did you leave me? Why did you break my heart?” Dodging his question, I retorted in a low tone.

“How do you know I loved you?” He counter-questioned.

Shifting my focus from his upper arm to the wound on his forearm, I stated,“You raised your sword against your soldiers, went against your Badi Maa and battled with the previous king to marry me. I bet it wasn't just for revenge.”

Inhaling a deep breath, he proclaimed,“But, I don't love you.” I narrowed my eyes at him and countered,“So why did you marry me? You should've just let me marry him and have his children.”

He sighed.“We had a history, and I didn’t want you to become my aunt.”

I knelt in front of him on the floor and moved my fingers close to his stomach.“This is it. It means you would've let me marry anyone,”

And he immediately responded,“Of course.” I looked at him, astounded.

Dropping my shoulders, I shook my head and tended to his wound.

I stayed silent after that, neither looking at him nor asking anything. There was no point in talking when he had nothing to offer me.

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