AYINA SHARMA:

The freshly baked aroma of various sweets filled my small kitchen as I hurriedly packed all the items into boxes of different colors. Today, I had received a special order from the royal family. It seemed they were celebrating something significant. Usually, customers have to come and pick up their orders, but as this was an order from the royals, I decided to deliver it myself.

Yeah. And it's not because you want to see him?

My mind questioned, but I ignored the thought as always.

After packing all the sweets, I went to change into a powder yellow anarkali suit, brushed my hair, and placed a white bindi on my forehead. That's when I noticed my beautiful white bangles and put them on. I love wearing bangles and the sound they make whenever I move my hands.

Are you sure it's because you love bangles or because someone else does?

Ignoring my persistent mind once again, I left my house with the boxes of sweets in hand. Usually, I make sweets in my small bakery shop in town, but today I made them at home as it was easier to deliver from there to the Rajmahal. It only took five minutes to reach the marvelous Rajput Mahal, as we lived just next to it in a servant's quarters. My father is a worker for the king and his trusted man, so the king has provided us a small quarters with three rooms within the Mahal's premises.

The guards smiled at me as they recognized me.

"Do you want help with these boxes, child?" Ramu Kaka asked as I entered the palace.

"No, but can you please tell me where Rajmata is?" I asked while carefully balancing the boxes in my hands.

"She's in the main hall talking with some guests," he said, and I nodded, following him.

Even though I had been coming to this place since childhood, I didn't know the current layout of the palace well because most of the time Rajmata didn't let me venture outside the kitchen. Though I respected her as the current Queen of the Rajputs, she had always hated me with a passion. She didn't like my closeness with Preeti, my childhood friend and the princess of this palace.

As we reached the main hall, I saw the family sitting together with some guests. I looked around but didn't find the person I was hoping to see. A sigh of disappointment escaped my throat. I again looked at Rajmata, who was stroking the head of a girl with great affection. It was the first time I had seen her show so much affection to someone other than her children. The girl looked around my age, wearing a blue saree that made her even more beautiful.

I waited for someone to notice me so I could leave as soon as possible. Staying here without his presence made me feel nervous and awkward. After a while, Preeti noticed me.

"Tum aagayi, Ayina?" she asked with a warm smile.

( " You came , Ayina ? ")

"Ji," I replied, smiling back.

( " Yes ")

"Kitne samay se tumhara intezar kar rahe the hum, ladki. Abhi khade khade kya dekh rahe ho? Jaake sabko mithai banto," I heard the stern voice of Rajmata and nodded my head, taking one box and handing the others to Ramu Kaka, who smiled at me with pity. I just smiled back.

("We have been waiting for you for so long, girl. What are you standing and staring at? Go and distribute sweets to everyone.")

"Par Maa Sa, yeh iska kaam nahi hai. Toh phir aap kyun isse karwa rahe ho?. Ye sab karne ke liye yaha bahut saare naukar hai " Preeti said, trying to defend me.

("But Maa Sa, this is not her job. So why are you making her do it? There are plenty of servants here to do all this.")

"Yeh bhi yaha naukar ki tarah hi reh raha hai. Tumhe ismein koi problem hai, ladki?" Rajmata asked. I shook my head and started distributing the sweets.

("She is also living here like a servant. Do you have any problem with doing it , girl?")

As I reached the girl, she smiled at me and declined the sweets.

"Kya hua Swara beta, aap mithai kyun nahi le rahe?" Rajmata asked so sweetly that I envied this girl named Swara.

( " What happened, Swara? Why are you not taking any sweets?" )

"Main mithai nahi khaati," Swara said, to which Rajmata smiled.

( " I don't eat sweets " )

"Aap toh bilkul Yuvraj ke tarah ho. Unko bhi mithai pasand nahi hai. You guys are perfect for each other," Rajmata said while Swara blushed.

( " You are just like our Prince. Even he doesn't like sweets. You guys are perfect for each other ")

' Kisne kaha unko mithai pasand nahi? Mera saara chocolates and cake toh unke pet mein hi jaate hai ' I want to say this but I didn't say anything.

( "Who said he doesn't like sweets? All my chocolates and cakes go into his stomach" )

Wait a minute, perfect for each other? What does that mean?

"Yeh kaun hai Rajmata?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

( " Who is this, Rajmata? " )

"Yeh humari hone wali bahu hai, Kartavya ki hone wali biwi aur is Udaipur ki hone wali Rani," Rajmata said with pride, shocking me to the core. My grip on the sweet box loosened, causing it to fall on Swara's saree.

("She is our future daughter-in-law, Kartavya's future wife, and the future queen of Udaipur.")

"Yeh kya kiya tumne, ladki? Aankhein kaha hai tumhari? Pura saree kharab kar diya," Rajmata said angrily. I just stood there, comprehending her earlier words.

("What have you done, girl? Where are your eyes? You ruined the entire saree.")

"Ab munh kya dekh rahe ho? Yeh sab saaf karo," she shouted, making me flinch. I knelt to pick up the sweets, tears clouding my eyes and blurring my vision.

( " Now what are you looking at? Clean this ")

"Yeh kya ho raha hai yaha?" A sudden voice boomed through the palace, stopping my actions, but I didn't dare to look up.

( " What is happening here? " )

"Yeh mithai galti se neeche gir gayi. Ab Maa Sa Ayina se yeh saaf karwa rahi hain," Preeti explained to her brother. I could feel his gaze on me, but I still didn't look up.

("The sweets accidentally fell on the floor. Now Maa Sa is making Ayina clean it up.")

"Aapse hum pehle bhi keh chuke hain aur aakhri baar keh rahe hain, Ayina yaha ki naukar nahi hai, aur vo yaha ka koi bhi kaam nahi karegi," his loud voice said in a warning tone. Nobody replied, and the room fell silent. The way he said my name made a shiver run down my spine. I heard footsteps nearing me.

(" I have told you before and I am telling you for the last time, Ayina is not a servant here, and she will not do any work here.")

"Uthiye," he said, and I stood up immediately, our eyes meeting. His gaze softened upon seeing the tears in my eyes. I wanted to ask him so many things, but I remained silent as everyone was present.

( " Get up " )

"Aap jaayiye," he whispered softly, and I left, overhearing the conversation behind me.

( " You can go " )

"Kartavya...aap aa gaye? Main aapka intezar kar rahi thi "  I heard Swara's happy voice.

( " Kartavya... You are here? I was waiting for you " )

I turned around, only to see her holding his hand, smiling at him. She was holding the hand of my husband.

Is this how heartbreak feels?