Agam POV 

One minute she was standing and the next minute she collapsed on the floor. 

Everybody noticed this and a chaos started, I run towards her, sitting on the floor beside her. 

I bring her head on my lap and pat her cheeks gently saying, 

'Mohini, aankhein kholiye apni. Kya hua apko?' 

'Mohini, open your eyes. What happened to you?' 

Seeing her like this hit me in the gut. I pushed her away from me. I even made her hate me then why did this happen? 

Please don't leave me, Mohini. 

No, no, please. Don't let happen anything. 

My breathing becomes shallow, panic rising in. I shake her violently to wake her up. 

My vision grows hazy remembering my mother. 

She collapsed on the floor infront of me with her face turned to me and I could see her lifeless eyes looking at me. 

A strong hand comes on me which makes the haze go away. 

But still worst-case scenarios goes through my mind thinking for the reason why she collapsed and sweat started coating my skin. 

Which intensified as the scenarios becoming more and more horrifying. 

Viraj shakes me and says, 

'Aap iss tarah uske koi kaam nahi aaenge. Sirf behosh huyi hai. Kamre mein leke chalo Bhabhisaa ko.' 

'You will be of no use to her like this. She has fainted only. Let's take Bhabhisa into the room.' 

He is right I am no help to her like this. So I control my emotions. 

I carry her in my arms to our room with everyone following me. I lay her down on the bed when vaidya ji enter the room. 

I lay her against me not wanting her away from me till I know she is okay. 

I notice her lips which are always glossy, are looking dry and chapped right now. 

Physician checks her pulse, then her eyes and say, 

'Bai-sa ko sirf kamzori hai, lagta hai kuch khaya nahi hai. Kuch khalengi toh thik ho jaengi.' 

'Bai-sa is just feeling weak, it seems she hasn't eaten anything. If she eat something she will be fine.' 

When she leaves, I roar out, 

'SWATI!!!'  

She comes running to me and I ask her in low, deadly voice, 

'Inhone kuch kyun nahi khaya hai? Aapko inka khayal rakhne ke liye bhi rakha hai. Toh phir ye kese hua?' 

'Why hasn't she eaten anything? You have also been hired to take care of her. So how did this happen?' 

She replies in fear, 

'She has kept fast for Raja-sa's birthday on the say of Badi Bai-sa. She can only eat after every Brahmin has eaten.' 

Bua-sa comes forward with a frown and says angrily to Swati, 

'I didn't force her to keep the fast. She could have denied it.' 

Then she turns to me and say, 

'Aur unhone ne sirf aadhe din se khana nahi khaya hai. Itne mein kaun behosh ho jata hai bhala. Aaj kal ki ladkiyan bas phool kumari hoti hai. 

'And she has not eaten food for just half a day. Who faints in only this? Nowadays girls are just delicate like flowers. 

Arre ye toh ek din ka bhi vrat nahi rakh paayi. Tab kya hoga jab inhe pure din vrat rakhna hoga woh bhi nirjala, aapke liye. Ye toh aapko maar dalengi.' 

Hey, she couldn't keep fast even for a day. What will happenwhen she will have to fast for the whole day and that too without water, for you. This will kill you.' 

I am getting angry by her words which shows that she doesn't care about her this state or grateful for what she did today even after I hurt her so much. 

I roar out, 

'Toh marde, na rakhe vrat,  hume antar nahi padta, par hume antar padta hai ki ye saans le rahi ya nahi.' 

'So kill me, don't keep fasts. It doesn't matter to me whether she fasts or not, but what matters is whether she is breathing or not.' 

She looks shocked at my outburst and hurt so I say calmly, 

'I don't want to hurt you Bua-sa but her health is also important, I don't care about rituals if it hurts her.' 

I see Swati wants to say something but she is holding herself back looking at Bapusaa. 

I ask her calmly, 

'Tell me, you want to say something, so speak.' 

She replies hesitantly, 

'Bai-sa fainted because she hadn't eaten anything from yesterday and last night too not even a drop of water. She had locked herself in the room not opening even for the food.' 

This angers me and guilt sits heavy inside me. 

This is what I did yesterday that she hurt herself unknowingly. 

I order Swati, 

'Prepare the plate for her and bring it. And Naina bring a glass of water.' 

They both scurry away and Bua-sa comes forward saying, 

'Brahmins haven't eaten anything, breaking fast like this isn't good for Bhaisaa.' 

I look at her disbelief, I can't believe what she is saying, can't she see the state of Mohini. 

Bapusaa says, 

'I don't care. Agam makes sure she is fed before she enters the temple.' 

When he see Bua-sa is going to protest he just drags her with him saying, 

'Let's go we have to welcome Brahmins and feed them.' 

I can see the question in his eyes but he doesn't question me there about what happened that made her lock herself in the room. 

Everyone leaves giving me the concerned looks. 

Naina comes and hands me the water, I gently sprinkle it on her face. 

She slowly opens her beautiful eyes on me which brings the breath back in me. 

When she notices our position she scrambles away from me. Naina leaves us. 

Swati enters the room with plate filled with food and keeps it on the floor. 

Mohini frowns at her and ask in signs to which Swati replies, 

'Yuvraj called for the plate for you to eat because you fainted due to weakness.' 

She shakes her head. I knew she will act stubbornly. 

When she moves to leave, I move to her and hold her back while I order Swati, still looking at Mohini, 

'Hume akela chhod dijiye.' 

'Leave us alone.' 

I could see the rising panic in her eyes at the thought of being alone with me which is like a punch to my gut which I deserve. 

Swati leaves us alone. 

I have to do this. I bring the plate to her which she refuses by shaking her head so I keep it on the bed then move towards her. 

I pick her up, making her so shocked that she doesn't react until I place her on the bed. 

Then she tries to move away, but I straddle her lower body. She tries to move me away and beats my chest. 

I take her both hands and tie them behind her. I am so close to her that she tries to bite my neck, but I move away at last. 

I pant not because of the struggle, but being so close to her. 

I smirk at her and say, 

'I know I am too tasty and you are so hungry that you can't help yourself but lets keep it for later when I also can eat you in return.' 

Her cheeks flare with anger, and she glares at me like that will separate my head from my body. 

I bring the plate and say, 

'Ya toh aap chup chaap humare haath se khana kha lijiye ya phir hum aapko jabardasti khaana khilaye jisme annpurna devi ka apmaan hoga, hume nahi lagta aap aisa chahengi.' 

'Either you quietly eat food from my hands, or I force you to eat, which would be an insult to Annapurna Devi. I don't think you would want that.' 

She doesn't give me the answer, just glares at me, so I say, 

'Humare 3 ginte takk mein aapne munh nahi khola toh hum jabardasti karne mein majboor ho jaenge.' 

'If you don't open your mouth during our count to 3, I will be forced to do so.' 

And I start counting, 

'Ek, aap janti hai ki hum jo kehte hai woh karte hai.' 

'One, you know I do what I say.' 

She looks like if she had a dagger she would hurt me for doing this, 

'Do, akhri avasar, Mohini.' 

'Two, last chance, Mohini.' 

She doesn't open her mouth so I make a huge bite, 

'Teen.' 

'Three.' 

She opens her mouth, seeing such a huge bite, she is scared. I make it small and feed her. 

In between, she tries to bite my fingers in anger, and I try to hide my smile. 

Because she thinks she is hurting me, but she is just turning me on. My little tigress. 

I feed her slowly, whole food. I wash my hands, then release her hands. 

She jumps out the bed, glares at me, then she raises both her hand then curles them away in frustration. 

She then cutely stomps out of the room. 

I quitely joins everyone in temple but I don't see Mohini. After some time I see her standing outside the temple dining hall. 

I move to her and ask, 

'Why are you standing outside?' 

She signs something at Swati, which she tells me, 

'Bai-sa is menstruating, that's why she can't enter the temple.' 

I frown and reply, 

'These things don't happen in our kingdom.' 

She signs again, and Swati translates, 

'She knows, but if anyone enters the temple, they have to be clean, and she hasn't taken a bath after her menstruation started, so she won't enter, but her presence is needed.' 

I nod, then stand beside her if she can't take part in the festivities, then I will also. 

After the brahmins have eaten, they bless my father, his empire and us also. 

We bid them from a distance. Mohini frowns at my distance from Brahmin and from the festivities, but doesn't ask. 

For two days, gift distribution goes on, which keeps my father busy from asking questions about Mohini's situation of locking herself. 

Like a coward, I hole myself up in my library office. 

Mohini doesn't engage in the gift distribution as she is menstruting and she sleeps on the couch due to these reasons. 

But I know even if this wasn't her condition, she would still sleep on the couch. 

When I try to talk to her either she looks at me with blank face or she sighs, shakes her head then walk away. 

She acts like only I have hurt her, like she didn't hurt me. 

But deep inside, I know that my hurting her doesn't have any space for doubt, but her hurting me has a large space for doubt. 

She can't talk or speak but she would always interact with her simple gestures or write it on paper or just through her eyes which spoke more than anything. 

I miss those interactions, the flare of desire or anger in her eyes. I didn't realise, but those became the highlight of my day. 

I am sitting in my office, spinning my dagger in my hands, digging its sharp points into my fingertips, when I hear, 

'Yuvraj, can I come inside?' 

I look up to see Swati standing there. With a flick of my wrist, I allow her to come inside, then I ask, 

'What happened? Did something happen to Mohini?'  

She nervously shifts on her steps, so I frustatingly snap at her, 

'Can you just speak up? I am not going to kill you.' 

She speaks in fear, 

'Humne ek daasi ko apna samaan bandhte hue suna ki woh yaha se jaa rahi ki isse pehle aapko ye pata chale ki uski galti ki wajah se Rani-sa ke chitron mein aag lagi.' 

'I heard a maid packing her things and leaving from here before you realised that because of her mistake, Rani-sa's painting caught fire.' 

At her words, all the air wooshed out of me, and loud ringing is all I can hear. I hang the dagger in my inner side, then I ask her in a deadly voice, 

'Go, bring that attendee right now to the main hall.' 

I ask another attendee to gather Naina, Avantika and Mohini. I see Viraj and Ekansh coming, so I also tell them to accompany me. 

We gather in the hall when Swati brings the attendee who looks like she has been roughened up a little bit with small cuts on her face and purple bruise under her eyes. 

I ask Swati about her injuries, in response to which she shrugs and says that how she found her. 

I stepped closer to her and ask, 

'Did you burn those paintings?' 

Her eyes widen in fear, she steps back into Swati, who glares at her. She falls to my feet and starts crying and pleading, 

'Hume kshama kar dijiye Yuvraj, humse galti ho gayi, hum toh sirf diya lekar andar jaa rahe the, galti se humare haath se diya chitra par gir gaya. Hum darr gaye the isliye waha se bhaag gaye.' 

'Please forgive me, Prince, I made a mistake, I was just walking inside with a lamp, but by mistake the lamp from my hand fell on the picture. That's why I ran away from there.' 

I indicate to Swati to pick her up, she does, then I ask her with anger visible in my tone, 

'Toh aapne socha kyun na Bai-sa ko phasa de, unke haath ke nishaan wala diya gira de uske upar.' 

'So you thought, why not trap Bai-sa, drop the lamp stand with her handprint on it.' 

She shakes in fear and says scaredly, 

'I-I k-knew tha-at you were not on g-good t-terms, so I-I put it on her and I-I d-didn't t-thought you w-will p-punish h-her as b-bad.' 

I try to calm myself down by breathing deeply. I say, 

'Pack your things and leave Suryagarh this instant.' 

She looks scared and begs, 

'Sarkar, humare liye Suryagarh hi ghar hai, hum pe kripa kare, hume desh nikala na de.' 

'Sarkar, Suryagarh is my home, please be kind to me, don't expel me from the country.' 

I hate liars, cheaters and backstabbers. I can't tolerate her. 

I feel hands on my shoulders to see Mohini shaking her head at me, then she signs at Swati. 

Swati looks at me and says, 

'Bai-sa wants her to leave this palace, but not Suryagarh and ensure that she gets work here.' 

Everyone sucks a breath as no one even Bapusaa doesn't contradict my decisions or orders. 

I nod my head because I will hand over my self-respect even if she asks for it now. 

She still has that blank face on her when she looks at me, then she leaves me there. 

Swati takes the attendee away. 

I enter my office when Viraj and Ekansh enter also, and Viraj says, 

'We have some good news for you.' 

I lazily sit there waiting for them to continue. My mind is stuck on how to make up to her. 

Ekansh perks up and says, 

'Maybe we can help him out of this pathetic situation he is in first.' 

Viraj nods as if considering the suggestion. 

I narrow my eyes at them and ask, 

'Do you have a wife or any plans of getting married soon?' 

Ekansh smiles and says, 

'Not after seeing your pathetic condition.' 

Viraj smiles at that, so I snap, 

'No wife, no opinions.' 

Ekansh pouts but quiets down. Viraj sighs at his childish behaviour, then says, 

'We have found the man who targeted Mohini in the ashram during your stay there.' 

Hearing that, I sit up straight and ask him, 

'Where is he?' 

Ekansh now all serious answers me.

'Maybe tomorrow or the day after. He will be here soon.' 

Hot rage boils through me at remembering the incident. I didn't trust anyone here, so I asked them both to find out the people who attacked us. 

I wasn't going to leave that person just because he hid. He hurt my wife, my Mohini. 

I rub my hands in anticipation of torturing him. 

A knock comes from my door. I look up to see Swati standing there, I nod my head for her to enter. 

She hesitantly steps inside and tries to cover her head. 

I sigh at her exasperatedly and say, 

'They will not kill you either, Swati.' 

But she still covers her face, so I ask, 

'Did she go away?' 

She nods her head and tells me that Mohini has already prepared a job for her in Suryagarh. 

When she turns to leave, an idea pops into my head, so I stop her and ask her, 

'Aapko pata hai, ki Mohini ko aisa kya pasand hai jo hum kar sake, matlab jise unki narazgi chali jaye.' 

'Do you know what Mohini likes that I can do, meaning, which will make her anger go away?' 

She smiles softly, while Ekansh tries a poor job of covering his laughter with a cough while Viraj is trying to hold back his smile. 

She answers me after thinking for a long, 

'She says she misses her state, and Pooran-Poli is her favourite and very famous there. She even taught me the recipe.'

I nod and think about it. I say to her, 

'Pooran-Poli it is.' 

She nods her head and asks me, 

'Should I tell the master cook to make it with my recipe?' 

I shook my head and say, 

'No, I will tell you what to do, you can go now.' 

Viraj and Ekansh raises their brow at me but I don't answer them instead I get down to business with them. 

Swati leaves us. 

After they both leave, I call for Swati. She comes and I ask, 

'Can you help me to make it?' 

She jerks back, looking shocke,d but keeps her mouth shut as she is in no position to question me, but tells me, 

'I can't leave Bai-sa for long, she will get suspicious.' 

I just tell her, 

'You work around it.' 

She wants to say something, but she just nods and goes from there. 

After some time, she comes back and leads me to the kitchen quietly. She tells everyone to leave us. 

We get down to work. After 2 fails, we finally made the sweet dish, a favourite of Mohini. 

It can be said that Swati made it 60%, and I made it 40%. 

I tell her to bring it when I say. 

I enter my room to find Mohini flipping pages of her book. She looks up briefly then again got down to her reading. 

I sit beside her and clear my throat, she looks up again waiting for me to speak when I don't she again focuses on her book. 

I clear my throat again. She looks up with a frown. 

Yeah. Right, What the fuck? What is stuck in your throat that you can't even speak? 

I call out, 

'Andar le aaiye.' 

'Bring it inside.' 

Her gaze moves to Swati entering with the sweet dish, keeps it on the table in front of us. 

She looks back at me to explain, but I'm sweating thinking, 

What if she doesn't like it? What if this makes things worse? This was a stupid idea. But now I have to go through it. 

I clear my throat again and see Swati making 👌 hand gesture at me to give me go go-ahead. I raise my eyebrow at her. 

She swallows and tucks back her hand, then leaves us. 

I say in a rush, 

'I heard you are missing your home, and this is your favourite that reminds you of your home state. So I asked the master cook to make it for you. 

I also wanted to apologise to you for what I did to you without even listening to you.' 

I didn't tell her that I made it for fear of rejection. 

Now it's on her. 

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