63
“GET the hell out of the way!!! Clear the way!!!” The guards yelled as the King was being taken into the hospital ward on a stretcher.
His wife, the Queen and the little Princess, scuttled behind, panting and breathing heavily.
Minutes later, Raghav came in, and half ran, half walked into the hospital ward, and joined the others at the waiting room.
What exactly happened? The maid who had brought the news said she was in the king’s chambers helping him out with his drugs when suddenly, he began speaking incoherently, and his breathing became slow.
Then within a twinkle of an eye, he finally stopped talking and breathing, and the next thing, he collapsed on the bed and passed out.
Now, they had rushed him to the best hospital in Shimla, because of time frame, he would have been rushed to Raghav’s hospital, but hospital was hospital, they gave up.
At the waiting room, the royal family were left in panic and anxiety, as they paced about. Nobody was left behind at the palace except for the maids and guards.
Prisha soon got tired and sat on the long seat, minutes later, her mother joined, all leaving Raghav still standing.
He walked to one side of the window and stood, his head bowed, he was deep in thoughts.
What could have prompted such thing? As far as he was concerned, his father was already getting better, so why this? God! He turned and looked at his mother, a sigh escaped his lips.
Let this never be what he’s thinking, let it never. They had been there for like twenty minutes when suddenly, two men came rushing in, startling the ladies.
Raghav looked at them, they were members of the royal councilors, noble and titled men, one of them was Elder Sachin.
“Your grace, we heard the news, and had to rush down immediately”, it was Elder Sachin who began.
“What exactly is going on?”, the other man, Elder Sujit asked.
Arya sighed and tried providing an answer, but she just couldn’t. Raghav helped her out.
“His royal majesty passed out”, he let out the bombshell.
“What!”, they both exclaimed, their eyes widened in utmost shock.
“How is that?”, Elder Sachin asked.
“Seriously Elder Sachin, we don’t know. They doctor is yet to be out”, Raghav said.
After some coherent shouts and exclamations, they finally settled down on the long seat where the queen and Prisha had been sitting.
*
*
? Two Days Later ?
Raghav sighed as he stood in front of his mirror buttoning the lower button of his royal blue coloured blazer, then he picked up his tie from the dressing table and began knoding.
Normally, there were maids available to do this, but he wasn’t in the mood for that now, he was doing it himself.
After knoding, he picked up one of his perfumes and sprayed all over him, then he took up his cologne and applied on his neck and wrists.
Then he opened one of his box of jewelries and began adorning himself with gold necklaces and bracelets, then rings on his fingers. This act of him wasn’t common, yeah, he wasn’t always on his jewelries but today was different, he had to.
His mind drifted off to his father and he sighed more deeply. The doctor had said his father was gradually having a cardiovascular disease, a disease of the heart, and that had resulted to his sudden passing out, the other day.
Immediately, they arranged to transfer him to another hospital abroad for proper treatment. Simply, he would have taken him down to Rana Hospitals, New York, but no, he wanted a different doctor entirely to attend to him.
The whole family went the day he was transferred, but just yesterday, he and Prisha returned, leaving behind the Queen, to stay back at the hospital.
He was put on a life machine instantly, as he had already drifted into coma, and the doctor said they would try their best, well, he knew they would.
Everything had been taking care of and right now, he and Prisha was heading for Kuru.
He thought of Rina and sighed again, picking up one of the combs which laid on the table, and began combing his spiky hair.
Just then, the door opened and Prisha barged in, he slowly turned towards her.
“Ready bro?”, she winked.
A ‘wow’ escaped his lips in a whisper as his eyes rested on Prisha, damn, she was amazingly dressed, just like the princess she is anyway.
“You look beautiful baby sister”, he complimented and turned back to the mirror, dropping the comb and taking a last look at himself.
Prisha blushed.
“Thank you. You too, dashingly handsome as always Maharana, and wow, you putting on jewelries”, she squeaked, admiring the glitter of gold dripping from his dressing.
Raghav didn’t reply, he only nodded and simpered. Then he walked to his bed and picked up his three phones.
“Rina wouldn’t help gawking at you big bro, you really dressed to kill”, she added.
He scoffed.
“Our ride is waiting Maharana, let’s go”, she said and turned, then left the room. Raghav followed.
*
*
*
Rina just finished cleaning up the whole house, then she flopped on the couch in tiredness. That’s virtually all she’s been doing since she came back from the palace, she literally turned a janitor.
Just then, her stomach rumbled and she got up and ran into the kitchen. She opened the cupboard and brought out a packet of cornflakes, milk and sugar and dropped them on the counter.
Then she opened the refrigerator and brought out a bowl filled with strawberries and a bottle of water.
Minutes later, she had made herself a huge bowl of cornflakes and she began eating. With the food in her hands, she walked back to the living room and then her phone beeped.
Instantly, she rushed at it hoping it was a text from Raghav, or even Zaina.
Seriously for three days now, she hadn’t been herself, it’s enough time she stops lying, she really missed Raghav, she really does.
Moreso, her best friend hadn’t called or even text her, she was more like keeping malice with her, all because of the way she had switched off her phone in her the other time.
Always, at every beeping of her phone, she would gasp and rushed to it, hoping it was a text either from Raghav or Zaina, but to her disappointment, it always wasn’t.
She checked up her phone and still yet, it was no chat from them. She dropped the bowl and flopped down on the couch close by, a tear escaped her eyes and she whimpered.
Now, she was beginning to regret what she did, asking Raghav to stay away from her and switching off the phone on her best friend, she was beginning to regret it seriously. She wanted Raghav back, she wanted her best friend back.
She doesn’t mind if there is any Bellarmine or Vidya, she is now ready to fight for what’s hers.
But obviously, her mom didn’t seem pissed off or something, she was even relaxed with it, and so, never said anything about it to her again.
Sighing, she visited her social media handle and began scrolling through, hoping to see any updates from them, just hoping.
She stumbled over the recent update from Vidya, she scoffed. She had uploaded beautiful pictures of her and stated in her caption of her desire to go for the dancing school soonest.
Huh? She scoffed. Others are aspiring to go to college, and here this one is, aspiring to go to dancing school, hmph, she made a face.
And wait… what! The last sentence of her caption had carried a bomb.
??: Prince_Raghav’s_Betrothed.
And the next thing Rina bursted into laughter, laughing non stop till her eyes became watery.
What? Really? His betrothed? God! She couldn’t believe it as she laughed out more and more, forgetting her sorrows for a moment.
She stared at the pictures for a while then scrolled up and continued surfing. Hmph, everybody wants Raghav.
As if on impulse, she decided to visit Bellarmine’s page again, to check up on the photos again, just to check up on it.
She scrolled and scrolled but couldn’t find it, huh? Does that mean….
She continued scrolling, up and down, yet she couldn’t find it. Shit! Who knows, maybe Raghav had asked her to delete it.
Yeah, maybe they were really never dating and so, he had asked her to delete it, who knows?
She was about giving up and dropping her phone to continue eating when it rang out, startling her, jeez!
She flinched and peeked into it and oh my! It was Zaina, a big smile played on her face.
“Baby?”, she spoke tenderly into the phone.
“Rina, how are you?”, came her sweet voice.
Rina instantly felt abashed and ashamed of herself, having a feeling of guilt.
“Seriously Zaina, I’m not fine. I’m… I’m really really sorry for the last time”, she stuttered.
There was silence as Zaina kept mute, so long that it got her thinking. Huh?
“You there Zaina?”, she was forced to ask.
She heard her sigh deeply.
“Have you finally realized your mistakes?”, she asked.
“Oh Zaina yes, I’m so so abashed right now, I… I didn’t know what I was doing, please forgive me”, she began whimpering before she knew it.
“It’s fine Rin, I hold nothing against you, the person whom you owe a greater apology to tender to, is his grace, Prince Raghav, not me”, she said.
Rina winced in pain, oh God! What has she done.
“I wasn’t thinking”, she stressed, still whimpering.
“What are you up to now?”, she suddenly asked.
“Huh? Like how?”, she asked befuddled.
“Like I mean, are you busy or something?”.
“Ugh, why are you asking?”.
“I want to know where my girlfriend is up to this beautiful morning”, she laughed.
Rina smiled broadly.
“Well, busy cleaning as usual, I’ve practically turned a janitor in my home”, she shrugged.
Zaina laughed out.
“Would you let me invite you over? Just for some hours?”, she asked.
Ugh, why not? How sweet and caring, so she had already forgiven her?
“Yes… yes. At your house right?”, she asked getting up from the couch.
“Hehehe, chill. Kuru kingdom”, she blurted.
“What!”, she exclaimed almost fainting. Did she just say Kuru kingdom? My gee.
“You are in Kuru kingdom?”, she asked.
“Actually yes, having a date with my prince. Come over, I wanna treat my best friend to something special, and hey, I wouldn’t take a no”, she said.
Rina sighed, then splayed her right hand on her forehead. Kuru? How would her mother take it? Ohh God Zaina.
Not only that, what was she gonna wear now, since it was Kuru? She had thought it was at her place? Ohh sorry Zaina, seems she was gonna decline.
“Um… Zaina I…”, she interrupted her.
“Don’t bother about what to put on, someone is coming over. Everything is just set, just get prepared in your undies”, she laughed out.
“Huh?”, Rina was left gobsmacked and flabbergasted, was this a joke or something??
***
A beautiful Rina sat back admiring herself in the mirror, still befuddled on who the person on the mirror was. Was it really her? Or someone else?
My gee, she touched her left cheek, and the person on the mirror did same. Huh? It was her, seriously? She couldn’t believe it, the beautiful lady on the mirror was her.
Well, few minutes after she got off the phone with Zaina, a car had screeched to a halt in front of the building and a lady and a man alighted.
The man was the driver and the lady the artiste. She was holding a very big designer bag.
All protocols carried out, she sat and they began making her up. Now, she was looking so beautiful like a princess. If she was dressed as this, then how would Zaina be then? Aww, she couldn’t wait to see her.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
Suddenly she began tearing up, Zaina was so sweet. Just before the tears could flow, she dabbed it off.
They left the house and into the car. Rina had already informed her mom and surprisingly, she didn’t stop her or put up a feud.
The ride to the airport was sweet, cool and sad. Sad in the sense that whenever her mind drifted off to Raghav, she sighed. She only hopes he would accept her back, she had actually fucked up.
Soon they were at the airport, they alighted and almost immediately, a private jet appeared before them and Rina was ushered in.
This was actually her first time of travelling through air, Zaina had made it so. Wow, she almost screamed out.
The jet rode peacefully through the runway then took off and she relaxed back for a perfect ride. She arrived Bahwan Palace an hour later and oh my! It was such an edifice, just as beautiful as Bhagya Palace, infact, it reminded her of The Bhagya Palace.
Two maids rushed to the car as soon as it halted to welcome her and she swallowed hard, was this how visitors were being welcomed?
“Welcome to Kuru kingdom and The Bhawan Palace ma’am”, they greeted in unison.
She smiled.
“Thank you”.
“Come with us, ma’am Zaina is waiting”, one of them said.
Oh! They were already giving her much respect huh? She shrugged and followed them.
They took the stairs just like the way Raghav had been led when he came as well, then straight to the balcony upstairs, that was an open place where semi outdoor stuffs were done.
They opened the door to the balcony and she entered, freezing on spot. Jeez, aside for Zaina, she didn’t know the others, they were total strangers to her. All putting up smiling and surprise expressions on their faces.
Jeez! Goosebumps. She felt awkward. This was a royal family, and she was supposed to be at her best.
“Rina!”, Zaina squeaked and rushed up to her, then they hugged.
“Oh my gee, you are here”, she said, more like a statement than a question.
“Um… ye… yeah”, she stuttered, obviously scared or something.
“Come on, and meet my wonderful newest family”, she smiled and held her hand, taking her to meet the rest of the family.
That was when she properly looked at her dressing and oh my! She looked so sweet, so beautiful. She was dressed just like a princess, all the royal adornments on her.
Then she looked up from her and the first person her eyes met was Prisha, jeez, Princess Prisha? What was she doing here?
“Alright greet”, Zaina whispered to her.
“Um… Namaste”, she put her palms together and slightly genuflected.
They smiled and nodded. That was when Prisha got up and walked up to her, then held her in a tight embrace.
“I’ve so missed you miss”, she said to her.
Awwn, Rina felt nothing but guilt and regret.
“My princess, I’m so delighted to see you”, she replied and they disengaged.
Then Zaina went on to formally introduce everybody present to her, and she greeted formally as well. It was a happy moment.
“So aunt Rina, it’s nice meeting you finally”, the little girl sitting beside Raghav’s aunt squeaked, leaving her gobsmacked.
What was she talking about? Did she just say finally? Like she’s been wanting to see her? Oh! She smiled.
“It’s my pleasure baby”, she said.
She was yet to sit as none had made attempt to show her a seat, not even Zaina who was yet to sit herself.
“Noooo”, she screamed out and jumped down her seat, startling Rina who watched her in bewilderment.
The little girl walked up to her.
“I’m Ali baby”, she stretched out her right hand for a handshake.
Huh? Rina was taken aback, wasn’t it introduction Zaina just finished? Well, she shrugged and did her bidding.
“I’m Rina”, she replied shortly, returning the handshake.
“I’ve actually met you before”, she said, her perky eyes glittering.
“Huh?”, she mouthed. “I guess you’re making a mistake or something, how could I have possibly met you? In Kuru? Ahh baby, I’m sorry it’s not me”, she shook her head as she talked.
Alisha smiled broadly and looked around, into the faces of the people present, then she turned back to her.
“I don’t expect you to know anyway, I’m the little girl from the tourist site”, she blurted.
“What! Oh my God!”, Rina exclaimed, cupping her mouth with her right hand.
Jeez! How can? Ohh God Rina, you’ve been an angel unknowingly.
“Oh yes Rina”, someone else spoke, taking up from where Alisha had stopped. It was Lady Aarti, Raghav’s aunt. Rina swallowed hard.
“And since then, my babies has been restless, all wanting to see you… to reward you”, she was walking up to her.
Surprise was an understatement, Rina was gobsmacked, so bewildered. My gee!
“When I say my babies I mean, Alisha here, and Prince Raghav”, she said.
Rina gasped, Raghav? Oh, where was he then?
Lady Aarti kept mute for a while watching Rina, then she sighed.
“Please Rina”, she said like she was pleading, “I want no other lady for Raghav, but you”.
“What!”