ARRIVAL OF THE PRINCE

     ROSHNI'S POV 

After an extremely tiring three hours long drive from the airport to the Mahendrapavarti's desert, we finally arrived at the royal palace, everything has changed,  I mean the entire village has been transformed into something extraordinary, it's so beautiful around here "I muttered to myself", I kept admiring the beauty of the environment that I e already here at the palace,  the vibrant voices of the masses brought me back to reality

*Prince Mahendra Pratap Kapadia Singh is here, one man among the masses announced

*Glory to him and the rest of the people replies,  they kept repeating the same thing giving all their attention to the prince leaving sister-in-law and mee to feel left out   since no one was talking to us, but then

*Princess Yashodha, one of the men announced

*Glory to her, they respond in unison, creating a rhythmic flow.

*Princess Roshni, he continues

*Glory to her, they all replied with smiles plastered all over their faces, I could see the joy of seeing the future king of their beloved kingdom radiating all over them, and I could help but smile.

We continue walking and folding our hands to pay our respects to them, as they threw scented flowers on u, while the men sing our praises, the feeling is so ecstatic, it's not every time one gets to feel this special you know, haha, just kidding.

When we got to the entrance, I saw grandma looking around swiftly as if trying to find something but she didn't say anything to us, she just watched anxiously as Mother Radhika perform the welcoming veneration on us, I'm sure grandma forced her to do this, she will never want to get involved with anything that will ruin her beautiful face, jewelry, and expensive saari, I'm sure she is not happy doing it either but she has no choice since grandma has the ultimate say around here, the expression on her face can attest to my claims, after she finished we tried taking her blessings but she declined by moving backward and flashing her most treasured smile, "yeah right she is a modern mother like she would say Whenever she declined to give us her blessings, it no longer new to us anyway.

         MAHENDRA'S POV

"What is wrong with Grandma? I have been observing her ever since we got here, she doesn't look like her old self, she looks like someone who has suffered huge grievances, but she was fine a while ago before she left the airport, right? Then what happened to her all of a sudden I soliloquize as I watch mother until she finishes performing the aarti, Yashodha and I tried to seek her blessings but shepolitelyyrefusess u, she always does so claiming that she is too very young fruits to be seeking her blessings, weird, right? I found it weird though.

After the ceremony, we moved into the living room, where all the members of the royal cabinet are seated waiting for my arrival, as soon as they set eyes on me, they began folding their hands to greet me.

*Namaste your highness, it's so good to see you again after so many years, he said flashing me a sweet smile, which I don't find to be sweet.

*And you are? I said staring anxiously and curiously at him 

*I am the prime minister, your highness, I have been the one in charge of taking care of the activities about the kingdom since the reign of your father, king Maheshmati Kapadia Singh, he said proudly, he must be very competent, I thought to myself.

The rest of the men Introduced themselves one after the other after they came to the domestic helpers, it was the turn of domestic workers to Introduced themselves too, I began to feel very tired during the introduction, all I wanted to start at t at that  Moment was to go to my room and take rest, but I couldn't summon the courage to dispatch them, since they've been waiting for me for so many years,  I kept thinking of a way out of the situation, Thank God grandmother came to my aid.

"Everyone, thank you very much for coming today, but if you all don't mind then we would like to request you all to give the prince some time to rest since he must be tired after his long journey, we would continue this meeting some other time the prince needs to get some rest after the long hours of the journey that he has undergone, she pleads with them folding her hands to apologize, and she came close and pulled me up, walking towards the stairs.

I heaved a sigh of relief immediately she came up to me and pulled me up from the sofa where I sat, we walk slowly towards the staircase and I stopped in my tracks and turn back to take a look at Yashodha I had initially wanted to call out to her but I restraint myself, I don't want to give her a reason to believe that we could still work on our relationship, I know if I shoe her any form of affection she would take it the wrong way and I can't afford to lose focus right now I need to find a good excuse to make her want to divorce me on her own since everything I have done so far has proved abortive, I don't even understand why she can't seem to find any fault in me she believes I'm perfect, I need to shatter her hopes and imagination that way she would have enough reason to settle for a divorce, I think to myself grinning absentmindedly.

"Prince What is the matter? grandma asked touching myshoulderssrrighten I realized that I have been staring at Yashodha unknowingly, while my mind was wandering around on what I need to do "Tch, what have I done ?" I scoffed angrily stomping my feet against the floor

"What is wrong with you Mahendra?" She asks again with concerns visible in her tones, I can't believe I'm being unruly in front of grandma and Yashodha.

 "nothing is wrong grandma, I think I'm just tired, I need to go to my room now", I said making my way towards the direction of the top floor.

"I'm also coming with you,  she said Coming after me without giving me a chance to refuse her proposal, don't give me that look Mahendra, you can't stop me from coming with, she responded after seeing frosty my face has become after she said she was coming with, I quickly dashed off and she came walking behind me along with the princess who has been so quiet ever since I can remember, something must be the the the wrong with her otherwise she is never the quiet type, she always has something to say about everything that happens but now! What's up with her? I turn to steal a glance at her but I, unfortunately, lost my balance while looking at her but luckily I caught hold of myself using before the railings as my support system before I could fall to the floor, grandma and Yashodha chuckles at my silly behavior and I felt my face becoming red and puffy due to embarrassment I feel.

"What's going on with me Today? I asked within my mind while I tap my head to remind me of what I'm supposed to do and not do, We Walk silently to the door.