Part 2

The zeal which begins with hypocrisy must conclude in treachery; at first it deceives, at last it betrays. 

-Francis Bacon

Laying with his eyes open, he analyzed his situation. His options...there pros and cons. And he had barely closed his eyes when the dawn broke, the first rays of sun infiltrating through the curtains of his private chamber, bathing the large room in a golden glory.

'It was another starting! '

But what a foul way of starting the day when the first thing you notice is your mistake of last night? 

Forcefully closing his eyes, he laid back on the bed like a dead rat waiting for the woman beside him on the bed to leave. 

And she did! But not before she ran those soft long fingers through his messy locks. 

He internally cringed. No! He wasn't disgusted at her touch but he was disgusted at himself for doing what he did last night. 

Taking the innocence of that girl was not in his plans. It was a crime on his part because while the woman solely wanted to be with him for the affection of sorts, he was there beside her doing nothing but using her body simply for a distraction from his own problems. 

The soft clinking of bangles slowly faded away. The foreign princess was gone and heck! He doesn't even know her name! 

Gripping the edges of his locks he waited there for a long-long time. Why does it feel like this mistake was going to cost him everything? 

Surely, the woman for the sake of her own prestige in the society won't let the scandal come into light? 

He sighed in designation. Because if it happened, his life, his best laid plans would be destroyed! Everything will turn astray! Specially now when the woman is not only a foreign princess but the sister of his youngest step mother.

'The sister of his father's favourite wife!'

He would be doomed. 

~♡~♡~

"Good evening! "The sultry smile this evening seemed brighter than the last evening. And that made him frown. 

This early morning after she left from his bed, he hadn't heard from her and assumed the worst.

An young innocent girl like her must be delving in guilt for how she had destroyed her own reputation in a single night. 

But it seems now that it wasn't the case, because here she was once again, looking straight into his eyes as she took a seat across him. 

He tried to read her expression. Does she wants to end up in his bed once again? Or is it a love confession that she wants to extract from him tonight? 

But whichever it was that she wanted. He knew one thing, that is...he isn't ready to give either.

"Can we talk?"She spoke like the soft evening breeze. 

"I assumed we are doing it already! "He scowled at her because while it seemed to be a heartless thing to do. He had to do it, to save them both from further problems and pain. He needs to crush every dream of marriage and love that the princess might have already started to weave with him.

'He wasn't going to marry her! '

An expression of hurt flashed on her face before she masked it. "It's about last night! "

"I expected as much!"leaning back on the chaise, casually, Chandra rolled his eyes. "So you are here to beg me for an marriage because of what happened last night? " He crossed his arms. "Then let me make this clear to you. "He looked straight into her eyes. "That NO! I am not interested! And I am not going to marry you! "

The lady visibly gasped as her delicate fingers held onto the arms of her chair for the sake of her life. And he had expected as much but what he hadn't expected was the way this meeting ended. 

Slowly as the shock weared off, anger took its place. The bright face that was once been compared to the nymphs now took the ugliest contortions ever. "How dare you insult me in that way?" She was standing ram rod straight. The big bright eyes now hidden under the clouds of darkness as she threatened. "By the next sun set, you will be here..."she pointed her finger down at her shining shoes. "Beside my feet....... begging me to marry you! I promise! "

Now this, he hadn't even expected in his wildest of dreams. But he didn't let it show on his face and waited patiently as her cold dark eyes scrutinised him with a look of pure contempt before she left.

He was indeed doomed! 

~♡~♡~

His gait was composed as always, his expression devoid of anything as he took the last turn in the corridor and there it was....the grand marble staircase to the terrace. 

And this afternoon it will take him to his destruction. 

He knew what was coming next...a visibly ugly confrontation followed by the nastiest of verbal war and then when either of the tactics won't work on him. Word would be sent to his father. The king! 

And that's where his worst fears comes to play. He is most despicable man ever known and his decisions the most unbelievable. 

But what is the point in thinking all this now when it's already very late. 

'Very late indeed! 'He could not help the scowl that came to him when he saw who his interrogation room consisted of. 

The youngest and most favourite wife of his father. Su-naina! Ofcourse she was supposed to be there when she was the one summoning him here at the empty terrace but the unexpected guest there was none other than her dear little sister. 

'The brat of a princess! ' who knew there's such a vile personality under the cover of that beauty. She was nothing but a loathsome woman who seduced and lied with him solely to hold it as a leverage and black mail him to marry her! 

But he was decided! He wasn't going to fall for the trap.

"Good morning your majesty! "He bowed slightly as the custom called for but hopefully his eyes told it all as he glared at the duo of the sisters. 

"I am afraid this evening is not as good as you think it is! "The queen taunted. "As you might have already guessed we are here to discuss the terms of your marriage with my little sister Sukanya. "

"Take a seat-take a seat."she offered him her most evil smile. But he choose to stand anyway. "I am not going to marry her! "

"I said we are here to discuss the TERMS of marriage. I did not ask you if you are willing to marry or not! "She rolled her eyes leaning back on her low chair. As though he lacked the simplest of common sense. 

"Now that doesn't make sense just like most of your words MOTHER."He deliberately reminded her of she was related to him. Two years younger yet she is there as his mother. 'The side effects of being a queen.'

His lopsided grin seemed to show its magic because the queen was visibly fuming. "You are not going to do it the simple way, are you? "She gritted her teeth. 

And another smile broke on his face simultaneously. 'Oh! It is fun! '

"Simple way? Nah! I am not going to do it ANYWAY!" He hoped against hope that his vile step mother and her vicious sister might get this message straight in their heads. And that they might stop playing these dirty games of blackmail.

"Alright then be present at the court in half an hour....let's see what the king would have to say in this matter. "The queen was far over her snapping patience as she stood up, her hands gripping her sister's before she started to walk away. 

Her cold eyes giving him the look of same contempt that he had been subjected to...by the yonger sister a while ago. 

Just as he feared, the king!

His head reeled in frustration as he wondered how he was going to save his head this time around. And while there was a very bleak chance of that happening, he was sure of one thing.

He wouldn't marry this woman!

A woman who was ready to sleep with a man to blackmail him later....to sell her prestige in front of whole court only to force that man into marrying her....was no better than a prostitute.

And no way was he going to marry a prostitute. 

Come what may!

"You are forgetting something your highness. "He called after the duo, the last trick he scummed to save the word to reach the king. 

The clinking jwelleries and anklets suddenly stopped at the farther end of the empty terrace. 

The cold wind ruffled his hair as he took two steps forward with a smirk on his face. "That I...am a MAN! And there would no scandal attached to my name after you announce it in the royal court that your sister slept with me! It will be your sister whose character would be maligned forever in the society....and I could not even imagine what will happen to her when I will refuse to accept her as my wife. "

It seemed his words simply had no effect on the ice queen but then her sister for the first time looked positively alarmed. "Sister...stop!"her panicked cry barely reached the elder one's ear as she started to drag her again. 



"He won't be in the condition to refuse the marriage, I will make sure of it! "She hissed before they were gone for good from his sight. 

The weather took a turn for worse. Gone were the cool ruffling breezes and instead dark clouds took its place. 

'A large storm was coming. 'He hurried downstairs. 

~♡~♡~

It was better performance...infact he must say it was the best performance he had ever seen in his life. What's with the royal orchestras and plays and skits? 

Because what queen sunayna and her sister had just pulled off in the royal court filled with thousands of people would be enough to put all those in shame.

His expression remained empty, his eyes stoic on the sisters as they together cried and begged for justice! The vulnerable bowed head princess wrapped under the layers of thick shawl truly looked as though she was molested. 

The stuttering words and hiccups did the rest to put every other person with ears to give their compassion to her. 

And then there was the stone king, sitting like a statue on his throne while it was a surprise indeed that he hadn't yet ordered to have him beheaded already. 

"Silence! "Time after what felt like eons later, the king finally spoke and every arising murmur to provide empathy died down instantly.

'It was time for the verdict! '

Chandra waited impassively, he knew whatever was coming, was going to a threat to him. His right palm was secured under his vest.... on the handle of his blade. 

Just as planned, his horse was waiting a few yards behind the palace grounds. As soon as the verdict against him would be announced he would be gone with the next wind. 

Suddenly a loud thundering sound came from outside followed by the sound of a falling tree before the rain started to pour heavily. The pitter patter filling in the emptiness of the court.

'The storm had come! '

"Prepare for the wedding celebrations....tomorrow evening princess sukanya and Chandra would be tying the holy knot of matrimony. " The king had announced but the pin drop silence prevailed in the court as now every single eyes were fixed at him, gauging his reaction. 

"Bullshit! I am not marrying anyone! Specially this tramp of a prostitute who seduced me to bed and is now charging me to compel to her wishes and marry her! "His voice was loud and clear, he wanted every single person to hear the truth before he's gone!

"How dare you Chandra! "The king roared rising from his throne followed by everyone else. The foreign princess was now sobbing like a manic. "I disown YOU! "

"Oh! I am so glad....you did the honors your majesty! "He dared to gave a lopsided grin to his father and that was all it took before the whole army was behind him. 

"Catch him!"His father roared. "I want him beheaded right in front of ME!"

And there it was! What he had been expecting from the very start. 

In a flash his blade tore through the air, drawing blood from every flesh that came into his sight. 

It was just a matter of moments before he was gone, riding through the wilderness on his horse while his few trusted generals followed behind. 

The royal army left far behind.