As she stepped forward,a hand grabbed her wrist from behind.She spun around, taken aback by the sudden touch,but her wide hazel eyes recognized the familiar face at once ,the man from the accident and wedding, now close under lantern light.

Heart pounding with surprise,she froze for a breath,unsure what to say.

He pulled her close gently, voice low and furious.

"Finally... I've been searching for you."

Before she could reply, he tightened his grip and asked sharp,"Who was that asshole?"

Sanskriti got furious at his reaction.She didn't even know this guy properly and he is asking questions.She yanked her wrist free with sharp force, pushed him back hard, and slapped him across the face.

"How dare you touch me you jerk! I'm not bound to answer your nonsense questions!"

Atharva stumbled slightly from the shove, cheek burning red under lantern light,eyes wide with shock and hidden longing.

Before Atharva could say anything,a sharp voice called his name from the shadows.

Sanskriti pulled away and moved forward with big, quick steps toward the waiting car.Vikrant stood there he had just spotted Atharva and called out, unaware of the tense scene.

Atharva let her go after a smirking reply,his face twisting into a cocky grin with eyes narrowed in challenge, calling after her firmly,

"Miss, you'll be bound to answer me for the rest of your life."

Her heavy lehenga swished as she hurried on without looking back,heart racing under the night sky.

Vikrant strode up with a puzzled frown,clapping Atharva's shoulder firm."There you are.Father's asking for you at the garden.What's with the dramatic stare?"

They turned back toward the feast together, lights and laughter pulling them in,the night's tension tucked away for now.

Sanskriti's car vanished down the drive,her fiery exit echoing in Atharva's thoughts alone.

Vikrant's face twisted into a storm of rage as they walked through the dark, whiskey firing up his buried anger.

He grabbed Atharva's arm like iron, pulling them to a stop under the shaking lantern light that threw wild shadows on his hard face.

"You! Always you, Atharva ,the favorite son! Father has always been more lenient with you, letting your messes slide.I smash enemies, guard our lands,hold this family up I'm the real strength!But no praise,no nod from him.You get drunk,shame us all,and still he picks you every time! What were you doing, huh?Roaming with friends,wasting time on nonsense?Me? In my teenage years,no such freedom I went straight to military camp at a young age.I trained day and night, bled for this crown, all to make Father proud and become king!"

His shout broke the quiet night, voice cracking like dry wood, eyes burning with hot tears of deep hurt years of tough work eaten up by father's blind choice.Chest rising fast, whiskey breath hot and sharp,the pain of being unseen ripped out loud.

"Why does he leave me in the dark while you get all the light?"

Atharva stared into the fury,his cheek's sting now nothing next to this wild blast.

Atharva turned to his brother,his heart feeling heavy and sad.He had always looked up to Vikrant for his hard work and seen him suffer through tough days at camp, waking up early every morning.

Deep inside,Atharva truly liked his brother and felt no anger toward him,only a deep pain from those harsh words that hurt like sharp knives in his chest.The hurt grew strong inside him, making his throat tight and eyes sting with unshed tears.

He had always wanted to say it out loud

"Brother,I don't want the throne at all and i don't wantvto be the king.No need to hate me for it.I'm fine being the carefree one."

But now the words came out soft and real under the lantern light.Yet Vikrant, lost in too much whiskey, swayed with blurry eyes and fell down in a faint before hearing a single word,his body hitting the ground hard.

Atharva's face showed shock mixed with worry,his earlier pain forgotten as fear rushed in for his brother's safety.

Atharva's heart beat fast with fear as Vikrant fell,but he acted quick strong arms catching his brother before he hit the ground hard.

Vikrant's head hung loose on his shoulder,breath weak from too much drink, body heavy like a sack.He carried him right into the palace,steps fast on the cold stone floor,not caring about looks from guards.

In Vikrant's room,Atharva put him soft on the bed, then told a servant standing near, "Go call Nandini bhabhi fast!Tell her to come now."

Worry filled his stomach like a knot,hand on Vikrant's hot, sweaty forehead,hoping his brother would be okay soon.

Nandini rushed into the room moments later, eyes wide at Vikrant sprawled limp on the bed,his face pale and sweaty.

She knelt quick by his side, checking his pulse with steady hands, while Atharva stood close,worry etched deep on his face.

"He's drunk too much that's why he fainted," Atharva whispered low, voice tight with fear. "Don't tell Father it was the drink just say he felt sick from the feast."

She nodded sharp,her calm masking the storm as she pressed a cool cloth to his forehead,working fast to rouse him.

Atharva lingered a moment, watching Nandini tend to Vikrant with her steady hands, then slipped out quiet from the room.His steps carried him quick through the palace halls, heart still racing,straight to where Father waited amid the feast's fading hum.

He found him standing tall by the garden arch,eyes scanning the crowd with quiet command.

"Father," Atharva said soft, bowing slight, "Vikrant bhai isn't feeling well so he is resting in his room and bhabhi is with him now."

Father's gaze sharpened, turning full on him,the weight of unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air.

Before Father could speak, Atharva bowed slight and asked soft,"Father, why were you calling for me earlier?"

Father's eyes held steady under the garden lanterns, voice calm but firm as he gestured to a cluster of distinguished guests nearby.

"Come, Atharva these are the sons of Rajputana's royal houses,here from Hissar and Chandpur.Young King Rajveer of kolar, and King Arjun from Chandpur.Meet them properly alliances start with respect."

Atharva bowed polite, masking his inner storm with a steady smile, shaking hands firm as names and titles flowed.The royals nodded warm,eyes appraising, talk turning light to hunts and horses amid the feast's glow.

Father watched close, a rare spark of pride in his gaze, the moment bridging old gaps.

Atharva bowed polite to each,masking his inner storm with a steady smile.

"Greetings, King Rajveer of kolar. King Arjun of Chandpur honor to meet you both."

Hands shook firm,names and titles exchanged quick as talk flowed light on hunts,horses,and border tales amid the feast's warm glow.

An hour passed in easy chatter,laughter rising soft, till the ceremony wound down under fading lanterns.As guests departed,Atharva stood tall at the palace gates, seeing off the VIPs one by one bowing deep to Rajveer, then Arjun,waves and promises of future ties lingering in the cool night air.

His Father nodded approval from afar,the weight of duty settling firm on Atharva's shoulders.

The ceremony's end brought sighs of relief, the night air cool on his skin as the last car rolled away.

Duty done,he turned sharp, weaving through lingering crowds toward his friends clustered by the garden wall, their faces lit with grins and raised cups. Laughter pulled him in like a tide, the earlier storms ,Vikrant's rage,father's gaze fading to echoes as he clapped shoulders and joined the easy banter.

Yuvansh and Devika locked in their usual spark. Yuvansh leaned close, eyes twinkling mischief as he nudged her arm. "Devika, admit it you danced better with me than that stiff shivgarh fellow.My steps made you glow!"

Devika swatted his hand away, laughing sharp, cheeks pink under lantern light. "Dream on,yuvansh! Your 'steps' nearly tripped us both.I'd take a palace guard over your clumsy spins any day."

She flicked a flower petal at him, dodging his mock grab with a quick spin.Yuvansh clutched his chest dramatic, falling back against Atharva.

"See? She wounds me deep but I'll win her heart someday!" The group erupted in chuckles, pulling Atharva into the light-hearted storm.

Atharva grinned wide, the group's laughter washing away the night's weight like cool rain. He slung an arm around Yuvansh's shoulder, voice light with tease.

"Yuvi, if Devika's dodging you that hard, maybe switch to safer ground like begging for mercy!"

Devika burst out laughing, pointing at Yuvansh's fake pout. "See? Even Atharva knows you're hopeless!"

Yuvansh fired back quick, tugging her scarf playful. "One more dance,Devika I'll prove my magic!"

She spun away, eyes sparkling, the banter bouncing free under lantern glow.The circle tightened merry, pulling Atharva deep into the fun.

A few minutes later,the laughter died down as friends gathered cloaks and yawned,the night growing deep. "Time to head home," Yuvansh said,clapping backs round the circle, Devika nodding with a tired smile.

Atharva stepped up quick as friends gathered cloaks, voice warm and firm.

"Hold on no risky drives tonight.Driver!"

He waved over the royal driver waiting nearby with the sleek car idling soft.

"Drop Yuvansh and Devika safely home.yuvansh, you're too drunk to drive your own car hand over the keys."

Yuvansh grinned sloppy, fumbling keys with a laugh. "Caught me,brother saved again!"

Devika hugged him quick, eyes thankful,before they slid into the back seat, chuckles fading as the car pulled away smooth into the night.

Atharva watched till taillights vanished, alone now in the quiet palace grounds,yhe day's storms settling heavy.

He turned slow, feet carrying him through cool stone corridors back to his room,the door clicking shut like a final breath. Collapsing onto the bed, clothes still on,he stared at the shadowed ceiling,mind replaying the chaos in quiet waves.

His thoughts........

Vikrant thinks I'm just a lazy guy who roams free and wastes time,but I've seen how hard he works,how he suffered alone in those camps, waking up early every day.I always wanted to hug him tight,tell him I care, be real brothers.but he keeps that cold wall up,never gives me the love I need most,my heart stays empty because of it.I should be the one to blame him.

Suddenly his thoughts sifted towards the stranger,

And that asshole stranger talking so close to my girl, her shy eyes looking down at him,jer face full of admiration towards tht fkng man.So I grabbed her wrist, pulled her near,demanded answers in my jealousy,and she slapped me hard for it.When she said she's not answerable to me,i burned to grab her waist, pull her against me,kiss her deep and fierce until she gave in, until she knew she's mine alone.

Tears burned his eyes in the dark, the pain and fire twisting tight in his chest, no peace coming easy.The heavy thoughts weighed on his eyes,pulling them shut slow,until sleep finally claimed him deep into the quiet night.

The next morning,Atharva woke early,the sun barely peeking over the palace walls, his mind still tangled from the night before. He didn't want to face Vikrant not after the raw outburst, the faint,the unspoken truths so he dressed quick in camp gear,slipped out silent past sleeping halls, and headed straight for the training grounds miles away.

Hey beautiful Ladies ❤️

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Love_Qiana❤️