Maisha practiced for a few hours more, mostly trying to cool off the urge to strangle Aditya. It was getting dark and cold already and the chill creeping on her spine made her aware of the time. She decided to have a soothing hot water bath before heading for dinner. Absent mindedly strolling through the corridors, she bumped into someone followed by a loud clatter due to the fall of the nearby brass vase.

She apologized profusely without looking at the person while bending down to straighten the giant vase. Apparently, the other party also had same intentions and they ended up bumping foreheads. A resonant laugh and cry of pain made her look up as a low giggle escaped from her lips. "My apologies," said a deep, smooth voice while they starightened the fallen vase with the help of a few guards.

Maisha laughed still shaking her head. "I should be the one apologizing. My mind was somewhere else," she admitted sheepishly as the gentleman's eyes twinkled.

"Forgive me but I must admit, you have a great skill. I watched you practice a few minutes ago. In fact, I was coming to you only.... I wonder if you'd duel with me?" He asked hopefully as Maisha gave a thought to the proposal.

"I guess a duel won't do any harm," she accepted they walked back to the nearest pit. He drew swords and handed one to her before they set off into an entertaining match. Maisha was huffing and puffing in no time; heck she was very tired.

"I must compliment you on your endurance," he smirked sneaking in another attack that caused her head bandana to cut loose, letting her long locks open and fling in disrupting her line of vision. Before she could manage her hair he launched another attack disarming her.

Accepting her defeat, she moved forwards to shake hands but ended up subjecting the poor guy to one handed shoulder throw. Grabbing his sword in a blink of an eye she pointed it at him cockily, a proud smile etching her face.

"How about that?" She smirked helping him up and tying up her hair into somewhat of 'humanish' appearance.

"I'm a fan," he laughed keeping the swords at their rightful places in the wooden scabbards stacked near the pit. Maisha watched in awe. This guy showed respect and love to his weapons as if he worshipped them. A true soldier.

As the duo walked on the balcony, introductions were made.

" I'm Arjuna Laghari. The Crown Prince of Baluchistan. It's a bit west from here," he explained genially earning a pleasant nod in return.

"Maisha Kapoor. I am...," She was cut off in mid sentence by a familiar baritone.

"My wife, the Queen of Chaulakyas and trouble for you if I saw you near her once more," their heads shot in the direction from where the orders were being barked. Maisha narrowed her eyes as Arjuna just laughed heartily bowing to Aditya in a mock apology.

"My condolences, bhabhi sa. You had to get married to him. I wish you had found me before you came across this piece of wood." He chuckled winking at Maisha which only caused Aditya to glare at him even more.

"See you around," Arjuna dragged on deliberately trying to piss off his friend even more and kissed her hand and whisked off to his chambers.

Aditya gave a low growl of frustration while Maisha hatched a plan to keep this egoistic brat under her reign and have a nice laugh out of it, too. So much so for not caring. What a baby. She snorted walking away to her own chambers.

_________

Guests started pouring in from the next day. All the neighboring kingdoms, small or large, trade partners and any territory relevant or useful for future expansion of the Chaulakyian Dynasty was invited. Apparently, all the royalty of the known world was invited. Maisha had no idea how messages were relayed. How could so many people from far off lands reach there in a few days time?

This just made her realise that the announcements were made more than a month ago now! A month of cold war. Just how fast the time passes.

A small welcome feast was held for the guests that had arrived in the evening. Aditya was out to inspect the grain storage godowns for the coming winters while the East Wing was busy with the preparations of the feast. Maisha and Dev had just finished the testing of some new equipments and were now, on their way back to the Palace, hoping to make it on time for the feast but the possibility of that went from slim to zero when the wheel of the chariot got stuck in wet mud on their way back.

It was only later in the evening when they finally arrived earning a eerie silence full of disappointment and glances of disapproval. That wasn't expected of the Queen of such a big kingdom! To wander around in the training grounds without any handmaid to accompany all the time and devoid of any security, not to mention being late to the party in her own honour. Such a poor example for people.

But at least they didn't dare to say it to her face although she knew what those glances meant. She rolled her eyes in abdication, tired of the long haul of the day she almost let out an annoyed yelp when blocked by a servant with a message from the Queen Mother.

"The Queen Mother wishes your presence in the The Grand Parlor this instant." The quiver in her voice made Maisha cool down a bit as she nodded and the maidservant scurried off. Why is she so scared? I wasn't going to punish her or something! Maisha shook her head and went to freshen up a bit before heading to the parlour in the East Wing.

The walk was at least ten minutes and no matter how fast she or her maids moved, it was bound to take at least twenty minutes to change into the standard 'Queenly' clothing from her training clothes.

So, she bucked up her lehanga a bit and ran off. Tired as she was, she'd rather run and be made fun of instead of being taunted by snide remarks of Queen Mother. She knew she won't be able to bite her tongue this time and get her head chopped off for treason.

Midst her record breaking sprint through the garden, she collided with Arjuna who appeared from the terrace on her right side between the courthouse and the West Wing.

"Oww," she screeched clutching her forehead as her butt hit the ground while Arjuna was saved from the fall by yet another huge brass vase which fell on the floor making an explosive clanking noise.

"We keep meeting like this," he laughed holding out a hand which she she grabbed trying to get up and compose herself.

"Sorry... I didn't see you jumping in," she whined apologetically kicking herself mentally.

"Jumping in!? No offense but if I may point out it was your fault entirely," he hyped dramatically making her burst in laughter.

"Well, I must say. You are quite an amusing man, The Crown Prince of Baluchistan and a melodramatic one at that too."

"Better word would be charming. But I'll take it. Beggers can't be choosers, now can they?" He smirked winking at her.

"You should get that eye of yours checked Laghari ji. It twitches a lot," she shot a look of victorious pride. It had been ages since she met someone with a good sense of humour and sarcasm but Aditya was sarcastic enough already!

"Only at the sight of wonders, Your Highness. Only at the sight of wonders." He gave a short glance to his surroundings before bowing and taking his leave.

Weird guy. Maisha thought before running off to the East Wing parlor. Stopping just in front of the huge gates, she breathed in and composed herself by the time her presence was announced. Trying to walk like a graceful swan was next to impossible with her dyspneic state. She managed the situation almost averagely with her humble demeanor and a penitentiary smile. Almost.

Apparently, she was unaware of the fact that princesses who grew up to be married to become a Queen were good at everything. Every fucking thing. Cooking, although they didn't need it in the slightest, swordsmanship, (which was in her bag to be mild), sewing and stitching (Excuse me, what? She thought), singing (If it's rapping, I'm a pro! Just another mental pep talk) and dancing (I can dance.... Chandler dance. She groaned). Everything!

And now that she was among the most influential and powerful Queens and princesses of the era, she couldn't help but feel intimidated and self conscious. And to make matters worse, some of the princesses voiced their disapproval of the Chaulakyas for marrying their only heir off to some orphan of unknown blood. It honestly enraged her but she decided to keep mum about it. It'd be the best to not lose cool.

To her relief, she chatted with Chitra ignoring the comments with an amiable laugh or a joke that no one of that era could understand. It was quite an awkward encounter altogether and for the cherry on the top, the Queen of Baluchistan, Arjuna's mother suggested that Maisha must entertain them with a song.

"You won't mind singing for us dear, would you?" She said derisively as the entire parlor felt silent. The personal handmaids of each and every royal present there bowed as a que to take their leave as the private affair was about to begin.

Maisha narrowed her eyes and was about to say that she had a rather poor voice but stopped when the woman held her hand up, stopping the servants. "There is no need to go. Our humble Queen wouldn't mind entertaining you all too," she turned to Maisha and spoke in a honey dripping voice, " you wouldn't, dear. Would you?"

All eyes fell on her. In the brutal silence, even Anandani couldn't help her or maybe she didn't want to, Maisha wasn't sure. Never in her entire life was she degraded so much. What is wrong with the old women of this era!? She thought to herself before breathing hard trying to decide her response.

"What happened, my dear? Was it queer of me to assume that you possessed this ordinary skill? Forgive my poor old self, my Priyamvada could sing all the Stutis since the age of six so it was only natural that I'd assume...." She paused to give everyone a teary look, "I'm so sorry... It slipped my mind that you didn't have any formal education... just like these...," she glanced at her maidservant making her point loud and clear.

As sharp as Maisha was, she only assumed that the woman's dear Priyamvada must've been raised to betrothed to Aditya and this was just pent up anger of the Queen of Baluchistan. Although it was a theory but it did make sense. So typical.

She gave another one of her fake genuine smiles before walking to the centre of the parlor earning gasps both appreciative of her grace and honour and derisive of her stature and class.

'The Queen degrading herself as an entertainer. She might as well sing in the public houses.' Maisha imagined the next palace gossips.

But she was a fighter and these puny brained women didn't bother her.

"I don't have a melodic voice, I'll admit." She smiled at the Queen of Baluchistan who nodded in return.

"To grace the presence of such distinguished, powerful, highly educated and I presume, possessing the knowledge of multiple languages and dialects, I would like to sing a song. This song is about the people of God, such as yourselves and about friendship. The name of the song is Maniac which all of you are!" She declared cheerfully at which Chitra's drink splattered out of her mouth and she coughed violently excusing herself from the puzzled crowd.

"

You were with your friends partying
When the alcohol kicked in
Said you wanted me dead
So, you show up at my home, all alone
With a shovel and a rose
Do you think I'm a joke?

'Cause people like you always want back what they can't have
But I'm past that and you know that
So you should turn back to your outback tellin' them trash

Tell all of your friends that I'm crazy and drive you mad
That I'm such a stalker, a watcher, a psychopath
Then tell them you hate me and dated me just for laughs
So, why do you call me and tell me you want me back?
You maniac

You maniac
(Maniac, some may say that I'm) You maniac
(Maniac, some may say that I'm) You maniac
(Maniac, some may say that I'm)"

"Cheers to lifelong friendship and loyalty," she said after her short number as the women burst in applauses and cheered to 'the not so musical' but sassy Queen. Obviously they wouldn't admit that they didn't understand a single word so they took Maisha's word for it. Maniac did mean Royals. Maniac means the distinguished, the superior and the people of God.

Little did Maisha know that if they called themselves 'the people of God' they would be labelled as maniacs in the modern era.

She hadn't noticed that while she was performing her live concert, someone had been standing there, leaning against the door frame, face hidden by the veil of dusk sun that blocked her vision with the last of its slanting feiry rays.

Trying to be discreet, he silently walked off to the other direction but Maisha was sure it was him and he didn't intend his presence to be known, even by her. She wondered how long this charade of his was going to continue.

Just like the sun, his eyes blazed fire in contrast to his mouth which was twitched up ever so slightly amusedly as if he understood.

But he couldn't, could he?

_______

A/n : did you like it!? Ik it's been a long time since I last updated.... I hope 2.3k words worth drama can compensate a bit for it?

Alsoooo

3.3k views! Omg I never thought I'd reach that!!! Thank you so much, my lovely folks...

Alsoooo

Did anyone listen to Evermore!? Man, Taylor Swift is definitely my girl crush now! That woman is a badass legend and the versatility of the genre of her music surprises me everytime!

What is your favorite song from Evermore?