Pregnant For The Royal Prince

PRINCE Raghav sat in total awe watching his mom in silence as she talked about meeting with a childhood friend.

Like when in the hell did he ever have a childhood friend she wants him to really meet? His eyes twitched, this looked awkward.

Queen Arya on her own part tried as much as possible to conclude the talk with him, she knew her son to be a detector… and not only that, he was capable of reading minds.

“Um Raghav”, she called, trying hard to control her thoughts.

“Yes mother”, he replied, still staring at her, probably searching for an answer to the riddle.

“That is all I just want to let you know, so I would just leave. The date for the party gonna be communicated to you in due time”, she moved forward and gave him a peck on his right cheek.

“Uhhh mom”, he drawled.

“Yes baby, it’s nothing serious to worry about”, she smiled broadly, and then turning, she walked out the room.

Raghav sat still as he watched the door close in silence, he was still dumbfounded.

The way and manner with which his mom had brought the issue, then her nervousness which was obviously detectable, and finally her walking out immediately.

So to say, he couldn’t also read out her mind, everything looked and sounded weird, like it was all a plan.

Hmm, he turned back to his laptop and shut it down. Then he got up and began heading for the throne room to meet with his father, at least the king should have an explanation to offer.

*

*

*

Rina couldn’t easily come to the terms with the fact that Vidya could be the reason the queen was hosting a dinner party.

Though it might be just an assumption, but it looks true, judging from the fact that she had always been bragging about it back then in school.

Ohh, she felt little tears crumble down her cheeks, why must it be at this time when she had finally realized she loved him too? Why?

Why must Vidya always come get involved with her in anything that seems to mar her success?

Oh, jeez! She sniffed, cleaning off the tears with her left hand.

“Oh Rin, are you crying?”, Zaina asked, having noticed her sniffing.

Rina sighed, she had even forgotten she was still on the phone with Zaina.

“What do you expect me do baby Z? I love him”she stressed.

“Oh no Rina, I don’t remember training you to be this easily intimidated, you have to own up and fight for what is yours Rina, fight”, Zaina said.

Rina chuckled sadly.

“To fight royals? The queen? The rest of the royal family? And you think it’s possible?”, she reeled out questions.

“Rina”, Zaina called out.

“My gee, stop sounding this intimidated already, the prince loves you too, and he sure gonna do his own part, you aren’t fighting alone”.

Rina sniffed again.

“I know he loves me Zaina… but can’t you see? This would be me and Raghav against them, gosh!”, she splayed her left hand on her forehead.

“Stop it Rin… stop! You get to fight this, fight for what is yours, who is Vidya for crying out loud?”.

Rina shook her head in negation.

“You are still not getting this Zaina”, she said in a whisper.

“Of course I do. It even gonna be more easy for you, because you are in the palace”.

“Gosh Zaina, I feel like giving up for this one, if that’s how it gonna be, I better give up, I can’t fight this”, she said.

“What! You better not!”.

*

*

Raghav got to the throne room in few minutes. It was a room of it’s own located on the second floor of the palace building.

The throne room occupied the whole of the second floor, with about two other smaller rooms for some important stuffs.

The large door to the room was always open, about four guards stood by it. Raghav slowly walked up to them and they bowed in greeting.

He got to the entrance and gave a big bow to his father, who sat on the throne raised high up from the ground level.

“May your days of kingship on earth be long Maharajah”, he said as he bowed.

King Neel smiled.

“How is it that I please the prince that he has come to pay me a visit today?”, he said, his calm face giving out a warm smile.

Raghav grinned then walked further into the room. The room was airy and well ventilated, various sculptures and rich works of arts scattered all over the room, guards and maids were not left out.

He walked up to his father and bowed again.

“Your royal highness”, he said.

King Neel in all his arrays and glamour, and filled with smiles gently raised the golden staff which was always in his right hand and patted his son on his back with it.

“Great prince of Shimla… great”, he said.

“May you live long father”, he stood straight.

“As you will my son, to what do I owe this visit? Please sit”, he motioned him to one of the many couches scattered around.

Raghav made himself comfortable as he lowered himself to sit.

“Maharajah, you actually owe nothing. Or is it a taboo for a son to visit his father?”, he asked.

Neel smiled, that was his son for you, always replying questions with questions.

“Of course father”, he said.

Neel laughed.

“You better be careful on how you read minds here son, you are with your father”, he said.

Raghav shortly laughed.

“I’m very sorry father, I just can’t help it”, he said.

“So tell me son, how have you been? I am sorry I hardly make out time for you and your sister these days, I’ve been attending to one thing or the other”, he apologized.

“It’s understandable your grace, it’s no offence”.

“Prisha would take it as an offence, I trust her”, he said and they bursted into laughter.

“Well father, we have been good, so good. So mother came to me just few minutes ago to tell me about a dinner party she is hosting, do you know of it dad?”, he asked.

Neel sighed, he knew of it and had sensed it wouldn’t work.

“I know of it son”.

“So tell me father, what is it all about? Mom said I will be meeting someone special, a childhood friend to be precised”, he winked.

Neel chuckled, childhood friend indeed.

“Well…”.

“It’s not any childhood friend right?”, he asked, interrupting.

“Son, you interrupted me?”, he asked.

“I’m very sorry father, I am only just being detective, I mean, this is about me we are talking about here”, he spread out his arms.

Neel nodded.

“I know. But you see son, your mother is just too desperate to recommend a bride for you, and pair you up too. The lady you are meeting with at the dinner isn’t any childhood friend, but a recommended bride… it’s all a plan”.

“What! Why must mother intend to trick me huh?”, he raged.

“Calm down Raghav, she’s not doing this to harm you”.

“She is sure harming me already dad”, he countered.

Neel smiled and shook his head.

“She is not. She is only trying to get you through this way because she sees you’re difficult, you can’t just listen to anyone”.

Raghav gave a cranky look.

“Even at that father, mother shouldn’t have lied to me, what rubbish childhood friend?”.

Neel tilted his head towards him.

“It’s all a plan son, pretend you never came here, pretend you never asked me anything, pretend like you know nothing, just act along with them”, he whispered.

“I know that, that’s how we roll. And who is this lady?”, he asked.

He sat up.

“Well a daughter of a friend of hers, you going to meet her anyway”, he winked.

“Hmm, indeed”.

Neel looked intently at his son.

“Do you mean to tell me you really aren’t interested in women? Like you never behaved like one, you never brought any here since you returned, we are trying to matchmake you”, he stressed.

Raghav smiled.

“You are actually free to say that father. I am in actual fact in love, and keeping it low”, he said in a whisper.

A smile played on the king’s lips.

“Wow son, that is great”, he said.

“Yes father”, he shortly replied.

Wow, Neel couldn’t believe his ears, that Raghav has finally found at least someone he claims he loves, how sweet and heartwarming Aarti gonna receive the news.

“Very well father. How is she by the way?”, Raghav asked.

His father looked at him, furrowing his brows.

“She is fine, I’m even the one supposed to be asking you though. That reminds me, any chance of change of attitude towards your cousins?”.

Raghav’s face instantly turned sour, his countenance fell in utmost disappointment.

Neel pulled up a disgust face, was this how he really hates them?

“Yes father, I hate them so well”, he said.

“I never doubt you my son, and I stand where you stand”, he struck the golden sceptre which was in his left hand on the tiled floor.

Raghav nodded.

“Do you know they are the ones I’m suspecting are behind Prisha’s abduction few months ago?”.

“What”, he turned to him, then shook his head.

“No, it can’t be true son. They are your cousins for goodness sake”.

“Cousins who wants to take the throne away from you”, he made a face.

Neel turned to him, this time he could read meanings into what his son just said.

“My throne? Your inheritance?”, he asked out.

“You heard me father. Amaya isn’t really what you think he is, I still wonder what mom sees in them despite my warnings”, he said in agony.

“It’s okay son. They are the children of her only sister who is late now, you should understand”.

“Is that why he wants to take away someone’s…”, he paused then splayed his right hand on his forehead.

“I have to leave at this juncture father, we will meet during dinner”, he winked as he got up.

“You haven’t tell me about the damsel you got son?”, he asked.

He smiled.

“You going to meet her someday”.

*

*

Rina lazily dropped her phone on her dressing table and flopped on the chair.

She had just gotten off the phone with Zaina, and to think that the party few days from now could be because of Vidya, she was damn sad and worried.

She sniffed, cleaning off the little tears on her face. Suddenly the door opened and she sharply turned towards it, jeez, it was the prince.

Holy Moly! The prince in her room?

She hurriedly turned away and began cleaning off her face properly, no, she doesn’t want him to see her this way.

“Babe”, he called and walked up to her.

Rina tried getting up before he could get to her, but it was already late, he was already standing behind her and staring at her face in the mirror. He noticed the tears.

“What is it babe, why are you crying?”.

Rina forced a smile.

“Crying? Am I?”, she asked cleaning her face.

Raghav sighed.

“You are crying Rina”.

“My prince I’m not, something actually entered my eyes, it made it watery”, she lied, trying her possible best to control her thoughts.

He gave her a suspecting look, then turned away. Rina who had been looking into the mirror, saw that he had turned and she stood up immediately.

“Maharana?”, she called, placing her hands on his shoulders, from behind.

“What is it?”, he asked.

Jeez, he has suddenly turn cold, crap. But she just can’t tell him of what is going on in her mind, it was only an assumption, no evidence of it being the truth yet.

“No evidence of what?”, he asked and turned to her.

Jeez, she freezed. What is wrong with her thoughts? What? Why can’t she control it?

“Um Maharana, it’s actually nothing serious”, she looked away.

“Are you now keeping secrets away from me?”, he asked.

“Why should I? I am not”, she forced a smile.

Raghav shook his head.

“What evidence are you thinking about?”, he pressed on.

She sighed.

“I said it’s nothing serious, nothing”, she began tearing up, hoping this was gonna calm him down.

Actually, it did. Her tears weakened him instantly, and he wrapped his arms around her, as she placed her head on his chest and cried.

“It’s okay babe, I didn’t mean to be hard on you”, he said in a whisper.

“Do you get me?”, he asked and she nodded.

“Now stop the tears and give me a smile”, he nudged her.

Rina stood straight and looked into his eyes, she could see love, she could see hope… she smiled.

“I love you”, she whispered, laying her head on his chest again.

He pecked her forehead.

“Me I don’t”, he said, chuckling.

She laughed, all thoughts about the party, about Vidya had all vanished. Raghav now fully occupied her mind.

“Are you sure you are alright Rina?”, he asked.

She nodded.

“Yes Maharana, I’m fine”, she replied.

He smiled and swooped her in his hands bridal style, towards the bed.

“My gee, Maharana?”, she called laughing.

He dropped her on the bed, then sat beside her.

“I have a surprise for you baby”, he said.

She sat up.

“Huh? A surprise?”, she asked.

“Yeah”, he nodded.

“Wow, so what surprise?”, she asked, grinning from ear to ear.

“The princess gonna be taking you out soon”.

“Mmm? Take me out? To where?”.

“To where I have asked her to”, he tickled her.

“Oh jeez, stop it please”, she said laughing.

“But you like it”.

“I don’t”, she pouted.

“Alright”, he got up, “come with me, I’ve got something to show you”, he said, giving her his right hand.

She held on to it and got down the bed.

“What is it?”, she asked.

“You ask too many questions, just keep shut and silently come with me”, he said.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

She smiled.

“Alright then, your wish is my command your grace”, and together they left the room.