Prince Zashil’s Betrothed
CONFESSING love back to Prince Raghav was actually the best thing ever for Rina, seriously, she had been over the moon since the encounter with him at the garden.
He had kissed her on the back of her palm, and he had hugged her so passionately.
Awwn, it’s been the most happiest and sweetest moment ever in her life. Was this how this thing called love finally feels?
Everything has been going on smoothly since then, no qualms at all. Even though Alisha had better learnt to live with it, there was nothing she could do anyway.
She smiled and rolled her eyes, as she sat on one of the chairs which served as a dining seat in the kitchen.
“Hey new favorite maid”, someone called from behind, interrupting her thoughts and she turned back. It was Tanu, she was smiling sheepishly.
Rina sighed.
“Hi girl”, she said.
“Thinking about him huh?” She jumped on the seat opposite her.
Rina smiled.
“You can say that again, that has obviously been my second job in this palace, always thinking of him”, she widened her eyes as she explained.
Tanu nodded, smiling.
“I see. But it seems this has passed favorite, this is more than it was with Alina”.
Rina nodded.
“Yeah, we are in love”, she spilled.
“Huh?” Tanu exclaimed unbelievably. “Wait, you mean to tell me he… he confessed he loves you?”
“Exactly, that’s my point”, she nodded.
“Seriously? OMG!” She exclaimed.
“Yeah”, Rina laughed.
“Awwn, I’m happy for you. But this is totally unbelievable, Prince Raghav in love with a maid? My goodness! I can’t believe it”, she said.
“Well it happened. I have been noticing it though, but I didn’t expect him to make a move”.
“We all noticed it, but we thought it was a favorite stuff, you know? Didn’t know it was love… like pure love”.
Rina shrugged her shoulders.
“Well it is”.
“I’m really happy for you, come here”, she got down from the seat and gave her a hug.
“Thanks dear”, Rina said as they unlocked the hug and sat back on the seat.
“So what about her?” She asked.
Rina looked confused.
“Her? Who is her?” She asked.
“Alina”, she rolled her eyes.
“Well I don’t know, she isn’t the owner of the Prince, so why should I care? She has to learn to live with the fact that I don’t force myself on Maharana like she does”, she asked.
“She has finally just been put in her place”, she bursted into laughter.
“Well maybe”, she shrugged.
“I know. Well where are you up to now?” She asked.
Rina looked round the kitchen, just a handful of maids were present.
“Ugh, I’ll be going up to the dining hall for breakfast, before I begin working”, she replied.
Tanu nodded.
“Well the Prince seeks your attention”, she twisted her lips.
“What?” She looked at her inquiringly. “The Prince?” She asked.
“Yeah”, she nodded.
Rina laughed.
“Like seriously, why are you just telling me then?” She got down from the seat.
“Well I had wanted to hear some gist from you first, hence my delaying the message”, she winked.
“You must be kidding me. I am out of here”, and she began walking away.
“You just have to take it easy lover girl”, she called back, laughing.
“Sure I will”, she waved her left hand.
Wow, so the Prince sent for her and Tanu just kept the message to herself huh? Does she want her Prince to die waiting?
She was still on her way to his chambers when her stomach rumbled, reminding her of breakfast.
“Ouch”, she mouthed, rubbing her stomach with her right hand.
She was gonna eat later, yeah, breakfast can wait, let her attend to her man first.
She got to his door and knocked, then waited for a response, there wasn’t any. She knocked again, still no response.
Then she decided to go in without his permission, uh uh, was she not his lover now?
She slowly placed her right hand on the door knob and turned it, the door opened and she entered.
Hmm, the ever soothing sweet scent and cologne of the room filled her nostrils, soothing her nerves, she inhaled.
Still standing at the door, though already closed behind her, she glanced around the room, and oh, there he was seated on one of the dining seats, speaking into a phone and smiling.
Oh my, his ever charming smiles and handsomeness. He turned towards her and she pouted, blinking her eyes.
She then left the door and walked further into the room, admiring each item as she went, he was still on the phone.
She walked up to the piano and stood, admiring the keyboard, hoping her fingers were already playing on the board. So the Prince could actually play the keyboard, she really couldn’t wait to watch him play.
Minutes later, she left the piano side and walked up to his dressing mirror, then admired herself in the mirror as she twirled around, smiling.
Subconsciously, she glanced at the Prince and saw him staring at her, he was still on the phone though. She flinched and bursted into laughter, he smiled and looked away.
Her eyes turned to the dressing table, wow, different lotions, creams, deodorants and perfumes, assorted were scattered all over the table, all males.
She sighed and took up a perfume bottle, sniffed it, then ‘pisssss’, she began spraying it on her body.
He sharply turned to her and she abruptly stopped, putting up a pleading face.
Oh my! Was she really trespassing? Imagine her, a maid spraying the Prince’s perfume, wasn’t it awkward? Gosh! She dropped it.
“She is even here”, she heard him spoke into the phone and she sharply turned to him, he was staring at her.
Huh? Hold on, was he really talking about her? To who then?
“In fact she’s actually been an hour here waiting for me”, he continued, “let me attend to my baby please, I will call you back later”, he concluded and hung up.
Oh jeez, he just called her his baby. She sighed and walked up to him.
“Good morning Maharana”, she genuflected.
“Your Grace”, she added, bowing slightly.
Raghav smiled.
“How was your night beautiful Rina?” He asked.
“Very much fine and yours?” She giggled.
“Absolutely sweet, spent the whole of it dreaming about you”, he said.
“Huh?” She mouthed. She got to the table and for the first time since she entered the room, her eyes noticed the plates of food neatly arranged on the table.
And what! It was a table set for two, my goodness!
“Yeah”, he shortly replied.
She looked at him, and their gaze met.
“You sent for me my Prince”, she said to remind him.
“I guessed you were heading for the dining hall for breakfast when my message got to you”, he said.
“Yeah, exactly”, she nodded. “I’m really hungry, I can eat up a human right now”, she yawned carelessly, rubbing her right hand on her tummy.
Raghav lowly laughed, was she really yawning like a hungry lion, gosh! So she could put up such a nasty act?
“So you are a cannibal?” He asked.
She looked at him, then bursted into laughter, she laughed so hard.
“You can say that again my Prince”, she said, still laughing.
“Oh, you better sit and join me, I don’t want to end up as breakfast in someone’s stomach”, he laughed.
“Huh? I should join you?” She asked, her eyes widened in disbelief.
“Yeah, anything? Sit, I actually ordered breakfast for two, so sit and serve us”, he ordered.
Holy moly! She couldn’t believe it. To dine and wine with the Prince? A maid like her? It was unbelievable.
Well, who was she to disobey the Prince? She shrugged and began dishing out the food.
Minutes later, she was done and she sat and they began eating. It was the best romantic meal she had ever had.
***
They finished eating and Rina stood to clear up the table, he halted her.
“Leave that Rina, someone else gonna clear that up”, he said, shoving back his seat, and punching on a little button at the edge of the table.
She scoffed.
“You seem to forget so soon Maharana, I am still a maid”, she said.
“Says who?” He asked, walking towards his piano.
“Huh?” She mouthed.
“Leave that and come up here, I already sent for someone”.
“Alright, when?” She stood up.
“You didn’t see me punching on the button at the edge of the table?” He asked, already sitting on the piano seat.
Huh? Punching on a button? She began searching for the button, looking the table over. And oh, there it was at the edge, she exhaled.
“Maharana?” She called from where she stood.
“Yeah baby, come over”, he began punching on the keys of the keyboard, giving out soft tunes.
She walked up to him.
“Aww, I love this”, she said.
“I know”, he replied.
“You know?” She asked.
“Yes. The first day you stepped in here, I knew what you were thinking when you saw the piano”, he winked, “I read your mind”.
“Oh”, she gave a cranky look, a human reading minds, hmm.
“Alright, let me give my lady the honor to show me what she’s got”, he stood up and she laughed.
“Thank you my Prince, I’m honored”, she splayed her left hand on her chest.
He smiled and held back the seat for her to sit, and she sat.
She studied the keys so well, then she raised her hands and closing her eyes, her fingers began punching on the keys. She sang.
The Ali Gatie music; What If I Told You That I Love You, filled the serene atmosphere, as she sang so beautifully well, playing the right tunes as well.
Soon she concluded and he gave her a round of applause.
“Wow, that was totally awesome, splendid”, he applauded. She smiled.
“Thank you Maharana”, she slightly bowed her head.
“And I hope that song was for me?” He winked.
“Oh my prince, of course why did you think I chose to sing it? I was actually talking to you”, she looked away.
He nodded, instantly getting her point.
“Well you are really doing well, who taught you?” He asked.
She looked up at him.
“My best friend and classmate, she usually went for the class some days after school back then, and in her leisure time, she taught me with her own keyboard”, she explained.
His eyes widened.
“Wow, this your friend must be awesome. Was she the one you said made you come to the palace?”
“Exactly, she is”, she replied.
He sighed, wow. He didn’t know his lady’s fingers were damn good with the piano, wow, what a pleasant surprise.
She glanced at the wall clock, jeez, the time was already far spent. Ohh Jesus, Prag gonna spank her real hard this time, she didn’t report for her job that morning, jeez, her face turned sour instantly.
Raghav noticed it.
“Huh? What’s wrong? You suddenly look worried”, he said.
“I’m sorry I have to go”, she got up and turned, about leaving the room. He held her back.
“You are actually walking out on the Prince Rina”, he said.
“Where exactly are you going? What’s wrong?” He asked.
She sighed.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
“I didn’t show up at work today Maharana”, she said.
“Oh that, forget it”, he walked up to the bed.
“Huh?”
“Yes, I already called Prag earlier today and told her you won’t be coming to work today… in fact look, I’m not supposed to be saying all these, whenever something like this happens next time, just know I have taken care of it, because I am always aware… always”, he flopped on the bed.
Oh! So she was off for the day? She looked inquiringly at him.
“Yes, you are off”, he said, nodding.
Gosh! He just read her mind again, she sighed.
“I really should be careful of what I think whenever I’m around you huh”, she said and began walking up to him.
He laughed.
“Yeah you should”.
“Can you tell me about it?” She sat on the bed beside him.
“Well I just seemed to grow up noticing the gift, it was given to me by my grandfather, the father of my father; the King who ruled before my father”, he explained.
“Wow!” She exclaimed.
“Not all times I’m with someone that I’m able to discern their minds though, but I do when I can”.
“Human reading minds, hmm”.
“It’s a gift”, he took her left hand in his, caressing and playing with her fingers.
Just then, there was a knock on the door, startling her and she flinched.
“Relax”, he said to her and turned to the door.
“Come in”, he replied after the second knock.
The door opened and a maid entered.
“Your Grace”, she bowed.
“Yes?” He replied.
“The plates”, she pointed towards the dining and he gave her a nod.
The maid gave Rina a cranky look walking up to the dining, she packed up all the plates, ready to leave. Then she turned towards them.
“Um Rina, we will be having a meeting ten minutes from now, at the meeting room, do meet up”, she said and walked away.
“Alright”, she shortly replied.
She turned to Raghav, a meeting? What meeting? And who the hell called for it?
“It’s a meeting of some selected maids, Prag is hosting it”, he said.
She flinched, looking at him.
“Well, tha… thank you. Ten minutes from now, I should be going”, she got up.
“Ten minutes from now and you are already up”, he laughed and got up too. Then he faced her.
They stood like that for minutes, staring into each other’s eyes. Subconsciously, her eyelids flickered.
“I have to get going Maharana”, she said and turned, he held her back.
Sharply, he turned her face with his left hand and pecked her on her right cheek.
“I love you”, he whispered and let go of her.
What! Her eyes sparkled with love, a smile played on her lips. He pecked her on the cheek, oh my!
“I love you too Maharana”, she whispered.
He nodded, sitting back on the bed.
“You can go”, he said, picking up his phone from the bed.
With smiles all over her face, she turned and left the room.
She got to the meeting room a few minutes later, it wasn’t new to her, she already knows her way round the palace now.
The meeting room was already opened and she could hear voices even, the maids already in were talking.
? “She didn’t show up at the dining hall, she had breakfast with the Prince in his room”, someone said at the top of her voice, and she heard the others gasped.
Hold on, they were actually talking about her. She halted halfway.
? “She didn’t also show up at work today, and Prag said nothing about it”, another said.
She could clearly hear them speak as they all spoke at the top of their voices.
? “Actually, she was having a swell time with the Prince throughout, I saw them when I went to get the plates they both used in eating”, another spoke, and she instantly depicted it was the maid who had come to clear up the table.
? “I think she is using voodoo on our Prince”.
What! What was this lady trying to say? She couldn’t take it anymore, she walked up to the door and entered.
A hush instantly fell on the maids as soon as they sighted her entering. She stood at the door and watched them all, they were about twenty five of them.
Why not? She wasn’t nervous as before anymore, she just walked up to them, and took a seat.
She then glanced through all the maids that came for the meeting and she didn’t see Tanu, well, maybe she wasn’t invited for the meeting, she shrugged.
She didn’t see Alina as well, and she thanked the heavens for at least excluding her from something she was also involved in.
What was Prag going to tell them about anyway? Prag wasn’t here yet, and so she spaced out, thinking off.
A few minutes later, Prag entered. She walked up to the front of them and sat on the seat reserved for her.
“Fellow maids”, she began, clearing her throat.
“You might be wondering why this meeting was called. Well, her royal majesty, the Queen, Queen Arya, would be hosting a dinner party in a few days, so you all would be needed for the task ahead, remember this dinner party is gonna be held at the larger dining room”, she picked up her book and peeked into it.
“You have all been selected and grouped into two; Group 1 and Group 2. Group 1 is going to be cleaning up the dining room. You know it’s not always used except for rare occasions like this. And Group 2, you are the maids to be present during the party, I hope you understand?”
“Yes Prag”, they replied in unison.
“So I’m going to list out your names, so you know which group you fall into”.
She called out the names within the next few minutes. Rina felt relieved, she was in Group 1.
But hold on, a dinner party exactly for what? Who was the Queen hosting and what for?
Goodness, she hopes it isn’t what she is thinking.
“The date for the party would be communicated to you soon, thanks for your time”, Prag concluded, got up and left the room.
*
*
*
Zaina walked into the living room looking all tensed up and nervous. Her parents had just told her they would be having a few hours meeting with her.
What exactly do they want to talk about? What? Well, she hopes it isn’t what she is thinking… she just hopes.
She hadn’t even graduated from high school yet, their talk about her studying a course she dislikes in college shouldn’t be brought up at all.
Elder Sachin, her father motioned her to the couch opposite them and she sat.
“You must have really been wondering why we decided to have a meeting with you Zaina”, he spoke up.
“I really am”, she replied, nodding.
They smiled. She looked more confused, what actually was going on?
“Well Zaina, it’s nothing to be worried about”, he said.
“A welcome news just reached us Zaina”, he said.
She shifted on her seat, this wasn’t about her studying a different course, she looked at them inquiringly.
“I know you really want to further your studies in college, I’ve always seen that zeal in you, always…”, he continued.
Hey, what was he talking about now? Which one is wanting to go further? Who doesn’t?
“But what if a well trained and responsible young man comes to you for marriage now, would you accept?” He spilled the question.
What! Her ears twitched, she couldn’t believe them.
“Marriage?” She asked.
“Yes baby, to get married. I mean you are ripe for it, and matured enough”, Sarika, her mother, enjoined.
Oh jeez, what were her parents trying to talk about? Marriage was the least of her priorities now.
“But I’m not ready for it yet, I’m not”, she finally found her voice.
They glanced at themselves and smiled.
“I know that would be your reply anyway. Well Prince Zashil of Kuru kingdom wrote to us”, he said.
Her eyes widened in shock. What! A prince? Prince Zashil? Wrote them?
“He… he what?” She asked, stuttering.
“He wrote to us, making and stating his intentions plain and straight”.
She sighed, still in shock.
“Then go on dad, what did he say?”
“Prince Zashil seeks for your hand in marriage”.
“What!” She gasped.