Avni
đź“Ť Royal palace
Lucknow,
India.
The sunlight filtering through the curtains hit my eyes with an unforgiving brightness. My head pounded as though a thousand hammers were striking at once, and I groaned, pulling the blanket over my face. Everything felt too loud, too bright, too intense. The slight movement I made sent a wave of nausea rising in my chest.
Alcohol and I clearly weren't meant to be friends.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to recall how the night had ended. There were flashes- Ishani pouting , Aksh Bhai dragging Ritvika back to the car, Atharv teasing everyone relentlessly-but it was all a blur, swirling in a haze of intoxicated merriment.
And Rudra...
His presence lingered at the edges of my mind, clear and steady amid the chaos of last night. I remembered the way he helped me into the car, his touch careful, like he was handling something fragile. The way he looked at me wasn't with judgment or frustration, but with a kind of silent understanding.
That man's eyes held secrets.
"Did I seriously called him the cheap copy of James bond!!"
I let out a sigh, pushing the blanket aside. My body protested every movement as I dragged myself out of bed. A quick glance in the mirror revealed the aftermath of my indulgence-hair tousled, dark circles under my eyes, and my makeup from the previous night smudged beyond repair.
"Good job, Avni," I muttered to myself. "What a princess you look like now."
A knock at the door startled me out of my thoughts. Before I could respond, the door creaked open slightly, and Mummy's voice echoed from the hallway.
"Avni, beta, are you awake? We have guests coming, so get ready."
Guests. Great. Just what I needed with a pounding headache and nausea that refused to settle.
"Ji, Mummy. I'll be ready," I called out, trying to sound less miserable than I felt.
I dragged myself to the bathroom, the cold splash of water on my face doing little to quell the ache in my head. As I brushed my teeth, flashes of last night returned-the laughter, the teasing, the stolen glances between Ritvika and Aksh Bhai. The carefree moments that, for just a little while, made me forget the weight of responsibility I carried as Princess Avni Raghuvanshi.
But those moments never lasted, did they?
By the time I was dressed and presentable, I had somehow managed to convince my headache to dull slightly. Wrapping myself in a pale blue salwar kameez, I stepped out of my room and made my way downstairs. The palace felt unusually quiet this morning, which was a relief.
Just as I reached the bottom of the staircase, I spotted Rudra standing in the corner of the hall, talking to one of the palace staff. His eyes shifted, catching sight of me, and for a split second, I thought I saw a flicker of amusement on his face.
Great. He probably remembered every embarrassing detail of last night.
He approached me, his usual stoic demeanour in place, though there was a softness in his gaze that hadn't been there before.
"Good morning, Princess," he said, his voice smooth but professional. "I trust you're feeling better?"
I groaned, my hand instinctively going to my head.
"Define 'better.' If you mean less likely to die of embarrassment, then yes. But if you mean less likely to feel like I've been hit by a truck, then no."
A slight smile tugged at his lips, though he quickly masked it. "I did warn you about the champagne."
I rolled my eyes. "Next time, feel free to confiscate the bottle."
"I'll keep that in mind."
He fell into step beside me as I made my way toward the dining room. Despite the haze of last night, I couldn't help but be hyper-aware of his presence now. He was always around-silent, observant, protective. And yet, for someone who was supposed to blend into the background, he had a way of standing out.
As we entered the dining room, Aksh Bhai was already seated, sipping on his morning chai. He raised an eyebrow when he saw me, a teasing smirk playing on his lips.
"Ah, the champion of last night has risen."
I shot him a glare. "Don't start, Bhai."
He chuckled, clearly enjoying my misery. "You're lucky Mummy didn't find out how much you drank. She would've lectured you about 'setting an example' for hours."
I sighed, taking a seat across from him. "I'm surprised she didn't already. Anyway, how's Ishani?"
"She's fine. Sleeping it off like you should be," he said, shrugging. "But you know her-she'll be up in no time, acting like nothing happened."
I groaned again, leaning back in my chair. "Why did I drink so much?"
"Because," Aksh Bhai said with a grin, "you were finally enjoying yourself. It was good to see."
His words caught me off guard, and I looked at him, surprised. There was a sincerity in his voice that I hadn't expected. For so long, I had been so focused on my duties, on being the perfect princess, that I had forgotten what it was like to just be Avni.
But last night, even if just for a few hours, I had let go.
I glanced at Rudra, who stood a few steps behind me, his expression unreadable. I wondered what he thought of me, of my life, of the role I had to play every day. He was still a mystery, one I wasn't sure I wanted to unravel, but I couldn't deny the pull I felt toward him.
As I sipped on the chai the servant had placed in front of me, the warm liquid soothing my throat, I realized that everything was about to change.
Rudra wasn't just my bodyguard. There was more to him-something dangerous, something that kept me on edge. And as much as I tried to ignore it, my gut told me that whatever was between us was only beginning.
Whatever it was, I wasn't sure I was ready for it.
And yet, something about the way he watched me, the way he seemed to see me beyond the title of "princess," made me wonder if maybe-just maybe-I wanted to find out.
The warmth of the chai in my hands was soothing, but my thoughts were far from calm. My mind drifted back to last night, replaying the events, the laughter, and most of all, Rudra's presence. He stood behind me now, silent as always, but I could feel his eyes on me. It was unsettling how much space he seemed to occupy in my thoughts, and yet, it was almost comforting.
I sipped the tea, lost in the swirl of emotions that came with being both Princess Avni Raghuvanshi and, at times, just Avni. The two roles blurred more often than I liked to admit, but last night-last night had been a rare glimpse of freedom.
Thud.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a voice behind me.
"Well, I see some things never change."
I turned sharply, startled but then instantly filled with a burst of joy as I recognized the familiar face. It was Ashwin.
The Ashwin Rana.
Without thinking, I jumped from my chair, my headache momentarily forgotten, and rushed towards him. I threw my arms around him in a tight embrace, a flood of childhood memories coming back with the warmth of his presence.
"Ashwin! How have you been?" I asked, pulling back slightly to get a better look at him. His face hadn't changed much since the last time I saw him, though there was something different in his eyes. A calmness. A wisdom that came with time.
Ashwin Rana wasn't just a counselor to the Raghuvanshi family-he was practically family himself. He had been around for as long as I could remember, guiding us, advising us, being the voice of reason when things got tough. He was the kind of person you could rely on without question, and he had been like an elder brother to me growing up.
But then, a few years ago, he left suddenly. We had all asked him why, and he simply smiled and said he had found his "dream job," though he never elaborated on what that job was. It had left us all wondering, but he seemed happy, so we didn't press further.
"I've been great, Avni. What about you?" Ashwin replied with a warm smile, his eyes shining with the same familiarity that always made me feel at ease. "Though, from what I hear, you've been having quite the adventures yourself."
I blushed slightly, thinking back to the events of the night before. "If by 'adventures,' you mean embarrassing myself, then yes. It's been... interesting."
Ashwin laughed, the sound rich and comforting. "Well, I'm glad to see some things don't change. You've always been the wild spirit, Avni."
We stood there for a moment, the years melting away as though he had never left. But the curiosity that had lingered for so long resurfaced, and I couldn't help but ask, "When did you arrive? And why didn't you tell us you were coming?"
Ashwin's grin turned mischievous, and he shot a glance toward Rudra, who was standing behind me, his arms crossed, watching us with an unreadable expression. "I arrived late last night. And let me tell you, my first encounter was with your bodyguard here."
I raised an eyebrow, glancing between Ashwin and Rudra, intrigued. "Oh? What did Rudra do?"
Ashwin smirked and shook his head, his gaze returning to Rudra. "Let's just say you've got yourself a sharp one here. Eyes like a hawk, mind even sharper. He wasn't about to let anyone, even me, slip past him without checking credentials. Very thorough."
Rudra's expression remained neutral, though I thought I caught the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Just doing my job," he said simply.
Ashwin chuckled. "You did it well. I felt like I was back in training. Not many people have that kind of instinct."
I turned to Rudra, smirking slightly. "So, did Ashwin pass your test?"
"He's still here, isn't he?" Rudra replied smoothly, and this time, I knew I wasn't imagining the amusement in his voice.
I shook my head, laughing. The dynamic between them was unexpected but oddly comforting. It was like seeing two worlds merge-my past with Ashwin, and this new chapter with Rudra constantly by my side.
Ashwin stretched, rolling his shoulders as though to shake off the lingering tension from his encounter with Rudra. "I decided to take some time off from work. I've been meaning to come back for a while, spend some time with all of you. This palace-this family-it's like home to me. And what better place to have a vacation than with the people who mean the most to me?"
His voice softened as he spoke, and I felt a pang in my chest. Ashwin had always been an orphan. He didn't talk about it much, but I knew how much it had shaped him, made him value the connections he built. Over the years, he had become so close to us, and I knew he saw us as the family he never had.
"We missed you," I said quietly, meaning every word.
"I missed you all too," Ashwin replied, his tone equally sincere.
As we walked toward the dining table, Aksh Bhai, who had been observing from across the room, leaned forward with a knowing smile.
"Ashwin Rana. It's good to see you again," Aksh Bhai greeted him, standing up and giving him a firm handshake.
"It's good to be back, Aksh. I missed this place," Ashwin said, his smile warm as he returned the handshake.
Aksh raised an eyebrow. "Back for good, or just here to remind us how much quieter it was without you?" He teased.
Ashwin laughed. "For now, just a vacation. But who knows? I might just stick around and keep you on your toes."
Aksh chuckled. "You were always good at that."
They shared a look-one of those exchanges that spoke of years of friendship, understanding, and mutual respect. There was always a certain ease between Ashwin and Aksh Bhai that I admired. They could tease each other endlessly, but underneath it all, there was a bond that time couldn't erode.
I smiled, watching them. It felt like old times again, having Ashwin back here, filling the palace with his easygoing charm and warmth.
As we chatted, catching up on life and sharing old memories, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Having Ashwin back, even if just for a short while, felt like a piece of the puzzle falling back into place.
After a while, curiosity got the better of me, and I leaned toward Ashwin. "By the way, are you the guest Mummy was talking about this morning? She said we had someone coming."
Ashwin laughed, shaking his head. "No, no. I'm not the guest of honor today. I'm just here to freeload for a bit, remember?"
I smiled, though the mystery of the unknown guest remained. If Ashwin wasn't the guest Mummy mentioned, then who could it be? My mind began to race with possibilities. Could it be someone from our extended family? Or a political figure? And why all the secrecy?
For now, though, having Ashwin back was enough to bring a sense of normalcy-at least for a little while.
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