" 'How beautiful a princess can be.' "
Ira stopped on her place and turned towards Veera.
"Jealous?" She asked while crossing her hands on her chest.
Veera chuckled sarcastically "Huh, Jealous? Of you? I don't have to be jealous of you. What would I be jealous of? You have nothing! Not the parents love, no one loves you except grandfather. You don't even have your own identity. Who are you? Just a princess? Who can't do anything? Can't come infront of anyone? huh?"
Ira sighed deeply and took a step forward with a slight smirk "You know who I am and what I can do. Wanna see what I can do?" Ira asked while looking straight into Veera's eyes.
Veera maintained the eye contact. even though she was a bit scared and was regretting whatever she sayed but she didn't wanted to show it. She don't want to look weak or scared in front of this useless princess.
"Stop it!"
Hearing a familiar voice, all three of them looked at the direction from where the voice came.
Their father, Dhishva was standing there with a angry face.
After seeing her father, Ira stepped back and stood straight.
"Can't you control yourself at least for one day? Don't you know how to behave yourself? Huh?!" Dhishva yelled in anger.
Ira was standing quietly, she didn't uttered a single word because she know it's useless to give any explanation. Her father won't listen to her. She will get scolded only as always.
But Veera can't stay quiet. "But father she-"
"Quiet! I don't want any explanation. Go to your chamber, right now." Dhishva cut off Veera's words and ordered them to go to their chamber.
Veera looked at Ira in anger. She clenched her fist and death glared at Ira. The only reason Dhishva yell at her is whenever she argues with Ira. Not because he love Ira, but because he don't want Veera to waste her time on a girl who is a curse on their family.
Ira looked at her sister. By her expression, it was clear that she is so angry. But Ira don't care about it. She know, even if Veera is angry on her, she can't do anything.
Veera left from there while stomping her feet in anger.
Veer was about to leave as well but his father stopped him.
"Veer, wait. I have some work with you. Come with me."
Veer stopped and nod.
Ira greeted her father and left from there. As always, her father ignored her.
When Dhishva and Veer entered in the office, they saw Viraaj already sitting on his chair, reading some documents.
Dhishva directly went towards Viraaj and said "Father, you know what happened today is not good." He complained "People will know her existence! And if that happened, it will only disgrace our family's reputation."
"Dhishva! Mind your words!" Viraaj yelled when Dhishva called his own daughter a disgrace to their family.
"Are you aware of what you are saying? If not, then think about it carefully. You are not only insulting your daughter but also the person who is the reason for your existence." He threw the documents on the ground and walked towards the door to leave, not wanting to ruin his mood.
But he suddenly stopped and said "If you don't want to take her responsibility, leave it to me. I have never forced you to take care of her, love her or pamper her how you do to Veer and Veera. Since she is my granddaughter, I have named her, I have raised her, i will decide whom she will meet and whom not. You don't have to interfere." After saying that, he walked outside the office.
Dhishva just stood there clenching his fist in anger.
In Jwalana Kingdom, Abhiveera was having dinner with his family but he was mentally somewhere else. He was keep on smiling and thinking about something. It was like he is lost somewhere in his mind. And whatever it is, it is so sweet that he can't forget it and it is bringing a smile on his face again and again.
Seeing him smiling like this, his family members looked at each other confused.
His wife, Queen Neisha signalled her son king Ashwant to ask Abhiveera why he is smiling like this.
Ashwant nod as yes.
"Father...." He called, making Abhiveera come to the reality.
Abhiveera came out of his thoughts and looked at Ashwant "Yes?"
"Is everything ok? Something happened?" Ashwant asked.
Abhiveera curled his eyebrows in confusion, not knowing what exactly Ashwant is asking about. "Yes, everything is fine. Nothing happened. Why are you asking?"
Ashwant looked at his mother and she signalled him to ask what is the actual reason of Abhiveera's smile.
Ashwant again turned his gaze towards his father.
"Father, since you came back from Aaro kingdom, you are in a good mood. You are smiling continuously. Still, while having your food....you are looking like you are thinking about something. What is it? Would you tell us? Was the meeting that good?"
Abhiveera chuckled at his son's question. "Really?"
"Yes, grandfather. I had the same question." Raksheet, Abhiveera's elder grandson and the crown prince of Jwalana said.
Abhiveera looked at Raksheet. He thought for a while and then smiled. "I met majesty of Aaro kingdom and his family members. They all are so kind and respectful. Especially.... princess Ira."
Hearing Ira's name, Ahil, the second prince, younger brother of Raksheet chocked while eating.
*cough, cough*
Everyone looked at Ahil and her mother rubbed his back.
"Be careful." Avanya, Ahil's mother said to Ahil while rubbing his back and giving the glass of water to him to drink.
Ahil drank the water immediately and asked, still coughing. "D-Did you said.....p-princess Irya?"
Everyone looked at Abhiveera with wide eyes and shock.
Abhiveera smiled bitterly. His expressions were same as his family members when he first saw Ira. "No. Not.....not Irya. She is princess Ira. The youngest Granddaughter of Viraaj chakravarthy....but she is just like Irya."
"But father, his majesty Viraaj have only two grandkids, doesn't he?" Ashwant asked.
Abhiveera nod "That's what we heard from others. But actually, he have three grandkids. The crown prince Veer and his twin sister Veera, we knew about these two only. But today I met the youngest granddaughter of his majesty. She is so beautiful and sweet. But may be there is something wrong with princess Ira, that's why his majesty had to hide her from world."
"What is it?" Raksheet asked curiously. He love to know about his surrounding kingdoms, their strength and specially weakness. In this way he can understand how he can manipulate other kingdoms and defeat them. If in future, Aaro kingdom stands against Jwalana, he can use their weakness, Ira against them.
Abhiveera glanced at Raksheet, knowing what he might be thinking as he know him very well. "I asked them about Ira not showing up infront of others. And his majesty said that she often fall sick and her treatment is going on. So they prefer to keep her inside the palace so that she won't fall sick more." While telling what Viraaj said about Ira's health issues, Abhiveera felt a gust of sadness covering his heart. Don't know why but he was feeling guilty as if Ira's sickness has something to do with Abhiveera.
Everyone fell silent, not knowing how to digest what Abhiveera said. At first Raksheet felt may be Viraaj was lying but then he realised that there is no reason for him to lie. He even introduced Ira to Abhiveera after hiding her existence from entire world after so many years. Only Aaro knew that there was a younger princess in Aaro palace who suddenly disappeared from their sight and they were forbidded from mentioning her in public or outside the kingdom. Her sickness could be the only reason Viraaj hided her from entire world.
"Does she have any disease?" Ahil asked, trying to find the valid reason for Ira's sickness.
"No, I don't think so." Abhiveera said, not wanting anyone to think of Ira as a sick princess who can never recover. "May be her immune system is weak that's why she fall sick often."
"Poor girl. She had to hide herself from the whole world for such a long time. How will she manage to live in this world? His majesty Viraaj can't always protect her." Avanya said with a sad expression and pitiful eyes.
"It is a biggest weakness for Aaro. Why did his majesty reveal such a big secret to you?" Raksheet asked, feeling something is wrong.
"I don't know." Abhiveera shrugged his shoulders "May be he trust me. Or may be it had to come infront of me."
"He trust you in just one meeting? It's unbelievable." Raksheet commented. He don't want to trust anyone so easily. Most of the time people sacrifice little to gain more. In this case, may be Viraaj want to win Abhiveera's trust and plot something big against them in future.
"Sometimes, you can trust people in just one meeting. And sometimes, you can't trust anyone even after living with them for so many years. Anyways, we have signed the agreement to not reveal secrets of each other's kingdom infront of others and that involves personal matters too."
Abhiveera said. He was happy that Viraaj told him such a big secret of their kingdom and family, because it means he trust him. If Viraaj trust him so much, it's Abhiveera's duty to not break this trust and help him to convert this weakness into strength.
But the way he want to help Viraaj is not easy. It can affect his own kingdom and family. He should think carefully before doing anything, even if he is so fond of Ira in just one meeting and want to bring her in his palace, he can't ignore his kingdom's future.