"The special one." He replied and opened the door.
The door opened, revealing multiple book shelfs and a table and chair at the corner.
"This is the library." Raksheet said "No one is allowed to enter here except our family members. only few trusted servants are allowed to come here to clean it. It's grandfather's library" Raksheet said, standing next to the book shelf and taking out a book.
"It's beautiful." Ira said, wondering. She looked around in amazement. The library was big and brightening with multiple chandelier.
"There are lots of books. Love stories, historical, horror, especially poetry. Grandfather loves to do poetry. Do you like poetry?" He asked.
"Not exactly. But I would like to read sometime." Ira replied
"Do you know how to read?" He asked teasingly.
"Of course I do!" She replied in annoyance and went straight towards a shelf. She picked a book and started reading it out loud.
He laughed to hear her reading so loudly and took the book from her hand. "I was just joking. No need to do this." He placed it again in book shelf and took her towards the table at the corner.
She obediently followed him and sat down with him.
He opened the book he was holding and started to read some poetry for her.
"Phoolon ki mehek si ho vo
Itra sa lagaun main
Chidiyon ki chehek si ho vo
Dil laga kar sunu main
Vo ho ek raaj Mera
Jindagi bhar sanjoun use
Barish ki boondon si ho vo
Hosh kho kar bhigun me
Raat ki khamoshi si ho vo
Neend kho kar sunu use
Marham siho vo har jakhm pe mere
Har raat khud ko jalaun main
Andhere me roshni si ho vo
Har pal dhundhu use
Aaine si ho vo mere
Khud ko usme dhundhun main."
"She is like the fragrance of flowers,
I adorn myself with her scent.
She is like the chirping of birds,
I listen closely with my heart.
She is a secret of mine,
I treasure her my whole life.
She is like the drops of rain,
I lose myself and soak in her.
She is like the silence of the night,
I lose sleep just to hear her.
She is like a medicine for my every wound,
Every night, I burn myself anew.
She is the light in the darkness,
I seek her every moment.
She is like my reflection in a mirror,
In her, I find myself."
She listened to him carefully. "Did you wrote it?" She asked him when he finished reading it.
He nod, closing the book.
"For who?" She asked doubtfully. How can he writes such a romantic poetry if he didn't fell in love with anyone? He surely have someone in his heart.
He chuckled to hear her question and replied "You."
"What?" She asked confused.
"I wrote it for my future wife." He replied.
"That's impossible. How can you write such a romantic poetry for someone you never met before." Not believing him, she looked away, thinking he really have someone in his heart.
"Of course we can write such a romantic thing for someone without meeting them." He replied.
She looked at him and he continued. "To write something romantic, it's not necessary for you to have someone arround you. You can write it for the person who lives in your heart. Doesn't matter if that person really exist in your life or not. You can imagine someone and there is a advantage of writing for the person who lives in your imagination. You can imagine them as you want. How you want them to be. How you want them to love you. How you want them to be arround you. That person is only yours. No one can snatch him from you. Doesn't matter how much that person tries to run away from you, your imagination won't let them go. They will have to surrender infront of you. Only you and that person exist in your world. No one will be there to disturb you and you can confess your love to them in any way you want."
Ira was amazed to hear him. She didn't expected him to be so romantic and thoughtful.
He caressed her head and stood up. "Let's go. I will show you around the palace."
She nod and stood up, still thinking about what he said.
After showing Ira the palace from inside, Raksheet took her to the garden.
"This is our garden. Ahil and I used to play here when we were kids."
"It's beautiful." She said amazed. The garden was big, bigger than the garden at her parent's house and beautiful too. The flowers and the greenery around them was too beautiful.
She quickly ran towards them and touched them.
"Do you like it?" Raksheet asked, walking towards her and plucking a flower for her and giving it to her.
She took the flower from him and smelled it "Yes, it's too beautiful and it's fragrance...it's too good. I love it. I love flowers."
"Mother and grandmother love the flowers too. They are the one who planted these all plants here. They love gardening." Raksheet said, touching the flowers and smelling their fragrance.
"You can join them if you want. Actually, I don't have to ask you to join them. They will make you join them anyway."
Ira chuckled on his information "I would love to join them. But I had never done gardening before."
"They will teach you." He turned to face her and asked "By the way, I forgot to ask you. Did you slept well last night? Did you had any nightmare or were you not feeling well? Do you want me to summon the healer?"
Ira looked at him confused "Nightmare?"
"Yes, nightmare. In the morning, I came to see you but you were sleeping and you were looking scared, clutching the sheets tightly and curled up to yourself. Did you had any bad dream?"
Ira looked down at the flowers she was holding, feeling shy to tell Raksheet about last night. How she was scared and missing her grandfather. What if he made fun of her or get angry thinking that his wife is a scaredy cat. She was in dilemma whether to tell Raksheet about it or not when she felt his hand on hers.
She looked at him and saw the warm look on his face.
"It's ok, you can tell me. I won't judge you. This place is new for you. You may get some nightmares staying at new place, in new chamber after such a long journey."
Ira nod and slightly held his sleeve with her other hand.
"Actually.....I was....I was feeling scared last night."
"What? Why?" He asked worriedly.
"The chamber was completely empty and dark and it was new place for me. The windows and doors were slamming because of the wind. There was a complete silence. At my palace, my grandfather used to stay with me until I fall asleep. And he would come to me whenever I need him but last night....he wasn't there to help me. I was missing him. If he was there, I would have slept well. He would have console me."
Raksheet's eyes soften to hear her. He cupped her cheek with one hand and made her look at him. "I am sorry. I should have stayed with you last night. I noticed that the wind is blowing too much but I thought you are used to it because you used to live in Aaro. The whether there is mostly windy and cloudy so I didn't thought much."
"It's ok but..."
"But what?"
She looked away, feeling shy to say it "But...will you....will you sleep....in our chamber instead of your personal chamber?"
He was speechless for a moment and looked at her in daze.
"W-What...I-I mean yes. Yes I will." He replied "Don't worry. The weather is good today and I will be with you too."
She glanced at him "Thank you."
"No need-"
"Brother! What are you doing there?" Ahil shouted from a distance, calling his brother without noticing Ira. "Let's practice swordfight."
"Sure. Just a moment." Raksheet replied. He turned to Ira and asked "Do you want to come with me?"
"Where?"
"To the armoury. I am going to practice with Ahil. You can watch us practice."
"It that ok?" She asked
"Of course. It's your palace. You can go wherever you want." He held her hand and dragged her towards the armoury "Come, let's go. The armoury is connected to garden so you can come to meet me whenever you want or you can see me practicing from garden."
"I don't think that's important."
"It is. If you want to meet me or see me, you can come whenever you want." They reached the armoury and Raksheet opened the gate that connects the garden and armoury. "Come."
"Oh, sister. You are here? Welcome." Ahil said with a big smile.
All soldier practicing in the armory stopped and greeted Raksheet and Ira.
"Continue your practice. Don't stop." Raksheet said.
The soldier again started practicing and Raksheet escorted Ira towards the bench.
"Sit here. You can see me from here." He said, making her sit.
"Do I have to see you all the time?" She asked.
He leaned closer and narrowed his eyes on her "Do you want to see someone else?"
Ira immediately shook her head and looked away "No, not at all. I didn't mean that."
"Are you done flirting with your wife?" Ahil asked and pulled his brother back. "Let's go practice. Sister, be comfortable and watch your husband getting beaten by me."
"Huh?" She looked at him shocked.
Raksheet hits Ahil's head and dragged him away "Let's see who will beat whom."
They started their practice. Holding the knife and pointing it towards eachother. Ira sat straight to see them practicing.
At first, Ahil was looking very confident and was fighting bravely against Raksheet but as Raksheet started showing his true strength, Ahil realised who he was challenging.
Ira looked at them more curiously as her husband started to take control over fight.
Ahil was struggling to fight and Raksheet was barely giving him any chance to attack. He was swinging his sword so skillfully that Ahil wasn't getting any chance to react. It looks like Ahil is having a hard time to protect himself from his brother's attack.
"S-Slow down.....brother, slow down! Why are you being so hard on me today?!? Is it because your wife is watching you? Huh?" Ahil complained. Pushing Raksheet's sword away by his sword with all his strength.
"May be and In war, your enemy won't inform you about his next move. If you give him a single chance to attack you, he will destroy you. So focus. And didn't you told my wife that you will beat me. Come on, do it." Raksheet replied, still pressing his sword on Ahil's.
Gathering his whole strength, Ahil pushed Raksheet away. He tried to attack him but Raksheet is faster than he think. He quickly swung his sword and attacked on Ahil.
"Ah!" Ahil yelled as Raksheet pushed him down, making him fall on ground and pointing his sword at him.
"So, is that enough? Or do you want more?" He asked with a big smirk.
Ahil nod tieredly and breathing heavily. "That's enough for today. I don't want to ruin my look on the day of party."
Raksheet pulled his sword back and forwarded his hand towards Ahil to help him get up. After helping him get up, Raksheet looked at his wife who was looking at him amazed.
As their eyes met, Ira quickly looked away; avoiding his gaze.
Raksheet passed his sword to Ahil and walked towards Ira. He sat down beside her and placed his hand behind her on the bench.
She moved a little away in fear after seeing him fighting like crazy.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you."
She looked at him in surprise that how he know and replied "I-I know. You can't hurt me."
He looked at her and raised his one eyebrow "And why can't I hurt you? You are in my kingdom, in my palace, in my armory, sitting beside me. I can do anything."
Ahil was watching his brother again flirting with his wife and shook his head while massaging his hand that he got sprained after his brother pushed his sword away. "Love birds. Flirting openly in daylight. I didn't know my brother is shameless!"
"W-What are you saying? I-I know you can't hurt me." She looked at him confidently even if her heart was racing in fear "If you give me even a scratch, my grandfather will not let you live in peace."
He turned to face her and asked "Oh really?" He pretended to think about something and then said "Right. In that case, I shouldn't scratch you." He looked at her and smiled wickedly. "Instead, I should cut you in pieces. If you are not alive then who will tell your grandfather what happened to you?"
Ira's eyes widened in fear. She moved away from him, thinking he can really kill her if he want. She don't know him well. Who knows he is a psycho who love to kill and hurt people.