SIYAASAT - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Swadheenta
My face turned down because of the impact of the slap, my mouth open in shock.
I can't believe what happened!
I can feel the world spin around me.
I place my hand on my cheek and slowly look upwards towards him. Tears threatened to leave my eyes as I look up at him.
The cheek which he caressed last night, the untold feelings which we shared. He just shattered them in a minute.
I turned my gaze around Maharaj, Rajmata glaring at me, Maharani smirking at me, Bhabhi looking at me with worry and sadness, the staff, maids, servants all were looking at me.
I look down embarrassed and closed my eyes trying to stop the tears from coming out. I fisted my lehenga.
I will never forget this humiliation.
Room
" How dare he" I shut the door with a bang.
" How dare he!" I screamed.
" Never, my Papa never raise his voice on me and he"
My gaze fell on my dressing vanity I went towards there and slide my hand making all the things fall in was all her plan.
I turned angrily and grip the sheets and pulled them my knees gave up and I sit down placing my head on edge of the bed tears starts to come out.
I thought we have trust, yes our relationship wasn't normal, our marriage was neither arranged nor loved but still, I thought we have a relationship.
I don't know it will be shattered by one gust of wind.
How can you do this Rehan I trust you, came here with you, accepted you as my husband, gave myself to you then why you didn't trust me.
It's hurting Rehan.
Your lack of trust in me hurts me more than the slap.
I close my eyes and cry loudly wanting to release all the pain.
After crying for some time my tears stopped but the pain didn't stop. I'm just staring at the floor.
Knock
Knock
I come out of my trance and lookup.
" Swadheenta, are you fine?" It's was Bhabhi's voice.
" Swadheenta open the door"
I don't want to talk to anyone right now but the worry was clear in her voice so I get up and open the door.
" Rajkumari," she said softly, I step back into the room facing the other side.
" Are you fine?" I feel her place her hand on my shoulder.
" How can I be fine"
" Swadheenta I know whatever happened is not right and you're affected but believe me everyone is equally shocked "
" How can be Maharani is behind this she is his mother...." I abruptly turned towards her and say.
" You also think I'm lying" I snapped.
" No.. I mean..."
" I have gone mad" she shook her head " No" she come forward and place her hand on my shoulder.
" Then what! I have not gone mad I have only said the things which I saw by my eyes I said the truth" I shouted and my gaze fell on the door where Rehan is staring.
He come inside and without saying anything grip my wrist tightly dragging me with himself out of the room with Bhabhi following us.
We climb down the stairs and saw everyone standing downstairs. He left me with a jerk making me stand in front of Maharani.
" Apologize" he ordered without looking at me and I glared at him and Maharani.
" No Yuvraj there is no need," Maharani said innocently.
" No Ma there is" he glared at me I also glared back.
" What are you looking at apologize," he said.
" Never"
" What did I say!" He step forward, I narrowed my eyes.
" I'll never apologize to her and what would I apologise? For telling truth" I shouted and I can see the anger in his eyes I look at Maharani and saw her smiling.
I so wanted to strangle her but I close my eyes trying to suppress my anger because that's what she wants. She wants us to fight and break our relationship.
" Rehan" I called him softly grabbing his hands, he look down at me.
" I know whatever I said it's hard to believe and anyone will think that I have gone crazy that's why I'm saying this because which mother will try to hurt her child but please Rehan listen to me for once you promised me that you'll listen please hear me out" he didn't say anything so I decided to continue.
" You remember when I went to the first floor I came back and tell you that I have seen someone wearing a red stole and you scared me I saw a ghost I believed you...." Rajmata cuts me in between.
" You went to the first floor by which permission" she shouted angrily.
" I don't need anyone's permission this is my palace" I glared back at her and turned back to Rehan.
" I also told this about Bhabhi" I look towards her and she nodded.
" After this Lavanya also gets to know about this and she wants to see ghost so we went there again and we found an old picture of a lady wearing a necklace we thought she is that ghost and came back" Everyone is listening to me keenly.
" When we went to fourth floor and Rajmata shows us the crown and necklace worn by Kings and Queen of Madhavgarh it was the same necklace which I saw in the picture that's why I didn't come back with you because I want to see who was that Queen in the picture. I checked all the portraits but didn't find her picture but then I saw Maharani's portrait the side of her portrait was coming out I pulled it out and the same picture I saw is in front of me and Maharani Ratnagarbha was written on it"
" What a nice story why you didn't tell us about this or Yuvraj about it" Rajmata taunted me.
" I was going to but you threatened me by saying if I didn't give my mangalsutra to Lavanya you'll cancel his coronation" I look back at Rehan.
" After that, we fought and I didn't have the time to tell you. At night I come downstairs to get water and I saw a lady wearing the same red stole first I thought its a ghost but then I saw the side of her face and it was none other than Maharani she was going somewhere and I got curious so I decided to follow her" I take a breath.
" She went to the first floor and I heard her talking with someone about some poison so strong that even if someone touched it then he will die hearing this the glass jug fell from my hand and she caught me"
" I was just as shocked as anyone because how can a mother even think about hurting her Son " I look at Maharani " she admitted that she is not your mother your real mother is Ratnagarbha and then everything clicked" I look at Rehan.
" Your eyes, nose, lips everything matches with her she is not your real mother she is your mother's step..."
" Enough" Maharaj's voice boomed in the hall making everyone stiffen.
" Enough you have said enough Yuvraj take your wife away from here now," Maharaj said glaring at me.
" No " I shook my head desperately gripping his shirt " Rehan please believe me I'm saying the truth. She threatened me first then laughed saying no one will believe me I also thought the same that's why I didn't say anything to you"
" She is talking whatever is coming in her mouth" I heard Rajmata say in the background but my whole focus was on Rehan desperately wanting him to say that he believes me.
"  She wants to kill you so her Son sit on the throne I know no one will believe me, that's why I thought if you didn't sit on the throne the danger lingers over you also finish that's why I tried to stop the coronation by saying I also want to become Maharani"
" Now you're trying to cover your greed of power by this" Rajmata said.
" No " I shouted closing my eyes. I fisted his shirt tightly " I don't want to become Queen, I don't want to become Princess I don't want to become anything I just want to go far away from here " tears welled up in my eyes as I look up at him.
" You slapped me, humiliate me but still I'm here in front of you begging you to believe me because your life is in danger or else why would I stay here after whatever happened"
" Inta bada mahal hai, bara pura parivar, itna accha pati hai me kyu apne hi ghar me aag lagungi"
" Because of you, you mattered so much to be far more important than some diamond necklace, far more important than the throne, far important than any damn power"
" You're far more important than any palace"
I place my head on his chest closing my eyes. When I feel someone grab my hand and pulled me Rajmata was standing in front of me.
" You said so many things so there is the picture behind the Maharani portrait" I nodded immediately.
" Let's go and see"
Fourth floor
I gasped seeing the glass on top of Maharani's portrait just like other portraits.
" No how can be this possible?" I go towards the portrait and scratch the glass somehow trying to pull out the picture.
" See there is nothing," Rajmata said.
" No there is, " I said turning towards her " I saw the picture here it was behind that portrait" I look back at the portrait.
" There is nothing if you have some other proof then tell, " Rajamata said, I look down because I don't know what to do now then I remember something.
" The picture is also downstairs on the first floor" I grabbed Rehan's hand dragging him with me when Rajmata stand in front stopping us.
" That floor is forbidden you can't go there," Rajmata said.
" No one can stop me" I pushed her aside making my way towards downstairs.
First floor
I open the door hurriedly and get inside the room looking around for that box that has a photo of her.
I look around in all the cabinets, tables, everything but there is nothing absolutely nothing.
Where is that box? I run my hand through my hair pulling them in frustration.
" What happened Rajkumari?" Rajmata taunted me.
" It was there.."
" Then why is nothing here now" I turned and glared at her and my gaze fell on Maharani who is standing quietly since everything is happening she said nothing trying to look innocent. I feel anger rush through me as I look at her fake innocent face.
" You" I shouted pointing towards her" you did all this I know you planned to make me prove wrong. I know it was all your plan"
" I didn't do anything," she said softly and I feel angrier seeing her acting.
" You " I steps towards her but Rehan grabbed me before I can reach her.
" Say the truth " I screamed trying to break free from his grip.
Suddenly she fell to the floor and everyone looked shocked Rehan left me and run towards her.
" Ma"