Page 96 of The Royal Beast & His Caged Princess

"You also, sit and have your breakfast, you don't have to wait till the whole family finishes their breakfast, you are the queen, behave like one", Devyani Devi said sternly and walked away followed by her father-in-law with the help of a servant who helped him into his wheelchair.

"Ma sa is right Isha, now you only have to respect Abhyansh, you are the queen", her mother-in-law said caressing her cheek. Isha is very new to all this, getting this much respect is very awkward for her though she was born into a royal family, she was never treated like one, she wanted to say the same, but she didn't. She calmly sat on the table and started having her breakfast while talking to her brother, Avyan and Amrutha.

She avoided why she couldn't go with Ranveer this week, and after she finished her breakfast, she got changed into her office clothes, and before leaving she went to check on her husband's wounds.

"Maharaj... how are you feeling??", she asked him, entering his home office. He is about to leave for the office, and Bhairav is behind him holding his laptop bag and a few files. She didn't notice Bhairav but when she did, she felt a bit shy as she asked her husband in a very casual tone as if they are a normal wife-husband and she has a right on him, she didn't know why she did that and she just realized her tone seeing Bhairav's wide eyes staring at her as if she is some alien.

"Bhairav, wait for me outside", Abhyansh ordered, and Bhairav quickly went out getting more surprised as there is no anger in his king's tone, he is reacting casually as if his wife just didn't talk to him too casually, and not formally.

"I'm sorry, forgive me, Maharaj, I don't know how I spoke...", she started but he cupped her right cheek and she suddenly stopped speaking, her heartbeat raised when he started caressing her soft cheek with his rough thumb.

"So, you want to go to your palace with your brother??", Abhyansh asked

"Not now, I'll go after a week", she said, and he stared at her angrily and she got afraid... he put his other free hand on her other cheek and rubbed it softly calming her fear.

"I mean... can I go??", she fumbled, she thought he was angry that she said she will go, without asking him, how many times, he might say that she doesn't have to ask his permission anymore, but she still couldn't believe it.

"I don't want you to go, doesn't mean you need to take my permission, you still can go, but just know that I don't want you to", he said taking his hands off her cheeks and moving back, she instantly missed his warmth but quickly shook that thought away... she decided to discuss that some other time as he is getting late, for now, she decided to ask him about the thing for which she is there in the first place.

"Maharaj?? How are you?? I mean the wounds??", she asked gently, and he is overwhelmed by her care, like every time.

"Hm... I'm fine...", he said and is about to move away but stopped at her words...

"I...I packed turmeric milk along with your lunch, please drink it, I have also put the painkillers in the bag, I asked the doctor, I am sorry for doing that without asking you... please have them ifyou feel any pain", she said hesitatingly, she knew she is crossing her limits but the thought of him in pain dominated her fear.

She expected a strong glare or even worse a scolding, but she got the unexpected. Abhyansh turned and walked back to her, he cupped her left cheek with his right palm and pulled her closer raising both of their heart rates, she closed her eyes tightly unable to handle the proximity. He stared at her face for a minute, before kissing her forehead gently, and quickly walked off from there.

His heart swelled with happiness hearing her caring words, and she actually behaved like his wife, and he loved the previous casual tone she used on him. He didn't understand why, but he wanted that kind of relationship with her, he wants her to do all the things in front of him, or with him, things that other people can't even imagine doing in front of him. He felt so much happiness inside his heart, he couldn't name that feeling, but he actually felt like hugging her tightly and kissing her soft petals for eternity. That's the reason he quickly left from there as he didn't want to scare her off. Self-control always came naturally to him, he could control himself with ease even in extreme fury, he reacts only if he wants to, he trained himself to be that strong mentally but when it came to her, he had to try harder, putting all the efforts in the world to stop himself from doing things to her. He couldn't name the feelings he had for her, but his subconscious always knew it was 'Love', extreme and undying love, for his wife and that moment, when he held her cheeks and kissed her forehead, he felt as if staying away from her even for a second felt as torture to him. A thought of what if he lost her and he had to live his whole life without her?? crossed his head and extreme fear gripped his heart, he felt as if all the air is knocked out of his lungs, he couldn't breathe properly and that momenthe realized, if all this is called'Love', then yes, helovesher, he felt as if there are no words in the entire world that could describe his feelings towards her. His wife,his ISHA, his everything.

As soon as his lips touched her skin, she felt as if she was on fire, with goosebumps all over, and butterflies in her stomach. After a good 5 minutes, she opened her eyes calming herself, just to realize that her husband left.

"What happened now??", she muttered, touching the place where she still felt his lips.

She suddenly got overwhelmed as a set of different emotions hit her, surprise, shock, happiness, fear, and even anger but out of all those, she felt the strongest emotion be'love'.When he kissed her forehead cupping her cheek with so much tenderness, she felt his love and care, and that raised the emotion that she thought to be impossible for her to feel for her husband. 'Love'.

She sat on the floor to handle herself and slowly tears started slipping from her eyes... his care and love were almost impossible for her to acquire, and when she felt them, she got so happy but then fear gripped her heart. Is she right in interpreting his actions to be 'love'?? She knew she is naive and sees everyone in a good light. Even though she is right, could she give him a chance as her husband after all he did to her?? She could even think of forgetting all his physical tortures, but she could never forget how he called her 'sl*t' and said that he would never touch her with so much disgust.

"Don't worry, I won't go for sl*ts like you, I won't touch you even if you beg me to, you disgust me"

Those are his exact words, and just like that her happiness turned into extreme pain, she closed her eyes and tears flew from her eyes as that day's events ran in her head like a film, how he played with her dignity by asking her to be his 'slave for life' in front of his brother and the things he did that day.

She decided to stay away from her husband as she can never become his wife. She has decided. Now that she named her feelings for him, she knew that not caring for him is an impossible thing, she wants to take care of his every need and eliminate his every pain, and she would do it, but she can't encourage her feelings, she can't let herself experience his soft side which came with an expiry date or without any reason. She reminded herself of her limits and decided to follow them. She didn't know her husband's reasons for treating her so badly, torturing her, or playing with her dignity neither did she know the reason for his sudden change of behaviour or his affection. Her head started spinning over all these thoughts, she shook her head, had some water, and left for her office.

Abhyansh experienced happiness after a really long time instead of nothingness. He didn't even remember how being happy felt, though his face looked the same stoic one, he could feel his inners busting with joy and he let them as he knew he is never going to lose this like the other things that made him feel this emotion in the past. Isha is there in his life to stay, he would never let her go, he decided, and he would show her that side of him that took birth only for her. The soft, loving, and extremely caring side which never existed before.

Both wife and husband took strong and stubborn decisions, one to never involve in this relationship while the other to never let go of it.

Ranveer dropped his sister in her office and went to his office.

Abhyansh for the first time, reached home before time, he is eager to meet his wife, and his face is void of any emotions like every time but only he can sense his inner feelings, Amrutha is shocked to see him early, she thought he is unwell, so she dared to ask him...

"Abhyansh... you are early today??", Amrutha asked trying to hide her fear, but she is hell afraid her son would snap at her.

"Yes, I'm, this is my place, what I do, when I come is none of your business...", he said in his usual cold tone and as usual, tears formed in her eyes but still she dared to ask him if he is fine...

"I... I... are you fine?? I mean your health...", Amrutha trailed though she knew he wouldn't answer her properly, he would either snap at her or leave from there angrily but to her surprise, he answered.

"I'm completely fine", he said and left from there, surprising himself and his mother. Normally, he wouldn't bother to respond when his mother shows her concern, he doesn't like it, sometimes he answers unwillingly or to avoid her bugging but that day, he answered because he wanted to, though he didn't want to accept, he felt a tiny bit bad when he noticed her tears. He quickly shook his head, warning himself that he can't feel any emotions for his mother. He cursed his wife in his head as it's all because of her. He thought he is only treating her with tenderness but unknown to him, his emotions are slightly opening towards the woman who once held the most important place in his life. His mother.

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