Chapter 42: Amira's confession

** Purana Qila, Delhi. **

As Aditya made his way from the king's chamber, he passed by a newly constructed temple, its intricate carvings catching his eye. However, what truly captured his attention was the sight of Amira, sitting before the idol of Lord Krishna with her head down, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Sensing her distress, Aditya approached quietly, hoping to offer her some comfort. However, as soon as she heard his footsteps, Amira hastily wiped away her tears and put on a facade of indifference.

"What's wrong, Amira?" Aditya asked gently, reaching out to touch her shoulder in a gesture of reassurance.

"Don't touch me," Amira snapped, pulling away from his touch with irritation.

Aditya's brow furrowed in confusion. "Please, Amira, tell me what's troubling you. You know you can confide in me."

Amira turned away, avoiding his gaze. "It's nothing, Aditya. Just leave me alone," she replied, her voice choked with emotion.

Confusion flashed across Aditya's face, but he persisted, "Amira, talk to me atleast. Aren't we close friends? How can i leave you like this?"

She stared at him, her indifference crumbling under his sincerity. Aditya clasped his hands together in apology and bowed lightly. "I'm sorry, Princess. If by any means I've upset you, please forgive me. Let me make it right," he pleaded, remorse evident in his voice.

After a moment of silence, Amira finally relented, her voice barely above a whisper. "I know that you like Raamya," she confessed, her eyes brimming with tears. "And that you don't feel the same way about me."

Aditya's heart sank at her words, the weight of her revelation hitting him like a ton of bricks. "Amira, I..." he began, but found himself at a loss for words.

Tears streamed down Amira's cheeks as she continued to pour out her heart, her vulnerability casting a shadow over the sacred space of the temple.

Cupping her face gently, he urged, "Amira, remember when you used to call me 'your Aditya'? What happened to that?"

Amira poured out her heart, revealing that her maid had seen Aditya kissing Raamya by the pool on her way back. Overwhelmed with emotion, she sobbed, unsure of what to do.

Aditya, taken aback by the revelation, reached out to comfort her. "Amira, I love you too," he confessed, his voice trembling with sincerity. "I didn't plan any of this—it just happened naturally. I swear I'll love you forever, and I'll never leave your side."

Amira's voice quivered with insecurity as she asked, "Then why have you never kissed me?, nor taken any chances to propose either? Is it because my chest is smaller than hers? Am I truly that unattractive, Aditya?"

Aditya sighed, facepalming at her stupid words. "I haven't made any advances because, in my eyes, you're still a minor," he explained softly, his tone tinged with frustration.

"And you are not ugly, Amira. For me, you are the prettiest girl I've ever seen," he added sincerely, hoping to reassure her.

Amira's curiosity was piqued as she listened to him intently.

"I wanted us to grow up together like friends and enjoy our friendship without the complications of marriage, I liked you the day I saw you," Aditya admitted.

Amira's cheeks flushed in red as she wiped away her tears. "Are you being honest with me? Will you really marry me?"

Aditya couldn't help but smile at her innocence. "Yes, once you turn 18," he confirmed, his eyes sparkling with amusement of repeated encounters.

Amira listened to his words, her heart swelling with love and gratitude. She hugged him tightly, accepting his explanation.

Then she pouted playfully, as if not entirely convinced. "Liar, you're just saying that to make me happy," she accused.

Aditya gently lifted her chin, turning her gaze to meet his. "Let's make a bet, Princess. Once you reach 18, I'll marry you as my first priority and we'll have lots of kids," he proposed, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Amira blushed at his words, as her heart swelling with love and gratitude. She hugged him tightly, accepting his explanation, her heart fluttering with excitement. "Age is just a number, Aditya. You mean everything to me," she whispered, her eyes shining with affection.

Aditya chuckled softly at the irony of fate, realizing that he had once said the same words to Raamya. As he hugged Amira tightly, he bowed his head in gratitude to the idol of Lord Krishna, feeling grateful for bringing her into his life against all odds.

Sensing the opportunity, Aditya couldn't resist teasing her a little further. "Alright, change of plans. Let's start making kids now and worry about marriage later," he teased, scooping her up in his arms and heading towards her room.

Amira protested in mock indignation, her laughter ringing through the air. "No, put me down! I don't want to get pregnant now! You're an idiot, a loafer! Put me down! I'll call my abbu (father)! You're taking advantage of me!" she protested, her playful banter filling the whole way to his room with joy.

As they approached the entrance of Amira's room, Aditya gently lowered her to the ground and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. "Consider this an advance. The rest will be pending after marriage," he whispered softly.

Amira's cheeks flushed with a rosy hue at Aditya's gesture. After a moment of hesitation, she reached up and tugged at his pajama, adjusting his height slightly with her toes, then leaned in to peck him on the cheek. "Consider this the trailer. The rest comes after marriage," she murmured, her voice laced with shy embarrassment as she hurried inside her room.

The air was charged with anticipation as Aditya stood outside Amira's door, a gentle smile playing on his lips as he made his way back to his room only to get another surprise.

As Aditya stepped into his room, the soft glow of candlelight danced across the chamber, casting shadows that seemed to caress the walls.

His gaze fell upon Raamya, lying sprawled across his bed, her slender form adorned in a disheveled saree that teased the contours of her curves begging to be freed to come out in full display.

The fabric clung to her body like a second skin, revealing glimpses of her supple skin and the inviting swell of her cleavage giving the sense of its size hiding in anticipation.

Aditya's heart quickened at the sight, his senses tingling with an intoxicating mixture of desire and apprehension. The temptation to succumb to his primal urges gnawed at him, threatening to overwhelm his resolve.

After all, Raamya lay before him, vulnerable and alluring, a tantalizing invitation begging to be accepted.

But amidst the turmoil of his desires, a stern warning echoed in Aditya's mind, a reminder of the consequences of succumbing to temptation.

Emperor Hemu's words resounded with clarity, urging Aditya to exercise restraint and honor the boundaries of propriety. Despite his inexperience, Aditya knew that yielding to his desires would betray his duty and jeopardize his integrity.

Summoning every ounce of willpower, Aditya approached the bed, his hands trembling slightly as he reached for the sheet.

With a steady hand, he draped the fabric over Raamya, concealing her tempting form from his view.

It was a small gesture, but one laden with significance—a testament to his commitment to honor and duty, even in the face of temptation.

As he settled onto the far side of the bed, Aditya cast a wary glance at Raamya, acutely aware of the magnetic pull she exerted upon him.

Every fiber of his being yearned to draw closer, to revel in her warmth and surrender to the primal instincts that stirred within him. But he held firm, his resolve unyielding as he resisted the siren song of temptation.

In the silence of the chamber, Aditya grappled with conflicting emotions, his mind awash with tumultuous thoughts.

On one hand, the allure of Raamya's beauty beckoned to him, promising untold pleasures and fleeting ecstasy.

Yet on the other, the weight of his duty pressed down upon him, a solemn reminder of the consequences of forsaking his principles.

With each passing moment, Aditya wrestled with his inner turmoil, his gaze fixed upon Raamya's slumbering form. Despite the raging tempest within him, he remained steadfast in his resolve, determined to honor his commitments and uphold the sanctity of his virtue.

Aditya lay beside Raamya, a silent sentinel guarding against the encroaching tide of temptation.

In the quiet solitude of the chamber, he found solace in the knowledge that, though tested, his integrity remained unblemished, a beacon of light amidst the darkness of desire.

But destiny is not a certain pawn of any individual. Does everything unfold as expected?

As Aditya teetered on the edge of slumber, the sensation of Raamya's approach tingled through his senses.

Softly, she enveloped him in the soothing embrace of the sheet, its warmth cocooning him like a protective shield against the night's chill.

Drawing nearer, she intertwined her fingers with his, gently guiding his arm around her slender waist.

With a delicate touch, she pressed herself against his sturdy form, finding sanctuary in the shelter of his broad chest.

There, in the silent depths of the night, she sought solace, her heart seeking refuge in the comforting closeness they shared.

Unbeknownst to Raamya, her delicate movements brushed against the intimate contours of Aditya's desire, stirring the slumbering beast within him.

With each gentle caress, the dragon of his passion began to awaken, its fiery breath igniting a primal yearning deep within his core.

As the sensation intensified, Aditya became acutely aware of the growing urgency pulsating through his veins, signalling the impending surge of desire.

In that moment, he realized that doing nothing is not an option anymore.