Pregnant For The Royal Prince

ZAINA stared at her parents with widened eyes as she diluted the message she just heard, she couldn’t believe her ears.

What? Marriage? To a prince? Someone she hardly knows, a total stranger, ahh.

Besides, to fall in love was the least of her priorities now, let alone marriage. Not only that, she never wanted to have anything love to do with a royal, she wanted a simple life.

She shook her head in negation.

“Sorry dad, mum, I can’t accept this”, she said.

Her parents were shocked, huh? How could someone spit out the sugar that was put in her mouth and say she doesn’t want it? Why would she?

They sighed.

“But you know very well baby, that royals never take ‘no’ for an answer, you do?” Sarika said.

Zaina looked at her and sighed, this was just happening all too soon, Prince Zashil? She doesn’t know him, a total stranger.

But who the hell would have recommended her? All the way from Kuru?

“I know all this is happening as a result of recommendation, who could have recommended me?” She asked her parents.

Elder Sachin laughed.

“Is that the problem now?” He asked.

She exhaled deeply.

“I mean he or she should have questioned very well and know better that even if I want love now, I don’t want it with royals…”.

“Then what do you want?” Sarika interrupted, she was already getting infuriated.

“I want a simple life mom, a simple life”, she stated.

“Don’t be silly Zaina, this is an opportunity a thousand and one girls out there are praying for, and here you got it on a platter of gold”, Sarika said, already vibrating in anger.

“This isn’t what we were expecting from you child, we want the best for you, accept it”, her father said in a low tune.

She looked at her parents, she could see hopes already being bashed to the ground by her in their eyes, she could sense it. She decided to give it a thought.

“Alright dad, mom, I will only accept on one condition”, she said, putting up her right index finger to demonstrate.

Her parents sprang up.

“What condition daughter?” Elder Sachin asked.

She raised her head to look at them.

“That he agrees on a relationship level, not marriage”, she said.

“Huh?”

***

“I mean it looks absurd and awkward, imagine getting married to a stranger?” Zaina said as she flopped on her bed, she was on the phone with Rina.

“Come on Zaina, it really gonna be fun, what do you mean awkward? Aw girl, I’m happy for you”, Rina said with much enthusiasm.

Zaina sighed.

“You think so?” She asked.

“I know so. I mean I’m experiencing it now, to be in love with a prince is a divine feeling”, she said.

Zaina bursted into laughter.

“You must be crazy Rina, don’t fall so much into love and then you fall and break your legs, you know it’s only two you have got?”

“Yeah, and I know you have got three, so you gonna give me one”, she rolled her eyes.

Zaina laughed.

“Naughty you. But seriously this is actually eating me up, how did he even get to know me all the way from Kuru kingdom? How?” She asked.

Rina sighed.

“Well maybe, you were recommended”.

“Yeah I was, by Lady Aarti”.

“What! The King’s sister?” She was dumbfounded.

“Yeah, I don’t even know how she knows me, and the fool sent a marriage request immediately, without even getting to know me either”, she hissed.

“Aww that’s rude Zaina, he is your husband”, she said.

Zaina rolled her eyes.

“Well I’m sorry for insulting the prince”.

“That shows he really loves you, he doesn’t want any hawk to take you away maybe”, she winked.

“What? You must be joking”, Rina laughed.

“What do you want me to say?” She was still laughing.

“I think that your new relationship is driving you crazy”.

“You can say that again”.

“But seriously this thing is cracking me up, gosh!”

“I wish I was there with you. Did you accept the proposal?”

“No I didn’t, I decided it should be on a relationship level, at least let’s get to know each other well, before any other thing”, she pouted.

“I understand”, she nodded.

“When will you guys really get to meet?”

“Ugh, in a few weeks”.

“Alright, I hope it turns out the best for you baby Z, you really deserve it”.

Zaina smiled broadly.

“Whatever”.

“It’s my prayer for you”.

“Fine, can we stop talking about Prince Zashil now? Let’s talk about you”.

Rina laughed.

“Alright”, she agreed.

“So what’s really going on over there? I know you must have been frequenting his room every minute of everyday”.

“Aww, I don’t know”, they laughed.

“Joker, how is he? I mean your prince?”

She smiled broadly.

“Well he is fine, very much okay. We were told the Queen would be hosting a dinner party in the palace, a few days from now”, she shrugged her shoulders.

“What! A dinner party?” Zaina exclaimed, sitting up on the bed.

“Yeah, did you sense anything?” She asked, noticing her panic over the phone.

“My gee, I sense trouble looming Rin”, she said almost in a whisper.

“What? What trouble?” She asked.

“You said it’s the Queen hosting a dinner party right?”

“Yes, anything?”

“My gee, I think this party is for Vidya to meet with the Prince… Prince Raghav”.

“Holy moly! No, it can’t be”.

*

*

*

The aroma coming from the kitchen was so appetizing and inviting, that it distracted Vidya who sat in the living room watching TV.

Suddenly her phone lying beside her buzzed, and she picked it up to look at it, she hissed.

“You gullible!” She shouted from where she sat.

There was no response, nothing at all. Just the sounds from the TV filled her ears.

“Silly!” She cussed and got up, walking towards the kitchen.

The door was slightly opened and she entered. She looked round the medium sized kitchen, she could see nobody, just the sizzling sound of the fries on the cooker made a sound.

Jeez, where could she have gone to, leaving the kitchen? She turned and was about to leave when someone entered.

“You maid, why did you leave the kitchen?” She asked.

She sighed and ignored her, then made to walk past her. Vidya forcefully pulled her back.

“Am I not talking to you?” She asked.

“Oh crap!” She cussed.

“Shut up!” Vidya blurted.

“Where is my mom?” She asked.

“She isn’t out of the bathroom yet”, the girl replied, looking downwards.

“Fool, get me my lunch and don’t leave the kitchen in this manner again, I know it isn’t as small as the one your family can afford so respect that fact”, she hissed and walked out.

She walked back to the couch she was sitting in the living room, then sat and continued watching.

Few minutes later, her mom came into the living room, carrying with her some clothes.

Vidya raised her head to look at her.

“Hey mom, been waiting for you”, she said, turning her eyes back to the TV.

“I want you to help me with the laundry”, she dropped the clothes on the couch.

Vidya continued watching, ignoring her mother.

“I’m talking to you Vidya,” she said after a few minutes.

Vidya sharply turned to her.

“Oh me?” She asked with a start.

“I thought you were talking to the maid”.

“No you, wash them, dry and iron”, and she sat down on the couch.

Huh? Vidya looked at her mother with surprise written all over her face, she should what? Like, take up those clothing and wash?

She mockingly laughed.

“I… let me take that as a joke mother”, and she turned back to the TV.

“Vidya”, her mother shouted, jolting her.

“Take those clothes and do the laundry”, she spoke again.

Vidya turned away from the TV to focus on her mother now, like what is she talking about?

“Let me get you straight mom, you mean I should take the clothes to the laundry or do the laundry myself?” She asked.

Mrs Roshan sighed.

“I’m tired of repeating myself”, she looked away.

She actually wanted to see if Vidya would accept to do this, because virtually all she does is relax, eat, sleep, makeover and prepare to meet the Prince.

She does virtually nothing, too bad for someone who wants to marry a prince right?

“Well mom, please I… I can’t, that task is for the maid”, she made a disgusting face.

“Says who? Anyone can do it.”

Vidya sighed.

“Mom can we let this slip please, just call in the maid to do that”, she said and looked away.

Roshan sighed, then relaxed more comfortably into the couch. Well, there was nothing to lose anyway, the Prince of Shimla kingdom was still her daughter’s, nobody gonna change that. She would still be the queen mother.

“Concerning the dinner party…”, she began talking and Vidya sharply turned to her.

“Yes mom… anything?” She interrupted.

“The Queen has given an order”, her mother said.

“Huh? Order? What do you mean?” She asked, looking confused.

“She has given an order for you to act as his childhood friend. Queen Arya says her son is too difficult and getting him might not be so easy, so to make it easier, you are to disguise or rather act as a childhood friend to him”.

“Hmm, is this the task to get him or what?”

“It’s not a task Vidya, the Queen had said this. So, as from tomorrow, someone from the palace, hired by her royal majesty, is going to be coming here daily to teach you so many things the Prince loved and knew as a child, so nothing gonna throw you off balance should he ask you a question”, she concluded.

Vidya sighed. Hmm, this sounded more like a task to get Prince Raghav to her, act like she was a childhood friend, why?

“Can I ask a question, mother?” She asked.

“Go on”.

“Why must I do this?”

Roshan exhaled, it seems her daughter wasn’t getting it at all.

“Prince Raghav is too difficult, and getting him to get hooked up with you, a stranger, is gonna be hard. So the easiest way is for you to be a childhood friend”.

“Hmm, this looks weird”, her right index finger went to her lower jaw.

“It might sound but it isn’t. I mean someone is gonna be teaching you everything you need to know, so in case he asks you something you can be able to provide the answer”.

“So he or she is going to be coming here daily, until the day for the dinner party?”

“Yes Vidya, that’s the update you have been itching to hear”, she said and turned her gaze to the TV.

“Act as a childhood friend, hmm”.

*

*Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

*

Prince Raghav was seated in his room on the dining table busying himself with his laptop, his eyes fixed so intently on the screen.

A knock came on the door.

“Come in”, he answered at once.

The door opened to reveal his mother, the Queen in her much splendor and glamor.

“Always busy son”, she said walking up to him.

He turned.

“Ahh mother, it’s you”, he stood up. “Long live Rani”, he bowed.

“May you live long as well, heir to the throne”, she smiled.

“Thanks mother”, he sat back on his seat.

“I can see how busy you are”, she said, turning her gaze to the laptop.

“You know mother, I run most of my hospitals and other business stuff from here, I hardly leave the palace these days”, he said.

Queen Arya nodded.

“I see. I came to inform you on something important”, she said.

“I know it must be something important, I mean you came here yourself, so I know”, he looked away from the laptop.

“Yeah son, it is”.

“What is it mother? Why not sit?”

“Thanks dear, I’m okay”, she remained standing.

“So, what’s the news? What’s the info?” He asked.

Arya hesitated, still thinking on how to bring up the matter at hand with her son, she knew him to be too difficult.

“I’m all ears mother”, he nudged her.

“Alright, a few days from now baby, you’re gonna be meeting someone very special in a dinner party”, she said.

Huh? A dinner party? What dinner party? He turned to his mother.

“What dinner party mother? For what?” She played with the staff in her hands.

“It’s for your good baby, I decided to inform you, so it won’t look so new when the day finally comes. It’s for your own good”.

“Well I’m really not in the mood to dig deep or detect today, who am I meeting with?” He asked.

She twisted her lips.

“A childhood friend”.

“Huh?”