"Rajkumari, wait! Don't run like this!"

A few female servants were seen running behind her through the corridors of a beautiful palace, with high ceilings and big pillars. They exchanged tense looks and together began running after their princess again.

A beautiful young lady, who was the only princess of Ajmergarh. Her anklets rang through the palace as the guards standing before the door chuckled at the everyday routine and pitied the poor maids.

The beloved princess, none other than Avantika, giggled in her sweet voice, teasing her maids.

"Aao pakad kar dikhao hume!"

"Come and catch me!" She giggled, then, lifting her lehenga, she climbed the stairs. Her plain white lehenga brushed against the flower petals, and her soft feet crushed them underfoot.

She reached the terrace and saw a few maids carrying flower plates in their hands. She ran to them, then, taking them, tossed the flowers into the air and let them fall over her. She swirled around with a bright, unmatchable smile on her face.

Her hair, which was moulded into a bun, fell down her shoulders and waved freely in the air.

"Rajkumari!"

Avantika stopped at the call and turned to them with the same maintained smile.

"Uff! Why do you all always spoil my personal time? Don't you have any other work?"

She asked with her hands on both her hips and made an irritated face, giving them a fake, naughty glare.

"Why do you always push us into the mouth of death, Rajkumari? Rajasahab strictly prohibited your entry out of the royal quarters."

"Oh ho, Manorama! You have taken his words too seriously. Don't worry, I'll handle Baba!" she said and giggled at her personal maid, Manorama.

"Rajkumari, please come with us. It's your dance rehearsal time."

"I don't like that—"

Her words remained unfinished when suddenly, from somewhere, the sound of swords clashing came. Her ears perked up and her eyes shone brightly. She snapped in that direction and ran towards the railing. She leaned forward and bent a little towards the ground, where two warriors were doing their morning weapons practice.

Her eyes stopped at someone in particular, and at that moment, her world stopped. A red hue settled on her cheeks, and she lowered her eyes with a shy smile.

"Rajkumari, let's go!"

"You go, I'll come later!"

With that, she ran downstairs. The ghungroos of her anklets rang through the stairs, and with that sound, she left towards the arena.

~•~

A tough fight had been waged between the two warriors. One of them was not a normal fighter. He was the one whose mere name spread shivers through many. He wasn't just a warrior but the very form of death himself.

His sword clashed against the other's, and he squeezed it with pressure, making the other one touch the ground. His sword fell to the other side.

The fight was over as the man who had fallen to the ground chuckled, forwarding his hand towards the other.

"No one can ever defeat you in this birth, Bhairav!"

Bhairav smiled at him and lifted him up. They both dusted their bodies as he pulled out his shirt and wore it.

"Adbhut! Aapke veerta ki prashansa karne ke liye toh humare paas shabd hi nahi hai."

("Wonderful! I don't have words to praise your bravery!")

He stopped at the praising voice of a female. His hazel-brown gaze fell over the beautifully decked-up figure of the lady who was their princess. He hardly gazed at her and bowed his head with respect.

"Aree, yeh aap kya kar rahe hai, Bhairav!"

("Aree, what are you doing, Bhairav?!")

"I'm just a servant before you, Rajkumari! It's my respect for you." He answered, lifting his head with great pride.

Her heart trembled at his voice, and she felt his gaze forming goosebumps on her body. Her lips curved into a shy smile, and with equal respect, she joined her hands before him.

"I respect you equally! You may see yourself as a servant, but for me, you are very special, Bhairav! Will you accept me as your student?" she sweetly asked, and his eyes stopped on her.

He had been seeing her since her very childhood. He was just a sword fighter whose life belonged to the Royal family for generations. His ancestors had been loyal servants to the kings of Ajmergarh. And now, he was carrying on the legacy.

Where everyone treated him like a slave, Avantika had always had a sweet charm around her. She was the princess but never showed that royal attitude. She always respected him equally, and so did he. But still, bound by the limitations, he stopped himself from getting friendly with her.

"Yeh maryada ke khilaf hai, Rajkumari. Aap mujh jaise naukar ko itni izzat mat dijiye. Rahi baat aapko shishya banane ki toh meri utni aukat nahi!"

("This is against the rules, Princess. Don't give so much respect to a servant like me. And as for accepting you as my student, I don't have that status.")

He politely stated, lowering his head with respect. Avantika sadly lowered her head but then decided to convince him this time.

"But I have accepted you as my teacher already. Please teach me weaponry, specifically sword fighting." She showed the most innocent puppy eyes, and he couldn't say anything further.

Sighing in defeat, he nodded his head and said, "But before that, you have to take permission from Rajasahab! If he won't have any problem, then I will teach you."

She jumped in excitement and ran from there, yelling at him, "Then be ready, Baba toh hume kabhi naa kar hi nahi sakte."

(Father will never say no to me.)

Unknown to him, a smile curved on his lips that he didn't know the reason for. He loved her nature, loved her talkativeness and the innocence she held within her.

Shrugging off the thoughts, he covered up his blank face and left to do his duty.

~•~

"Maa toh har baat par mana kar deti hai lekin aap toh humare pyaare Baba hai na, kripaya hume shastra vidya sikhne dein! Maan jayiye na pyaare Baba!"

(Mother always stops me, but you are my loving father. Please let me learn weaponry. Please!)

Avantika's buttering session started as she continuously tried to convince her parents. Her mother strictly warned her, but she still had hope in her father.

Hearing so many requests, Virendra's heart warmed. He caressed her cheek and nodded his head.

"You have completely spoilt her, Maharaj!"

"Uff, Maa! Don't oppose my Baba's decision. Baba, I'm starting my sessions from tomorrow only," she excitedly said, earning a glare from her mother, Amravati.

"But Bhupinder isn't in the palace, then who will teach you?" Virendra asked, cluelessly.

"Baba, Bhairav hai na! Aur unse achhi talwaarbaazi bhala koi aur kaise sikhayega. Unki veerta par toh aapko bhi koi prashan nahi hai! Hain na?"

(Bhairav is there, Baba! Who will teach me sword fighting better than him? And you don't have any question about his bravery, do you?)

She said, holding her head high in pride just at his mention. While Virendra smiled in praise of his daughter's choice. He permitted her without any second thought, and the next moment, Avantika disappeared from there.

"There was no need to permit her. And why did you allow her to learn from Bhairav? She is an adult now. We should keep her away from men." Amravati opened her mouth while fixing her husband's clothes.

"Bhairav is my trusted man, Amravati! He will die but never break my words or his limits. Don't worry about Avantika." He smiled softly and left the chamber.

~•~

The scene changed to an unknown place. There was nothing around for miles, and then a car arrived. A man descended from it as he stretched out his hand, and his PA passed the binoculars to him. Fixing the lenses, he looked at the palace of Ajmergarh.

"Wonderful!"

"This royal palace belongs to the Raghuvanshis, sir! We have heard that they have ruled this area for centuries." The man informed him, and the other one smirked, greed shining in his eyes.

"I want this!"

"What are you saying, sir? We can't afford it, and even if we could, the king would never sell it to us." The other one informed him, but his smirk didn't fade. Instead, it grew more.

"Not the king, but someone else from the family can. If not this palace, then I will get something more precious than it. Once I get that, then the king himself will hand over his kingdom to me." He laughed devilishly.

~•~

"As you wish, Prince!" Bhairav bowed, keeping one knee on the floor and his hands over the sword.

Prince Kunwar came to him and made him stand, then, smiling at him, pulled him into a hug.

"You always forget that before anything, we are friends. And please don't be so formal with me. I don't like it." He sulked like a child, making the other smile and shake his head.

"You are such a drama queen!" Bhairav's compliment made him wink as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder, and both the friends walked outside towards the arena.

"So, how's everything going on? Are you still single or have you got anyone?" Kunwar asked with a glint of mischievousness.

"That's your work. I'm not interested in such things."

"Uff, your 'such things' are the most important things in life. When, in the future, I make my own children, you will regret it, and then none will marry an old man." He teased, and Bhairav gave him an uninterested look.

"So you will make kids in old age?"

Kunwar's face fell at his comment, and Bhairav laughed, smacking him on the head.

"Focus now, Rajkumar. Today you have to visit the village and solve people's problems. Now, if you allow me, then I will leave, and you also leave for your own duty." He stated with a sugar-coated voice, and Kunwar gave him a weird look, cursing him under his breath.

"I hate this title, but you, devil, always tease me with this."

"Rajkumar—"

"Stop! Don't call me that again. I'm going." He ran from there, leaving Bhairav laughing at his friend's silly act.

~•~

The next morning began with the same chores. Bhairav entered the arena. Following his daily routine, he started dusting the weapons with a cloth. His actions themselves showed his immense love for them.

Placing the weapons in their respective places, he pulled out his sword, then, swirling it and cutting through the air, turned around in the blink of an eye, and his sword stopped an inch away from her neck.

Avantika, who had arrived to surprise him, got the biggest shock. Her eyes widened, and her mouth parted with a fearful expression.

Whereas Bhairav's hard face relaxed, and guilt beamed in his hazel orbs for scaring her with his move.

"Rajkumari!? Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn't intend to scare you."

Hearing his soft words, she relaxed. Bhairav thought he would get some tantrum from her side for his act, but it happened opposite to what he thought.

"Pehele din hi apne shishya ko bhagane ka prayas kar rahe hai aap, GURUDEV!"

(On the first day itself, you are trying to run away your student?)

She mischievously asked, making him look at her and shake his head.

"So now that I have convinced your king and taken his permission successfully, it's your responsibility to fulfill your promise." She asked and reached out to grab one of the swords.

Her fist wrapped around the grip, and with a lot of confidence on her face, she pushed herself to pick it up. Her attempts failed as she couldn't balance the sword properly due to its weight.

Before she could drop it, Bhairav came to her support. His rough palms wrapped around hers as, not realising his effect on her, he straightened the sword and taught her the method of handling it.

Avantika tilted her head sideways at him, her eyes fixed on his, and she couldn't see anything more than him. Her cheeks painted with the same blush and lips curved into a beautiful smile.

She never realised when the mere attraction had turned into a strong attachment. Before, she had a crush on him, but now she could say that there was much more than just a crush.

"Rajkumari!"

The strong masculine voice broke her trance. She lowered her eyes to cover up the flush and cleared her throat.

"Will you please stop calling me that?"

"What?" He asked at her sudden demand.

"Nothing! Just call me by my name."

"I can't! You are a princess, and I'm supposed to respect you. I can't cross my limits." He politely said, then took the sword from her hands.

Avantika huffed but again shrugged off whatever he said and continued. "Calling someone by their name isn't disrespect. And in my case, then I'm younger than you."

"Your status is higher than me—"

"I don't care about status. Living in a palace and wearing costly clothes doesn't make someone's status high. I don't like such special treatment. I want to live a normal life. Please treat me like a friend instead of a princess."

Each of her words came fiercely, showing that she wasn't a princess just by birth but by heart. Indeed, she was a great human with a golden heart.

Unknown to him, a smile broke on his lips. He couldn't disagree more and nodded his head positively. Avantika's face lit up with a bright smile, and she held his palm in excitement.

"Thank you so much!!" She leaned forward and pecked his palm unintentionally, as it happened in the flow.

Bhairav's body stiffened. He felt a different kind of sensation running through his veins when she touched him. Her soft lips did their magic on his skin, and he felt shivers going down his spine.

Immediately clearing all the thoughts, he took his palm out of her grip and walked to the almirah.

Just like Avantika had wished, he started taking her sessions. He gave her information about the weapons and how they were used, while Avantika was taking everything with full concentration. Her curiosity-filled eyes weren't leaving anything.

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