Juhi Mitra's POV

Dhruv's Aesthetic

"Yes appa I shall look into that matter soon, and yeah there will be a medical camp by the open fields close to the palace, I've made all arrangements so that it doesn't disturb our privacy, even extra security measures are being taken.", replied Dhruv Meghda the Chief Commissioner of Medhinapur and the Commander in Chief for the Royal Security Team.

( Palace's dining area )

Breakfast at the Kuvalaya palace has always been a mini conference room for update on current events in the province, and today was no different.

My maternal grandfather Mr.Dhananjay Mitra sat at the head of the table, while the Royal Political Representative Mr.Omshankar Meghdha sat to his right, Dhruv to his left, as Sandeep and I occupied the other seats.

The Meghdha's have been serving as the Political Representatives for the Mitra dynasty since my great grandmother's time, as you can see the royal bloodline for the Mitra's is through they're female heirs rather than the males, a very old tradition that has been passed down for generations now.

I consider Omshankar Meghdha as my uncle, though not bound by blood he's always treated me as his own daughter, for he always wanted one. But before God could bless them with another child his wife was killed in a bloody fight that broke out between the Royals and the then political leaders of Medhinapur, while she was desperately trying to save her two year old son, Dhruv.

After that tragedy the Meghdha family has never been the same, it's like an essential element that sustained them had been depleted, and indeed it was, Champa Meghdha the one who poured life into their household was no more.

A few years later Omshankar uncle adopted Sandeep who was orphaned during that bloody fight, as he too was training to become a part of the Royal Security Team and lent him his family name.

Sandeep did well in blunting out the sharp edges of Dhruv's cold character that he had acquired after losing his mother, with his goofy and sarcastic nature. Their bond if anything has only strengthened over the years.

Dhruv being five years older than me treated me as his younger sister and took it as his sole responsibility to protect me, thus when my parents got involved in a car accident that killed them both and left me disabled he's been blaming himself for that unfortunate incident, and I know he still does.

Our losses and scars run deep in us, but I hope one day we'll have the peaceful days back as all issues settle down. Dhruv, Sandeep and I have grown up together and have been each others support system through the years and I know we'll continue to be so.

I was alerted when I heard my name being mentioned, "But Juhi is still recovering and she needs atleast two months more to be able to make a public appearance and officially take on the title of being the next legal heir of the Mitra dynasty!" explained my uncle (Omkareshwar Meghdha).

My grandfather intervened saying, " I know that Om but appeasing the public isn't easy, they've not seen or heard anything from they're next heir for the past two years and now it's way beyond the time we mentioned to them. People are coming up with wild speculations and we cannot let that happen, you very well know the odds of this situation better than me."

I sighed as I realised how my existence has become invisible after that car accident, surely no one would accept a disabled ruler, just what I had become after the car crash two years ago.

I've been captive within the walls of The Kuvalaya Palace since the day my disability was diagnosed, people wouldn't take lightly to a disabled heir and the enemies wouldn't rest until I'm eliminated. Dire needs called for drastic decisions, two years back, my grandfather made a public speech of me being sent to Canada to become an accomplished classical dancer and to give me time to recover from the tragedy that had taken place, in order to hide my disability from the public and keep me from the enemy's wrath.

His words that day
sealed my fate, and I've been undergoing physiotherapy under the care of the best doctors in the field, yet I haven't made a complete recovery.

But now it's been almost two and a half years since then, the public are steering and are restless to have a direct audience with their heir.

Every worker in the palace is trained to be loyal to a fault, cause serving the Royals comes with unspoken rules that if violated will cost them their lives and their families welfare. It's a cruel world afterall and there's nothing that can be done about it. What you hear within the palace walls shall not be sung out, what you see within these walls shall not be even known to the third person.

My ajja ( Dhananjay Mitra ) addressed me, "Juhi how's your recovery going, until when do we have to play this card? You know Raghuveer has been growing suspicious too and it won't be long before he turns the public against us, if this continues. Your public addressing as the next heir is something that cannot be delayed any longer Juhi."

The firmness in his voice meant he wanted me to come up with a solution, but I couldn't help it, for I was helpless myself.

I looked towards him and said "Ajja I've progressed to standing with support for about thirty minutes but I'm yet to walk.", I finished with my head low, I hated being this vulnerable and weak but I had no other choice than admit defeat, my hand fisted on my lap as I tried to keep it in. I looked towards Dhruv who had a passive face as always but, I could tell he was beating himself up again.

As our eyes met he held my gaze for a few moments before gesturing me to stay collected."Then I'll have to come up with something soon, Om meet me in my office after your done. Juhi I know this is hard for you dear, and I know I'm being selfish asking you to do it but I have to say it as the former king, if you can't make a public appearance and address them within the next thirty days I don't know what'll become of us dear.", saying this he left the dining area.

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I was trying to hold my balance as I stood with the help of my physiotherapist, but the weight of my body could not be held by my knees any longer, as my knees buckled over I fell to the ground in despair, tears that I had held in flowed down freely without restraint but I made no sound. I saw two feet in front of me.

As I raised my head, my black eyes clashed with dark brown ones, Dhruv sat down by my side and hugged me as he said soothing words into my ear, but nothing could calm the blazing heat in my heart nor the despair I felt, "Why does it have to be this way Dhruv, I hate myself for being this weak, why did he do it Dhruv? What did we ever do to him? Tell me Dhruv, tell me. I lost everything Dhruv, my parents, my dreams, my entire life Dhruv, I'm a prisoner in my own palace Dhruv, can fate be any crueler? "

I sobbed as he held me, just letting me know that he was here.
It wasn't the first time I had a mental breakdown and it wouldn't be the last, but evertime the Meghdha siblings were here to shoulder my fall."You know I hate seeing you like this Juhi, we all know that you're doing your best, don't give into despair, I'll talk with ajja and try to buy sometime, please trust me.", he pleaded in his deep yet soft voice.

Of course I had to trust him, he was the only one I could trust with even my eyes closed. As I tried to regain my posture, I looked towards him and said, "You know I trust you more than anyone, but I know the pressure ajja is facing from the public, I hate that there's nothing I can do to help."

"Just focus on you're physiotherapy for now Juhi, that's more than enough for me, we'll get through it." Dhruv said as he patted my head.

" Ouch, ouch how could you two leave me out, Dhruv stop trying to out do yourself as her brother, you know you can never beat
me at being the best brother ever."

Sandeep's voice boomed into my room and a smile formed on my face, if Dhruv was my pillar of support, Sandeep was my happy pill.

" Oh! Sunny I didn't know you were so petty.", Dhruv drawled out, as Sandeep gritted out a string of curse words, "Anna please stop trying to change my gender nah, you can call me anything other than that !" I laughed at his misery while Dhruv replied " Not a chance....Sunny, Juhi I have to go now, duty calls see you two at dinner. ", saying so he proceeded to move out of the room.

Of course being a Chief Commissioner of Medhinapur, and Commander in chief of the Royal Security Team had but it's pro's and cons. But with Sandeep being his right hand man, things run smoothly for him at the Palace. Sandeep helped me up once again, "Up up Princess gotta work those limbs out now.", just as my physiotherapist Miss. Akansha Sinha approached me with a waist support belt in hand, and here we go, another round of therapy session.

Hey, sweet fellas! Hope you all are doing well and enjoyed this chapter.
Things seem to be getting a little rougher, hold on there's a lot coming your way. I know you guys are waiting for the opposite leads to meet, but again hold your horses we're getting there.
Thanks for staying all this time, and for the new fellas, welcome sweet cakes!

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See ya soon.