Hi guys this is Natasha an old writer of this TU website….Many of you might not know me cause i was not at all active for the last seven months….first of all i would like to ask my once readers to forgive me for not updating in months…if you are a new reader and just started reading this by mistake….my request is pls continue reading…i have given the link for all the chapters of TPOML(The Prince Or My Lover) here…
I am really sorry gor my absence…..i had some probs in my personal life which needed my full attention then…..now i am free from it atlast…so here iam….I woul also like to thank Zaimal Khan from my heart for continuously supporting me and urging me to continue…a huge shout out for the lovely person……i would also like to thank HetviVora2 and Sri333 for their support……
Finally the Chapter-19 of TPOML after 7 months of wait….
Recap:Arrival of singer family to the Palace……
To say i was exhausted would be an understatement…however my emotional was totally contrary to my mental state, i was so happy…today my desire of seeing and celebrating the festival of colours was fulfilled all thanks to maxo he made sute that all aspects of the festival that we know was covered…and that i enjoyed to my hearts content, he was the first one to apply the colour powder on me.The festival was celebrated with great vigour and joy.I for a fact knew that everyone who participated loved it.The event was a grand success.It was actually good to let go and be carefree….
I woke up to the harsh sunlight kissing my face….I barely slept inbetween from getting in so late and the excitement over what was coming, it was impossible. I curled closer to ladoo, comforted by her warmth. I’d miss her so much once she left, but at least I had the prospect of her living here with me to look forward to.
I wondered who would be leaving today. It didn’t seem polite to ask, so I didn’t; but if pressed, I would guess it was Natalie. Ragini and Kriss were popular with the public—more popular than I was—and Celeste and Elise had connections. I had Maxon’s heart, and that left Natalie without much to hold on to.
I felt bad because I really didn’t have anything against Natalie. If anything, I wished Celeste would go. Maybe Maxon would send her home since he knew how much I disliked her, and he did say he wanted me to be comfortable here.
I sighed, thinking of everything he’d said last night. I’d never imagined this was possible. How did I, Swara Gadodia aka America Singer—a Five, a nobody—fall for Maxon Schreave—a One, the One? How did this happen when I’d spent the last two years bracing myself for life as a Six?
A tiny part of my heart throbbed. How would I explain this to Laksh? How would I tell him that Maxon had chosen me and that I wanted to be with him? Would he hate me? The thought made me want to cry. No matter what, I didn’t want to lose Laksh’s friendship. I couldn’t.
My maids didn’t knock when they came in, which was typical. They always tried to let me rest as long as I could, and after the party, I certainly needed it. But instead of going to prep things, Mary went around to ladoo and gently rubbed her shoulder to wake her.
I rolled over to see Anne and Lucy with a garment bag. A new dress?
“Miss May,” Mary whispered, “it’s time to get up.”
Ladoo slowly roused. “Can’t I sleep?”
“No,” Mary said sadly. “There’s some important business this morning. You need to go to your parents right away.”
“Important business?” I asked. “What’s going on?”
Mary looked to Anne, and I followed her eyes. Anne shook her head, and that seemed to be the end of it.
Confused but hopeful, I got out of bed, encouraging ladoo to do the same. I gave her a big hug before she went to Mom and Dad’s room.
Once she left, I turned back to my maids. “Can you explain now that she’s gone?” I asked Anne. She shook her head. Frustrated, I huffed. “Would it help if I commanded you to tell?”
She looked at me, a clear solemnity in her eyes. “Our orders come from much higher. You’ll have to wait.”
I stood at the door to my bathroom and watched them move. Lucy’s hands were shaking as she pulled out fistfuls of rose petals for my bath, and Mary’s eyebrows were knit together as she lined up my makeup and the pins for my hair. Lucy sometimes trembled for no reason at all, and Mary tended to do that with her face when she was concentrating. It was Anne’s look that made me scared.
She was always put together, even in the most frightening and taxing of situations, but today she looked as if her body was full of sand, her whole frame low with worry. She kept stopping and rubbing her forehead as if she could smooth away the anxiety in her face.
I looked on as she pulled my dress out of the garment bag. It was understated, simple … and jet-black. I looked at that dress and knew it could only mean one thing. I started crying before I even knew who I was mourning.
“Miss?” Mary came to help me.
“Who died?” I asked. “Who died?”
Anne, steady as ever, pulled me upright and wiped the tears from under my eyes.
“No one has died,” she said. But her voice wasn’t comforting; it was commanding. “Be grateful for that when this is all over. No one died today.”
She gave me no further explanation and sent me straight to my bath. Lucy tried to keep herself under control; but when she finally broke into tears, Anne asked her to go get me something light to eat, and she jumped on the command obediently. She didn’t even curtsy as she left.
Lucy eventually returned with some croissants and apple slices. I wanted to sit and eat slowly, stretching out my time, but one bite was all it took for me to know that food was not my friend today.
Finally Anne placed my name pin on my chest, the silver shining beautifully against the black of my dress. There was nothing left for me to do but face this unimaginable fate.
I opened my door but found myself frozen. Turning back to my maids, I breathed out my fear. “I’m scared.”
Anne put her hands on my shoulders and spoke. “You are a lady now, miss. You must handle this like a lady.”
I gave a small nod as she released me, unclenched my hands from the door, and walked away. I wish I could have said my head was high; but honestly, lady or not, I was terrified.
To my immense surprise, when I reached the foyer, the rest of the girls were waiting, all wearing dresses and expressions similar to my own. A wave of relief hit me. I wasn’t in trouble. If anything, we all were, so at least I wouldn’t be going through whatever this was alone.
“There’s the fifth,” a guard said to his counterpart. “Follow us, ladies.”
Fifth? No, that wasn’t right. It was six. As we walked down the stairs, I quickly scanned the girls. The guard was right. Only five. Ragini wasn’t here.
My first thought was that Maxon had sent Ragini home, but wouldn’t she have come by my room to say good-bye? I tried to think of a relationship between all this secrecy and Ragini’s absence, and nothing I came up with made sense.
At the bottom of the stairs, an assembly of guards waited, along with our families. Mom, Dad, and ladoo seemed anxious. Everyone did. I looked at them, hoping for some sort of clarity, but Mom shook her head while Dad gave me a shrug. I scanned the uniformed men for Laksh. He wasn’t there.There was a sour felling in my stomach like something bad is going to happen,but i ignored it and moved on.
I saw a pair of guards escorting Ragini’s parents to the back of our line. Her mother was hunched with worry, and she leaned into her husband, his face heavy, as if he had aged years in a single night.
Wait. If Ragini was gone, why were they here?
I turned as a burst of light flooded the foyer. For the first time since I’d been at the palace, the front doors were both opened wide, and we were paraded outside. We crossed the short circular driveway and headed past the massive walls that fenced us into the grounds. As the gates creaked open, the deafening sound of a massive crowd greeted us.
A large platform had been set up in the street. Hundreds, maybe thousands of people were crowded together, children sitting on the shoulders of their parents. Cameras were positioned around the platform, and production people were running in front of the crowds, capturing the scene. We were led to a small section of stadium seats, and the crowd cheered for us as we walked out. I could see the shoulders of every girl in front of me relax as the people in the streets called out our names and threw flowers at our feet.
I lifted my hand in a wave as people called my name. I felt so silly for worrying. If the people were this happy, then nothing bad could be happening. The staff at the palace really needed to rethink the way they handled the Elite. All that anxiety for nothing.
Ladoo giggled, happy to be a part of the excitement, and I was relieved to see her back to herself. I tried to keep up with all the well-wishers, but I was distracted by the two odd structures waiting on the platform. The first was a ladder-like contraption in the shape of an A; the second was a large wooden block with loops on either end. With a guard at my side, I climbed into my seat in the middle of the front row and tried to figure out what was going on.
The crowd erupted again as the king, queen, and Maxon emerged. They too were dressed in dark clothes and wore sober expressions. I was close to Maxon, so I turned his way. Whatever was happening, if he looked at me and smiled, I knew it would be fine. I kept willing him to glance at me, to give me some sort of acknowledgment. But Maxon’s face was hard.
A moment later the crowd’s cheers turned into cries of disdain, and I turned to see what made them so unhappy.
My stomach twisted as I watched my world shatter.
Laksh was being dragged out in chains. His lip was bleeding, and his clothes were so dirty he looked like he’d spent the night rolling in mud. Behind him, Ragini—was also in chains. A suit coat covered her hunched shoulders, and she squinted into the light. She took in the massive crowd, finding my eyes for a split second before she was pulled forward again. She searched once more, and I knew who she was seeking out. To my left, I saw Ragini’s parents watching, gripping each other tightly. They were visibly crushed, gone from this place, as if their very hearts had abandoned them.
I looked back to Ragini and Laksh. The anxiety in their faces was obvious, yet they walked with a certain pride. Only once, when Ragini tripped over the hem of her dress, did that veneer crack. Beneath it, terror awaited.
No. No, no, no, no, no.
As they were led up onto the platform, a man in a mask began speaking. The crowd hushed for him. Apparently, this—whatever it was—had happened before, and the people here knew how to respond. But I didn’t; my body lurched forward, and my stomach heaved. Thank goodness I hadn’t eaten.
“Ragini Mathur,” the man called, “one of the Selected, a Daughter of Illéa, was found last night in an intimate moment with this man, Aspen Leager, a trusted member of the Royal Guard.”
The crier’s voice was full of an inappropriate amount of self-importance, as if he was reciting the cure for some deadly disease. The crowd booed again at his accusations.
“Miss Mathur has broken her vow of loyalty to our prince Maxon! And Mr.Leager has essentially stolen property of the royal family through his relations with Miss Mathur! These offenses are treason to the royal family!” He was shrieking out his statements, willing the crowd to agree. And they did.Everything was so surreal ragini and laksh together???? Ragini cheating maxon????The truth was harsh…I fell like fainting already!!!
But how could they? Didn’t they know this was Ragini? Sweet, beautiful, trusting, giving Ragini? She made a mistake, maybe, but nothing deserving of this much hatredI could see it,it was plainly written on her face ,all the hatred shown towards her was killing her inside,Stabbing her heart with pieces of broken glasses…i cannot see this…
Laksh was being strapped up to the A-shaped frame by another masked man, his legs spread wide and his arms pulled into a position that mimicked the structure. Padded belts were wrapped around his waist and legs, tightened to a point that looked uncomfortable even from here.Ragini was forced to kneel in front of the large wooden block as a man ripped the coat from her back. Her wrists were bound down to the loops on either side, palms up.
She was crying.
“This is a crime punishable by death! But, in his mercy, Prince Maxon is going to spare these two traitors their lives. Long live Prince Maxon!”
The crowd chanted after the man. If I had been in my right mind, I would have known I was supposed to call out, too, or at least applaud. The girls around me did, and so did our parents, even if they were in shock. But I wasn’t paying attention. All I saw were Ragini’s and Laksh’s faces.
We had been given front-row seats for a reason—to show us what would happen if we made such a stupid mistake—but from here, not more than twenty feet from the platform, I could see and hear everything that really mattered.
Ragini was staring at Laksh, and he was looking right back at her, craning his neck to do so. The fear was unmistakable, but there was also this look on her face, as if she was trying to reassure him that he was worth all this.
“I love you, Ragini,” he called to her. It was barely audible over the crowd, but it was there. “We’re going to be okay. It’ll be okay, I promise.”
He loved her when did this happen???…Till last week he was claiminghe wanted me back in his life…now he is professing his love for Ragini…I was confused…
Ragini couldn’t speak in her fear, but she nodded back at him. In that moment, all I could think of was how beautiful she looked. Her hair was messy and her dress a disaster, and she’d lost her shoes at some point; but, my God, she looked radiant.
“Ragini Mathur and Aspen Leager, you are both hereby stripped of your castes. You are the lowest of the low. You are Eights!”
The crowd cheered, which seemed wrong. Weren’t there any Eights standing here who hated being referred to that way?
“And to inflict upon you the shame and pain you have brought on His Majesty, you will be publicly caned with fifteen strikes. May your scars remind you of your many sins!”
Caned? What did that even mean?
My answer came a second later. The two masked men who had bound laksh and ragini pulled long rods out of a bucket of water. They swiped them in the air a few times, testing them out, and I could hear the sticks whistling as they cut at the air. The crowd applauded this warm-up with the same frenzy and adoration they had just given the Selected.
In a few seconds, laksh’s backside would be humiliatingly struck, and Ragini’s precious hands …
“No!” I cried. “No!”
“I think I’m going to be sick,” Natalie whispered as Elise made a weak moan into her guard’s shoulder. But nothing stopped.
I stood up and lunged toward Maxon’s seat, falling over my father’s lap.
“Maxon! Maxon, stop this!”
“You have to sit down, miss,” my guard said, trying to wrangle me back into my chair.
“Maxon, I beg you, please!”
“It’s not safe, miss!”
“Get off me!” I yelled at my guard, kicking him as hard as I could. Try as I may, he held on tight.
“Swara, please sit down!” my mother urged.
“One!” cried the man on the stage, and I saw the cane fall on ragini’s hands.
She let out the most pathetic whimper, like a dog that had been kicked. Laksh made no sound.I was worried about laksh…about ragini….to see them in this agony literally killed me.
“Maxon! Maxon!” I yelled. “Stop it! Stop it, please!”
He heard me; I knew he did. I saw him slowly close his eyes and swallow one time, as if he could push the sound out of his head.
“Two!”
Ragini’s cry was pure anguish. I couldn’t imagine her pain—and there were still thirteen more strikes to go.
“Swara, sit!” Mom insisted.Ladoo was between her and Dad, her face averted, her cries almost as pained as Ragini’s.I could not even look at laksh without crying out aloud.
“Three!”
I looked at ragini’s parents. Her mother buried her head in her hands, her father’s arms wrapped around her, as if he could protect her from everything they were losing in that moment.
“Let me go!” I yelled at my guard to no avail. “MAXON!” I screamed. My tears were blurring my vision, but I could see him enough to know he’d heard me.
I looked at the other girls. Shouldn’t we do something? Some appeared to be crying, too. Elise was bent over, a palm pressed to her forehead, looking as if she might pass out. No one seemed angry though. Shouldn’t they be?
“Five!”
The sound of ragini’s shrieks would haunt me for the rest of my life. I’d never heard anything like it. Or the sickening echo of the crowd cheering it on, as if this was merely entertainment. Or Maxon’s silence, allowing this to happen. Or the crying of the girls around me, accepting it.
The only thing that gave me any sort of hope was laksh. Even though he was sweating from the trauma and shaking with pain, he managed to pant out comforting words to ragini and that moment i knew that he has found his only true love and i was happy for it.
“It’ll be … over soon,” he managed.
“Six!”
“Love … you,” he stammered.
I couldn’t handle this. I tried to claw at my guard, but his thick sleeves protected him. I shrieked as he gripped me tighter.
“Get your hands off my daughter!” Dad yelled, pulling the guard’s arms. With that space, I wiggled myself until I was facing him and thrust my knee up as hard as I could.
He let out a muffled cry and fell back, my dad catching him on the way down.
I hopped over the railing, clumsy in my dress and heeled shoes. “Ragini! Ragini!” I screamed, running as quickly as I could. I almost got to the steps; but two guards caught up with me, and that was a fight I couldn’t win.
From the angle behind the stage, I saw that they’d exposed laksh’s backside, and his skin was already torn, pieces hanging sickeningly. Blood was trickling down, ruining what used to be his dress pants. I couldn’t imagine the state of Ragini’s hands.
The thought sent me into an even deeper hysteria. I screamed and kicked at the guards, but all that accomplished was the loss of one of my shoes.
I was dragged inside as the man cried out for the next strike, and I didn’t know whether to be grateful or ashamed. On the one hand, I didn’t have to see it all; on the other, I felt like I’d abandoned both Ragini and laksh in the worst possible moment of their life.
If I had been a true friend, wouldn’t I have done better than that?
“Ragoo!” I screamed. “Ragini, I’m sorry!” But the crowd was so frenzied, and she was crying so much, I don’t think she heard me.
**************
That’s it for now…..how was the chapter….did you guys expect this????…pls,….pls comment and give me feedbacks pls……it really means a lot to me…pretty pls with a cherry on the top??? With that accomplished i would like to say i’ll update the nxt chappy once i get some comments…..hopefully i’ll be back very soon this time…until then……
Natasha Chakravarthy
36 Comments
You are back????!!!!!!!!!!! I am soooo happy….and I missed this ff a lotttt!! Please don’t disappear for months again…!! This episode…is really unexpected…!!! When did it happen??!!! It’s like a thunder to me…!!! Please post next part immediately…!!
Yep i am back can’t blv can you….???….cause i myself am in the state……..sorry…..i wont disappear again…promise….pinky promise…..will post the nxt epi as soon as i can….
Lots of luv?
Raglak story!!! Omg awesome
Ty dear….but it has both swasan and raglak in it…hope u like it!!!!
OMG
Its a great pleasure to eee u back
Missed u n ur ff a lot
Tanxx for ur come back
OMG
Its a great pleasure to see u back
Missed u n ur ff a lot
Tanxx for ur come back
Ty dear…..and sorry for the delay too….
Lots of luv?
Hey Natasha
I’m the same sri333 from wattad
Yes episode is awesome nd shocking
U already told ragini had hidden motives
But this
Oooo myyyy goddddd
I read 2 times to confirm it
Plzzzzz update next part soon
Hi dear….ty sooo much fa your support……ik this epi was a bit of shocker……but glad to hear it was good to…….ty once again…
Lots of love?
Diiiii …. I am very happy that you are back …… you know that I was waiting for you to post your epi ….. how are you Di??? I hope you miss your kiddo???? Did you forget me ????? This epi was amazing Di…. take care love you???…..
Jeni darling…..how can i forgot you…..you are my cutie buttercup na….i’m reallly sorry dear fa the late update….and i am grt……how abt you???? hope everything is fine for you…..
Lots of luv?
Ohh god it’s disheartening. Please don’t disappear for much time we missed you so much
I’m sorry for my disappearance dear…..i really am….hope you liked the chapter……
Lots of luv?
omg..raglak?? It was jst amazing..waiting 4 nxt part
Yep dear…raglak only but you’ll have both swasan and raglak in this ff….hlad that you liked it…..
Lots of love?
missed ur ff very much thank u for coming back pls update soon
Sorry for my absence dear….hope you liked the chappy……..will update the next part soon….fa sure….
Lots of luv?
I have not read this but still i can sae it will be an awesome one??
Haha di a silk wrapper for sure
And yaaaaa i ammm veryyyyy happpie di
Welcome back to tu
Luv u ??
Nd haa i will commment again when i will read it
Take care ??
And i m flattered by your writing by you??
Ty sooooooo much dear…….hahaha…?????…only wrapper fa me na….my chocoholic….love u to dear….take care…….
Lots of luv?
Love it. i missed your ff so much
Ty dear….i’m sorry fa making u wait…..
Lots of luv?
Diii what to say about this part !!
Every time you write a chapter it has ots different way a unique one that makes us to read the next part immediately i know but it can’t happen
Going to this part it was way awesome
Not expeced ..it was thrilling i was imagining as if i was standing there and seeing thus
Feeling so so srry for ragini and laksh
Your episode are long and dhamakedaar
Missed this in these 7 months ??
Pls post next part soon
And i would never forgive maxon for this ..i know u would have planned that too??
Luv u
Your fff??? a hundred times missed it
I’m really flattered dear…ty very much……you are comment is soooooo sweet that if i keep on reading it again and again then i’ll get diabetes fa sure……luv u sooo much dear………i missed u guys toooo….wait and watch dear….maxon can have diff story to tell you……
Lots of luv….no chocolates for you?????
It was awesome as always
Thank u sooo much for giving a outstanding episode.it was amazing
I missed your story a lot
Dare u vanish like this again
Do u know one thing I read your story in exams too……and u vanish like this
Nevertheless….. Episode was amazing
Plzzzzz next part soon
Ooooooohhhh…..i’m sry dear……you know what dear….the guilty sense of promising you that i’ll write a chapter and keeping the promise was killing me……if this chapter is here now then its only bcoz of you……i should be the one thanking you for that……i missed you guys too…..but please dont leave academics for my stories….take care that you finish it too……ty once again….yes i will update next part soon…….
Loys of love???❤❤❤❤???
Finally u came back…………well we all missed u n ur Story a lot……..waiting for ur next update…..
Ya i did indeed….i can’t blv it myself…..ty soo much dear…..hope you liked the chapter…….
Lots of love?
update next soon
Yes dear….i will for sure update next part soon……hope you liked the chapter…..
Lots of love?
Well, that was painful, in fact, never expected of it though…but where did you disappear for 7 months. Missed you so much n the ff too… I was thinking about you yesterday n when I saw this name I couldn’t help but wonder where you where for these many months… Don’t disappear again..n update next one as quickly as possible..
If you don’t mind me asking could you tell what are you doing now.. I mean are you a student?
Just Hope to see you soon..
Take care..
I’m sorry dear….you could say i was in my own dreamland…….just got back to reality?….missed u toooo dear…….i promise i wont disappear……and that i’ll update the nxt part soon…..i srsly don’t mind it yaar…..and yep i’m a student……class 11 high schooler more precisely…..you will see me soon….tc
Lots of luv?
Omg natasha.. What a pleasant surprise…
Welcome back dear..
I thought, u might have quit writting this. And for me there was no way to request u to restart it. So i would like to thank those lovely girls for requesting her to continue it. Thank u girls..
Back to the story..
That was amazing as always. RaglakRaglak was a shocking twist for me. Feeling sad for them. The whole part was really interesting. Loved it a lot.
I’m so happy that u r continuing this again. Because this is the one which i commented for the first time in TU. Plz don’t disappear again.
Eagerly waiting for the next part dear.
Hope you remember me..??
Pramudi……glad to see your comment dear….i srsly thought everyone wold have forgotten my ff……for a fact i thought of quitting writing this….but as i have mentioned above….those gals were really really supportive…..Ty doooooo much dear…even i feel sad about them tooo….hey i fell proud abt the fact that your first comment was for my ff…..ty sooo much dear…..i promise i’ll not disappear again……..obviously how can i forget one of my fav reader who comments fa every chapter i post…….tc
Lots of luv?
Guys Thank You soooooooooooo much for your wonderful comments….it really made my day……i had my reservations of posting this chapter bcoz i thought every one would have forgotten it…..but i’m glad to be proved wrong…..you guys have made my day…..and i’m flattered really……you guys are amazing……you guys made me fell guilty once again for not posting the chapters…….but i assure you i’ll be regular this time….this is my first story….so its so damn near to my heart…….i’m on cloud nine right now…will seee you soon…….
Lots of luv?,
Natasha
Dii acha now of you will cry then there will be chances of a tsunami ??
Acha we love u too di
And haa for this comment i want a silk ,a kitkat duo,a munch ,a dairy milk nd …m.acha bas bas i will leave you this time ??
And haa keep posting and if you will leave us too na we are there following you
Keep that in mind(*warning*)???Haha yeh joke tha
We allllll love you
Thank you for bringing a million dollar smile on our faces
Miss u ??
Post soon
Natasha i was waiting for this so much thank u fr writting again