It's been three days since Viraaj last saw Irya when she left for her kingdom. Today, she is returning and he is eager to welcome her with her favourite flowers from the mountain. These three days were like three years for him. His mind was completely diverted on her. Thinking what she must be doing in her kingdom. No one is flirting with her right? She is so beautiful, anyone can fall for her. What if she got a marriage proposal?
When he was waiting for her behind her academy and looking at her window to see her, he heard her calling him.
"Viraaj! I am here." She said with dull face.
He looked at her and a wide smile appeared on his face. He immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her away from academy.
"You are back? How was your journey? Did you missed me?" He asked, breathing heavily in happiness.
She tried to smile at him but failed and her eyes fell on the flowers in his hand.
He followed her gaze and realised he didn't gave her flowers yet. He quickly forwarded the flowers towards her and said "This is for you."
"Viraaj..." She said with her trembling voice and eyes filled with tears, looking at the flowers. "My brother will not accept our love."
Viraaj's smile slowly dropped and he asked "What?"
She burst out in tears and hugged him.
"They said they don't like your kingdom. And will rage a war if needed to win your kingdom."
The flowers fell from his hands and he stood in daze.
Irya calmed down and sat down beside Viraaj. "Did you talked to them about us?" He asked.
She shook her head, looking down at her hands "No, I just asked them why they didn't invited Aaro's king for party and they said.... They don't need to invite a king from small kingdom. Aaro is nothing compared to Bayar. And if we invite them, it would be d-disrespectful for us and....other kings."
Viraaj took a deep breath to calm down and looked away. Hearing such a disrespectful words for his kingdom, It's making him hate Irya's brother. Now how will he marry her when her family don't even like his kingdom and have such a mindset for them.
Irya looked at him and cupped his cheek. She made him look at her "I am sorry. I didn't know that my brother has such a narrow opinion about your kingdom. But I don't care about what he thinks. The only thing I know is that I love you and I want to be with you."
"How can he say that?!" A sudden voice made them flinch on their place and look around.
Soon four boys came out of the woods and one of them walked towards Viraaj and Irya while stomping his feet.
"How dare he? Don't he know who he is talking about?!"
Viraaj sighed in relief to see his friends and Irya looked at him with confusion.
"They are my friends." He said to her and she finally felt relieved.
"What are you doing here? And who told you I am here?" Viraaj asked them.
"No one. We followed you." One of his friend said.
"Since last three days, you was looking weird. You weren't talking to anyone and was often day dreaming. So we understood it's about Irya. And we followed you."
"And what did you said? Your brother won't accept your love?" The first one asked to Irya.
She nod hesitantly and he said "He have to! How can he reject our friend without even meeting him?"
"But he don't like Viraaj's kingdom then how will he agree for their relationship?" Another one asked.
Irya looked at Viraaj and he held her hand to comfort her.
"They won't let you get married but...." The one who was standing quietly till now spoke.
"But?" Viraaj asked.
He looked at Viraaj and said "What if you get married without telling them?"
Viraaj and Irya looked at eachother with wide eyes and Irya smiled at him with hope. He shook his head denying the idea of getting married without informing their family.
"Yes! That's right." The first one said "You two get married and then inform your parents. They will have to accept your marriage."
"No!" Viraaj stood up."We can't do that! We can't betray our family. They sent us to academy to study, not to get married behind their back."
Hearing him refusing to follow the idea and marry her, Irya stood up in anger and held his arm. She turned him around to face her and said "Then kill me."
"Irya!" He yelled in anger.
"What Irya?! If you don't want to marry me, then why you made me fall in love with you?! Why did you came to academy to see me? Why you take me out every weekend to spend time with you?! You promised me you will marry me then fulfill your promise!"
He cupped her face to see her so hurt and said "But Irya, we can't betray our family."
"And I can't live without you!" She yelled at him and started crying. "My brother won't agree for our marriage. Please Viraaj. Please understand. I want to marry you. Doesn't matter what, I want to live with you."
Before Viraaj can say anything, she said something that shook him from inside "And if I can't live with you, I will kill myself."
"Irya! Do you even know what you are saying?"
"Yes I do." She held his hands and said "I have seen how my brother looks down on your kingdom. He will never agree for our marriage. And I can't live without you. All I know is, I want to marry you."
"But-"
"Viraaj." The one who gave the idea spoke "This is the only thing you can do if you two want to live together. Her family won't agree for your marriage and who knows what they will do if they will find out about you two. You won't even know when her brother will take her to Bayar and get her married to someone. You will regret for rest of your life."
"He is right Viraaj." The other one said "If you two get married now, even if her brother tries to get her married to someone, you can step in and say that she is yours. You will be her husband. And why would anyone want to marry a girl who already have a husband?"
"But what about father. I should inform him." Viraaj said.
His another friend came towards him and hugged him from side "Of course you should! But after your marriage."
"Tomorrow?" The first one asked "Tomorrow is good. Let's start the preparation for your marriage."
Viraaj and Irya looked at eachother with a smile and she hugged him tightly.
"Irya, bring some of your friends whom you trust." Viraaj's friend said.
Irya looked at him and nod, still hugging Viraaj.
Viraaj looked at his friends and said. "Thank you."
The next day, Viraaj and Irya got married without anyone knowing. Irya's some friends were also present to be the witness of her marriage.
When the marriage ceremony ended, Viraaj cupped Irya's face and kissed her forehead.
"You are mine now." He whispered.
"And you are mine." She said and laughed.
"But we still have to wait until next year, until our studies are finished. Okay?"
She nod and kissed his cheek "Okay. I will wait."
After few days, all the students of academy went on holidays to meet their family.
Irya didn't told anything about Viraaj and their marriage to her family. Most of the time she used to stay in Abel's chamber, playing with him or in kitchen to cook something for her family to keep herself busy and not meet her brother who hate her husband.
But Viraaj, he can't hide it from his father. He is close to his father and he can't hide anything from him. Even if he try, his father will sense it and he have to tell everything to him.
"What happened?" Viraaj's father, Kayan chakravarthy asked.
Viraaj looked down at his hands, sitting infront of his father.
"I made a mistake."