The moment the heavy doors shut behind them, the world outside vanished—no noise, no crowd, no escape—just the four figures waiting inside.
Aaron's throat felt dry. He could still see Isabella's eyes from the dance—apologetic, pleading—and now, standing before her again, he didn't know whether to look at her or look away.
Beside him, Ishaan fidgeted with his bracelet, his chest tight with everything unsaid. Across the room, Estella stood by the Queen, her composure firm but her eyes trembling at the edges.
In the middle, the king stood as they walked in. The king and queen got up and came face-to-face with the boy.
The boys were still too mixed up in feelings to even look at the king; their eyes were filled with a sense of submission and seemed as if they had given up.
As the boys were about to say something, suddenly the king removed his crown, and both his royal majesty and queen bowed in an apology, with Isebella and Estella following them.
"Aaron and Ishaan Banerjee, today I, Louis von Alzaras, ask forgiveness from you both not as a king but as a father and human. I know I have caused a great deal of pain for you, so I ask you dont think my daughters are at fault"
Mr and Mrs Banerjee were taken aback by how suddenly everything shifted, but the boys were still too broken to take it all in.
"No, need to bow to us, you king, we have been our entire lives test subjects or tools that people found useful only till they need and discarded it, so it is fine, we just hope that this time we were useful to make this country a better one" Aaron spoke with such utter sadness and resigned his faith.
"Yes, your majesty, it's fine, we just want to know why this happened so that we can get closer, and then we promise to remove ourselves from your presence immediately", Ishaan added.
The room was shaken to its very core. All, including Mr and Mrs Banerjee, never thought that such words of resignation. At this point, possibly Isebella and Estella finally understood how hurt the boys were and how grave the problem had been dug up.
The fire crackled in the hearth, a lonely sound in the heavy quiet that followed. The King's gaze lingered on Aaron, but his expression had softened — not wounded pride, but guilt.
"You are right to feel wronged," the King said at last, his voice low. "What was done to you was not just. But before you condemn us, I ask—hear the truth that my daughters were never meant to tell, or more like they couldn't."
The King moved toward a long table by the fire. "Please," he said, gesturing for them to sit. "Let us speak not as royals and subjects, but as parents and children caught in the same storm."
The King drew in a long breath, his eyes dark with the weight of memory.
"It's time you knew," he said quietly. "The truth about who you really are… and why this all began."
"The truth of the matter, you guys were never meant to meet, but you know faith is just something that rarely listens to kings"
The boys, although too confused and still too down, were now intrigued.
"The truth is, you guys were never supposed to meet"
Isebella is now finally speaking in a low tone, "We were told to go somewhere by a messenger to go to that alley for something, it was only later that we realised that, that day we were supposed to meet someone who would also show us how relationships work to get a better understanding of common life."
Estella now adds, "We got to know later that the person who was supposed to come that day had not arrived that day, but we thought it was you guys, so when you guys said that you would give us a tour, we agreed."
Ishaan finally spoke, trying to give off a smirk, but it came out too depressed, "So you guys were playing with us and accepting that request was just a misunderstanding"
Estella asserting herself, "No, it is true that once we realised that we thought too come clean, but father said to just continue, but to be sure not to get too close to them or else it might come to haunt us."
Isebella further added," But as we started to spend more time with you guys, it was as if all the barriers, all the warnings vanished, and we genuinely looked forward to every day"
Aaron speaking out, "So just tell me, were all the moments, all those talks we had, were they real ?"
Ishaan further asked, " Also, why not tell us about this? Did you think we were so untrustworthy or what?"
Isebella, addressing Aaron as if reassuring her, " YES, every moment, every word we said was true."
Estella pitching in, " We felt at ease with you guys, you saw us as just some girls you just happened to meet, every day we talked, we felt as if we were saved and as for the matter of telling you about us.."
Queen Liza spoke, " It is a time-honoured law that while the crown heir serves their time in public, they mustn't reveal their identity; if they do, they lose their right to the throne and well possibly be exiled."
Both Estella and Isebella spoke, "That's why we couldn't tell, as we were constantly monitored on what and who we told what so we are sorry"
Silence followed the Queen's words, deep and unbroken except for the crackle of the fire. The air felt lighter somehow, as if the truth, though painful, had cleared the fog that hung over them.
Mr Banerjee exchanged a look with his wife before stepping closer to their sons.
He placed a firm hand on Aaron's shoulder, another on Ishaan's, "See?" he said softly, voice low but steady. "What did we tell you? They had their reasons."
Mrs Banerjee smiled faintly, her eyes glistening. "Sometimes, heartbreak isn't betrayal—it's just circumstance."
Aaron exhaled, long and uneven. "I just… need some air," he muttered. Ishaan nodded, already heading for the terrace.
The brother walked out of the door as they walked, and they heard their parents talking with the king and queen and Isebella and Estella trying to reach out to them.
As both stepped out on the balcony, it was Ishaan who broke the silence.
"Ohh man, to think we really got caught up in a royal drama, it feels like straight out of an anime, huh, Aaron?" Ishaan was trying to act cool as he leaned against the rails of the terrace.
"You said it, like I just don't know what to do. I thought for so long about what would happen if we never met, and now here we are. Although I know they had no choice, it is still a bit difficult to digest."
Ishaan now with a soft voice, " Ya, I know, but you know I am still glad we finally met them."
Aaron looked at him as he was leaning on the railing.
"I just dont know, I know that what happened was not how I wanted it to go, but I also dont want the alternative, and I think you know what it is, dont you?" He gave a knowing look to Aaron.
"Ya, I know, I just can't imagine being away from them, after all, I have fallen for her." Aaron gave a soft look.
"Then, bro, I leave the rest to you." As Ishaan started to walk away, it came to notice that Isebella was standing in the doorway, hesitating, unsure if it was right to go.
Aaron, after standing still for one moment, sat down on the balcony and gave a gesture to invite Isebella.
Isebella sat beside him, close but careful, her hands folded on her lap.
"Hey, Aaron, I…" Isebella was cut short.
"You, today, me and Ishaan went, and I think searched the entire country just to locate you guys," Aaron spoke, his tone caught between bitterness and tired amusement.
Isabella lowered her gaze. "I know… and I wish I could've run to you the moment I saw you tonight. But I couldn't. Not like that."
Aaron let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "You know what's funny? When I saw you standing there in that gown, next to the King and Queen, it didn't even feel real. For a second, I thought maybe I was dreaming. You looked so different—no, you felt different."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "And then when we danced… it felt like one of those filmy scenes from those old Indian movies my mom watches. You, apologising in whispers, me trying not to look like a complete idiot."
He smiled faintly. "Guess we were both acting in a drama we didn't sign up for."
Isabella's lips curved into a small, sad smile. "Maybe. But if it were a film, I'd want a better ending."
Aaron looked at her then—really looked. The guilt in her eyes was real. The warmth, still there. And despite everything, his chest ached less just sitting beside her.
"You know," he said softly, "I was angry. Hurt. I felt like a fool. But right now, I just feel… tired."
He leaned back, closing his eyes. "Utterly exhausted, actually."
Isabella turned toward him, unsure. "Then what can I do? What can I do to make it right?"
Aaron cracked a tiny grin, eyes still closed. "You can start by letting me rest."
"Rest?"
"Yeah," he said, shifting slightly before letting his head fall gently into her lap. "If you pat my head for a while… we can call it even."
Isabella blinked, startled, then laughed softly through her tears. "That's all it takes?"
"For now," he murmured, eyes half-open, "yeah. That's all it takes."
She hesitated only a moment before her hand found his hair, brushing through it carefully, gently. The world around them seemed to disappear—no crown, no titles, no pain. Just a boy and a girl sitting under the night sky, trying to forgive each other without words.
"You know," Aaron said after a pause, voice muffled, "if you keep doing that, I might actually forgive you too quickly."
"Then I'll stop," she teased.
"Don't you dare."
Isabella chuckled, the sound light and warm, and for the first time that night, Aaron smiled—a real one, quiet but honest.
And as the laughter faded into the hum of the night, neither of them noticed how close they'd grown—not just in distance, but in heart.
Estella found Ishaan leaning on the terrace railing, staring at the gardens below. The wind tugged at his hair, and for once, he looked… older.
"You didn't have to come after me," he said without turning.
"I didn't," Estella replied. "But I wanted to."
"Royal guilt?" he asked, a small smirk ghosting his lips.
"No," she said simply. "Just… regret."
Ishaan sighed, finally meeting her eyes. "You know, you and your sister were supposed to be this perfect pair of princesses—graceful, composed, untouchable. But then you showed up at the store on our first day, arguing with the vendor over the price of a mango."
Estella chuckled, shaking her head. "And you were the infuriating commoner who thought he could bargain better than me."
"Still can," Ishaan said with a faint smile. "But… I guess that's the point, huh? We weren't supposed to meet. And yet we did."
Estella's expression softened. "I wish we could've met without the lies. You deserved that much."
"Yeah," Ishaan admitted quietly. "But maybe if you'd told the truth from the start, I wouldn't have believed it anyway. A princess falling for a foreign commoner's son? Sounds like another one of those Bollywood clichés."
Estella stepped closer, her voice gentle. "Sometimes clichés are just truths that happen too often to ignore."
Ishaan looked at her for a long moment before smiling faintly. "You know, you might be the only person who can make philosophy sound romantic."
"Then maybe I'm learning from the right person," she said softly.
For a moment, they just stood there—two people from different worlds, finding quiet in the space between words.
By the time the moon sank behind the palace towers, the air between them had shifted—not quite healed, but no longer broken. Somewhere inside, the King watched the night fade and knew what he had to do next.
The night had grown still again when Aaron and Ishaan re-entered the parlour.
Their parents were seated by the hearth with the Queen, soft murmurs passing between them. The girls stood nearby, glancing up as the brothers approached — hesitant, but smiling faintly, as if afraid to hope.
King Louis, who had been gazing into the fire, rose to his feet. The flames painted his face in shades of gold and solemnity.
"It seems," he began, his voice calm but full of weight, "that tonight, we have all faced truths we never intended to reveal."
He turned toward the Banerjees — both families now fully gathered. "And yet, in this truth, I see something rare… something good. My daughters' hearts were tested, your sons' integrity revealed. Even through anger and pain, none of you turned away."
The Queen placed a gentle hand over her husband's, nodding slightly — a quiet sign that she, too, had made peace with what must come next.
Mr Banerjee leaned forward slightly, curiosity flickering across his face.
"Your Majesty," he said respectfully, "you sound as if there's something you've already decided."
The King smiled faintly.
"Indeed," he said, glancing toward his daughters, then to Aaron and Ishaan. "There is."
He paced a few steps before the fire, his tone softening.
"Tradition dictates that the heirs of Alzaras must spend one year beyond our borders before they ascend the throne — to learn humility, leadership, and the world they are to serve."
He turned to Aaron and Ishaan now, his gaze steady. "I have decided that this year, my daughters will spend that time… in India. Under your guidance."
Gasps rippled through the room — from the Queen, from the Banerjees, even from the princesses themselves.
"Your Majesty—" Mrs Banerjee began, but the King raised a hand gently.
"Please. This is no command of power — it is a request born of trust. These young men showed my daughters what no court or tutor could have: sincerity without motive. I believe that, under your family's roof, they will learn more of the world and themselves than they ever could behind these walls."
His eyes softened further. "Think of it as a… trial engagement. Not bound by duty, but by choice — to see if the love that brought you together in defiance of fate can stand when given freedom instead of secrecy."
Silence lingered for a long moment.
Isabella's eyes flicked to Aaron, her lips parting in shock — and something almost like hope. Estella's composure finally cracked into a disbelieving smile as she looked at Ishaan.
Aaron blinked, still processing. "You mean… they'd come with us?"
"Yes," the King said simply. "As students, travellers, and—if fate allows—future partners. A year to live freely, to understand each other away from crowns and expectations. After that year, when they return… we shall see where their hearts truly belong."
Mr Banerjee looked at his wife, then at their sons. There was hesitation, but also something proud in his expression.
"If it is truly their choice," he said finally, "then we'll open our home to them."
Mrs Banerjee nodded, smiling softly. "After all, it's time our sons learn how to host royalty."
The Queen laughed lightly, breaking the tension. "And our daughters, how to survive without servants?"
The room filled, for the first time that night, with gentle laughter — hesitant, but real.
And as Aaron looked toward Isabella and saw her smile — small but radiant — he thought, for the first time since all of it began, that maybe this wasn't the end of something broken.
Maybe it was the start of something entirely new.