"Ranisa,yeh designer ne bhijwaya h aapke liye,aapko match ke liye yahi pehenna h aisa kaha h unhone"A househelp said as he entered into the cosy library Iti was sitting as she read yet another book.
"Match ke liye?"Iti asked confusedly.
"Ji"The househelp said.
"Aapke kamre mein hi beautician aur hair stylist aa chuke h,aap taiyaar ho jaiye tab tak driver gaadi nikal denge"The househelp added making Iti more confused.
Where was she supposed to go after getting ready?
Why wasn't she aware about her having to make an appearance?
She just left towards her room and found the beautician and the hair stylist already there.
She sighed.
After getting ready in a simple yet elegant saree which made her look like the queen she now was,the hairstylist did her hair and the make up artist did some light makeup on Iti's insistence.
"Jaana kaha h hame?"Iti asked to the same house help who had informed her about getting ready.
"Ji Ranisa woh aapko Singh sahab bata denge"The househelp said and left.
"Namastey Ranisa"A turbaned man said as he approached her.
Iti nodded at him.
"Aaiye,1 ghante mein match shuru honewala h,aap chief guest h"Mr.Singh said making her widen her eyes.
Okay.
She was the chief guest at some game she didn't even knew!
"Konsa match?"Iti asked making the man frown but he immediately wiped it off and looked at her.
"Woh aaj Sir ka polo match h,Udaipur vs Jaipur....ussi ke liye jaa rahe h hum,Ranimaa pehele chief guest thi pr unhe last moment kuch kaam yaad aa gaya toh unhone kaha aap chali jaye unki jagah guest bankr"Mr.Singh said and Iti nodded not asking anything more.
Her brain had a lot of questions though.
Polo!
Her husband played polo and she had no idea about it.
It was his match and he hadn't even informed her,she was getting to know about this from some other person she had met for the first time today.
And then he asks her to say things to him because he doesn't knows her well.
She also doesn't knows him well then!
He should have been the one to inform her about this match.
For some unknown reason Iti was a lil mad at this thing.
She got into the car and the driver drove away.Two cars in front of her car and two behind her with the security that was for her.
She turned on her phone and opened Google and searched about Polo.
If she was going to watch a polo match she must know the rules too.
The whole way towards the match area Iti kept reading the rules of Polo in her mobile phone.
When they finally reached their destination,a guard pulled the door open for her and Iti got out after releasing a nervous breath.
She knew all eyes would be on her now.She can do it,she just has to watch a watch and nothing else.
"Rani sa iss taraf"Mr.Singh said making her nod and follow him.
As she appeared in the grounds,huge round of applause could be heard along with cheers for her.
"We welcome our chief guest,Her Highness,Mahrani Iti Shiv Pratap Singh Rathod"An announcement was made for her and Iti tried not to show any nervousness she felt at that moment.
Why were they all so excited to see her she had no idea.
She followed Mr.Singh and was greeted by a bunch of people,each one bowing and folding their hands in front of her in respect.
Iti too folded her hands in return.
"Ranisa aaiye"An elderly lady said as she gestured for Iti to sit right in the middle of the stands from were the whole arena could be seen.
It was the most perfect spot with a centre view.Iti settled down and the old lady sat beside her.
Iti was glad she wasn't asked to make any speech because she would have failed miserably at that.
Public speaking is one of her most feared childhood trauma.
She couldn't do it then and she was sure she couldn't do it even now.
A lot of announcements were made after that and Iti only heard half of what was spoken because she was totally uninterested in everything that was going on.
What was she doing here she had no idea.
Plus,if given a choice she wouldn't be here,she would be in her lil cosy chair in the library reading one of the many books kept there.
She sighed.
Alas she was here and so she had to bear it all.
Her chain of thoughts broke when she heard the loud sound of a gunshot which meant the commencement of the match.
Her eyes immediately started to locate her husband amongst the other players in the large open ground riding on their horses.
There he was,riding on a black horse,his expressions so focused that Iti couldn't help but keep her gaze stuck on his face for a few moments.
His eyebrows furrowed in concentration,his gaze religiously following the small wooden ball which was being tossed by the opposite teams players right now.
He rode his horse faster going in between the two players,his hand quickly hit the wooden ball with his mallet and snatched it from the opponent player.

Iti's expressions changed into a lil pleasent one when he got hold of the wooden ball.Her gaze stuck on him as he rode his horse and with a powerful hit passed the ball towards his teammate who rode alongside him.
His teammate quickly passed the ball back to him as the other opponent tried to snatch the ball away from him.
Three players raced Shiv as he tried to ride towards the goalpost carrying the wooden ball along with him.
Iti's eyebrows furrowed in worry when two players from each side circled him,the third one coming directly infront of Shiv,he was going to lose the hold of the ball now.
Shiv was quick though,he with full force hit the wooden ball in air and then with another powerful smash from his mallet the ball directly went past the opponents goal post.
Iti beamed in happiness as that happened,her hands on their own accord clapping loudly, showing her excitement through it.
She was in aww of her husband's skills.
The ball was again passed and this time it was with Shiv's team,Shiv again stuck his gaze towards the ball and tried to ride his horse as fast as possible to reach to the player who had the ball in his hold for now.
He was lucky enough to snatch the ball back from the opponent player but he missed the other player who came from his left,almost knocking him over.
Iti's mouth hung open in shock as that happened,Shiv almost fell from his horse but was lucky enough to grab onto the rein of the horse and quickly steady himself back on it.

Her breath became nomal once he was back on the horse without falling down.
This game was barbaric!
One could fall and break their neck playing it!
Why would anybody want to play this game?
It was too much.
How can a player play the game as well as maintain control over their horse?
The first half ended and Shiv's team was in a lead.Iti was happy for him, slowly she was getting the game,she was understanding everything that she couldn't get from her Google search.
Once the second half ended after the opponent team made their last goal, Shiva's team cheered loudly.
Each one of them circling the ground with their helmets held high in their hand in air,showing their victory.

It was a close game with 4-3 goals but Shiv's team were able to win it.
Iti saw as Shiv rode his horse in circles along the ground,his wooden mallet held high in the air,his face shining with a smile at their well deserved victory.
She couldn't help but smile too.
Soon enough both the teams assembled and the announcements for the match were made.
"Now our Chief Guest and the Ranisa of Udaipur would present the awards to the winners"
Iti was asked to present the awards to the winning team and the man of the match.
She held the small trophy for the man of the match as she waited for the name to be announced.
"Man of the match is Mr.Shiv Pratap Singh Rathod"
Shiv walked towards Iti with the tiniest of smile on his face.
Iti's gaze landed on him as he approached her,she was about to just simply give the trophy to him but he forwarded a hand for a handshake,so she shook hands with him and gave him the tiniest of smiles because all the gazes were set on them.
Everyone knew they were married after all.
She then gave him the trophy.
"Thank you so much Ranisa"He said staring right into her eyes and Iti was at loss of words.
A quick flash appeared as the moment was captured by the photographer.
She immediately looked away.
What was she supposed to say to him?
"Congratulations"Iti managed to say it quickly.
She then again gave the trophy to the winning team.Shiv again shook hands with her as he received the trophy from her because he was the captain of his team.
Each player of the team was presented with a medal which was given to them by Iti itself.
She moved back then as the team clicked a few pics and then celebrated their victory.
"Iti yaha aaiye"Shiv said as he managed to sneak away his wife from the group of people she was standing with and took her a lil far from them.
"Kesa laga aapko match?"Shiv asked as they walked.
"Acha tha"Iti said staring at the green grass and Shiv sighed.
Was the grass prettier then him?
"Inse miliye,yeh hamare coach h Mr.Verma"Shiv introduced her to his coach who had been training him since he was a teenager.
Iti gave a small smile to the elderly man who reciprocated the same.
"Yeh hamari biwi h,Iti Shiv Pratap Singh Rathod"Shiv said proudly.
Don't know why but hearing this name Iti felt something in her chest.
Iti Shiv Pratap Singh Rathod.
She wasn't sure what she felt though.
After meeting the coach and even a few of the members of the polo association Shiv asked Iti to go and sit in the car as he would join her in a few mins.
Iti sighed in relief when it was over.
She was so nervous she had to give a speech,thank god she didn't had to.
She would surely have screwed it up otherwise and made a fool out of herself.
People would definitely talk about her then.
A queen who can't even speak infront of a handful of people.
She would have been a mockery.
The car door opened and Shiv sat beside her in the passenger seat.
The driver drove towards the palace as they settled.
"Aapne kabhi phele Polo match dekha tha?"Shiv asked, trying to start a conversation.
Iti shook her head in denial at that.
This was her first polo match.
"I hope aap bore nhi hui hongi phir"Shiv asked and she again shook her head in denial at that.
"Mooan vrat rakha h aapne?"Shiv asked making her look at him this time.
She gave him a confused look.
"Toh muh se jawab kyu nhi de rahi h aap Iti?hrr baat pr sirr hilana zaruri toh nhi"He said and she understood what he meant and again nodded her head at that but then shook her head and then sighed.
"Ham samajh gaye"She finally said it.
"Aapne bataya nhi aapko hamara game kesa laga?kya hum acche player lage aapko?"Shiv futher asked just so that she speaks something.
"Aap accha khelte h bas hame yeh game accha nhi laga"Iti said immediately and then regretted it immediately.
Shiv raised his eyebrows at that as she stared at him.
"Hamara game acha nhi h?"He asked.
"Nhi,aisa nhi h Shiv"Iti immediately said.
"Toh kesa h Iti?"Shiv asked with amusement in his voice this time.
She gets hyper real quick.
"Woh bht khatanak game h,isliye hame pasand nhi aaya"Iti said.
"Khatarnak?"Shiv repeated and she nodded her head at that.
"Phirse sirr hila rahi h aap Iti"He reminded her again making her sigh.
"Agar koi godhe se neeche girr gaya toh bht gheri chot lag sakti h usse bhi aur bichare godhe ko bhi,itna difficult game h yeh,horseriding bhi karo aur goal bhi karo woh bhi ek saath!Dono kese kr sakta h koi bhala?"Iti said looking at him who chuckled at her view of the game.
Iti looked away from him.He was making fun of her.
"Aap hamara mazak uda rahe h!"Iti narrowed her eyes at him when he didn't stop laughing.
Shiv was amused to see her a lil angry.
So his shy and quiet wife can get angry as well.
"Aapka nhi aapke nazariye ka mazak uda rahe the"Shiv said and Iti again narrowed her eyes at him.
"Matlab hamara hi mazak uda rahe the na aap?"Iti asked and he immediately shook his head in denial at that.
"Hum aapka mazak nhi uda rahe the"He said but she didn't believe him and so looked away from him.
"Wese hame pata nhi tha aap chief guest h"Shiv further started the conversation and she looked at him again.
"Agli baar se hame bata dijiyega agar hame aise kahi jaana padega toh,hum prepared rahenge aur time nikal lenge"Iti said.
"Accha aap busy thi kya?"Shiv asked and she nodded her head at that.
"Jaha tak hame pata h,aap kal se office ke finances check krnewali h,phir aisa kya kr rahi thi ki aap itni busy thi?"Shiv asked and Iti looked away at that.
"Bataiye"Shiv asked and she again looked at him then.
Why can't she just keep her gaze on him the whole time?
"Hum ek kitaab padh rahe the"Iti said and Shiv smiled hearing that.
He knew.
He had noticed that his wife was an avid reader,the whole day she would be in the palace library reading God knows which book.
How could a person read so much?
"Aapko books padhne ka shauk h"Shiv didn't asked but stated and Iti nodded her head at that with a smile on her face.
Reading was her favourite thing in the world to do.
"Humse padha nhi jaata bilkul bhi,pata nhi aap kese padh leti h itna"Shiv said then making her open her mouth in surprise.
"Aapne sahi book nhi padhi hongi phir!Trust me jo kitaab hum aapko denge na Shiv usse padhne ke baad aapko reading acchi lagne lagegi"Iti said,the reader in her couldn't hold back anymore.
"Hame padhna nhi pasand "Shiv again stated.
"Hum aapko ghar chalkr ek kitaab denge,usse padhiyega!phir dekhiyega aapko bhi read krne ka shauk ho jayega!"Iti said enthusiastically but he still shook his head in denial at that.
"Hum aise hi thik h"Shiv said making her fro
wn.
"Shiv trust me!hamare paas bht acchi kitaab h aap jese non-readers ke liye bhi!"Iti said making him chuckle.
"I am sure aapke paas hogi,I don't doubt it pr humse do min bhi padha nhi jaata,farak nhi padta kitaab konsi h,hume reading se hi nafrat h"Shiv said making her shock.
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