10. A new home

After having a formal lunch with the family at the palace, Yul brought Liya and Inu to their new home in the city. Thamina wanted to take Inu to the mansion they live in the city but Yul convinced her that it's not yet the time. It took some effort from his part but he won in bringing Liya and Inu to his house near the office. Thamina and others returned to the mansion, while the grand uncle and family stayed back at the palace with his mother.

The new house was near to the city centre but still away from its buzzling. Yul had brought this house for his convenience of staying out for business meetings and to save the travel to the mansion where Thamina and his siblings lived. But it was rarely used as Yul seldom stayed here.

For Liya and Inu, the whole house was refurnished and made more homely. It was big compared to Liya's old house but very small than the palace they were at. Liya was relaxed on realising that it would be only them staying here and she doesn't have to deal with Thamina and others on a daily basis.

Devin had come along to drop them off and he shoved around the house for Liya and Inu. There were three different rooms for all three of them and it made Liya feel more secure. 'At least he is sensible in these matters,' Liya said to herself in a hushed sound while checking out the house.

After settling them in, Yul and Devin left for the office. Seeing them leave, Liya quickly closed the door and came back to the room with Inu, and fell down on the bed. It has been days since she had a proper sleep and all those tiredness were catching up to her now.

"Mom, are we going to stay here from now on?" Inu asked while hugging his mom.

"Yes my dear… Didn't Inu like the house?" She asked without opening her eyes.

"It's really bigger than ours…" He replied.

"But?… what's wrong?" Liya asked.

"Nothing…" Inu didn't want to ask anything further.

"What is it dear? Tell mom…"

"Are we really going to stay with dad?"

Liya thought about how to answer that question for a moment and then replied, "For the time being, yes. We need to stay here for a while. What comes after, mom will sort it out… My dear son doesn't need to worry about that. Let's just sleep for a while, shall we..?"

Liya pulled Inu closer and they both fell asleep not sooner.

Yul only came back very late in the night as he had lot of pending works in the office because of the wedding. When he came back, Liya was still waiting for him in the living room.

"Why are you still up?" Yul asked in surprise. He was not at all expecting her to stay this late and wait for him.

"I had something to talk to." Liya replied.

"Is Inu asleep?" Yul wanted to see him, but didn't want to disturb him either.

"Yes. He slept right after the dinner."

On hearing that Yul walked to the inside and Liya followed. But before Yul turned to his room he saw casseroles on the dining table and looked at Liya for an answer.

"Oh… that… I had cooked something for Inu. There was left of it… and … I …I thought … you might… I …I will just keep it in fridge and use it tomorrow…"

Liya quickly went to take the casseroles from the table sensing that Yul didn't like it. But it wasn't that he didn't like it. But that he was stunned. Liya always did something out of his expectation and surprised him. Considering her hostility towards him, to wait for him with food was totally beyond expectations.

Seeing Liya take it away, Yul suddenly said, "Wait…No need to take it away. I will have it after I freshen up." After that, he hastened to his room at the end of the hall.

Since Yul wasn't objecting to her cooking at his house or the food she prepared, she was really relaxed. 'He isn't that formidable, it seems…' She said to herself and decided to warm it up again.

By the time Yul came back after changing, Liya had warmed up the food and plated it on the dining table. There wasn't much, but some rice and an egg dish. Yul sat down to eat the food.

Liya also sat at one corner of the dining table and waited for him to finish his food. She really wanted to ask him something. Yul looked at Liya's hands kept on the table. She was still wearing his mother's bangle on her left hand. The ring was also there on her finger. Yul felt unknowingly happy on seeing that.

Liya noticed Yul looking at her hand and hurriedly took it down to her lap. Yul withdrew his eyes and turned his focus on to eating.

"You had something to ask?" Yul asked after a moment.

"Yes… Actually… it's just that…you said you want to take Inu back home. So I was wondering why we are staying here?" Liya asked, though it wasn't what she wanted to enquire about.

"Then are you saying that you will be fine, if we were to stay with others in the mansion?" Yul asked after finishing the food.

"No…not at all… this is better." She replied. Of course this was far safe and secure than living on pins and needles with others around.

Yul looked at Liya with raised eyebrows that questioned her 'then what is it?'

"What I meant is that… no… what I want to know is that… You won't be taking only Inu to the mansion right?"

"Without you, you mean?" Yul asked on understanding where this was leading to.

Liya looked at Yul and nodded her head lightly.

"No. Don't worry about that. I will not take Inu away without your permission. Is that all?" He replied.

"Why there are no servants here?" She asked on seeing Yul get up to leave with the finished dishes.

"I never had any before and thought it would be uncomfortable for Inu. If you want I can arrange some." He said while walking to the kitchen.

"No need. I was just curious. I thought there would be servants here to monitor us…" Liya said bluntly.

Yul turned to look at her brazen face on hearing that and answered, "I don't need some servants' monitoring to keep you and Inu under surveillance. You two are always under my watch as long as you are in Poonj."

'As expected of the mighty prince,' Liya said to herself as Yul just scored against her.

"Can you please keep that just there itself?" Liya asked when she saw Yul trying to wash the dishes. Though it was the right thing to do, him in the kitchen made her uncomfortable.

"Why? You don't want me wash these? I am not keeping you as a servant here, so don't think like one." He replied.

"It's like more like a territory issue. Since you won't be cooking and there won't be any servants, then that means I am in charge of the kitchen right? Then I don't want anyone else to get into my working space. When someone else is in my kitchen, it makes me uncomfortable. That's all." Liya explained.

"You are really something, aren't you? This is the first time I am hearing something like this…" Yul said in amazement as he delved on whether to continue washing or not.

"I know…" Liya said in despair and tried to take the half washed dish from Yul's hand. "Just leave it at that…please…"

Without any choice Yul left everything in the sink and withdrew from the kitchen. He turned to look at Liya who was now washing the rest, unable to understand her.